1. Research librarians

If you have a research topic in the arts, humanities, or social sciences, make an appointment with a research librarian at Mugar. If you have questions in other subjects, visit librarians at another library. Research librarians can help you at any point in your research from brainstorming, to choosing books, to finding articles, to organizing your research. Bring any notes or ideas you have written to your meeting. If you don’t have an appointment, feel free to drop by the Research Center on the first floor of Mugar and ask for help. There is also an email and chat service online for help 24/7. Make an appointment online by clicking the “make an appointment with a research librarian” button.

2. Reserve room

The reserve room is on the first floor past the computers and the circulation desk. This is where professors put books and articles for their class on loan usually for two hour use. You can use the computers in the reserve room to look up your class by course number or professor to find a list of all the books your teacher has on reserve. Write down the call number on the sheet of paper at the reserve desk and the attendant will find your request.

3. Departmental libraries

The second floor is where the Music Library is. Here, there are rare recordings of music, video formats, scores, and a listening room.

The sixth floor is where the African Studies Library, founded in 1953, is. Here, there are resources for the study of Africa, mostly in the social sciences and humanities. The material offered crosses the entire history of Africa up to the present day. There are stacks and a reading room in this library. Librarians are there to provide reference and research services and to help you access current periodicals.

4. IT Help Center

The IT Help Center is right across from the computers on the first floor. The desk is always staffed and they are there to help you with any printing or computing problems you may have. Here, you can also get help with understanding applications such as MATLAB, SAS, and Creative Suite 4, all of which every computer in Mugar has.

5. Collections across campus

There are 26 libraries across campus that collect different subjects. Mugar library collects content in the arts, social sciences, and humanities.

6. Scan & copy room

The Scan & Copy room is located on the first floor across from the circulation desk and past the printing desk. Here you will find photocopiers (you can use convenience points or cash), high-tech scanners (scanning is free!), staplers, hole punches, and a few computers with smaller scanners to upload documents.

7. Call number system

Campus libraries are organized according to the Library of Congress call number system. This system arranges books by subject. Books by and about a certain topic or author are in the same general area. First do a keyword search in the library catalog to get a call number. Check out the location guide to the right of every elevator to find out what floor each call number can be found. Each floor also has a map next to the elevator detailing specifically where each call number is located. If you get lost, every floor has a telephone receiver next to the elevator that connects to the circulation desk. Pick it up and wait for library staff to answer any questions you might have while looking for your books.

8. Library website

The easiest way to search the library catalog is to look for a topic by using the keyword search. If there is a particular journal that you know you need, search for it in the “ejournals” section of the search box. Otherwise, click on “databases” on the right side of the screen and search by subject.

9. Inter Library Loan (ILL) & Boston Library Consortium

You can get access to books and articles not owned by BU Libraries. For more information got to: www.bu.edu/library/ill or ask a librarian for help.

The Boston Library Consortium allows card holders to borrow books, in person, from the 19 libraries in the network of Boston area colleges and universities. A Consortium card is not needed to copy articles in other libraries. To apply for a card, go to the library website or visit the circulation desk. The card should be ready for pick up in three business days.

10. Circulation services

Located past the computers on the first floor and across from the print center, the circulation desk is where you check out books. This is also where you pay fines for overdue items, fill out a save card for a book you want that someone else currently has checked out, request books from storage, and apply for a consortium card. You can also create a pin number here, which allows you to renew books online instead of having to physically come to the library.