CICS 305 Social Issues in Computing

Know Where to Get Help

Who	What	Where
Librarians! My name is Rebecca and I'm the librarian for the College of Information and Computer Sciences.	There's a librarian for every subject! They can answer your questions about finding, accessing, and managing academic resources. If you'd like to see which librarian works with a particular field, search "Find Your Librarian" by subject or keyword.	You can reach me by email to make an appointment for a consultation. If you need a quick answer, you can Get Help! via email, phone, or chat.
Learning Resource Center (LRC)	Help with homework, tutoring, and supplemental instruction. Offers several sections for Information and Computer Sciences!	Online appointments and drop-ins.
CICS Writing Center	Work with you at any point in the writing process. Sign up for an appointment and meet online with a CICS Writing Center tutor!	Online appointment.

Use Library Resources

You are entitled to all the content that the Libraries provide. Make sure the Libraries' resources among those that you use to find research!

Discovery Search: The default search box on the Library's homepage searches the Five College catalogs and *some* of the databases we subscribe to. You will find many articles, books, reference materials, and electronic resources -- but not all that may be relevant to your work.

Databases A-Z: A searchable list of all the databases that the Libraries have access to. It can point you to content in your subject area of interest (e.g., computer science, engineering, business, philosophy). The most frequently used databases are listed first. Check out the listing of computer science-specific databases, too.

Activate Your Interlibrary Loan Account

Activate your ILL account!

Interlibrary Loan (also abbreviated ILL) is a free service that allows patrons of the UMass Amherst libraries to borrow materials and to receive copies of documents from libraries beyond the Five Colleges.

This service is available to current UMass Amherst students and current and retired UMass Amherst faculty and staff. You can borrow physical items or scans of articles and book chapters for items that the Libraries do not already own or license.

Set up Google Scholar

Access Google Scholar from the Libraries Homepage

Check Your Settings to ensure your UMass affiliation is recognized.

Know Your Resource Types

Information will come to you in a variety of formats. Different types of resources have different authority and credibility cues. It is important to know the basic characteristics of resource types so that you can make good decisions about which ones to trust and use in your own work.

Also, check out this AMAZINGLY HELPFUL Infographic on some important differences between resource types, such as how much scrutiny they receive before publication, or how long they take to publish, for another look at resource characteristics. .