Library

The A.C. Clark Library at Bemidji State University provides multiple resources for on-campus students, distance learners, staff, faculty, and the community.  Please note: if you are a current student but are not registered for courses, you must register for "Continuous Enrollment" (UNIV 6000) to maintain access to library resources and services.

Where to Look...

If you are a distance learner or off-campus student, you may access many of the library's resources online.  A website overview has been provided through the library website for your benefit.

If you are on or near campus, you may certainly benefit from hands-on access to the A. C. Clark Library. The following resources are organized by floor:

1st floor

• 10+ year-old periodicals
• ERIC microfiche
• newspaper collection (microfilm)
• printed indexes and abstracts
• media study rooms and carrels
• microfilm and microfiche readers/copiers
• older media, e.g. slides, tapes, and LPs
• Laptop plug-ins
• Wireless access
  

2nd floor

• Q-Z section of the circulating collection
• juvenile collection
• special collections
• study rooms
• PCs and laptop plug-ins
• Wireless access

3rd floor (Main Floor)

• Main Entrance
• reference desk
• circulation desk, including the circulation desk collection and course reserve collection
• printed indexes and abstracts
• current ten years of periodicals
• CDs
• assistive technology room for the visually and hearing impaired
• state and federal government documents
• reference collection
• short-term storage lockers (free, but a quarter must be deposited to receive the key; the quarter will be returned when the key is reinserted)
• photocopiers
• microfilm and microfiche readers/copiers and microform scanners
• PCs and laptop plug-ins
• Scanners
• Printers
• Wireless access

4th floor

• A-P section of the circulating collection
• study carrels
  
• PCs and laptop plug-ins
• Wireless access

Note: Nearly seventy public computers are located on the second, third and fourth floors of the library for student use.  These can accommodate the use of the library catalog and other library resources, including the internet, e-mail, Campus D2L, and any other student needs. 

Getting Connected

To access the online library catalog and other resources,

On-campus students: simply go to the library homepage

Off-campus students/Distance Learners: go to the library homepage. You may have to log in for some services (e.g. indexes, abstracts, and full-text periodicals in the Online Resources). Off-campus log-in consists of the 14-digit number at the bottom of your student ID, beginning "20105," and a password (usually your last name).

Finding Your Sources

Reference Desk

The reference desk is staffed to answer student questions concerning research processes and materials, as well as assist in accessing the online resources and components of the library.  Contact the Reference Desk for additional assistance (218-755-3342; 800-860-0234).  Librarian hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm; Evening/Weekend Supervisors will take calls during all other library hours.

Library Research Guides

In order to give students a foundation for their research process, the library provides Library Research Guides.  These guides are organized by subject area and assist the student throughout their research process.

Library Catalog

The items you want to find will determine the tools you need to use.  Students may locate sources, such as books, e-books, audiovisual materials, and periodicals, through the online library catalog on the library homepage.

Basic Catalog Search

• location and format of the items wanted (e.g. electronic books through the BSU Library)
• search type (e.g. title, author, or subject)
• key word(s)
• After receiving a list of results, click on "Location" to find if an item is available/On shelf, or select "Title" for bibliographic information.

Accessing Electronic Books

After clicking on the title and receiving the bibliographic information, click on the Electronic Resource link.  View the item or check it out for four hours (off-campus students will need to log in using their 14-digit number and password).

Online Resources

If the item is a journal article, students may search in the library's "Online Resources" portion of the library website. The "Online Resources" section is a collection of electronic indexes and abstracts; many full-text documents are also provided there. Students may search for articles by periodical database or via the "Find a Journal" link. You may access these "Online Resources" on the left menu of the library homepage or within the Library Research Guides.

Accessing Full Text Online

Click on "BSU Links to Full Text," included in all of the library databases, to locate any available full text in the library's "Online Resources," search for an item in the library catalog, or request an item through the Interlibrary Loan Service.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

The library’s Interlibrary Loan service obtains materials from other libraries for use by currently affiliated BSU students, faculty, and staff.  Interlibrary Loan also provides delivery service for distance learners.  For more information, see the Interlibrary Loan website.