FAQs

Please note that the full-text pdf does not export at the same time as the citation information from a database. This will be a separate step, using EndNote's Find Full-Text feature.

Once the citations are in your EndNote library:

• Select the desired reference(s)
• Choose Find Full Text under the References tab
• EndNote will link to the U of T Libraries collections, and find and attach full text pdfs to the citation record(s), if available

Keep in mind:

• Your EndNote preferences must be correctly set up first. For instructions, please see Find Full Text in the EndNote guide
• EndNote cannot retrieve pdfs where there are multiple copies of articles through various providers. When this happens, you may need to search separately for the full-text article, save the PDF file, and and manually attach each PDF to citation records in EndNote. Here are some tips on how to find PDFs of full-text articles.

See also the full EndNote guide

Our research guide for Mobile Health Science Resources lists free and paid mobile health resources like DynaMedPlus, ClinicalEvidence, and Micromedex. For more information, contact Gerstein Science Information Centre.

Mobile access to UpToDate is for current University of Toronto students and residents only.  Here's how to access it. 

Yes! We can suggest several strategies.

Start at the library webpage

By signing in with your UTORid and password when you are using LibrarySearch, you are authenticated as a U of T user for the rest of your browser session.  This allows you access to U of T licensed e-content, such as articles, databases, or e-books.

Get LibKeyNomad

Install a browser extension called LibKey Nomad. It will link you to the PDF of articles owned by U of T or Open Access whether you start your search on the library's website or not.

Change your Google Scholar settings

Make sure Google Scholar knows you're a U of T user. Once you change your settings, you'll see "Get it! UTL" links next to articles in your search results.

Update your bookmarks

If you have an e-resource bookmarked, make sure that the URL has http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url= at the front of it. That will authenticate you as a U of T user and give you access to our online content.

Paste the prefix

If you're on a journal or ebook website, try pasting http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url= in front of the URL you're currently on.  You will be asked to log in with your UTORid.

This only works if the library actually subscribes to the journal.  You can search our catalogue for the journal title or ask us for help.

Yes, however Write-N-Cite is now called ProQuest for Word.

You can find this extension within Microsoft Word. Click on the ‘ProQuest’ tab at the top of the screen, and log in with your RefWorks account.

• For an overview, see The Literature Review: a Few Tips on Conducting It (pdf) from the UofT Writing Centre. 
• See also more advice at the Writing Centre

Please leave the books you don't need on a nearby table; our shelvers will take care of them.  

• there is a Systematic Review research guide
• if you are in the sciences or health science, you may request a research consultation with a librarian from the Gerstein Science Information Centre (science & health science library)

If the system says that a book is available on your campus, you can't use the Request Item service to get it delivered. But sometimes books go missing even though the system reports that they are on the shelf. In this case, please speak to intercampus delivery staff about your request, or ask the library to search for the book.

Accessibility Services at the University of Toronto libraries offers students with disablities several services:

• Texts in alternative formats: We can order Braille, large print, audio, or electronic versions of books and articles required for your course work.
• Assistive technology: You can borrow laptops, document scanners, word processors, or CD playback machines from us.
• Scanning: We can scan print materials for you when a digital copy is not available. Scans are processed for optical character recognition.
• Renewals and extended loans: Sometimes it is possible for you to keep a book longer or renew it multiple times.
• Proxy borrower authorization: You can designate someone to borrow and retrieve books on your behalf.

If you have a disability, please register with the University of Toronto Accessibility Services so that you can access their services. For full details about Accessibility Services, please visit our website.

Our new tool, LibrarySearch, searches for books, e-books, articles, journals, course reserves, DVDs and other audiovisual material, and other items in our collections all at once though a single user-friendly interface.

From the library homepage:

Once you are already in LibrarySearch:

You can choose to search just in the CATALOGUE, or just for ARTICLES.  Choosing to search EVERYTHING searches both the catalogue and articles.

 

There are a few things that are not included in LibrarySearch, however.  

• Newspaper articles 
• Library webpages 
• Research guides 
• Map & Data Library data collections
• TSpace content 
• Discover Archives content 

Use the WebsiteSearch search box to look for content about the library and our services. 

This includes: 

• Hours 
• Locations 
• Staff contact information 
• Services like interlibrary loan, Scan & Deliver, computers and wifi, etc.  
• Research guides 
• FAQs 

WebsiteSearch does not search for books, articles, journals, audiovisual materials, and other content that the library owns or subscribes to. Use LibrarySearch instead.

Secondary sources comment on, collect, review, analyze, explain or interpret primary sources.  Remember that not all secondary sources are scholarly.

Examples

Robarts Library is shaped like a triangle. Each corner of floors 9-13 is referred to as an apex. They are named after the streets they overlook - St. George, Harbord and Sussex. Each apex has approximately 100 study spaces and four group study rooms. 

Boolean is a set of commands that can be used in almost every search engine, database, or online catalogue.  The most popular Boolean commands are AND, OR, and NOT.  Other commands include parentheses, truncation, and phrases.

Narrow your search using AND

Using the Boolean command AND in your search tells the search engine to give you results that contain all of the words you have entered.  

Example

media AND violence: only those results that contain both media and violence will appear in your search results list.

Expand your search using OR

Using Boolean command OR in your search tells the search engine to give you results that contain any of the words you have entered.

Example

teenagers OR adolescents:  any results that contain either teenagers or adolescents will appear in your results list.

Narrow your results using NOT

Using Boolean command NOT in your search tells the search engine to give you results that contain the word(s) you entered except the word following NOT. 

Example

Psychology NOT Developmental:  any results that contain the word "psychology" will appear in your results list except those results that also contain the word "developmental".

Capitalize your Boolean commands. Some databases only accept these operators when they are capitalized.

Study carrels are private workspaces dedicated to quiet study. Some U of T libraries offer study carrels and lockers to eligible researchers, who may apply for and obtain them usually for one year, subject to renewal.

Study carrels vary across libraries with respect to size, layout, privacy, lockability, shareability, user eligibility, etc. For more information about offerings at each library, please use the links below. 

Robarts Library

Eligible graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and visiting scholars in the Humanities and Social Sciences (SGS Divisions I and II) can apply for a carrel or book locker at Robarts Library. For more information, please visit this page.  

Gerstein Science Information Centre

Eligible graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the Physical and Life Sciences (SGS Divisions III and IV) can apply for a carrel at Gerstein Library. For more information, please visit this page.

Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library 

Graduate students, faculty and staff may apply for a carrel at the East Asian Library, but priority is given to those from the East Asian Studies department. For more information, please visit this page. 

Kelly Library (St. Michael's College)

Eligible Faculty of Theology Advanced Degree students can apply for a carrel at Kelly Library. For more information, please visit this page. 

Graham Library (Trinity College) 

Graduate students of Trinity or Wycliffe College enrolled in any of the PhD, DMin, ThM or MA programs may apply for a carrel or locker at Graham Library. For more information, please visit this page.  

Reference books and reference sources are not meant to be read cover to cover. They are used to locate specific facts and background information. 

Examples of reference books or reference sources include dictionaries and encyclopedias; however, there are many kinds of reference works in a library collection, as this table illustrates.

Note: This list of reference works by type is not exhaustive. Please use LibrarySearch to discover others types and formats. 

There are a number of advantages to the Library’s HathiTrust Membership.

For individual users: the ability to download, rather than just view full-text public domain content, access to the full HathiTrust corpus for non-consumptive uses such as data-mining, and access to tools to facilitate those uses through the HathiTrust Research Center.

For the library: preservation services including the ability to deposit content with bibliographic and full-text searching of that content, access to a digital preservation copy of materials held in print, help in managing shared print preservation through the tracking of retention commitments of member libraries, and access to any book in the corpus for users who qualify through the Accessibility Office, enhancing the Library’s ability to provide service to students with print disabilities.

Students care passionately about their library spaces.  Our conduct regulations help create a safe and respectful environment for everyone who uses the library.  

Our holiday hours page lists our major closures. You can also check each library's hours on their library information page or on their website.

LibrarySearch is supported by current versions of these browsers:

• Chrome (Google)
• Edge (Microsoft)
• Firefox (Mozilla)
• Safari (Apple)

LibrarySearch does NOT work well with Internet Explorer.

Book your research consultation here.

Fast facts about research consultations:

• Like other library services, they are free!
• They usually last 30 minutes to an hour depending on your needs.
• They can take place in person or online (Zoom, MS Teams etc…).
• Many librarians are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm to meet with you.
• They are one-to-one meetings, so you can ask questions specific to your project/assignment!

How can I request a research consultation? 

Fill out our Book a Research Consultation form.

Make sure you tell us the campus, department, or course code associated with the project or assignment you’re requesting a consultation for. Knowing this will help us connect you to your liaison librarian, library staff member, or other subject matter experts in your field!

Will a librarian reach out to me, or should I email them?

An expert (librarian, library staff member, etc...) will reach out to you after you submit your form.

After submitting the Book a Research Consultation form, we will match you with an expert who will reach out to you by email.

When they contact you, they will arrange a time and place to meet you – online or in person – that fits your schedule. 

When you’re replying to them, you can give them more information about the specific issues or questions you have that you want to address in your consultation.

Why does the form ask me what course code or faculty I'm a part of?

We use this information to make sure that we're matching you with an expert in the field you're studying, and ideally, someone who's on the same campus as you. 

We prefer a course code if you have one, but we know that some people are looking for thesis and other kinds of research assistance. We'll reply to your submission via email if we have more questions/if we need to clarify details like this.

What should I bring to my research consultation?

If your consultation is happening in-person, have ready:

• a laptop/tablet (you can borrow one from the Library), or something to take notes with,
• your assignment brief, or something with the outline for the project you’re seeking assistance for (if applicable),
• all the questions you have about doing research and completing this project.

If your consultation is happening online, have ready:

• your assignment brief, or something with the outline for the project you’re seeking assistance for (if applicable),
• all the questions you have about doing research and completing this project.

What topics will be covered during my research consultation? 

Your liaison librarian, staff member or subject matter expert will tailor your research consultation to meet your needs and will help you develop you research skills and knowledge in your subject area.

During your research consultation, you may discuss:

• tips for searching in LibrarySearch,
• subject-specific databases and how to use them,
• evaluating scholarly sources,
• finding and using primary sources,
• guidance on literature reviews, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses,
• tips on managing citations and research data.

What questions will I be asked during my research consultation? 

Every research consultation is different, so this will depend on what your research question is! 

You will be asked questions to get a better sense of how much research you’ve done, the ways you currently library resources, and other ideas relevant to where you are in your process. Some questions you may be asked include:

• “What types of sources are you looking for?”
• “What kinds of searches have you already tried?”
• “How do you usually go about finding academic resources?"
• “What are you having difficulty with?”
• “What databases are you familiar with?”

Questions like these are asked to make sure your librarian can help you best. There are no right or wrong answers!

What if I need more help after my research consultation? 

If you need more assistance with library resources, contact us!

If you’re looking for academic writing help, there are Writing Centres across our three campuses that provide individual consultations with trained writing instructors, along with group teaching in workshops and courses. 

If you’re looking for ways to further yourself academically, consider contacting the Centre for Learning Strategy Support (CLSS)’s Peer Mentor service!

Book your research consultation here.

You can search the catalogue for:

• Print & electronic books
• Print & online journals, magazines & newspapers
• Audiovisual materials such as DVDs
• Microfiche & other microforms
• Cartographic material such as maps & atlases
• Music scores

To find electronic articles choose 'Articles' in the drop down menu in LibrarySearch.

To find databases choose Popular databases or Subjects A-Z from the library's home page.

Scholarly sources are written by academics and other experts and contribute to knowledge in a particular field by sharing new research findings, theories, analyses, insights, news, or summaries of current knowledge.

Scholarly sources can be either primary or secondary research. They can also come in many different formats. Books, articles, and websites can all be scholarly. Remember, there is sometimes a difference between scholarly and peer-reviewed articles; all peer-reviewed sources are scholarly, but not all scholarly sources are  peer-reviewed. 

1. Accuracy
   • The information should be based on verifiable facts.
   • There should be a bibliography or list of references.
   • There should be no spelling or grammatical errors.
2. Authority
   • A specific author or team of authors should be listed. 
   • These authors should work at an institution (such as a university or research institute) with a good reputation.
   • The authors' qualifications (PhD, research chair, etc) should be stated.
3. Bias
   • The information should be based on fact, not opinion.
   • There should be no obvious bias.
   • The authors should appeal to the reader's sense of logic, not emotion.
4. Audience
   • The source should be written for other experts or people who are familiar with the topic.
   • The language should be fairly technical, not simplistic.
5. Currency
   • In some disciplines, it is very important to use recent sources (within three or five years), but in others it's OK to have older sources.  Ask your TA or instructor if you're not sure what's too old.

Please see our policy on lost and damaged book charges.

1. Report your card as stolen/lost

Report your lost card ASAP so no one can use your account. Call 416-978-7694 or visit the circulation desk of any library to do this.

2. Get a replacement TCard

Students who require a replacement TCard can get one at the TCard Office. Ensure you bring valid Government Photo ID.

Faculty and staff can also go to the Reader Registration Desk at Robarts Library.