Dear University of Illinois Colleague:

Welcome from the University Library! As a member of the faculty, you have joined a prestigious group of colleagues who are recognized internationally for excellence in teaching, research, and public engagement. 

The beginning of the semester is always busy and often overwhelming. I want to make sure you know about the vast resources offered by the Library. Once a month, you’ll receive a brief message from us with information about how we can help advance your research and teaching.

First and foremost, I encourage you to visit the Library’s website. More information about how the Library partners with faculty is online: Information for Instructors and Information for Researchers. Get to know the Library and take a tour of the Main Library or one of the 30 subject libraries, area studies centers, and special collections across campus. We also sponsor the Savvy Researcher workshop series.

The Library plays an integral role in supporting the research and instructional mission of the faculty through our rich print and digital collections, the expertise of our librarians, relevant and innovative services, and tools that provide access to electronic and online resources. The Library subscribes to over 55,000 journals and has a collection budget of almost $18 million that supports research in all disciplines.  

I encourage you to make an appointment with a librarian responsible for collecting and navigating information resources in your area. See the website for a list of libraries or refer to our list of subject areas and subject specialists. For quick assistance getting started, use our Ask a Librarian service.

There are a few items you may want to check out right away. First, Illinois Data Bank is a free repository designed to store and publicly serve data produced by Illinois researchers. The Library also provides assistance with the writing of data management plans required by grant agencies. See the Research Data Service or your relevant departmental library. Also, the Library’s DocExpress service can be used to request digital copies of articles or chapters from its print collections and is FREE for faculty, staff, and graduate students. 

Congratulations on your appointment! I wish you well in your position and hope you enjoy the many benefits that our campus and community have to offer. If you have any questions or comments about the Library’s collections and services, please contact me at w-mischo@illinois.edu or 333-0790. I look forward to meeting and talking with you!

Sincerely,

William H. Mischo
Acting Dean of Libraries and University Librarian