Williams Library offers a wide range of licensed electronic resources that cover the broad spectrum of academic disciplines; many of these resources offer full-text materials. Use the Journal search to locate a specific full-text journal in the library’s extensive collection of online (and print) journals. The library’s collection of online databases is under constant review and new resources are added throughout the academic year.
Reference Collection
Our print
Reference Collection (many of our reference resources are also available electronically) is on the first floor and is continually updated.
Government Documents (cataloged using the SuDoc system) and the Oversize Collection are on the west side of the first floor. The Main Collection is housed on the first and second floors. You’ll find a wide variety of materials in the Main Collection, including books, videos, audio recordings, and an extensive collection of e-books that can be located using the library’s online catalog. The Curriculum and the Children’s Collections are on the east side of the second floor. The Children’s Collection is cataloged using the Dewey Decimal System since most school libraries use that system of classification. Otherwise, we use the Library of Congress classification system to label and shelve our materials.
The Special Collections and Archives, a closed collection, is housed in the library’s lower level. In the Archives you’ll find historical documents on the university, the region, and the state of South Dakota. Among the resources in the Williams Library Archives is the Harriet Montgomery Water Collection, an extensive collection of materials about natural resource issues, particularly water development issues in the upper Missouri River basin and the Northern Plains.
The
Periodicals Collection is on the east side of the first floor and contains current issues of journals. Older journals are bound and placed in the Main Collection or replaced by microfiche housed in cabinets next to the Reference Collection. Print indexes are located in the Reference Collection, and electronic indexes (many of which are full text) can be accessed on our
Databases page. Scattered along both floors are group study rooms for our patrons, which are available on a first- come, first-served basis.
Williams Library offers a wide range of licensed electronic resources that cover the broad spectrum of academic disciplines; many of these resources offer full-text materials. Use the
Journal search to locate a specific full-text journal in the library’s extensive collection of online (and print) journals. The library’s collection of online
databases is under constant review and new resources are added throughout the academic year.
You can search the NSU library catalog from your office or any computer with internet access.
You'll find a quick search box on the
Library's home page. The search defaults to only resources here at NSU; however, you can search any or all libraries in SDLN, the statewide library system.
If you'd like to set additional search parameters, use the
Williams Library Catalog link on the library home page to reach advanced search.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)Among the fields displayed is the location and availability of the item. If the item is not available in the Williams Library collection, click on InterLibrary Loan in the upper righthand corner of the screen. If the item you wish to locate is not found in the library catalog, you can submit an Interlibrary Loan request using the blank request forms located under the My Library Card tab at the top of the screen.
Read More About Interlibrary Loans. . .
Note: you will need to log in to the catalog (use the barcode found on the back of your NSU ID and your last name as your password) in order to place an interlibrary loan request.
Recommending MaterialsWe encourage you to recommend books and other materials for the Williams Library collections. We offer access to several resources to assist you in finding out more about new materials in your field.
If you find something you believe to be important to our collection, send an email to
reference@northern.edu and let us know what you need.
ReservesBring items you wish to place on reserve to the circulation desk. You’ll need to complete a
reserve form for each item you wish to place on reserve. You can print the
reserve materials form, fill it out in advance and bring it with you to the library, or pick one up at the Circulation Desk.
When items are placed on reserve, it is the responsibility of the instructor to meet copyright criteria or obtain copyright permission. Learn more about Reserves and Copyright. Allow 1-3 days for the processing of reserve items. We suggest that you clarify with your students when the reserve items will be available and that a student ID is required to check out reserve items.
Instruction and ToursSynchronous or asynchronous, online or in-person, in the library or in your classroom, 5 minutes to 75 minutes, we can be as flexible as you need us to be. Library instruction can help build student confidence and decrease stress over speeches, papers and projects, and improve performance on assignments.
Let us help reinforce your lessons by teaching students about informed research; selecting credible, quality resources; avoiding plagiarism, or creating correct citations.
Schedule an instruction session or tour today!
Reference librarians or reference assistants are available at the reference desk during the hours the library is open and classes are in session. Check the
Library Hours for a schedule.
Loan Periods for Faculty:
- Circulating materials* check out for the entire academic year** - except for bound periodicals,
- Bound periodicals (journals & magazines) have a three-day checkout period,
- Interlibrary loan materials are due on the date reflected on the ILL band attached to each item.
*All NSU checked out items are subject to recall. If another library patron places a hold on an item you have checked out, you must return the item by the date given on the recall notice.
**All NSU items are due the Friday before Spring finals, unless renewed.
Fines: Faculty members are billed for lost and late items, including interlibrary loans
Circulating Collection - billed cost at 60 days overdue
Bound Periodicals - billed cost at 30 days overdue
Bound Periodicals - billed cost at 30 days overdue
See more policy information...
If you have questions regarding borrowing privileges or services, please ask.
Copyright InformationWhile selecting resources for use in the classroom, a question of potential copyright infringement may arise. To assist you in resolving these issues, a
Copyright Information webpage has been created. If you have a question or situation that is not addressed by this webpage, contact Robert Russell at:
robert.russell@northern.edu.
ProctoringThe library offers proctoring services for NSU/SDBOR students at no charge. Have a student in need of a proctor for a missed exam or midterm?
Contact the library for assistance.
Adjunct FacultyAre you an adjunct interested in what the library has to offer? If you don't have an NSU ID, or are unsure about the status of your library account, please
contact the library and we'll be more than happy to help you out.