When you are a student at the University of Florida (UF), the George A. Smathers Libraries, which are commonly referred to as the UF Libraries, are resources that can assist you with research and other academic pursuits. Read More
The Libraries foster an environment conducive to creative thinking and inquisitiveness, both of which are vital to supporting the University’s worldwide objectives. Additionally, libraries play a significant role in attracting and maintaining the best students, teachers, and staff. Read More
Every college and centre at the university, including the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and the Health Science Center, receives service from the libraries of the University of Florida, which form the largest information resource system in the state of Florida and are responsible for providing that service.
There are seven libraries that make up the University of Florida Libraries, six of which are included in the George A. Smathers Libraries. The Levin College of Law’s Legal Information Center and the Smathers Libraries work together on a regular basis to provide resources and expertise.
The following items can be found inside the Smathers Libraries:
The Libraries of the Health Science Center, including the Architecture and Fine Arts Library and the Education Library (UF campus and Borland Library in Jacksonville),
The West Library (Humanities and Social Sciences)
The Library of Scientific Research at Marston
The Library of Smathers (Special and Area Studies Collections, Latin American and Caribbean Collections, Map and Imagery Library).
UF library catalogue
Using the databases provided by the UF library, you are able to conduct a search for articles from academic journals, periodicals, and newspapers. The vast majority of papers published in academic journals are not searchable on Google and must instead be accessed through the library. Examine the UF Academic Calendar to learn more about upcoming events.
The following is a list of interdisciplinary library databases that encompass the sciences, as well as the humanities and the social sciences:
More than 4,000 full-text journals that have been vetted by experts are included in Academic Search Premier.
Access to scholarly books, articles from academic journals, and original materials in 75 different fields is provided via JSTOR.
The humanities, social sciences, and scientific citations are all included in the “Web of Science.”
Make use of the library’s subject databases in order to conduct targeted searches within certain subject areas.
The full alphabetical list of databases
It is an exhaustive directory of every database held by the UF Libraries. Users have the option of seeing all of the databases in alphabetical order, searching for a specific database by its title, or using the A–Z Database List’s three dropdown menus to search for databases according to subject, type, or vendor.
Find databases that are arranged by subject with the help of A-Z Databases.
The “easy search” functionality offered by Google is replicated in Primo Primo. On the other hand, Primo does not conduct searches throughout the entirety of the open Web as Google does; rather, it does searches across the bulk of the authoritative electronic and print materials that the UF Libraries have subscribed to and acquired (including Library Catalog records for books, etc.) shelved in the local collections.
After you have entered your search, you will be given the option to input more search keywords, filter the results to only show articles that include the complete text, show books that are available in the library, and so on.
OneSearch (n.d) (available until September 30th).
Additionally, OneSearch imitates the “simple search” experience that Google provides. On the other hand, Primo does not conduct searches throughout the entirety of the open Web as Google does; rather, it does searches across the bulk of the authoritative electronic and print materials that the UF Libraries have subscribed to and acquired (including Library Catalog records for books, etc.) shelved in the local collections.
After you have entered your search, you will be given the option to input more search keywords, filter the results to only show articles that include the complete text, show books that are available in the library, and so on.
Library operating hours
The general public is welcome to visit the University of Florida libraries during the hours listed below. Find out what times the libraries are open and what times they are closed.
The UF Library.
Monday-Thursday
Friday
Sunday and Saturday
The Library of Scientific Research at Marston
8 am-11 pm
8 am-9 pm
10 am–6 pm—11 p.m. (Sun)
The West Library
8 a.m.-10 p.m.
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The library of the Health Science Center is now closed.
7:30 am-7:00 pm
7:30 am-7:00 pm
Borland Library has been closed down.
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Smathers Library is currently closed.
8 am-6 pm
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Architecture and Fine Arts Library is currently closed.
8 am-6 pm
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Education Library is no longer in operation.
8 am-6 pm
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ask-A-Librarian Virtual Assistance that is currently closed
8 a.m.-10 p.m.
8 am-6 pm
10 am-3 pm
When the UF Library Is Open
What to anticipate during your time spent at the various libraries
Because of COVID-19, the University of Florida library needed to make a few adjustments in order to encourage social separation and secure the users’ and staff’s safety. The following is what you should anticipate:
Coverings for the face are not required. According to the recommendation provided by the CDC, those who have not received the complete COVID-19 vaccination should continue to use masks.
The layout of study areas has been altered to encourage psychological distance from one’s peers.
The University of Florida has taken away many tables, chairs, and public computer terminals.
There will be no availability for group study rooms.
In the majority of college libraries, bringing in food and drinks that are contained within a container is allowed. Consumption of hot dinners, salads, pizza, soup, and other hot, messy, or pungent foods must take place outside. It is strictly forbidden to eat any kind of food or drink within the special collections, which include the Architecture and Fine Arts Library, the Map and Imagery Library, and the Special Collections.
Primo VE is the new library system of the University of Florida.
On July 13, 2021, the central library platforms of all Florida state colleges and universities were upgraded to the Alma and Primo VE library systems. This integrated library system (ILS) of the next generation takes advantage of cloud-based services and provides a web and mobile design that is adaptable and scalable. Because of this change, students, professors, and staff will have improved access to more content, and the overall user experience will be enhanced.
How will the University of Florida profit from Primo VE?
The newly implemented Primo VE discovery tool will provide improved access and administration of the library’s print, electronic, and digital collections, as well as enhanced item discovery across the state of Florida at all of the state’s many institutions. The current UF library catalogue as well as OneSearch will undergo visual and functional transformations as a result of the implementation of Primo VE.
Other improved features include the following:
Better integration of the library’s collections, as well as enhanced and extended search capabilities, contribute to the enhancement of the user experience.
Quicker: You can save time by doing a search that encompasses practically all of the library’s holdings and even goes beyond them.
Explore and educate yourself via the use of automated suggestions, virtual title browsing, and citation trails in this additional discovery feature.
Personalized Experience When Searching: Please log in so that your research selections may be saved. You may export records to citation management systems with ease from your eShelf after you’ve saved your goods there.
On the Go: Thanks to enhancements made to the mobile user interface, researchers are now able to search using their preferred mobile device.
Alma and Primo VE operate together to give one user-friendly account that can be used for the majority of the library’s needs. This integration is seamless.
6 helpful hints for new students regarding library resources
Even if you aren’t physically present on campus, you still have access to the wealth of resources provided by the University of Florida Libraries. The following is a list of the six things that you need to know in order to use the library.
1.Virtual Private Network (VPN) access to the University of Florida library
You will need to download the VPN software, set it up on your device, and activate it before you can use any of the online resources that are made available by the UF Library. These materials are available at the address vpn.ufl.edu. Please take a look at my post on how to install the UF VPN.
It would be ideal if you also had access to this when you were away from the campus. Before you may access any electronic materials, you will first need to check in to the UF library, even if you are conducting research off campus (at home, at a coffee shop, etc.). You can connect using the special UF VPN or through the proxy server located in the library.
The virtual private network (VPN) software is known as Cisco AnyConnect once it has been deployed. When you first launch Cisco AnyConnect, you will be asked to provide a user name and password before you can continue. To connect, you will need to provide your Gatorlink username (without the @ufl.edu part) and password.
The Computing Help Desk is open around the clock to field queries and provide assistance with setting up and using the VPN correctly.
2. UF Borrowing from other libraries (ILL) gives you access to everything.
UF Online students get free access to the books, journals, and other materials that are available through the UF Library.
Students enrolled in UF Online have access to the InterLibrary Loan service, which allows them to borrow the vast majority of the items that are offered at the main UF campus as well as titles that are not held by the UF Libraries.
Requests are either sent or emailed to sites outside campus, and their fulfilment can take anywhere from one day to several weeks, depending on whether or not the object in question is held by the University of Florida (UF) or must be obtained from another university. You should be able to access the majority of electronic resources by using a VPN.
Please be aware that the ILL service does not cover textbooks.
3. The experts in your field
Did you know that the university assigns a librarian to each and every major? Because of their in-depth knowledge of a particular field, these librarians are referred to as “subject specialists.” This indicates that you have access to a knowledgeable person who can assist you in finding material for your papers, projects, or other types of tasks.
UF topic specialists are accessible to respond to queries through many channels, including email, phone, and Zoom. The discussions between students and librarians that take place one-on-one are rather prevalent. Consultations might range from something as straightforward as posing a single question through e-mail to something as involved as devoting an hour to the task of researching references for an undergraduate thesis.
4. Research guides are available on LibGuides.
The University of Florida’s Library Guides, or LibGuides for short, are one-way subject specialists that make it their mission to assist you in locating academic materials that are relevant to your curriculum.
Due to the fact that every major is unique, locating information specific to each major involves the use of a distinct set of resources.
If you are conducting historical research for a paper on the history of the Everglades, for instance, you may need to locate books, newspapers, official documents, and unique collections that are stored in archives.
On the other hand, if you are in the pre-medical phase of your education and you are writing a paper about health inequalities in communities of colour, you will require original research papers and information on public health derived from huge databases.
5. The search functionality of the UF library is
You can search for specific libraries with the use of the UF library search feature. On the page labelled “FIND,” you will find a link to the tool.
You can search for books, journals, films, and other resources that are available at the UF Libraries using the Library Catalog.
OneSearch is a search engine that allows users to look for information not only in the library catalogue but also in electronic resources, including ebooks, ejournals, and full-text articles.
EJournals allow users to search for and peruse content within electronic journals.
Access a list of databases covering a wide range of topics that may be searched using the letters of the alphabet.
UFDC allows users to search for one-of-a-kind UF artefacts as well as digital collections.
Finding Aids allow users to conduct searches of archival documents and manuscript collections.
PubMed is an online database that allows users to search through millions of citations for articles and ebooks in the fields of life sciences and biomedicine.
LibGuides are subject-specific or generic topic-specific guides that contain information, resources, and links pertinent to the subject at hand.
6. UF library printing servicesRegular printing, copying, and scanning services are available at all University of Florida Libraries branches. Poster (plotter) printing, 3D printing, and 3D scanning services are available at certain locations.
Your Gatorlink account will be debited for any printing expenses that are incurred. Printing through Academic Technology will be included on your final electronic statement for the month as part of the category labelled “other costs.” Your myUFL Student Financials account will be updated with these charges after they have been processed.
How to print documents from a computer in the library.
To print something, go to the Print menu of your application (Word, email, browser, etc.).
Pick the kind of printer you wish to use from the options below:
To release your work, you will need to go to the print release station, input your Gatorlink login and password, and then press the release button.
Make payments for any fees using the MyUFL portal.
Do you want to print anything from your desktop computer or mobile device?
Visit print.at.ufl.edu.
Make your choice in the printing process (upload file, web print, email print, driver print).
Walk over to where the prints are being released.
Make payments for any fees with MyUFL.
Questions that are asked repeatedly
Can I bring food and drinks into the library with me?
In the majority of the University of Florida campus libraries, uncapped beverages and snacks are not allowed. Consumption of hot dinners, salads, pizzas, soups, and other products that are messy or pungent must take place outside. It is strictly forbidden to eat any kind of food or drink within the special collections, which include the Architecture and Fine Arts Library, the Map and Imagery Library, and the Special Collections.
