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Getting Started

Core Library Tools

New to using the library? Start with an overview of our library homepage (7 min video). Then learn about our core library tools to help you find what you need.

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UC Library Search

The single online library catalog for the UC system. Search and borrow materials from the UC Davis Library and the entire UC System.

Learn how to:

books spines showing a variety of subjects

Research Guides

The first place to go when you’re starting a research assignment. Curated by UC Davis librarians, these guides in every UC Davis academic subject area sum up:

  • Key reference materials
  • Books and journal articles
  • Databases
  • Statistics
  • Historical and primary sources

Interlibrary Loan

Not in our collection? No problem. It’s easy to request and borrow books and articles from another library.

Health Sciences Resources

Key library resources and contacts to help with your animal and human health-related research and studies.

Connecting to Digital Resources

The library offers a wealth of digital materials, some library-owned, some licensed (still free to you!). Use these tools to help you connect to the digital materials you need, whether on- or off-campus.

Access Materials Off-Campus

Access to licensed resources varies by service. Some allow you to login with your UC Davis credentials; for others, you may need to connect to the Library VPN if you are off campus. 

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Google Scholar

Access library licensed articles directly in Google Scholar by configuring your settings to work with our library subscriptions.

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Databases

Fine-tune your searches for relevant results, faster. Library databases are specialized search engines for journals, magazine articles, newspapers, videos, music and more. Databases can be general or subject-specific.

  • “Get it at UC”: A button that connects you directly to full-text articles and ebooks

Help with Writing

citations

Citations

Cite when you write. Learn the basics of giving proper credit for the information you use, from the parts of a citation to citation styles and tools you can use to easily generate, manage and share them. 

More Writing Help:

Get Research Help and Training

Help with Projects and Assignments 

Meet with a librarian to:

  • Refine your research topic
  • Find books, journal articles, datasets and other materials
  • Explore and use primary sources in Archives and Special Collections
  • Find tools for tracking and citing your sources

Meet with a Librarian

Workshops

Sharpen your research process:

  • Attend an introductory workshop, like Library 101: Catalogs, Databases and Services
  • Offered by Shields Library and Blaisdell Medical Library
  • In-person and virtual formats

Find a Workshop