Libraries
UMass Amherst and Beyond
The W.E.B Du Bois Library is 28 stories of books, information, special collections, computer labs, study space, and great views. It is the main library on campus and has two satellite sites: The Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library in the Lederle Graduate Research Center, and the Music Reserve Lab in the Fine Arts Center. With more than five million books, periodicals, and government documents, UMass Amherst has the largest library system at any state-supported institution in New England.
The access to information doesn’t end there. Because UMass Amherst is a part of the Five College Interchange its students enjoy access to the libraries of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges, and can borrow materials or use their resources in person or online.
But wait, there’s more. Outside of the Five College area, the UMass Amherst library participates in the Boston Library Consortium, an association of 19 academic and research libraries located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. This means that as a UMass Amherst student you will have access to the collections at Boston College, Boston University, MIT, and Tufts University, as well as many others institutions.
Getting Information
But let’s get back to UMass Amherst. With the online capacities of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, you might not even need to leave your room to write your papers. Online, students have access to a database locater (with over 180 databases), an electronic journal locater, and subject research guides. Through the library’s on-line resources you can also access full-text articles from academic journals, magazines, and newspapers. You can request materials online, and the Digital Library even has 24/7 reference assistance and online tutorials. The human side of the UMass Amherst library is even better. They boast a highly qualified staff that is very knowledgeable about information technology, and offer specialists in a wide range of disciplines.
Computer Resources
The W.E.B. Du Bois library also has several computer labs for students to use, either in a classroom setting or on their own. There are over one hundred computers (both PC and Mac formats) available in five different labs throughout the library.
For more on computer access at UMass Amherst, go to the Technology section.
In a typical week, over 20,000 people use the library in one form or another. Even when you don’t need to research anything, the library is a great place to study. It’s quiet, offers study areas with great views of campus and the Pioneer Valley, and most importantly, it’s far away from your couch and TV.
