How to Use My Library Account and Other Services at University of Southern Mississippi Libraries

Updated

You can manage your borrowing, renewals, and holds through My Library Account on the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Libraries site at lib.usm.edu, and you can reach most other core services — Course Reserves, Interlibrary Loan, Room Reservations, Research Guides, and Articles & Databases — from the same site's Resources and Quick Links areas. The exact login method and any eligibility rules (for example, whether a service is limited to current students and faculty) are not stated in the site information available here, so confirm those details with the library directly if you are unsure whether you qualify.

What you can do from the USM Libraries site

The site organizes its main functions into a few clear groups. Based on the site's navigation, these are the services you can expect to find:

Service What it is for
My Library Account Your personal borrowing record and account functions
Course Reserves Materials set aside by instructors for specific courses
Interlibrary Loan Requesting items the library does not hold
Room Reservations Booking library spaces
Research Guides Subject and course-specific starting points for research
Articles & Databases Searchable article and database access
E-Journals Electronic journal access
Aquila Digital Community The university's digital repository
Data Management Guidance and forms for managing research data
Library Instruction Sessions on using library resources
Style Guide Citation and formatting help
Patent and Trademark Resource Center Patent and trademark information services

Using My Library Account

My Library Account is the entry point for anything tied to your own borrowing record — checking what you have out, renewing items, and managing requests.

  1. Go to lib.usm.edu and locate My Library Account in the Resources area.
  2. Sign in when prompted. The site does not specify the credential type in the information available, so use whatever USM library or university login you were issued; if it fails, contact the library rather than guessing.
  3. Once inside, review your current loans and due dates, renew items where renewal is allowed, and check the status of any holds or requests.
  4. Sign out when finished, especially on shared computers.

Expected result: you see your own borrowing record and can act on it directly. If you cannot sign in, the most common causes are an expired or inactive account status or using the wrong credential type — the library's Ask-A-Librarian or Live Chat is the fastest way to resolve it.

Course Reserves, Interlibrary Loan, and Room Reservations

These three services each have their own link in the Quick Links and Resources areas.

  • Course Reserves: use this when an instructor has placed a book, article, or media item on reserve for a class. Search by course or instructor to find the item, then follow the checkout or access instructions shown for that item. Availability windows for reserve items are set by the instructor and library, not by you.
  • Interlibrary Loan: use this when USM does not hold the item you need. Submit a request with the citation details; the library then borrows or obtains a copy from another institution. Turnaround time depends on the lending library, so request early if you have a deadline.
  • Room Reservations: use this to book library spaces. Reservations typically require a valid library account, and room policies (duration, group size, equipment) are set by the library.

Research Help: Guides, Databases, and Instruction

If your goal is finding sources rather than managing your account:

  • Research Guides are curated starting points, usually organized by subject or course, that point you to the right databases and reference works.
  • Articles & Databases is where you run searches across the library's subscribed content. Off-campus access normally requires signing in through the library's authentication.
  • E-Journals lets you look up a specific journal title when you already know which publication you need.
  • Library Instruction covers sessions and support for learning to use these tools systematically.
  • Style Guide helps with citation formatting once you have your sources.

Getting help

The site lists several contact routes: Ask-A-Librarian, Live Chat, Consultation, an Employee Directory, and a general Contact Us page. Cook Library hours are shown as 7am–12am. For account problems, interlibrary loan questions, or reservation issues, Ask-A-Librarian or Live Chat will get you a direct answer faster than working through the site alone.

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