How to Find Library Services and Resources on the Furman University Libraries LibGuides Site

The Furman University Libraries LibGuides homepage (libguides.furman.edu/library/home) is the starting point for nearly every library service. The page organizes everything into a top navigation menu — Hours, Ask, Account, Search, Donate — plus a set of quick-action links and three main service sections: Borrow & Request, Find Resources, and Research Help. If you know which category your need falls into, you can go straight there; if not, the quick links near the top of the page cover the most common tasks.

Quick actions on the homepage

Below the main menu, the homepage surfaces several one-click entry points:

• Databases — jump directly into the library's database list
• Journals — locate a specific journal title
• EBSCO Articles — search across EBSCO article content
• Find your librarian — identify the subject librarian for your department
• Find a study room — book a reservable room
• Print in the libraries — printing instructions and locations
• Activate news resources — set up access to news databases

These links exist because they answer the most frequent questions at the desk. If your task is on this list, you don't need to dig through the menus.

Borrow & Request

This section covers anything involving physical materials or requests:

• Borrow From Other Libraries — interlibrary loan and similar borrowing arrangements
• Checkouts & Renewals — your account, due dates, and renewing items
• Digitization Services — requesting digital copies of materials
• Request Purchases — asking the library to buy something

Use this section when the item you need isn't on the shelf, when you need to extend a loan, or when you want the library to acquire something new.

Find Resources

This is the research side of the site:

• Books, Articles, and More — the general search
• Course Reserves — materials your instructor has placed on reserve
• Databases — the full database list
• Digitized Furman Collections and Furman Scholarship — local and institutional collections
• Get Article Full Text — help when you have a citation but not the PDF

If you're starting a paper or looking for a known item, start here.

Research Help

This section is about doing research well, not just finding things:

• Citing Sources and Copyright — formatting and reuse guidance
• Evaluating Sources and Find More Recent Sources — judging and updating what you find
• Find Your Librarian — subject specialists
• Getting Started — orientation for new researchers
• RefWorks — citation management
• Share Your Research — for publishing and depositing your work

Guides by course, subject, or topic

The site's core function is its guides. You can browse Guides by Course, Subject, Topic to find a page built for a specific class or discipline. These guides typically collect the databases, reference works, and citation formats most relevant to that area, so they're often a faster route than searching the general database list.

Spaces and other services

Beyond research, the homepage links to:

• Café & Study Lounge, Floor Plans, and Reserve Rooms & Spaces
• Printers & Computers
• Maxwell Music Library and Sanders Science Library
• Special Collections & Archives

Getting human help

The Ask link in the top menu is the general contact route. For subject-specific questions, Find your librarian connects you to the librarian responsible for your department. The site also lists a phone number (864.294.2190) and a mailing address (3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613), and the About Us section includes contact information, personnel, and employment listings.

A practical path

If you're unsure where to start: use the quick links for databases, journals, or your librarian; use Borrow & Request for anything involving physical items or requests; use Find Resources for searching; and use Research Help when you need guidance on citing, evaluating, or managing sources. Course- and subject-specific guides are usually the most efficient entry point for a specific assignment.