Ask Us! We're Here to Help
Chat with a librarian
Our live chat is active from 10am-4pm Monday-Friday during semesters, otherwise you can leave an offline message!
View common questions about the library, including information about borrowing items, accessing online resources, using library space, and more!
Stay up-to-date with the latest library news, events, and research tips!
We Are Here to Help
Have Questions?
Get Help from the Reference Desk
You can catch us at the reference desk Monday-Friday, 10:00am-4:00pm (Mountain Time). Outside of these hours, you can still submit offline messages through the chat icon on the website, or by sending us an email. We will respond to your question within 2 business days.
- Chat with us! A chat box is available on our website
- Email: library.reference@umontana.edu
- Phone: 406-243-6866
Helpful Resources for Research & Creative Scholarship
Research Guides
Research guides are curated by UM library staff to help you find subject-specific resources, help you navigate the library, offer information on topics of interest, and more! Below is a brief overview of the types of guides you'll find:
- Subject Guides: offer tips for researching in specific academic programs, including recommended journals, databases, books, and websites.
- Topic Guides: not designed for specific academic programs, but offer information and resources that can be used in any discipline or for personal interest.
- Examples include B-Movies at the Mansfield Library, Indigenous Authors, and Cosplay Resources.
- General Purpose Guides: help you with the research process, citing sources, and using specific tools and resources. There are also guides for services offered through the library, civic engagement-related information, and for specific student groups.
- Examples include Accessibility in the Library, Citation Style Guides and Management Tools, and Missoula Community Resources.
Credo Information Literacy
Credo InfoLit-Core is a collection of videos, tutorials, and quizzes intended to teach and review essential research skills like critical thinking, finding and evaluating information, and synthesizing what you learn into your final product.
Credo content is available for self-guided use--but you may encounter it in your courses as well!
RefWorks
RefWorks is an online reference management tool to help you organize your research, easily generate citations and bibliographies, and more! Just create an account using your @umontana.edu email.
Workshops
Presenters from the Mansfield Library and the Writing Center periodically provide workshops that address specific student research needs, such as navigating copyright, finding government information, managing references, and conducting a literature review. Keep an eye out for announcements on new workshops!