Ask a Librarian
Ask a Librarian is intended primarily for the students, faculty and staff of Murray State University. If you are not affiliated with MSU but have a question concerning Murray State or some unique resource of the Murray State University Libraries, we will be happy to assist you.
Reference librarians check the Ask a Librarian email account daily (approximately every two hours throughout the Libraries' operating hours). Our direct email address is reference@murraystate.edu.
Extended Campus and Distance Services
The MSU University Libraries support the extended campus programs of the Center for Continuing Education and Academic Outreach (CE/AO) at five sites in the West Kentucky area. The libraries provide services to MSU students taking courses at Ft. Campbell, Henderson, Hopkinsville, Madisonville and Paducah. Instructors for courses taught at these campuses, online, or via interactive TV may contact the Reference Department at Waterfield Library for information regarding extended campus site visits from a librarian, on online or Blackboard assistance, or presentations for an interactive TV class session. Instructors may call the Reference Office at 270-809-4816, toll-free at 1-866-774-6612 or may email the department at reference@murraystate.edu.
Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL)
- What is the Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL)?
- An online information center providing...
- Multiple resources for users of all ages.
- Links to resources specific to Kentucky.
- Research and reference services.
- An online information center providing...
- Who can use the Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL)?
- How can I have access to databases through the KYVL?
- The KYVL website can be found at www.kyvl.org.
- MSU students, faculty and staff
- All online databases provided by the KYVL are available through the MSU Libraries website.
- General Public
- If you are not currently affiliated with MSU, you will need a public access user name and password.
- Contact your local public library for the current user name and password.
Laptop Computer Checkout
Laptop computers equipped with wireless network cards are available for IN LIBRARY USE ONLY. The laptops provide access to the Library's catalog and electronic resources. MicroSoft Office 2000, Siren e-mail, Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer are installed on the laptops.
The laptops are available during the hours of
8:00a.m. - 11:00p.m. Monday through Thursday
8:00a.m. - 7:00p.m. on Friday,
9:00a.m. - 8:00p.m. on Saturday, and
1:00p.m. - 11:00p.m. on Sunday
at the Circulation Desk on the main level of Waterfield Library. You must present your valid Racer card to check out a laptop. The loan period is two hours.
All work must be saved on a floppy disk.
Laser printers are located in the main lobby of Waterfield Library. Printers print from Waterfield laptop and personal computers. Print from your own storage media, library databases, or the Internet. Cost is $.10 per page (or $.08 with copy card).
Off-Campus Access to Electronic Library Resources
Off-campus access to electronic library resources is available to all current MSU faculty, staff and students. From a computer off-campus and off the university network, authorized users can access the long list of electronic library resources. These electronic resources include research databases by such vendors as FirstSearch, EBSCOhost and ABC-CLIO, along with full-text journal articles, indexes, abstract sources, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
No browser configuration is required but be sure that your browser is enabled to accept cookies. This will allow you to change databases without logging in each time.
The library's electronic resources are available on the University Libraries' home page. The University Libraries' home page may also be found by clicking on the Libraries button of the Murray State University home page or by clicking on the Libraries link on the RacerNet home page. Electronic resources are located under Databases on the library's home page. They are listed in alphabetical order, or arranged by subject area.
To access these resources using your current Murray State email user ID, usually your firstname.lastname (example: john.doe) as "user name" and your current email password as "password.
Faculty and staff who have not registered with the library must do so before obtaining access to the electronic resources.
If you need help logging in or need to register for access, contact the Reference Desk by phone at (270)809-2053 or toll-free 1-866-774-6612 or email at reference@murraystate.edu.
Photocopy Services
Photocopy machines are located on the main and upper levels of Waterfield and in both Overby Law Library and Pogue Library. A copy card dispenser and a dollar bill changer are located to the left of the circulation desk. (These can be used for both copy machines and laser printers.) Cost is $.10 per page or $.08 with copy card). Photocopies of microform material can be made in the Waterfield Library Microforms Room and Pogue Library.
Library Web Guides
The University Libraries maintains help guides on many of its electronic databases. Please ask for help in using any database if these guides are insufficient. You may call 809-2053 or toll-free 1-866-774-6612 during library hours, or email reference@murraystate.edu for assistance at any time.- Library Web Guides (PDF format):
ABC-CLIO EBSCOhost FirstSearch Proquest Social Work Abstracts WilsonWeb