Ball State has a wide variety of resources for nearly any educational endeavor you can imagine. Bracken Library, a common place to find hundreds of hard-working students, is likely at the top of the list for places you’ll want to visit when trying to research and study. But do you know everything Bracken has to offer?
Top five things you probably didn’t know you could do at Bracken Library:
1. Borrowing digital equipment
Laptop computers, data projectors, digital cameras – you name it! Increase your tech know-how in the basement of Bracken Library by checking out a piece (or several) of the digital equipment available to all Ball State students! Most items are only available for six-hour loan periods, but don’t forget to use your two-time online renewal available for each item!
2. Interlibrary loan services
Have you ever found yourself in the library, unable to find the book you wanted? Have no fear, interlibrary loan servces are here! If there’s ever book or piece of study material that you’re having trouble finding, Bracken Library can obtain any materials they don’t have in their system, including items that have been declared lost, missing or checked out in CardCat (Ball State’s library search system). Just head over to the intelribrary loan services page to submit a request!
3. Online databases
Google Scholar might be your default search engine, but how do you narrow down thousands upon thousands of articles for that research paper that’s due tomorrow? Hit up the university’s library database for a quicker, cleaner way to find the information you’re looking for. Scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers and books are just the start. And for you history buffs, be sure to check out the newly digitized online Civil War collections, too! You won’t be sorry.
4. Workshops
If you’re trying to find a way to crop the creepy photo-bomber out of your Spring Break pictures, check yourself into one of Bracken Library’s weekly workshops. Most are free and range from informational topics like Adobe Photoshop, thesis writing, grant proposals Prezi projects. You can browse the online schedule and sign-up for the workshop that fits you the best.
5. Ask a librarian
No question goes unanswered at Braken. Whether it’s a question about a book loaction, study room reservation, research topic, you name it – one of Bracken’s superhero-like librarians wants to help you out. You can chat online, send a text message, write an email or call-in over the phone for any of your library related needs! Be sure to check the hours so you aren’t keeping Ball Sate’s finest librarians up all night!