UK Libraries Treats Campus Faculty to Breakfast on the Balcony

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, UK Libraries welcomed campus faculty to its Breakfast on the Balcony event at William T. Young Library. The annual event provides an opportunity for new and returning faculty to meet their librarians and archivists and learn about the resources, services, and expertise that UK Libraries offers to support teaching and research across the university. 

UK Libraries works with faculty across all of UK’s colleges, academic and professional programs, and specialized and interdisciplinary fields. Of the many ways that our librarians serve the university, we take special pride in providing tailored resources to help teaching faculty meet desired learning outcomes in their classes and in serving the informational needs of all our researchers.  

If you were unable to enjoy this year’s Breakfast on the Balcony, you can still learn more about the core areas of support that our librarians offer to instructors and researchers across campus.

Teaching Support

UK Libraries offers a wide range of teaching support options to help faculty meet learning outcomes, incorporate information literacy and research skills into assignments, and reduce costs for students. 

• Library Instruction – Our library instruction sessions help students find and evaluate information, learn and master research techniques, and plan and manage long-term research projects. Learn more on our Request Library Instruction page.
• Affordable Course Content – We can help reduce costs for students by working with instructors to replace costly commercial textbooks with open access teaching materials. UK Libraries awards Alternative Textbook Grants to up to 10 faculty members annually who propose using open textbooks and other alternative materials for their courses. For more information, visit our Affordable Course Content page.
• Instructional Tools & Resources – By integrating librarian-created tools and resources into their classes, instructors can assist students in navigating perplexing information environments and ascertaining the value of the information they find. Visit our Teaching Support page to find our online information literacy course and other online learning modules.
• Teaching with Primary Sources – Archivists and librarians at the Special Collections Research Center can design instructional sessions and help you craft research and creative assignments using our primary source collections. Learn more about these and other experiential learning opportunities on our Teaching with Primary Sources page. 

Research Services

Our librarians provide assistance and guidance at any point in the research process, from planning to publication. As information experts, we can help you locate and obtain all the materials and resources you need to enhance your research. 

• Reference Services – We are here to help all of our users make effective use of the library and its resources. Our reference librarians can help you track down materials, connect you to library services, and refer you to specialists. Learn how to reach us or schedule a consultation on our Research Help page.
• Interlibrary Loan – With our Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery services, we can help you track down hard-to-find materials from libraries and institutions around the world. Learn more on our Request Items for Pick Up or Delivery page.
• Purchase Requests – Using our Purchase Request Form, you can recommend a book or other resource for the Libraries to purchase for our collections. 
• Distinctive Collections – We develop and manage our collections to serve the informational needs of all departments and programs across the University of Kentucky and to preserve the history and culture of the Commonwealth. Browse our collections by resource type or by subject on our Find Library Materials page. 

Digital Scholarship & Communications

UK Libraries is equipped with the expertise and tools to help researchers discover, organize, and share research and data. 

• Data Management – Our data librarians offer support at every stage of the research data life cycle. We can help you create data management plans for grant proposals, secure and organize your data, publish your findings, and search for datasets. For more information, visit our Managing Your Research Data page.
• Open Access Publishing – Open access publishing makes research findings accessible to a global audience by removing price and permission barriers. Our librarians can help you find information on author rights, copyright and fair use, and open licensing, along with other open access resources. Learn more on our Publishing & Impact page.
• Scholarly Repositories – UK’s institutional repository, UKnowledge, stores, organizes, and provides open and stable worldwide access to scholarship, data, and creative works generated by the UK community. Find out how to make your research available through UKnowledge on our Publishing & Impact page.
• Digital Tools – UK Libraries supports a suite of digital tools to aid research, analysis, and publishing and storytelling. Discover all available tools, including data visualization and digital mapping software, on our Using Digital Tools in Research page.

Spaces & Technology

UK Libraries provides faculty-tailored spaces and technological resources to support teaching, research, and all variety of projects.

• Faculty Carrels – Faculty carrels and group study rooms located on the Fourth Floor of Young Library furnish quiet study space to faculty in convenient proximity to research materials. Apply for a room on our Graduate & Faculty Spaces page.
• Classrooms & Performance Spaces – Faculty can reserve rooms for classes or find multipurpose rooms ideal for performances, exhibitions, and other events in Young Library and the Fine Arts Library. Find available options on our Meetings & Classes page and Event & Exhibit Spaces page.
• Scanning & 3D Printing – Find specialized scanning options for books, slides, and objects on our Printing & Scanning page, or visit our Labs & Maker Spaces page for information on our Formlabs Form2 3D printer in the Education Library.