MSU Library Research & Instruction Guide

Welcome to the MSU Library Research & Instruction Guide. This guide will help you identify important resources in the library including databases, books, e-books and government documents. It also offers assistance for searching within the databases, reading a scholarly journal, and evaluating your sources. Links to other useful guides are also included.

If you need help, please use the Ask Us box to chat with a library staff member or the Contact Us box to email the library or schedule an appointment with a librarian (online consultations are available).

In order to access many of the Libraries' electronic articles, books, media, etc., you need to be authenticated as a MSU student or employee.

• From the library homepage, click the "Advanced Search" option in the lower right-hand corner of the CatSearch Box.
• Log in to your online library account by selecting the "Sign In" option in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, right of the thumb-tack icon. You will need your NetID and password.
• ​If you go directly to our A-Z Database list, you will be prompted to enter your NetID and password when you select a database to search.

**Instructors - you cannot access library resources via VPN.**

The MSU Library provides interlibrary loan (ILL) services for current students, faculty, staff, and affiliates.  Unfortunately, we are unable to provide this to alumni, retirees, or the general public.

ILL is an agreement to borrow from and loan to other libraries. You can request books (no current semester textbooks), articles, video or audio recordings, government documents, theses/dissertations, conference proceedings, patents, and newspapers. 

If we can find a source, we’ll try to get it!

Most article requests take 2-3 business days while most loan requests take 3-7 business days.

**Electronic interlibrary loan article and book chapter delivery will continue. Physical interlibrary loan is suspended. **