Frequently Asked Questions
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Borrowing,
Renewing, Buying, etc. | Journals/
Magazines
What's Available | College
History | Library Spaces | Other
Common Questions
Questions About Conducting Research
Borrowing / Renewing / Buying, etc.
What do I need to borrow materials
from the Amherst College Library?
Amherst College students, staff and faculty use their college ID as their
library card. Area residents must present a picture ID along with their
valid Amherst library card.
Can I borrow and what do I need to
borrow items from one of the other libraries in the Five College
consortium?
The Five Colleges have reciprocal borrowing agreements that allow members
of the Amherst College community to borrow materials using the same ID
card that is used to borrow items from the Amherst College Library. Depending
on the category of patron, borrowing privileges may be somewhat restricted.
In addition, Five College students, faculty and staff can use the online catalog to request delivery of most books located at other Five College libraries. Materials are delivered to the circulation department of your home library and generally arrive in two to three business days. From the web-based catalog, find the book you want and then select "Request Item". You must have your ID number (the 15 digit number on your ID card) to use this service.
How do I renew my books?
You can renew materials you have borrowed in two ways:
- Renewing in person at the Circulation Desk.
- Renewing online: We encourage you to renew online. From the Library home page, you may renew by clicking on "Renew my Books." You will need your barcode number (the 15 digit number on your ID card) in order to view your patron record. Material can be renewed online up to three times.
However, please note that:
Reserve books are not renewable online; they may only be renewed in person at the Circulation Desk.
Renewing by telephone is not possible.
Can I borrow a book the library does
not own?
Yes, click here.
Can I get a Five College Book on
thesis loan?
Amherst College seniors writing a college approved thesis are eligible
to borrow Amherst College books on thesis loan, but are not eligible
to borrow Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College or
University of Massachusetts books or Inter-Library Loans on thesis loan.
Can I return an Amherst College book
to another Five College library?
With the exception of Reserve materials, all Five College library books
may be returned to any of the Five College Libraries. A delivery services
runs between the libraries five days a week. However, you are responsible
for the safe and timely return of all materials you charge out.
How do I see what I have checked out?
You may review
your circulation record in the online catalog. You will need your 15-digit barcode number
from your ID card.
Who can borrow CDs from the Music Library?
Please see the Music
Library's policies.
How do I ask the library to buy an
item?
Fill out a purchase request form here.
Journals/Magazines:
Where are the journals shelved?
Unbound periodicals (journals and magazines) are shelved alphabetically
by title in the Friendly Periodicals Reading Room on the Main Floor
of the Robert Frost Library. Bound periodicals are arranged in call
number order and can be found in the stacks along with the monographs.
Journals on microfilm/fiche are housed on the second floor of the Frost
Library.
How do I see if we own a specific
volume of a journal?
Follow the steps outlined here.
Where are government documents?
The Robert Frost Library has been a Federal Depository Library since
1884. Government documents are not shelved in a separate location,
but are located throughout the Amherst College Library. See U.S.
Government Documents at Amherst College for more information.
How do I borrow a journal?
Journals, magazines and newspapers circulate to Amherst College faculty
and staff only.
What's Available
-->Where can I plug in my laptop?
Both Frost Library and the Keefe Science Library have electrical outlets
and ethernet drops for laptops. See maps or
ask at the Reference Desk for specific locations. Wireless networking
is also available throughout Frost and Keefe.
Is there a typewriter I can use
in Frost Library?
No.
Where are lockers that I can use in
Frost Library?
The Library makes lockers available to Amherst College students,
faculty and staff free of charge on a first-come, first-served
basis. All library materials stored in lockers must be charged
out. Patrons should not store journals or newpapers in the
lockers. The lockers are cleared at the end of each Spring
semester and patrons must remove all materials from their
locker by that time. More
info »
How can I see some Emily Dickinson
or Robert Frost manuscripts?
There is a permanent display of Frost and Dickinson manuscripts in the
John William Ward Exhibition Room of Archives
and Special Collections (Level A, Frost Library). The specific manuscripts
change from time to time, but there are always some on view.
A microfilm of Amherst's Emily Dickinson manuscripts is available and may be used at Amherst or requested through Inter-Library Loan; copies of it are also located in many other libraries in the U.S. and abroad. Photocopies of Dickinson's manuscripts may be studied for scholarly or academic purposes in the Barnett Reading Room of Archives and Special Collections; because of the fragility of the originals, they may only be used with specific permission.
For more information about Robert Frost, see "Robert Frost and Amherst College: A Chronology".
Where can I find the portraits of
Joseph Hardy Neesima and Kanzo Uchimura?
Neesima was the first Japanese graduate of Amherst (Class of 1870), and
the founder of Doshisha University in Kyoto. His portrait hangs in Johnson
Chapel.
Uchimura was the second Japanese graduate of Amherst (Class of 1887), and a prominent missionary and Christian scholar in Japan. His portrait hangs next to the elevator at the west end of Level 1 of the Robert Frost Library.
Where are microfilm and microfiche
readers and printers?
These machines are available in the microform area on the 2nd floor of Frost Library.
Where are microcard readers?
Readers for viewing opaque microcards (not microfilm) are located along
the south wall on Level C.
Where are scanners?
There are color, large-format, and transparency scanners on Level A. Please request access at the Level A Desk.
How do I make color copies?
The libraries do not have color photocopiers at this time. However, the
Office of Administrative Services in the basement of College Hall has
a color copier and nearby Collective Copies has one too.
What special physical accommodations are
available?
The Frost and Keefe libraries are wheelchair accessible. Library staff
will page material for individuals who require assistance. Public computer
monitors can be configured for large print display. For other accommodations,
inquire with a library staff member.
College History
How can I find out something about
my family member who went to Amherst College?
The Archives and Special Collections maintains a biographical file on
every alumnus of the College. Brief information, in a "Who's Who"-type
format, can be found in various editions of the Biographical Record,
published at intervals. The 1973 edition is the most complete and useful
for older alumni (before 1950). It is available at the Library's Reference
Desk and in the general stacks of Frost (call number: LD152.4 .A5 1973).
A copy is also available in the Higgins College History Room of the Archives
and Special Collections. If you have a specific question, you may e-mail
Archives.
Where can I find some information
about an Amherst building?
Stanley King's book The Consecrated Eminence is the best quick
reference source. It is available at the Library's Reference Desk and
in the general stacks of Frost (call number: LD153.K5). A copy is also
available in the Higgins College History Room of the Archives and Special
Collections. The Archives and Special Collections maintains extensive
historical files (many of which were used by King), including plans and
photographs, on College buildings. If you have a specific question, you
may e-mail
Archives.
How can I find out more about the
history of Amherst College?
A brief college history is
available on the Amherst web site. The Higgins College History Room in
Archives and Special Collections has a wide selection of materials by
and about the College available for browsing, including complete runs
of the Amherst Student (the student newspaper), the Olio (the yearbook),
course catalogues, and various historical writings about the College
and its alumni. Some of these College publications are also in the general
stacks of the Library.
Several books may be of interest for earlier periods of the College's history (before World War II). Edward Hitchcock's Reminiscences of Amherst College (call number: 378 A47H Hit) contains much anecdotal information about the first forty years of the College's existence. William S. Tyler's History of Amherst College during its First Half Century, 1821-1871 (call number: LD153.T94 1873) and A History of Amherst College during the Administrations of its First Five Presidents: From 1821 to 1891 (call number: LD153.T94 1895) contain many facts about the early history of the College. Thomas LeDuc's Piety and Intellect at Amherst College, 1865-1912 (call number: 378 A47H Le) deals with a transitional period. Claude Fuess's Amherst, the Story of a New England College, published in 1932 (call number: LD153.F8), is the most recent comprehensive account. "Amherst College in Its Early Years," the first section of The Most of It, selected essays by Theodore Baird (call number: PE1069.A47 B3 1999), offers an unusually vivid account.
In addition, the Archives and Special Collections has extensive archival and manuscript records covering all aspects of the history of Amherst College. If you have specific questions, please consult with staff Archives & Special Collections or send them e-mail.
I've got things related to Amherst that
belonged to a family member and that I'd like to give to the College.
How can I do that?
Phone (413-542-2068) or email Daria D'Arienzo (ddarienzo), Archivist
of the College.
Library Spaces
Where is the quietest place to study?
Generally, the Third Floor and Level C in Frost are the quietest areas.
Where is a comfortable reading area
in the Frost Library?
The Friendly Periodical Reading Room on Level 1 and a newly created lounge
area, located on the north side of Level 2 near the newspaper reading
area, offer couches and comfortable chairs for reading and study.
Is there somewhere I can study
with a group?
The Third Floor has a few glassed in rooms that can be used for small
group study. Two of the rooms can be reserved; there is a signup sheet
outside the room. If the students who have signed up are more than 5
minutes late, the room is available next on a first-come, first-served
basis. Room A-14 on Level A is also frequently avaiable. For access, inquire at the Level A Desk.
How do I reserve a faculty carrel in
Frost Library?
Amherst College faculty members should contact the Library
Administration Office to request use of a carrel.
Where is the Map Room?
Frost Library, Level B, adjacent to the south stairwell.
Where are the copiers?
The Amherst College main library and all of its branches have photocopying
machines. For Frost Library, location of machines on each floors appear
on the floor maps.
For others check with the reference or circulation desk of the branch.
Where can I get change or a copy card?
Some photocopiers will accept change or $1.00 or $5.00 bills. Change
is not available from the Circulation, Reference, or Level A desks.
Copy cards are sold via machine in the northeast corner of the Main Floor in the Robert Frost Library. A copy card is purchased for a $1.00 bill. Add increments of $1.00, $5.00, $10.00, or $20.00 (bills only) to the card for making copies.
How do I find out about areas in
Frost Library that are named for specific people?
There were many generous supporters of the Frost Library when it was
constructed in 1965. For a list of all the named rooms organized by location,
see Commemorative
Spaces in the Robert Frost Library.
Other Common Questions
What are the library's hours?
Please look here.
What do location codes mean in records
of the online catalog?
Please look here.
What is the Depository?
The Depository is
a remote storage facility located at the top of the Holyoke Mountain
Range in South Amherst. It is owned and operated by Amherst College.
Materials housed there are available for loan, are cataloged in the Four
College Catalog and may be requested online through the Depository request
form. Books may also be requested using the "Request this item" button
of the Four College Library Catalog. The service is free and is available
to all registered Amherst College Library borrowers.
What is the CRC (Center for Russian Culture)?
The Center for
Russian Culture is a collection of books, manuscripts and other materials
donated to the College by Thomas P. Whitney, class of 1937. The collection
is housed on the second floor of Webster Hall and much of it is cataloged
in the Four College Library Catalog. For more information on the collection,
email Professor Stanley Rabinowitz (sjrabinowitz).
Why is the main library named for Robert
Frost?
Robert Frost was associated with Amherst College from the time he gave
his first reading on campus in 1916 until his death in 1963. Off and
on over the years he served as Professor of English, and from 1949 to
1963 he was the Simpson Lecturer in Literature. The library building
was given by the Charitable Trust of the Haas Family of Philadelphia
on the condition that it be named the Robert Frost Library. The poet
was present at the announcement of the new college library in 1962. For
more details, see Robert
Frost and Amherst College. For a chronology of the library, see The
Amherst College Library, 1821-1999.
Who is the Keefe Science Library named
for?
The Library was a gift from Harry S. Keefe '43 in memory of his college
roommate and lifelong friend, Bruce B. Benson '43, professor of Physics,
1947-1990.
Who is the Morgan Music Library named
for?
The library is named for Vincent Morgan, Professor of Music at Amherst
College from 1935 to 1968.
How do I print from public computers
in the libraries?
Anyone may print from any of the Library's computers to
any campus printer using the Pharos system. Follow these printing
instructions.
How do I find out about the portraits
and other artwork displayed in the libraries?
All the large framed photographs located throughout the libraries are
reproductions of original historic images in the Archives and Special
Collections. Labels for each photograph provide details. These photos,
as well as many other images, are available in the Exhibitions
page of the Archives and Special Collections. For graphical art and
sculpture in Robert Frost Library, see this
list.
Does the Library have DVD players?
Yes, there are DVD drives on most of the Level A computers. There
are also DVD players in the Viewing Rooms on Level A. For Viewing Room access, inquire at the Level A desk.
What videos does the Library own?
You may limit your search of the Five College Library Catalog to include only DVDs, videos, and films. Use the author search to find performers, producers, and directors.
What software is available on Library computers?
Software installed for the current semester is listed here.
Where can I see a Library floorplan
(map)?
Floor plans for Frost Library are right here.
Floor plans for the Keefe Science and Morgan Music Libraries are in development.
What is Amherst's relationship to the
Folger Shakespeare Library?
The Folger Shakespeare
Library in Washington, D.C. was established under the will of Henry
Clay Folger, Class of 1879, and is administered by the Trustees of Amherst
College.
Each year, two fellowships for two weeks of intensive research are awarded to Amherst College seniors and juniors with Humanities and Social Sciences majors whose work can be supported by the Folger's resources. The fellowships are held in January. For more information, contact the Librarian of the College.
Questions About Conducting Research
How do I find out the full title
of a journal if I only have the abbreviation (e.g., Am J Anat or J
Psychol Jud)?
If you found the abbreviation in a footnote in a book or article, the
easiest way to find the full title is to check the bibliography; often
the full title will be included in a bibliographic citation.
If this doesn't work or if the abbreviation came from another source, search for the abbreviation in the Journal Locator. In some cases, it will tell you the full title. If that doesn't work, go to All That JAS: Journal Abbreviation Sources or ask about additional resources at the Reference Desk.
How do I get access to the Library
databases from home or other places off campus?
All Amherst College students, faculty, and staff can connect to most
electronic Library resources from off campus either via the VPN (Virtual Private Network) or the College's Proxy
Server. To do so, follow the
instructions found on the Off-Campus Access section of the IT networking page. Unfortunately,
our contracts with the database providers do not allow us to provide
off-campus access to alumni or independent scholars.
How do I correctly cite the books,
articles, and web pages I quoted in my paper?
A variety of style manuals, resources providing information about citing
sources, are available on the Library's Style
Manuals page. You might also stop by the reference desk to consult
printed versions of the MLA Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style, and
others.
How do I find an article in a journal
once I have a citation?
A citation to a journal article includes the author, title, year of publication,
and journal title, volume, and page numbers. To use this information
to find the item you're looking for, check the Five
College Library Catalog by searching for the journal title. NOTE: authors and titles of individual journal articles are
not listed in the Library Catalog; you must use the journal title search to locate them in the library.
How do I find an essay or chapter
in a book once I have a citation?
A citation to a book article includes the author, title, editor, publisher,
year of publication, and book title. To use this information to find
the item you're looking for, check the Five
College Library Catalog by searching for the book's author (or
editor) or title.
NOTE: Book article and chapter titles and authors are not included in
the catalog; you must search for the book's title or author/editor.
How do I know if the web site I found
is reliable?
Consult the Library's Finding,
Evaluating, and Citing World Wide Web Resources page for information
about evaluating what you find on the World Wide Web.
How do I know if the book I found is
by a reputable scholar?
The best way to learn about a book and its author is to consult book
reviews. To find book reviews, use the resources linked to the Library's Finding
Book Reviews page.
How do I know if the Library has
an electronic version of the journal I'm interested in?
The best way to find out if the Library has an electronic version of
a journal is to search the Journal Locator.
I want to find journal articles on
my topic.
Guidelines for finding journal articles is available on the Library's Articles page.
Information about published articles can be found in general or subject
specific printed and electronic Indexes & Databases and
bibliographies. To find printed indexes and bibliographies on your topic,
search the Five
College Library Catalog or Ask
Us.
To search electronic Indexes & Databases, first select the appropriate subject area and database. Then search for authors, titles, topics, or keywords.
Check other FAQ topics for assistance in finding journal articles for which you have citations or for finding full text journal articles.
I want to find the best web sites
on my topic.
The library maintains lists of web sites organized by academic department here.
The Amherst College librarians currently find Google to
be the most effective search engine on the web. Other search engines
and guidelines for searching them are available on the Library's Search
Engines page. For help in determining the quality of your search
results, consult the Library's Finding,
Evaluating, and Citing World Wide Web Resources page. Still can't
tell? Ask us.
I want to find background information
on my topic.
Basic background information--including general summaries of events,
short biographies, and facts such as dates--about many topics is available
in an encyclopedia, such as Britannica Online.
The Library also owns subject specific encyclopedias in many subject areas. If you can't find a subject-specific encyclopedia relating to your topic, stop by the Reference Desk or Ask us or check the Library's Encyclopedias & Almanacs page.
I want to find fulltext articles
in the Library's databases.
Most of the Library databases include only citations (author, article
title, journal title, date of publication, volume, page number) and/or
abstracts (brief summary of an article). Some Library databases do include
fulltext access to journals and newspaper articles. Be aware, however,
that few databases are entirely fulltext, and often only a limited number
of articles are available from a particular periodical.
The Library has electronic access to many journals directly from the Library Catalog. If you have a citation or know the name of a journal in your subject area, do a Journal Title search with the title in quotes (e.g. "art bulletin") to see if the Library has fulltext access. Also search the Journal Locator, which includes information about our E-Journal and E-Book collections.
I want to find an article from a "scholarly" journal,
but I'm not sure what journals are considered "scholarly"?
Scholarly journals, as opposed to news sources or popular magazines,
include academic articles written by individuals with considerable expertise
in the subject area. They generally report on research and almost all
have bibliographic citations indicating resources quoted in the article.
Some scholarly journals are called "refereed" journals, meaning that
the included articles that have been reviewed, or "refereed" by scholars
or experts in the covered field of study.
More information about determining the nature of a journal or magazine can be found at the Cornell University Library's Distinguishing Scholarly Journals from Other Periodicals page.
I want to find videos or recordings
having to do with my topic.
To search for films and videos in the Five College Library
Catalog, click on the "More" tab and select "DVDs/Videos/Films".
Also, once you've created a search in the Library Catalog using keywords, author, etc. you can limit your results to a particular "Material Type" (such as videos, recordings, maps, musical scores) by clicking on the "Limit Search" key at the top of the results screen, and selecting a particular material type.
I want to find a good online dictionary.
There are many dictionaries online created for specific languages or
uses. Try the Oxford English Dictionary or visit the Library's Dictionaries & Thesauri page.
I want to find books in the Five
College Library Catalog when I only have a topic in mind and
not a specific book or author.
The Library
Catalog is a flexible search tool that can be used in a number of
ways to find books, journals, films, and other resources on your topic.
One easy way to search is by Keywords anywhere.
Search for one term or combine or exclude terms from your search: "Death
Penalty," "Modern Art AND Germany," and "AIDS AND NOT hearing" are just
a few basic examples of keyword searches.
You can also search the Catalog by subject. In the Library Catalog, the term "Subject" refers to the Library of Congress Subject Headings, a special vocabulary used to describe topics. To do successful Subject searches, you must use the vocabulary's particular terms-for instance, "Capitol Punishment" and not "Death Penalty." A reference librarian can help you locate the correct subject heading for your topic.
Once you find a book or journal about your topic, click on the Subject Headings on the bottom of the record to see other books with the same subject heading. You can also click on the call number to see the titles of books with nearby call numbers in all the Five College Libraries.
I want to find information about a
computer program for organizing the sources I used for my research.
Amherst College students, faculty, and staff have access to EndNote,
a citation management software system which helps researchers to organize
information about sources they use for their work and to create and format
a bibliography. AC has a site license to this software, and it is available to AC community through the K:drive. Contact Susan Kimball (sjkimball) for assistance with EndNote.
What are primary sources? Secondary
sources?
A primary source is firsthand evidence created within the immediate context
of a historical event, crisis, or time period; a secondary source is
an interpretation or recollection of an event from some considerable
distance removed. Historians draw on numerous primary sources when creating
secondary sources. If you were researching a topic on World War II, for
example, a letter, photograph, diary, or magazine article created during
the war would be considered a primary source, while an article or book
about the war written by a historian much later would be considered a
secondary source. (Retrospective works, such as an oral history interview
or memoir by someone who had lived through the war, would not be considered
as valid a primary source as something that was created at the time the
events took place.) The library maintains a list of Archival
and Primary Sources.
The catalog says the book I need is in
Archives & Special Collections. How do I get access to it?
Copies of books held in Archives & Special
Collections (designated as "AC/Arch-SpecColl" in the online catalog)
may be read in the Archives & Special Collections reading room, located
on Level A of Frost Library, open weekdays from 9-12 and 1-4.
Can I get a thesis binder at
the Library?
Used thesis binders in good condition are available for $5 apiece in Archives & Special
Collections, located on Level A of Frost Library.
Can I get thesis guidelines, including
format requirements, in the Library?
See "Requirements
for Format and Deposit of Theses for Departmental Distinction," which
are set by the Registrar's Office. For technical help in preparing your
thesis, contact the Amherst College Information
Technology Department.
Amherst College Library Links 
What do Amherst College Library Links do?
AC Links can link you directly from a reference in a databases to
a menu of choices for finding the item you want. AC Links might offer
to let you:
- Connect to electronic full text
- Check for the journal or book in the Five College Library Catalog
- Ask for the item via Interlibrary Loan
- Search for article title on the Web
- Ask for help from a librarian via email
Why aren’t all AC Links choices
offered all the time?
The AC Links system is programmed to sort through choices and
pre-select appropriate ones. For example, if Amherst College Library
can supply an online copy of an article, the AC Links menu will not let
you order that article through Interlibrary Loan.
I did a search in a database, and I find no links
in my results. Don’t all library databases have AC Links ?
Many, but not all, library databases support AC Links. Each database
must be pre-programmed by the publisher for the technology of the linking
system to work. The actual link may vary in appearance from one database
to another, depending on that publisher’s requirements, from the
AC Links to another, smaller blue button, or a link that says “Full
Text Available Here.”
I clicked on AC Links and
was connected to the journal’s homepage, not the article. Why?
AC Links will take you as close to the full article as it can, given
the structure and quality of data supplied by the online publisher. Sometimes
you'll have to navigate the publisher's site yourself to get to the full
text.
How do I get help with AC Links ?
Ask Us for email help.
If you need help more quickly, telephone Reference at x2319 or come in
when there is a librarian at the Reference Desk to help you. Check
Reference hours.