Biological Sciences Scholars

• There are a lot more services provided in the library than I originally thought. 
• how to find a book in the library
• The difference between the different library search tools (discover, research database, books and more, etc.) and when to use each
• I wish someone had told me tips on searching for information.
• I wish I had known that 18th wasn't open 24 hours on the weekends (click here to check locations and hours)
• I wish I knew what resources were available sooner. (your subject guide can get you started!)
• The film resources offered! (stream movies for free from several different services)
• Logging into the OSU library page before going onto google scholar will help you find sources from OSU easier. (and it prevents you from getting scammed by fake journal articles!)
• There are a lot of free articles on OSU Libraries website (literally hundreds of thousands of articles that are NOT free elsewhere)
• The library information workshops are super helpful when it comes to searching for books and navigating the libraries (Yes!! Especially the First Year Success Series (https://guides.osu.edu/fyss)
• how many options I have for libraries. I discovered a lot more than just Thompson. Go to other libraries, not just Thompson or 18th Avenue/the importance of making use of different library locations (locations and hours)
• about the library link in Carmen (Pro-tip: your subject librarian can custom create a guide just for your class, and link it to your Carmen site. Just ask your instructor to reach out to the librarian!)
• I wish I had known that there were so many resources available for assistance and help within the library./There are a lot more services provided in the library than I originally thought./That there is almost always a source available for what you need.
• The difference between the different library search tools (discover, research database, books and more, etc.) and when to use each (this can be complicated! Starting with a subject guide can help)
• I wish someone had told me tips on searching for information.

Advice from previous years:

• that libraries are not as difficult and scary to navigate as they seem
• which floors aren’t generally packed and are good locations to study at
• the school of architecture: they have a ton of computers there and you can be pretty isolated

I wish someone had told me...

• The free drinks at curl with a reusable water bottle.
• Try to get yourself communities to a volunteer service  sooner than later (you can search for specific student organizations, sign up for your department newsletter or listserv, or ask instructors and advisors what they recommend; Pro-tip: a lot of student organizations have social media accounts, and that can be a good way of previewing what they are all about!)
• try to work ahead all the time

Past years advice...

• Definitely organization. College brings about a lot of new and unfamiliar ideas, people, practices, and expectations. Something as simple as a guide to creating a planner could help students focus more on learning rather than getting oriented.
• How essential study groups are.
• I found it very very helpful to have 2 planners one for what I have to do (plan in advance) and one for what I did (write down the past) this helped me to get a better gauge of my productivity and how long certain tasks took me so that I could plan accordingly and therefore decrease my stress and keep from overwhelming myself with an impossible to-do list. I feel like everyone tells you how "alone" you are in college in terms of finding opportunities and studying, but I feel often overwhelmed with support and my email is filled with opportunities and it almost scares me how much there is to get involved in and to know, so I wish I had known sooner how to sift through an incalculable number of opportunities in order to find ones that I have a passion for and that I enjoy.
• I wish I knew about the importance of going to office hours.
• I wish someone had told me earlier that I could find syllabi for classes at https://syllabus.osu.edu/.
• I wish that someone had told me about the tutoring opportunities sooner.

Top services at OSU Libraries: 

Article Express: library.osu.edu/ill/article-express

Checking out or renting an item: https://library.osu.edu/borrowing/checkout

Inter-library loan: https://library.osu.edu/ill/borrowing

Library locations and hours: https://library.osu.edu/locations

Printing: https://library.osu.edu/printer-copier-services

Subject guides: http://guides.osu.edu

Request a purchase: https://library.osu.edu/suggest-additions-to-the-collection

Reserve a group study room: https://library.osu.edu/group-study-rooms-for-ohio-state-students-faculty-and-staff

­­­A+ Research Coaching offers help for students with writing and research assignments. Can’t find the information you need? Want to discuss with a fellow student how to organize and use what you’ve found? We can help you refine your thesis or research question, find and use sources, and much more.  A+ Research Coaching provides one-on-one consultations to get you the help you need.  You can schedule an appointment through OnCourse by visiting our website at go.osu.edu/aplus.