University of Chicago Library Orientation

UChicago librarian Deb Werner monitors our Ask a Librarian service.

Ask a Librarian

Librarians are via chat, email, and by appointment for personalized, in-depth research assistance for any stage in your project. University librarians can help you:

• Find items in our print and online collections.
• Identify the best databases to use for your research.
• Evaluate quality sources.
• Understand citation managers and style guides.
• Discover materials at other libraries and archives.

Library experts are available to help you with your research. There are librarians for each major and department, as well as content specialists focusing on data, GIS, and more. Schedule a time to meet with your expert for help locating sources, planning a search strategy, or locating important collections.

Find Your Library Expert

Finding Data

Our librarians can help you locate data from data repositories, government websites, research databases, and even print sources.

Text Mining

Text and data mining is sometimes permitted according to the Library's license agreements. In the vast majority of cases, providers prohibit any automated searching, scraping, and/or downloading of content, even if you are only "testing." Raw data files may be supplied in other mechanisms (APIs, hard drives, download sites). 

Research and Data Management

Research data management refers to the organization, storage, preservation, and sharing of research data created and used during a research project. The University of Chicago Library can support you in your data management needs before, during, and after a research project. Please contact datahelp@lib.uchicago.edu for more information.

The Center for Digital Scholarship was established to provide a space where scholars can learn to apply new computational methods and theories into a wide range of disciplines. The center provides services, such as project consultations, data acquisition and conversion, workshops in tools and techniques, and core technical infrastructure. Researchers can benefit from guidance on strategies for organizing and executing digital project work and from assistance by staff with the experience and networks that can facilitate project components that are new to the researcher.