Navigating Knowledge: A Guide to the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Libraries

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Libraries stand as a cornerstone of academic life, offering a wealth of resources and services to students, faculty, and staff. More than just repositories of books, these libraries provide access to a vast collection of audio-visual media, over 330,000 sound recordings, and unique collections of books, photographs, manuscripts, and maps. Whether you are a new student embarking on your academic journey or a seasoned scholar pursuing advanced research, understanding the UMKC Libraries is key to unlocking a world of knowledge and support.

Discovering the Libraries' Extensive Collections

The UMKC Libraries boast an impressive collection of materials accessible both in person and online. Electronic resources are available from anywhere with a UMKC username and password, making research convenient and accessible. The libraries consist of the Miller Nichols Library and the Health Sciences Library and partner with the Leon E. Bloch Law Library in the School of Law. These libraries offer research facilities, resources, and services in support of academic programs.

Library Catalog: Your Starting Point

Begin your exploration with the library catalog, a comprehensive tool for locating books, academic journals, and other resources available at UMKC Libraries and within the University of Missouri System. Using keywords, author names, or titles, you can efficiently search for the materials you need.

Specialized Databases: Diving Deeper

The Libraries provide access to numerous databases containing scholarly articles, industry reports, and other specialized materials. Organized by subject, these databases offer a wealth of information for in-depth research. These databases are online resources, available any time, anywhere with your UMKC username and password. Access the databases page to explore the available resources.

Physical Spaces: Browsing and Borrowing

The Miller Nichols Library and the Health Sciences Library are open for browsing, studying, and borrowing materials. Librarians are available to assist with research strategies, navigating the library catalog and databases, and answering citation questions.

Essential Services and Support

UMKC Libraries go beyond simply providing resources; they offer a range of services designed to support your academic success.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL): Expanding Your Reach

The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service allows students, staff, and faculty to request materials not available in the UMKC Libraries from other institutions. This free service expands your research capabilities, providing access to a wider range of resources. You will log in with your UMKC username and password, then enter your contact information when you first use the service.

Research Guides: Expertly Curated Resources

UMKC librarians create research guides to curate and explain which resources are best for your research needs. These guides are organized by research subject or by course, providing a focused and efficient way to find relevant information. These guides are pages created by your UMKC librarians to sort, curate, and explain which of our resources are best for your research.

Spaces for Focused Study and Collaboration

The libraries offer a variety of study environments to suit different needs. Find quiet study rooms, group study areas, tables, and computer stations on all levels of the library. For those who prefer an extremely quiet study space, the second floor of Miller Nichols Library and the north end of the Health Sciences Library are designated silent areas. No conversation, group study, or talking on cell phones is allowed. Be sure to bring headphones to listen to audio!

The libraries also provide spaces to collaborate with a study group, or meet with mentors with UMKC student mentoring program.

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Printing Services

Each student receives a free print quota each semester, and printing is available throughout the libraries. When you print at UMKC Libraries, the cost is deducted from your quota.

Specialized Libraries and Partnerships

The University Libraries consist of the Miller Nichols Library and the Health Sciences Library, and we partner with the Leon E. The University Libraries provide research facilities, resources and services in support of academic programs. We partner with UMKC Student Disability Services and are committed to providing services and assistance to all members of the UMKC Community.

Miller Nichols Library

The Miller Nichols Library serves primarily the Conservatory, and the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences, Management, Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences, and Science and Engineering.

Health Sciences Library

The Health Sciences Library is located in the School of Medicine and serves the schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Health Studies and Pharmacy.

Leon E. Bloch Law Library

Specialized libraries include: the Leon E. Bloch Law Library in the School of Law.

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Accessing Resources from Anywhere: Permanent Links

When you want to share a library resource that you already know about - an eBook, article or other reading, or video - you can search for it using our discovery tool. The discovery tool accepts partial or full citation information to search (e.g. you can search by copying and pasting an article title into the search box), and will provide you with a result page that includes a permanent link. Permanent links (or permalinks, or durable links) are URLs that will not time out or change.

Permanent links found using the library search box (EBSCO Discovery Service) work off campus by including the proxy server. For record items that have an “Access Now,” a “View Full Text (Database Name)” button or something similar, you can copy and paste the URL from the page that opens. This will link you directly to the PDF or eBook instead of the record page. Items that do not have an “Access Now” option can link to the record page instead. Items that do not have an “Access Now” option can link to the record page instead.

Getting Started: A Seamless Experience

Getting started with UMKC Libraries is designed to be easy and accessible. The open hours for the Health Sciences Library, Miller Nichols Library, and our specialized library departments are always up to date on the hours page.

Key Personnel

The libraries are led by dedicated professionals, including:

Director of Leon E. Bloch Law Library
Associate Director of Leon E. Bloch Law Library

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