Getting Started
Core Library Tools
New to using the library? Start with our core library tools to help you find what you need.
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UC Library Search
The single online library catalog for the UC system. Search and borrow materials from the UC Davis Library and the entire UC System.
Learn how to:
- Keyword search (4 min video)
![books spines showing a variety of subjects](https://stage.library.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Guides-620px.jpg)
Research Guides
The first place to go when you’re starting a research assignment. Curated by UC Davis librarians, these guides in every UC Davis academic subject area sum up:
- Key reference materials
- Books and journal articles
- Databases
- Statistics
- Historical and primary sources
![](https://stage.library.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/books-stamped_thumbnail.jpg)
Interlibrary Loan
Not in our collection? No problem. It’s easy to request and borrow books and articles from another library.
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Health Sciences Resources
Key library resources and contacts to help with your animal and human health-related research and studies.
Connecting to Digital Resources
The library offers a wealth of digital materials, some library-owned, some licensed (still free to you!). Use these tools to help you connect to the digital materials you need, whether on- or off-campus.
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Access Materials Off-Campus
Access to licensed resources varies by service. Some allow you to login with your UC Davis credentials; for others, you may need to connect to the Library VPN if you are off campus.
![google scholar logo](https://stage.library.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/googlescholar.png)
Google Scholar
Access library licensed articles directly in Google Scholar by configuring your settings to work with our library subscriptions.
- Connect Google Scholar to the library (1 min video)
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Databases
Fine-tune your searches for relevant results, faster. Library databases are specialized search engines for journals, magazine articles, newspapers, videos, music and more. Databases can be general or subject-specific.
- How to search a database (6 min video)
- “Get it at UC”: A button that connects you directly to full-text articles and ebooks
Help with Writing
![citations](https://stage.library.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/citations_thumbnail.jpg)
Citations
Cite when you write. Learn the basics of giving proper credit for the information you use, from the parts of a citation to citation styles and tools you can use to easily generate, manage and share them.
More Writing Help:
- Write Like a Professor (3 min video)
- Giving Credit Where Credit is Due (workshop)