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Find Articles in Periodicals (e.g. Newspapers, Magazines, Journals)

To find articles IN periodicals, you must use print indices in the Park Library or online databases to which the Libraries buy access (see the list on the Find an Article page). For additional assistance, please visit the Reference Desk.

Read Library Call Numbers

The library uses Library of Congress call numbers to classify most materials; however, Dewey and Local Call Numbers are used for certain collections, including the Betty A. McDonald Children's Collection. To learn more about “reading” call numbers, visit the Reference Desk.

Find Periodicals

To find specific periodicals (once you have citations for articles not available online), you must use the Journal Title search function in the Centra catalog. For additional assistance, please visit the Reference Desk.

Find Materials on "Reserve"

Search for materials on Reserve by Course (subject and course number - e.g. ENG 201) or Instructor (e.g. last name, first name).

Access Electronic Journal Collections

The CMU Libraries buy several full-text e-journal collections, including JSTOR, Project Muse, and others. You will find the collections listed under Electronic Journal Collections on the Virtual Reference Collection page.

Access Electronic Books

The library has access to thousands of electronic books, records and links for which are found in the Centra catalog. If you do not know the name of a particular e-book, you can do a keyword search by topic and then limit results to Electronic under “Material Type.” Seek additional assistance at the Reference Desk.

Find Multimedia Materials (e.g. videos, CDs, etc.)

The CMU Libraries own thousands of audio and video recordings. If you know the title you are looking for, search by Title in the Centra catalog. However, if you have only a topic in mind, do a Keyword search in the Centra catalog and limit your results by either Material Type (e.g. DVD/Video, etc.) or Location (i.e. Media Services for films or Music Resource Center for music recordings).

Find Books for Pleasure Reading

The Browsing Collection located in the Mary Dow Reading Room (3rd floor of the University Library) offers hundreds of titles for pleasure reading. Though searchable in the Centra catalog, feel free to simply browse the books; they are shelved alphabetically by author’s last name. The checkout period for Browsing Collection materials is four weeks.

Find U.S. Government Documents

The library has thousands of United States government documents in print, electronic, and micro formats. Find these items in the Centra catalog via keyword searches and limiting your results by Location (Government Documents). For more information, see the Government Information Research Guide or visit the Reference Desk.

Find Dissertations and Theses

The library has (print and microform) copies of dissertations and theses written by CMU students. Records for these items are found by Title or Author in the Centra catalog. If you wish to search for dissertations and theses on a particular topic, do a keyword search and then limit the search results to Manuscript under “Material Type.” Seek additional assistance at the Reference Desk.

Find Maps and Atlases

The CMU Libraries own thousands of maps and atlases. One way to search for them in the Centra catalog is to include “atlas” in a keyword search for your country or limit your search to Map, under Material Type.

Use Microfilm/Microfiche

The library has thousands of microforms (i.e. microfiche, microfilm, and microcard). Records for these items are searchable in the Centra catalog, and most of these materials are housed on the third floor. You can print paper copies of microforms, so seek assistance for using these items at the Book Checkout Desk.

Search Other Library Catalogs

There are two easy ways to search other library catalogs. One is to access the Michigan e-Library Catalog (MeLCat) either from a Centra search results screen or via the MeL website. The other option you have to search other library catalogs is to access WorldCat via the Virtual Reference Collection page. For more information on these resources, visit the Reference Desk.

Search an Article Database

To search for periodical articles by keyword, subject, author, title, or any combination thereof, you will have to use one or more of the databases on the Find an Article page. For an example of how to search CINAHL ( the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature), see this tutorial. For further research assistance, Ask a Librarian.

Check Out a Book

Books, films, and many government documents may be checked out of the library at the Book Checkout Desk or via the self-checkout machines on the first and fourth floors. If you are a CMU student, staff, or faculty member, your campus ID is your library card. If you are a community member, obtain a borrower’s card at the Book Checkout Desk.

Cancel a Request for a Book

If you wish to cancel a request for a book, phone the Book Checkout Desk at (989) 774-3114.

Obtain Books from Other Libraries via MeLCat

The Michigan e-Library Catalog (MeLCat) is a database that includes the item records for more than 400 libraries around Michigan. If we do not have an available copy of a book you need, CMU on-campus students, staff, faculty, and alumni can request the book for free through MeLCat and receive it in 3-5 business days. For more information, visit the Reference Desk or Documents on Demand (both located on the second floor of the University Library).

Cite Sources in a Bibliography

There are many different ways to cite sources in papers. Find quick reference links to online APA, MLA, and Chicago Manual sites under Style Guides on the Virtual Reference Collection page.

Find Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, and Other Reference Sources

A variety of “quick reference” and other online information sources (including dictionaries, telephone directories, and the Oxford English Dictionary among others) are available on the Virtual Reference Collection page.

Use Library of Congress Subject Headings

Materials in the CMU Libraries are arranged by subject and are assigned Library of Congress (LC) Subject Headings, which aid in precision searching. To learn more about searching for materials using LC Subject Headings,visit the Reference Desk.

Find Directions to the Park Library

The Park Library is located on 250 East Preston Street in the heart of the CMU campus in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan (zip code 48859). Find directions to Central Michigan University and a printable campus map here.

Arrange for a Proctored Test

If you are taking an online class and need to have a test proctored, call (800) 688-4268 or email cmu.online.proctor@cmich.edu to make an appointment (an appointment is required). Proctoring is done in Room 416. The Fall 2011 schedule is:


Visit the Writing Center (in the Library)

For information on the CMU Writing Center and it’s satellite location on the fourth floor of the Park Library, see its homepage.

Location of Live Ethernet Ports

Green dots mark the locations of live Ethernet ports at study tables and carrels.

Have a Thesis/Dissertation Bound

If you are a CMU student, please contact the College of Graduate Studies to inquire about having your thesis or dissertation bound and added to the Libraries’ collection:

College of Graduate Studies 100 Foust Hall
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859

Email: grad@cmich.edu
Phone: 989-774-GRAD (989-774-4723)
Fax: 989-774-1857

Send a Fax in the Library

Patrons may send local faxes for free at the Help Desk (Park 101). Only CMU students can send long-distance faxes; costs will be charged to their student accounts.