Services for First-Year Students

Welcome Class of 2023!

Duke Libraries - Here To Help You  photo of Lilly Library entrance

Why Use The Library?

We make your life easier! We can help you…

Get Involved:

Quick Facts:

Books and eBooks photo of carpenter reading room

DVDs and CDs

  • Lilly Library has an impressive collection of DVDs that you can check out
  • Like Music? Check out the Music Library's CD collection
  • You may borrow most DVDs for 1 week and CDs for 4 weeks
  • You may check out one devilDVD (recently released popular film and TV series) at a time, and up to 3 additional DVDs from our collection

Articles

  • To find articles from journals/newspapers/magazines, search here or use one of our many databases
  • You can access library databases even when you're off campus ; you just need your NetID/password
  • If we don't have the book or article you need, don't worry! We can always get it for you

At the library

Where Do I...?

...Find the Library?

Duke has several libraries , on both East and West Campus. Directions, maps, and floorplans help you find us.

...Study?

  • We have both drop-in and reservable rooms. Find the right study space , whether you're studying alone or with a group.
  • On East Campus? Find places to study in Lilly or in the Music Library

...Print & Scan?

photo of reading room in Lilly Library

...Get help with writing my paper?

...Find out what else happens in the Libraries?

...Get help with technology?

...Find coffee or food?

  • On East Campus, the Trinity Cafe (Union) is an easy walk across the quad from Lilly.
  • In Lilly Library, vending machines are a quick option on the basement level. Flex points/cards required.
  • The Perk , in Perkins Library, is a coffee shop.

How Do I ... ?

  • To find a book go to our homepage and click on  the "Books & Media" tab, or go straight to our online  catalog . This search will bring up materials owned by Duke libraries, including books, CDs, movies, and more!
  • Found the item you want? Write down the call number (eg, PZ7.R79835 Har 1998 c.1 ) and look at the catalog record to see which library the item is located in (Lilly, Perkins, Music, etc) and check to see if it is available or checked out. Then go find the book in our stacks .
  • Having trouble finding your book? Just return to the circulation desk, and ask for assistance - we'll be happy to help!
  • Found the book? Great! Pull it from the shelf, and bring it with your DukeCard to the circulation desk. ( Your DukeCard also functions as your library card ) The librarian or student assistant will take care of the rest, and let you know when it's due back to the library. At Perkins and in a hurry? Try the convenient Self Check-Out Stations located by the Help Desk!
  • The Music Library has a large collection of CDs from all genres of music - not only classical! Do a keyword search in " Books & Media " for your favorite artist. You just might be surprised what we have!
  • CDs in the Music Library are stored in locked stacks, so they can only be retrieved by staff members. Just write down the CD call number (eg, CD 494 c.2 ) and bring it to the circulation desk. We'll grab it and bring it right back to you!
  • Lilly Library's vast Film and Video Collection includes feature films, documentaries, and shorts among its more than 30,000 DVDs. 
  • To search for Lilly films in the library catalog, do a keyword search in the " Books & Media " tab for the Title, Director, or even an Actor! You can also search on our Film & Video page.
  • The browseable " Devil DVD " collection in Lilly features popular films recently released! Just take the case from the display to the circulation desk, where they'll grab the disc and check it out to you.
  • Borrow an external drive to watch DVDs in our collection!
  • From the library homepage click on the " Articles " tab. Need more help? Learn about searching for articles here .
  • Your professors may have put books, CDs, DVDs, or other material "on reserve" for you and other students in your courses. Find these by asking at the circulation desks at Perkins, Lilly, or Music. Have the title and professor/course name ready when you do!
  • Not sure what's on Reserve for your classes? Check out Lilly and Music's  Reserves pages.
  • Find the perfect book, but it says the location is " Library Service Center "? No problem! That means it's held in off-site storage, but the good news is that you can request it to be delivered right to a campus library for you to pick up - usually within 1 business day, sometimes quicker!
  • Just click the green "Request" button, enter your NetID and password, and choose your desired Pickup Location on campus. You'll get an email when it's ready to be picked up!
  • You can see everything you have checked out at " My Accounts " (enter your NetID and password to gain access). Select "Loans," and check the box next to each item you wish to renew, then click "Renew all selected titles."
  • For more, see our " Borrowing " page.
  • Many rooms in the Duke Libraries can be reserved for group study sessions, projects, viewing parties, tutoring, meetings, or even small social events! Available spaces can be reserved on our Room Reservations page.
  • You can return any book you have to any library on campus!
photo of books on shelves

Who can help me?

...With my classroom assignment? photo of student talking to a librarian

Most First-Year classes have a librarian to provide workshops and research consultations to students. Librarians are assigned to every WR101 class, every FOCUS program, and most First-Year seminars. These librarians will be your first point of contact for any assignment or question you have in a particular class.

There is also a subject librarian for every academic department and degree program. As your research becomesmore sophisticated, you may need to work with a specialist. Set up an appointment to meet with a subject librarian one-on-one by following this link .

… With general questions about the library?

More than likely you'll have all kinds of questions that may have nothing to do with a specific assignment. For example, the libraries contain many resources for your leisure time as well. Or, you need to find a quiet place to study.

You will also have a librarian assigned to your residence hall, to find his or her contact information, click here.

… With a research consultation?

Research consultations are one-on-one meetings scheduled with a librarian. You bring your assignment and questions to this meeting and you and the librarian then work out what strategies and research tools might best help you formulate the bibliography for your paper. This is an excellent way to learn about library research, saving you vast amounts of time and frustration.

Citation 101

Citing sources doesn't have to be a difficult process. Click here for guides to the most popular citation styles, with explanations and examples.

Save time by using citation managers , which help you gather citations as you conduct your research, and generate a bibliography using your chosen citation style when you finish your project. Click below to learn more about these popular citation managers supported by Duke:

link to citation tools

Why Cite?

Citing your sources is an important part of your research process because it enables you to:

  • Give credit to the sources you consulted
  • Substantiate the credibility of your research
  • Connect your work to that of other scholars
  • Provide your reader with sources for further exploration of the topic

Be a responsible researcher and avoid plagiarism by scrupulously following these rules:

  • Don't copy, quote, paraphrase or summarize any source without adequate documentation.
  • Don't purchase a paper by mail or email.
  • Never allow another person to write a paper for you.
  • Don't submit another person's unpublished work in your name.

Learn even more about citations by consulting our citation guide !

Top 12 Questions

Check out our Libraries Hours page for up-to-date schedules for all the Duke Libraries.

All you need is your Duke ID! Find the book in the stacks and bring it to the service desk, along with your DukeCard.

Use the Books & Media search. Be sure to note library, call number and status. Click on the map link under the location heading to find its location in the stacks.

You bet. The Lilly and Music Libraries have large collections of DVDs and CDs for check-out. The loan period for Lilly DVDs is 1 week, with one renewal allowed; the loan period for CDs is 4 weeks.

Don't worry, we can get books and articles for you through our Document Delivery Department. Just create an account and request the items that that you need. You will be notified by email when your book arrives for pick-up; you can receive articles as PDFs directly to your email account. There is no charge for document delivery.

There are both reservable and drop-in places to study in the Lilly, Music, and Perkins & Bostock Libraries.

Absolutely. All Duke Libraries are open to you. Just be sure to check out the library's operating hours before you head over.

There is no set time – librarians are available to assist with your research questions when you need help. At the Lilly and Perkins & Bostock Libraries, librarians are available until midnight from Sunday-Thursday. We can also answer your questions virtually through our chat service. If you want to set up appointment with a librarian, you may want to give a few days lead time just in case.

Check out our citing sources page to get started. We also support a number of citation management tools which can be very helpful in creating in-text citations, footnotes, and works cited pages. Librarians are also here to help. Ask us citation questions in-person or via email or chat.

Your Residence Hall Librarian is your go-to Duke University Libraries contact. Throughout your first year, s/he will reach out with information about events of interest, new services, research databases, and information tools. Feel free to ask your Residence Hall Librarian any research or library-related questions.

There are eprint stations in Lilly, Music, and the Perkins and Bostock Libraries as well as other locations throughout campus

Yes! No matter your scanning need, we have you covered with overhead, flatbed, and sheet-feed scanners located on the first floors of Lilly, Music, and the Perkins and Bostock Libraries.