Reference & Research Help

Get Research Help In Person

Get help using the Libraries’ print and online resources at the Research Help Desk, located in the lobby of the Robert L. Carothers Library & Learning Commons in Kingston. Librarians are available to help you navigate library resources, access materials, develop effective search strategies, and locate the information you need. 

Please note that, due to staffing limitations, we are currently unable to provide assistance with systematic reviews.

Get Research Help Online

In addition to in-person support, our librarians provide live chat assistance. All chats are answered by a librarian or a Reference Graduate Student Assistant – never by a bot!

You can also reach us via email at researchhelp@uri.edu.

Consult with a Librarian: Research Consultations

Need more in-depth research help? Meet one-on-one with a librarian for personalized support by booking an online Zoom consultation. If none of the times fit your schedule, remember that support is always available at the Research Help Desk. 

Call Us

• Robert L. Carothers Library & Learning Commons, Kingston • 401.874.2653 
• Pell Marine Science Library, Narragansett • 401.874.6161

Hearing-impaired users may reach any Reference Desk through the Rhode Island Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-745-5555 (TTY).

 

Subject and Assignment Guides

Struggling with your research? Not sure how to approach a topic you’re working on? Check out our Subject and Assignment Guides to help you get started! 

These resource guides are librarian-created tools to help guide you through your research at the University Libraries; they provide suggested databases, books, online resources, and search terms to help you dig into a variety of topics. You can browse our guides by subject or keyword, or reach out to the Research Help Desk for a recommendation.

 

Access to Other Libraries and Their Collections

Struggling to access what you need? If you need a resource that you cannot find in our collection, reach out to a librarian for assistance. We can confirm whether or not we have access and can assist you with next steps whether that is placing a request through another library, visiting another institution, or accessing a freely available online version. 

Librarians can walk you through the process of requesting books, articles, and other materials from another institution through Interlibrary Loan – a free service available to URI students, faculty, and staff. 

If needed, our librarians can also provide a letter of introduction to facilitate your visit to another library that has the materials you need (some libraries may require such letters for access). 

For additional information about access to and privileges at other libraries in our consortia, see Visiting and Borrowing from other Libraries: BLC & RI.

 

Reference Graduate Student Assistants

Each semester, the Reference Unit in the University Library, Kingston, employs a small group of graduate students from the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. Reference Graduate Student Assistants support the provision of research help services, provide library and information literacy instruction, and assist with a range of special projects including library displays, events, and social media. Interested applicants must be available to work in person at the Kingston campus and must be able to commit to a minimum of two consecutive semesters of work with the unit. 

Graduate students who are interested in employment as a Reference Graduate Student Assistant should contact Amanda Crego-Emley at amanda.cregoemley@uri.edu.

 

Contact

• Robert L. Carothers Library & Learning Commons, Kingston
  • The Head of Reference in Kingston is Amanda Crego-Emley. She can be reached by e-mail at amanda.cregoemley@uri.edu or by telephone at 401.874.5851.
• Pell Marine Science Library, Narragansett
  • For reference services at the Pell Library, call 401.874.6161.