Library Services and Resources At Mason

The University Libraries offer a variety of services and resources to support your coursework at George Mason University. The gateway to library services is: <http://library.gmu.edu/>. There are four campus libraries: Fenwick and Johnson Center Libraries on the Fairfax Campus; the Arlington Campus Library; and the Prince William Campus Library.

Please visit this page for information or assistance on how to find books, journal articles, and a vast array of electronic information.

Accessing Databases from Off-Campus

University Libraries provide access to hundreds of commercial database services (e.g., InfoTrac, JSTOR, etc.). The vendors of these products require that access be restricted to current Mason students, faculty, or staff. If you are currently enrolled at or employed by the university, you are authorized to access and search the databases. To access the databases, just click on the EZ icon that appears next to a database name in the library's listing of databases (icon does not appear when you are on campus). A listing of our databases (in alphabetical order) can be found at: <http://library.gmu.edu/resources>. Many of these contain the full text of articles or other sources you may need for your research projects.

E-Journal Finder

There are over 15,000 journals and magazines accessible full text from the University Libraries. When you know which journal or magazine you need, the E-Journal Finder, found on the libraries’ web site, allows you to see if it is full text either by subscription or from one of the libraries’ commercial databases. The links provided by the E-Journal Finder may take you directly to the publication or to a search page in a commercial database where the publication can be found.

Instruction in Using the University Libraries

The University Libraries will help you learn how to navigate electronic resources for your research through one-on-one appointments and drop-in instructional sessions. The library 1-on-1 program offers a personal introduction to services and resources by appointment at 703-993-9046. Drop-in sessions on a variety of topics are scheduled throughout each semester with no reservations necessary. Use Library Quick Links on the libraries’ web site to select Library Workshops for a schedule of drop-in classes.

Virtual Reference: Ask-A-Librarian Service

Ask-a-Librarian is a service that enables you and a librarian to chat online, in real-time. The service, provided by librarians at Mason, as well as from the Washington Research Library Consortium, allows sharing web pages and other helpful materials to assist you with your research, collaboratively and interactively. To get to Ask-a-Librarian, click on the icon with the red question mark beside the Ask-a-Librarian link on the libraries’ home page or on any of the web pages describing specific databases at: <library.gmu.edu/resources>. Use Ask-a-Librarian when you need help with any of the libraries’ web-based resources, in identifying the best databases to search, in formulating a search strategy, or for any other research or informational question related to the libraries’ resources, services, or policies. At the end of each session, you will receive a transcript of the entire session, including links to web pages, provided you enter a valid e-mail address when signing on. Keep in mind that not all research can be answered solely by web-based resources or in one session, and that legal, medical, or tax advice will not be given. Reference staff cannot resolve issues that are handled by other library departments such as overdue fines, the status of an interlibrary loan request, etc.

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Last Revised: March 22, 2007