Department Overview

The Davis Library Research & Instructional Services Department is on the first floor in the Nelson Ferebee Taylor Reading Room. Assistance is given at the desk, and by phone, email, chat, IM, and paper mail. Reference services are available not only to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus but also to all needing help in locating information and conducting research.

UNC has many libraries. The Davis reference collection reflects the holdings of Davis Library, emphasizing, with both print and an increasing number of electronic resources, the humanities, and social sciences, including anthropology, business and economics, classics, drama and film, education, history, international studies, languages and literature, philosophy, physical education and recreation, political science, psychology, religion, social work, and sociology. The collection also contains a large selection of general reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopedias.

The collection also includes basic resources for areas served by other campus libraries, notably the sciences, law, library science, art, music, rare books and manuscripts, maps, and materials relating to North Carolina. With the growth of resources online, the Davis Research & Instructional Services Department can point researchers to a much broader spectrum of information in these fields, but referrals will be made to the more appropriate collections for specialized reference assistance and for materials they hold.

The department also is home to extensive collections of public documents: depository collections for federal and United Nations records and publications, with substantial holdings from individual states and from international agencies.

Note: The Research & Instructional Services Department is no longer a service point for materials borrowed on interlibrary loan. This service has switched to the Circulation Department, which has longer service hours.

The Davis Library Microforms Collection, on the second floor, is staffed by the Research & Instructional Services Department and assistance is provided at a desk in that location.

The Maps Collection, located in Wilson Library, is part of the Research & Instructional Services Department, and provides the principal map reference service for the campus library system.

Library tours and specialized instructional presentations for classes and other groups can be arranged. Contact the Tour Coordinator for information.

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