University of Pittsburgh Library System

Public Services at Hillman Library are led by the Research & Educational Support (RES) Team. Learn about us and what we do!

Research & Educational Support (RES) Mission

From the first point-of-contact at Hillman Library through the in-depth phases of the research cycle, the RES Team provides guidance and instruction for members of the Pitt community and beyond. By removing barriers and clarifying processes, we facilitate the discovery of library resources and teach research concepts to help you gain knowledge and confidence toward achieving your goals. As part of an inclusive, holistic educational experience, we're a supportive and responsive partner for researchers and learners as they ask questions, broaden horizons, and create knowledge.
The RES Team is committed to:

1. Empowering library users by encouraging dialogue, promoting inclusivity, and increasing equity of access
2. Engaging with the Pitt community and beyond to support discovery, inquiry, and lifelong learning
3. Facilitating connections to promote research and scholarship
4. Curating diverse physical and digital collections
5. Providing knowledgeable and courteous service for library users in locating and utilizing materials and resources effectively
6. Facilitating information access and teaching the foundational skills and expert knowledge that encompass the reflective discovery, critical evaluation, and ethical use of information

The RES Team provides the following services and support:

Resource Sharing & Fulfillment

• E-Z Borrow – If the University Library System does not have a book that you need, E-Z Borrow allows Pitt students, faculty, and staff to directly request and borrow items from our partner libraries. 
• Faculty Delivery – Faculty members may set up direct office delivery of library materials from within the ULS or from E-Z Borrow or Interlibrary Loan.  (Suspended for the Spring 2021 Semester)
• Get It! – Materials in the University Library System, including the Thomas Blvd. Library, can be requested via Get it! and delivered to your location of choice or scanned and sent via email.
• Interlibrary Loan – If the University Library System does not have a book or article that you need, you can submit your request through Interlibrary Loan and the materials will be borrowed on your behalf from another library.
• Scanning Services – In addition to scanning materials requested through the above fulfillment services, we collaborate with library colleagues to offer specialized scanning and digitization services for large-scale or special items.

Donald S. Wood Service Desk

• Circulation & Access – Using an active Panther card, students, faculty, and staff of the University may borrow library materials. We’re available to help with any questions related to loan periods, renewals, or fees. With the exception of hours from 11pm to 7am during the Fall and Spring terms, Hillman Library is open to all and we also offer services for the non-Pitt community.
• Course Reserves – Faculty and instructors can select library materials or provide personal copies of course readings they would like to make available for students on Course Reserve. The ULS also offers electronic reserves available through a password-protected interface. Students have the option to suggest materials for course reserve and we work directly with course instructors about the possibilities.
• Reference & Referral – For anyone visiting the Desk in person, we provide directional or introductory research guidance on using the Library and our resources. We offer a singular point of contact for visitors, students, faculty, and staff in determining the next steps in their research process. You can also reach us via telephone, text, or chat! If you have questions that are more in-depth, we’ll put you in contact with the appropriate library expert or specialist to schedule a consultation.
• Technology Lending – In addition to circulating library materials, you can checkout laptops, iPads, noise-reducing headphones, external batteries, phone chargers, portable whiteboards and markers, and more!

Media Production Equipment & Services

• Media Production Equipment Collection – The Hillman Library Media Production Equipment & Services offers filmmaking equipment such as cameras, tripods, lights, as well as audio and video kits, GPS kits, PA kits, and more! Equipment is available to Pitt students, faculty, and staff with an active Panther card.

Stark Media Services

• Film Collections – Stark Media Services loans films and videos to Pitt faculty and instructors for research and instructional purposes primarily.
• Viewing Room – Film and video collections can be viewed by anyone from the Pitt community in Stark Media Services during regular hours of operation.

Instruction & Outreach

• Information Literacy Instruction – We partner with faculty across disciplines and levels of learning to integrate student learning of the research process into courses and curricula. We also offer extended curriculum support in partnership with the Center for Teaching & Learning.
• Research Guides – Our experts develop course and subject guides on a variety of topics and subject areas to support researchers and scholars. We collaborate with library colleagues to ensure these guides are up-to-date and user-friendly.
• Workshops – Together with colleagues across the ULS and campus, we offer general tours of Hillman Library and workshops on topics such as research assignment design, Open Educational Resources, citation management, bibliometrics, information bias, source evaluation, and more!
• Engagement – We regularly represent the ULS at university events in support of orientation, student learning and success, faculty development, and more. Through these opportunities, we engage with Pitt students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and members of the local community.
• Open Educational Resources – In collaboration with ULS and campus colleagues, we provide services and support for affordable learning, open pedagogy, and open educational resources (OER).

Research Services

• Subject Areas Supported – As part of a group of liaisons and specialists across the ULS, librarians on our team support research and learning across a multitude of departments, programs, disciplines, and schools, including: Business, Linguistics, Communication, Religious Studies, English, Film & Media Studies, Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Geology, Environmental Studies, French, Italian, Education, Computing & Information, Entrepreneurship, Africana Studies, Social Work, Economics, General Studies, Government Information, Political Science, and History.
• Bibliometric Services – These services provide support for researchers in determining the impact of their work for their own field of study, for Pitt, and beyond.
• Citation Management – Support for researchers in building their own bibliographies using Mendeley, EndNote, or Zotero is provided through one-on-one consultation and workshops.
• Consultations – We offer consultations by appointment to support students, faculty, researchers, or scholars in using the Pitt Libraries and enhancing research, teaching, and learning. Schedule a consultation with a liaison or specialist to learn about subject- or discipline-specific resources and strategies for research or to get assistance with in-depth research questions.

Collections

• Access to Microforms and Maps – We facilitate in-library access to collections of microforms and maps that are located at Thomas Blvd. Library, as well as any technology required to view or scan these materials.
• Collection Management – For the subject areas, departments, and disciplines we work with, librarians on our team follow ULS collection strategy and build collections to support research, teaching, and learning in these areas. Collections are searchable through PittCat.
• Secure Access On-Site – For researchers who request to use non-circulating library materials, our specialists facilitate the access to and security of those materials.
• Stacks Maintenance – In collaboration with ULS colleagues, our specialists maintain and manage the book stacks in Hillman Library, including the transition of materials to Thomas Blvd Library and to various floors of the Hillman Library during the top-to-bottom building renovation.

Spaces in Hillman

• Dissertation Writing and Graduate Study Rooms – The fourth floor of Hillman Library houses these quiet spaces where PhD candidates and graduate students pursue their program degree. Our specialists maintain the secure access to the rooms and provide regular communication for users of the spaces.
• One-Button Studio - A self-service recording studio with green screen and integrated technology.
• Whisper Room - A sound-isolating booth perfect for recording a podcast or interview.
• Lockers – Self-service lockers on the third and fourth floors of Hillman Library are available on a first-come/first-served basis.
• Open 24/5 (during academic year) – Our specialists maintain the Hillman Library’s hours of operation during the 24/5 schedule throughout the academic year and 24/7 during the final three weeks of each semester, ensuring access around-the-clock to library resources and study spaces for the Pitt community when they are needed the most.

Please ask us if you have any questions!