The library has physical spaces and resources for you to use. Our physical collections contain thousands of books. You can limit your search to physical books by using the [Gumberg Library Print Only] filter on DUQSearch.
Once you have found the items you want to check out, select the Place Request button. You will need to indicate whether you want the first available copy or a specific copy, as well as the location you want to pick it up from.
Library staff will have your items ready to pick up within three business days, and you will receive an email when they are.
You can also find materials on the shelves yourself, and check them out at the library's front desk.
Reading Call Numbers Finding a specific book on the shelves can be tricky - feel free to ask someone at the front desk to help you locate a specific book on the shelves! You can also place it on hold to be picked up at a later time.
Call numbers work alphanumerically, so they will first be in alphabetical order, then numerical order.
Did you know? Your professors can place textbooks and assigned readings on reserve at the library. To see if any of your courses have materials on reserve, click here.
Print materials can only be checked out for a couple of hours at a time, and are generally in-library use only. Ask for these at the Circulation Desk.
You can find electronic reserves materials here, though you will need a password from your instructor.
The library has individual and group study spaces available for use. Quiet study spaces are located on Floors 1 and 2, and the 2nd floor has individual study rooms. Floors 4 and 5 contain group study rooms.
You can reserve them here!
Scan & Deliver is a free service for current Duquesne University students, faculty, and staff to request a digital scan of materials that is otherwise only available in print from Gumberg Library's general collection.
Materials eligible for Scan & Deliver:
Fair use and copyright restrictions may apply.
Log into ILLiad, and make a new request for an article or book chapter. Materials will be delivered within three business days to your ILLiad account and will be available for 30 days.
Gumberg has three printers and a copier/scanner for your use! Print jobs can be sent wirelessly through Lab Print from your computer or mobile device.
Students have an annual printing budget of $90, which covers up to 3,000 black and white pages. This amount renews annually on July 1st.
The library has a special collection of non-book items available to check out. Items include arts and crafts supplies, AV production and electronic equipment, board, yard, and video games, medical/scientific equipment, and much more!
Click here to explore what’s in this collection!
The library maintains subscriptions to over 350 databases that contain a range of e-books and journal articles. This guide shows you how to access the full text of an e-book. You can find a list of our e-book only databases here.
You can limit your search results from DUQSearch by going to the "Limit By Source Type" filter on the side and selecting "e-books".
DUQSearch will search library databases for journal articles and e-books. Finding the full text of an article can sometimes be tricky, so if you are having trouble you can follow this guide to some of the ways we make it easier to find full text. If we don’t have the article you need, check out the ILLiad & EZBorrow tabs below to request it from another library!
You can also search databases directly! This is sometimes a better option if you are looking for something that might need a more tailored database, or what you need isn’t showing up in DUQSearch. Here are a couple of the bigger databases we recommend trying first:
| EBSCO |
| ProQuest Central |
| PubMed |
| JSTOR |
You can also keep up with new volumes of journals and publications with BrowZine. BrowZine is an online catalog of journals that’s formatted like an online bookshelf, where you can follow journals and get updates when they publish a new volume.
Gumberg offers access to a number of software programs that enhance your ability to find and organize your research.
LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that finds the full text of an article for you from a search page with one click! It scans our databases for PDFs and links to them directly from a search results screen.
EndNote is a citation management software that helps you manage and organize your citations. You can keep your bibliography organized and attach your articles to your citations.
Covidence is a software that helps you organize sources for a systematic review of a topic.
Want to watch a movie or documentary? The library has physical DVDs and access to video streaming platforms here!
If you need access to materials off-campus, check out our guide for accessing materials off-campus.
Looking for news, historical or current? Check out our guide on our Newspaper Collections.
EZBorrow is a service that allows you to request books, and media like DVDs, from other academic libraries in Pennsylvania. You’ll be able to pick it up right from Gumberg’s front desk. For more information about using EZBorrow, click here.
ILLiad is a service that lets you request articles, book chapters, dissertations, and more from libraries around the world. These will get sent to you electronically! Click here to learn more about using ILLiad.
In addition to being able to request materials from other libraries, you can make a suggestion to the library of things to add to the collection! If there's a book, journal, or anything else you think the library should have, use the Suggest a Purchase Form to submit your recommendation.
In addition to our books and online databases, the library has several other notable special collections. Learn more about them at the links listed below:
| The Curriculum Center: a collection of preK-12 resources to support programs working with children. |
| University Archives: a collection of records which document the mission, history, work, and organization of Duquesne University. |
| Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center: contains materials in all fields, wherever a phenomenological approach is used or criticized. |
| Mary Jane Schultz Music Collection: a collection of music theory, scores, and audio recordings. |
| Gumberg Library of Things: a collection of non-traditional items available for check out, from games to tools and household items. |
Are you an ESL student looking for resources? Our ELS Resources for Students guide outlines the services and resources the library has for you!
Academic Integrity is a key aspect of navigating your academic career. Don’t get caught plagiarizing!
The library has a number of citation Style Guides that can help you figure out how to cite your sources! Find a specific style guide below:
| AMA Citation Guide |
| APA Citation Guide |
| Chicago Citation Guide |
| MLA Citation Guide |
