Visitors not affiliated with FSU can only access FSU's subscription databases and electronic resources while on-campus and when logged into FSU's guest wifi network.
When visiting FSU Libraries, it is recommended that you bring your own wifi-enabled laptop or tablet as well as a cell phone, which is required for authentication purposes. To access FSU Libraries' electronic resources, please log on to the "Guest Wifi" network, available free of charge to guests on campus. Visit the FSU Campus WiFi page and select "Request This Service" for step-by-step instructions to set up wifi on your device.
Students of Florida's public high schools who participate in accelerated educational tracks such as dual enrollment may be eligible to access FSU Libraries resources through FLA-PASS. If you believe you are part of this group and have questions, please reach out to Liz Dunne (Instruction and Reference Librarian) and/or Lisa Play (Library Instructional Specialist) via their contact forms on the Home page of this guide.
Enter your keywords into search widget below to conduct an extensive search of our resources!
If you are looking for discipline-specific data and research, we recommend searching subject-specific databases to find information more closely related to your topic. To find subject-specific databases through FSU Libraries, follow these instructions.
1. On the FSU Libraries homepage, select the Databases tab.
2. Databases can be accessed searching for them by name or keyword in the search field, as well as alphabetically by name. To view all databases or filter by discipline, select the "View All Databases and Filter by Subject or Type" link.
3. Once you have selected the "View All Databases and Filter by Subject or Type", you will be directed to the screen presented below. On this screen, you can search for articles by name or keyword (circled in green), filter by subject (circled in purple) or by database type (circled in orange).
4. Each subject-specific database list contains Best Bet databases, which are most likely to contain information relevant to your subject, as well as some Related Databases. Check the descriptions of databases to see which one with have information that suits your research needs.
Physical texts can be read, scanned, and/or photocopied within the library they belong to, however visitors are not able to check out the material. Use the search bar below to start searching our collection! You can manipulate your search with more detail by clicking on the Advanced Search link.
For more information on using newspapers as a resource, click on the link to the Newspapers Research Guide below.
Do you need primary resources for your research? Are you uncertain about what a primary resource is?
Our handy Primary Resources Research Guide is here to help! It defines a primary resource as " the documents or artifacts closest to the topic of investigation that you will use as evidence to support your interpretation of the past. Often they are created during the time period which is being studied (e.g. correspondence, diaries, newspapers, government documents, art), but they can also be produced later by eyewitnesses or participants (memoirs, oral histories)." For more information on primary resources and how to use them, check out the Primary Sources Research Guide!
FSU Libraries is home to a number of historic texts and primary resources through its Special Collections and Archives. From cuneiform tablets to a first edition copy of Darwin's On the Origin of the Species, our archives are committed to preserving rare and historic texts and objects for researchers and interested parties of all types. Visitors are welcome to come to Special Collections during their open hours. For more information, please see the main webpage for Special Collections or check out the research guide on rare books in FSU's collection.
What's a research guide?
A research guide is a bundle of resources, or "starter pack", for beginning your research in a particular topic. They are really useful if you don't know where to start or need some more insight into researching a specific subject.
Where can I find the research guides?
Visit the front page of lib.fsu.edu and click on the red icon that says "Research Guides" and navigate to the relevant umbrella subject that will lead you to the subject guide you need.
You can also use the search bar in the top right corner.
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