Getting started
1) Activate your UNI
Your UNI is a university identifier that typically combines your initials and a number. It is also the beginning of your Columbia University email address. This identifer and password allow for off campus access of Columbia University electronic resources and is essential for using the library.
2) Set up a bibliographic citation management program
Once you start researching or attending courses your computer can quickly become a maze of PDFs that hinder your productivity. A bibliographic citation management program, such as EndNote, can help you stay organized and make it easier to format citations.
The library provides classes and assistance with several different programs, including EndNote, RefWorks, Reference Manager, Mendeley, and Papers. Those that require downloading can be obtained from CUIT.
3) Set up a research consultation with a reference librarian
The Health Sciences Librarians can help you identify scholarly resources (databases, journals, blogs, etc) that are focused on your research and help you get resources from another library through interlibrary loan and Borrow Direct. Send the library an email (hs-library@columbia.edu) to set up a personalized research consultation.
Acronyms and terms used in the Columbia community
- CLIO - The library catalog. This is where you can check to see if Columbia University owns a book or has access to a journal title.
- eLink - An icon that indicates Columbia University has access to the full text. If there are multiple ways to access the full text of a given article the eLink will display them in one place. It also allows for off campus access of most electronic resources. For more information check out our 'Understanding eLink' page.
- CourseWorks - Coumbia University's online course management system. For more information about how to use it visit the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CNMTL) website. To access CourseWorks you can visit our My Accounts page.