More help

 1. How to use My. Library

2. How to find books on reserve (short-term loan)

3. How to use Interlibrary Loan Service

4. How to elaborate your search

5. Writing Tips

6. Book an appointment

The service, My. Library, offered by University of Toronto Libraries allows you to create your own virtual library. You can select and add to My. Library your favorite E-Journals, Article Databases, E-Reference Sources, E-Books, E-Newspapers, and other Catalogue Items. After finishing a search, click on "Details" to add any item in the catalogue to your personal my.library.

If you would like to use My. Library

• Go to the main page of UTL Catalogue
• On the left side select My Library from Quick Links
• Click on Go
• Enter your library card barcode (Complete 14 or 16 digit barcode, as printed on library card) and your pin number
• Click on Open my. Library

An instructor can put course materials on reserve. Due to the extremely high demand for items in this category, they can be borrowed for periods usually ranging from 2 hours to 2 days. In Robarts Library the short-term loan department is located on the Fourth Floor in the Periodical Reading Room.
If you are looking for books on reserve (short-term loan):

• Go to the main page of UTL Catalogue
• Hold  cursor on Students and then on Student Services
• Choose Course Reserves (short term loans)
• You can search by the name of Instructor, Course Code, or Course Name

If you cannot find material in the University of Toronto Libraries, you can use a service called RACER (interlibrary loans.) RACER is the new automated Interlibrary Loan and Intercampus Delivery management system being implemented across Ontario University Libraries. This service allows a user to order books, journals, and other material from other libraries. You do not need to find out which library has the materials you need.

If you would like to use Interlibrary Loan Service

• Go to the main page of UTL Catalogue
• Choose Library Services from the top menu bar
• Select Loan Services from the drop down menu
• Select  RACER (Interlibrary loans)• Chose your starting point 
• Find out how you can order your material using RACER by clicking on “frequently asked questions”

Note: There is no fee for borrowing books. However, there is a $5.00 fee for any article acquired from outside U of T.

a) You can elaborate you search by using the truncation symbol *

For example
Ukrain* will provide you with Ukrainian, Ukraina, Ukraine, Ukrainska, etc

b) If you are searching for a phrase use single quotes ‘ ’ around the phrase

For example
‘prague spring’ will list over 50 items containing the phrase

c) There is no need of using articles and prepositions in your search. The system will ignore these words

For example
kyievo mohyla academy

d) Capitalization and punctuation are not necessary

For example
bohumil hrabal

Writing at the academic level is different from what one may have done before at high school or at work. It may present difficulties especially for people who are used to a different style of argumentation and documentation. Academic writing in Canada differs considerably from that of East Central Europe and Russia. To improve your writing, familiarize yourself with the basic structure, which you will find below. The provided links are very helpful for developing a good style in English academic writing. The University of Toronto offer free services to all graduate students to support academic writing.

Writing at the University of Toronto http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/

Structure of essay

I. Introduction
a. Provide background and context to your paper.
b. Provide a thesis statement (a one sentence statement of opinion that you will be defending) in the first paragraph.
c. Briefly outline your main arguments in support of your thesis.

II. Body
a. 1st argument supporting your thesis. .
b. 2nd argument supporting your thesis.
c. 3rd argument supporting your thesis.

III. Conclusion
a. Summarize your main arguments
b. Restate your thesis.
c. Discuss the significance and implications of what you've concluded.

More Writing Links

University of Victoria
http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/MasterToc.html

Cornell University
http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill1.htm

University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/PlanResearchPaper.html

You can book an appointment and consult with PJRC staff members on finding Slavic resources at the University of Toronto Libraries. Also, you can book an appointment to focus on any aspect of your research. A member of the PJRC staff can help you find resources more efficiently and show how you can use them.

Send an e-mail to jacyk.centre@utoronto.ca or contact directly any member of our staff listed below:

Ksenya Kiebuzinski         ksenya.kiebuzinski@utoronto.ca

Wasyl Sydorenko             wasyl.sydorenko@utoronto.ca  

Nadia Zavorotna              nadia.zavorotna@utoronto.ca

Ernest Gyidel                  ernest.gyidel@utoronto.ca