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Library Instruction: Request a Personal Librarian

What is a Personal Librarian?

What is a Personal Librarian?

It is how the library provides Cura Personalis, which is Latin for "care for the whole person." 

When you sign up for a Personal Librarian, you will be matched with a Reference Librarian who will make it a priority to get to know you and your individual research needs. That librarian can serve as a friendly face for you when you need help in the library. Your Personal Librarian can provide reference assistance, help with research strategies, and can also point you in the right direction if you have questions about other aspects of the library.

Your Personal Librarian is your personal library contact throughout your time at Fordham, but you aren't limited to your assigned librarian--you can always ask for help from any Fordham librarian.

How do I request or find my Personal Librarian?

To sign up for a Personal Librarian, please complete the form linked to below: 

Personal Librarian Sign-Up Form

If you’ve been assigned a personal librarian but don’t remember who it is, just fill out the form again and we will have your personal librarian email you.

How quickly will my Personal Librarian respond to my email?

Personal Librarians will respond within two business days.  If you need immediate help, please use our Ask a Librarian service.

How can my Personal Librarian help me?

First we need to get to know you. Then once we know what you know about libraries and what you need from the library we can:

  • Provide answers to your questions about how the library works
  • Refer you to the right person when you have a library-related question
  • Show you database features that make your searches more effective and more efficient
  • Teach you how to adjust your search strategy based on your or topic or discipline
  • Help you get the full-text of the books, articles, and journals you need
  • Point you to information sources that you can trust (no fake news)
  • Teach you how to do fact checks on questionable information sources
  • Help you create citations for your sources
  • Help you save and organize your sources
  • Remind you to check the library for class readings (to save money)  

Your Personal Librarian does not:

  • Do your research for you
  • Make copies or print documents for you
  • Edit your papers for you

Reference & Instruction Department

Reference & Instruction Department
Fordham University Libraries

Walsh Library  ♦  Rose Hill Campus  ♦  718-817-3586   
Quinn Library  ♦  Lincoln Center Campus  ♦  212-636-6050   
Fordham Westchester Library  ♦  Fordham Westchester Campus  ♦  914-367-3061 
library@fordham.edu   ♦   text 71-TXTX-1284 ♦  Ask a Librarian (Chat)