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Research Help

We are here to help you with library services during the 2020 pandemic closure. We are here to help you succeed in your online courses--please contact us with any questions! 

Need a Quick Answer? 

  • Connect with a librarian using Chat or email. This is a good way to get help with a citation, choosing the right database and formulating a search strategy, asking about borrowing materials from other libraries, and more. Use the Chat button on our library web pages or the Chat boxes on our Research Guides. Email reference@knox.edu or contact a specific librarian in a subject area.

Research Consultations 

  • Contact a specific librarian in a subject area for more in-depth research help. Librarians can work with you on defining and refining a topic, selecting the right databases to search, formulating a search strategy, and can advise you on how to get materials you need in a timely fashion.  Librarians use a variety of methods to communicate: online chat, email, video conferencing, etc.

Online Tools and Digital Materials 

When working from off-campus it is important to connect to our library databases and other online library tools from the Knox Library web site.  When you make a remote connection to our library resources you will be prompted to log into the proxy server first. Do this using your Knox email username (without the @knox.edu part) and your Knox email password. 

  • Research Guides direct you to appropriate resources based on your subject area. In many cases these research materials are available online. Research guides also provide contact information for the librarian in a subject area.
  • Article and research databases are all accessible remotely. Many of the databases have full text articles or link out to full text articles if you use the Find It  button.

Interlibrary Loan & I-share

  • Use the ILLiad interlibrary loan system to request articles that are not available in full text online. We will get the article from another library and email the pdf to you. For more information about using ILLiad see the FAQ.
  • I-Share borrowing is suspended until further notice. You will not be able to place requests for I-Share materials in the I-Share catalog.
    • There are no fines for overdue materials. We will sort out overdue items after full service resumes, but be sure to log into your library account and renew any I-Share books you already have checked out. 
    • If you want to travel to another I-Share library to borrow materials, please call ahead to find out if the library is open and if they allow service to outside patrons during the pandemic. View a list and a map of I-Share libraries.