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Frequently Asked Questions
Library Access | Library Materials | Library Usage | Research Assistance
»Library Access
1. Where is the UAH Salmon Library located? Who was M. Louis Salmon?
The Salmon Library is located in the center of the UAH campus. The mailing address is:
M. Louis Salmon Library
University of Alabama in Huntsville
301 Sparkman Dr. NW
Huntsville, AL 35899
The general information telephone number is (256) 824-6530.
Click here for Driving Directions to the Library.
Click here for Huntsville Public Transportation options. Shuttle Bus Route #3 stops at the UAH campus.
Click here for Parking Regulations from UAH Public Safety. Please note that the front library parking lot is limited to decal parking only with the exception of 20 minute visitors spots.
M. Louis Salmon, for whom the library is named, was a long-time UAH supporter and benefactor. In 1996, the UAH Library was renamed the M. Louis Salmon Library in honor and memory of him.
2. When is the library open?
Library hours vary throughout the year, with extended hours during exam periods and shorter hours during breaks and holiday periods. Check our Library Hours page for exact times.
3. Can I use the library if I am not a UAH student or faculty member?
Yes! Most library services are available to all users without need for a library card or UAH affiliation. The library has several public computer workstations available with access to the internet and premium online databases. However, you must have a library card to check out books, and you must be a UAH faculty, staff or student to use the library's Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service. Visit our Circulation Department page for more information.
4. Can I get a library card if I am not a UAH student or faculty member?
Yes! UAH Alumni, active members of the armed forces, NASA employees, and students at some local universities qualify for special library privileges. Anyone who does not fall into these categories may sign up for a library card by paying a set, yearly usage fee. Visit our Circulation Department page for more information.
5. Can I access library resources from home?
Anyone may access the UAH library catalog by visiting http://librarycatalog.uah.edu/ and either logging in or entering the catalog as a Guest. Remote access to online databases and journals is limited to UAH faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students. Log in with your Last Name and Banner ID number. Visit our Remote Access page for more information.
6. I need help but I can’t come into the library. What can I do?
You may call the general number library at (256) 824-6530, or call the reference desk at (256) 824-6529 for research assistance. You may also use our Email Reference Service.
7. Do you have any special services for UAH Alumni?
Yes! Please visit our Alumni Services page for more information.
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»Library Materials
1. How can I find books in the library?
Books can be found in iLink, our online library catalog. From the library home page, click on “Books – E-books”. You may log in as a Guest, or enter your Banner ID number to gain access to your personal account. You may perform a general search by keywords/phrase, or search by several specific fields, including author, title, subject, series, and periodical title. Make a note of the call number and then go to the appropriate floor to retrieve the item. Call numbers A-N are on floor N2 (2nd floor, north wing) and P-Z are on floor N3 (3rd floor, north wing). Visit the Library Layout page to help find your way around the library.
What about electronic books?
The UAH Library offers access to over 52,000 electronic books, available from NetLibrary. E-Books contain the same content as regular, hard-copy books, but can only be viewed online. You may search for E-Books through the UAH Library Catalog, iLink. Alternatively, scroll down on the Catalog log in page and click on "Just want to find E-Books?" to enter NetLibrary directly. You must create an account with NetLibrary in order to "check out" any E-Books. To do this, click on "Create a Free Account" in the upper right corner of the NetLibrary screen. In order to be recognized as a UAH user, the account must be created either from an on-campus location or while you are remotely logged in to the library resources. Once your account is created, you will be able to access and check out E-Books from any location, on or off-campus.
2. How can I find journals in the library?
If you know the name of the particular journal you are looking for, click on the Journals link on the library homepage. You may enter a particular journal title, or scroll down to browse by subject or alphabetical order. Most journal titles held by the library are available electronically – click on the resulting links to access them. Only journals listed as “Salmon Library (print only)” are available in print format. Print journals are filed alphabetically starting in C1 (1st floor, central wing), and continuing back into N1 (1st floor, north wing).
3. How can I find journal articles in the library?
The best way to find journal articles is through the use of electronic databases. Click on the Online Databases link on the library homepage. From here, you can search for databases either by subject or by alphabetical order. Once you connect to a particular database, you will be taken into its search environment, where you can search on fields such as keyword, author, subject, etc. Alternatively, you can use the library’s Super Search feature (available on the library homepage) to search up to 15 different databases simultaneously.
4. How can I find newspapers in the library?
Most of the newspaper articles owned by the library can be accessed online. Visit our Online Newspaper Resources page for more information. This page contains links for both general newspaper databases and specific popular newspapers. The library does have print holdings for a few select newspapers; to find these, visit our Library Catalog and change the “type” to “NEWSPAPERS”. Print copies are normally available for the current three months only; microfilm holdings often exist for older editions.
5. How can I find dissertations and theses in the library?
You may search the Library Catalog for theses and dissertations written at UAH. Visit our Theses & Dissertations page for more information about finding these types of documents.
6. How can I find government documents in the library?
Government documents are kept on the Lower Level of the Central Tower. They can be located by searching Marcive WebDocs. Many types of government documents are also available electronically. Visit our Government Documents page to learn more about this type of material.
7. How can I find materials which have been placed on reserve for my class?
Reserve items which have been set aside by UAH instructors for students in particular classes can be accessed at the Circulation Desk. Visit our Reserves page for more information.
8. Does the library possess any archival material or special collections?
Yes! The Archives and Special Collections Department holds a wealth of information pertaining to the history of the university, as well as a unique collection of documents and books which preserve the history and development of the space program. Other valuable documents are available as well; visit our Archives and Special Collections page for more information.
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» Library Usage
1. Is wireless internet access available at the library?
Yes! Wireless internet access is available on the 1st and 2nd floors of the Central Tower. Only current UAH students, faculty, and staff may use this service. Visit our Wireless Access page for more information.
2. How do I print at the library and how much does it cost?
All computer printing from the Info Arcade on the 1st floor is 10¢/page for black & white or $1.00/page for color. Charger cards or print cards accepted only. Print cards are available at both the Circulation and Reference desks. Downloading to personal diskettes is free. You can purchase a 3 1/2 diskette for $1.50 at the Circulation Desk.
To use your Charger Card for printing (or photocopying), you must go to the University Center room 110 to have a flex account established. You may add money to your account at the value transfer station located in the Library, near the restrooms on S1 (South Wing, first floor).
3. How do I make copies at the library and how much does it cost?
The Library has 4 copiers located on the 1st floor. Copiers take change & bills (10¢/page) or Charger Cards (6¢/page). Two copiers are located in C1 (Central Tower, first floor) and two copiers are located near the restrooms on S1 (South Wing, first floor).
To use your Charger Card for photocopying (or printing), you must go to the University Center room 110 to have a flex account established. You may add money to your account at the value transfer station located in the Library, near the restrooms on S1 (South Wing, first floor).
4. What is required to check out a book?
Current UAH students, faculty, and staff will use their “Charger Card” as their library card. Please visit the circulation desk in order to activate your library account for the first time. Certain other groups qualify for special borrowing privileges as well. Visit our Obtaining a Library Card page for more information.
5. How do I renew a book?
To renew a book, you may either bring it to the circulation desk along with your library card or renew online through our Library Catalog. Visit our About Renewals page for more information.
6. How do I place a book on hold?
A hold request prevents the current borrower from renewing the item. When the item is returned to the library, it is usually held for the requestor. Hold requests can be placed by logging into the Library Catalog. Visit our Placing Holds page for more information.
7. What should I do if you don’t have the book or article I need?
Current UAH students, faculty members, and staff can request books or copies of articles that the Library doesn't own through our Interlibrary Loan Service. It usually takes a week to ten days for ILL materials to arrive, so start your research early! ILL requests can be placed by logging into the Library Catalog. Visit our Interlibrary Loan page for more information.
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»Research Assistance
1. How can I schedule a library instruction session or set up a library tour?
The Salmon Library welcomes university, college, and high school classes and other interested parties to tour the library and/or attend an orientation session. Our reference librarians are eager to work with instructors to provide a collaborative learning experience for students. To schedule a session, fill out our Instruction Request Form or visit our Library Instruction page for more information.
2. How can I locate materials on a particular subject?
The Salmon Library has several Subject Specialist Librarians who are eager to assist you in finding information about a particular subject. These specialists have designed helpful Library Subject Guides which provide an overview of selected resources for the various subjects.
3. How can I evaluate the quality of information I find?
There are several important questions to ask when evaluating the quality of information you have found. The recent proliferation of internet sources has made it even more difficult to sort through the vast quantities of information available. Visit our Evaluating Sources page for more information on this topic.
4. How can I determine whether or not an article is from a scholarly/peer-reviewed journal?
There are several criteria you can use to help determine this. In general scholarly journal articles are concerned with academic study, use footnotes and bibliographies to cite their sources, focus on reports of original research, and rarely contain advertising, illustrations, or photographs. Visit our Is It a Scholarly Journal or Not? page for more information.
5. How can I avoid plagiarism? Does the university use any type of plagiarism detection software?
It is important in our writing both to show our dependence on other people's work and to identify our own contribution. A major requirement of scholarly work is to give credit where it is due. Plagiarism--failing to acknowledge our debts to others--is using others' ideas and words without clearly acknowledging the source of that information. To help avoid plagiarism, you must make proper use of quotation marks and paraphrasing, as well as correctly citing your sources. Visit our About Plagiarism page for more information. Many UAH professors make use of a plagiarism detection program called Turnitin.
6. How do I properly cite my sources?
When you cite a resource in a paper, you have two purposes: to give credit for the material you are using, and to provide enough information for another person to find and use the same source. This is equally important for print resources as well as electronic resources. Make sure you know what citation format your instructor requires – MLA, APA, Turabian, etc. Current copies of these citation style guides are kept at the reference desk. Visit the Turnitin Proper Citation of Sources page for more information.
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