Library Resources for Study Abroad Students : Overview

You may be studying halfway around the world from Madison, Wisconsin, but the UW-Madison libraries can help you in many ways.

This guide will cover library services and resources you can access from around the world.

• You can ask the information professionals questions about search strategies, library services and collections, and more.  We answer questions by chat and email.
• The Libraries have thousands of databases, which contain millions of articles, streaming movies and music, as well as a million + eBooks.  You can access these with your UW-Madison NetID and password.
• For round-the-clock research help, you can consult research guides on different subjects and library research tutorials.
• Subject librarians can help you with more in-depth research questions. 

Libraries' Mission

The mission of the UW-Madison Libraries is to support excellence in teaching, research and learning by providing resources, services and spaces that help to ensure the success of our students, faculty, and staff.

Library staff are here to help you!

You can ask the information professionals questions about search strategies, library services and collections, and more.  We answer questions by chat and email, as well as in person.  We may not have an answer for every question, but we can usually direct you to a person or office with an answer.

See more at the Help section of this guide.

To use many of the journals, databases, and e-books the library provides access to, you'll need to

1. use links from the Libraries website, and
2. log in with your UW NetID and password.

Why?  Because the UW-Madison Libraries (and you, through your tuition dollars), pay to have access to this content.  These databases want to make sure you're affiliated with an organization that has subscriptions to these resources. 

If your NetID is not working with library resources, we have some troubleshooting advice.

VPN (virtual private network)

Some library resources require logging in to the WiscVPN (virtual private network). 

• DoIT page about the WiscVPN, including links to install the software.