Navigating the Vast Resources of Vanderbilt University Libraries

The Jean and Alexander Heard Library system at Vanderbilt University is fundamental to the university’s goal of advancing scholarship and learning. Comprising nine libraries, as well as service departments in collections services, digital scholarship & scholarly communications, information technology and digital services, and teaching & learning, it serves as a dynamic place for faculty, staff, students, and alumni to reflect and discover. Understanding the array of resources available within this system is crucial for academic success and personal enrichment. This article provides a comprehensive guide to the various library resources offered at Vanderbilt University.

The Jean and Alexander Heard Library System

The Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries at Vanderbilt University comprises nine libraries. The holdings of the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries system of nine libraries are represented in the electronic catalog accessible from the library web pages. The library system offers research guides for most subjects. Some of the resources include links to important sites in a specific field, common data sets used in research, databases of relevant journals and journal articles, and more. The libraries seek to create a welcoming environment and serve as a partner in research and scholarship.

Key Libraries within the System

Central Library: The Asian Studies Librarian works with a team of subject librarians in Central Library, one of nine campus libraries within the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries, to support the research and teaching mission of the Vanderbilt College of Arts and Science (A&S). The Asian Studies Librarian will be primary liaison for the Asian Studies and an additional A&S department to be determined. As part of a collaborative team of librarians, this position will partner with faculty, students, and staff to support the teaching and research in the College of Arts and Science and academic schools, departments, and cognate programs in the humanities and social sciences.
Annette and Irwin Eskind Family Biomedical Library and Learning Center: Supports the education, research, and patient care mission of Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The library is open 7 days a week, with a current VU badge required during restricted hours.
Science & Engineering Library: This is one of the nearby libraries for study space.

Electronic Resources

The Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries system provides access to a host of electronic databases and e-journals available across all of the disciplines of the university, with many specialized medical and scientific resources. Searches may be done within the libraries or from any computer (on or off campus) with internet access. Licensed databases can be accessed from off-campus via the University’s proxy server.

Libby App for Patients and Families

Patients and family members at Monroe Carell and Vanderbilt Health can access electronic resources anytime through Libby. These include ebooks and audiobooks. The Libby app is available for Android and Apple iOS. Parents, guardians and caregivers of current patients, and current patients aged 13 and above, may register for a free Libby account to access Monroe Carell’s electronic library. Parent or guardian consent will be required for patients between the ages of 13 and 17 before registration is complete. To be considered current, a patient must have been seen at Monroe Carell or Vanderbilt Health in the past 12 months.

Adding Monroe Carell to Your Libby Libraries

Are you already a Libby user? Once you have received your Monroe Carell Library Card, click on the menu icon in the middle of the Libby app to see your current libraries. Select "Add Library," and search for Monroe Carell Jr.

Specialized Resources and Services

In addition to the general resources, Vanderbilt University Libraries offer specialized services tailored to specific needs.

Ask A Librarian

The Jean and Alexander Heard Library offers the amazing service of Ask A Librarian. All of the undergraduate majors have been assigned to different librarians. Each librarian serves as a liaison for the major and assists students who are conducting research in this area.

Research Guides

In addition to asking a librarian, the library system offers research guides for most subjects. Some of the resources include links to important sites in a specific field, common data sets used in research, databases of relevant journals and journal articles, and more.

Journalism Collections

Vanderbilt University’s journalism collections document more than a century of newspaper and television reporting by award-winning writers, photojournalists, cartoonists, editors and publishers for major news organizations, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and The Atlanta Journal. The largest set of papers in the collections are those of John L. Seigenthaler, longtime editor and publisher of The Tennessean newspaper, lifelong First Amendment activist, and a prominent figure in Tennessee social and political history. The John Seigenthaler Papers contain correspondence, clippings, writings, speeches, photographs, artifacts and recordings. Other notable materials in the collections include the papers of sports journalist Grantland Rice, Washington Post reporter Christine Sadler Coe, NBC News President Julian Goodman, Chicago Tribune editor James D.

Campus Safety and Support Services

While library resources are essential for academic pursuits, Vanderbilt University also provides a comprehensive network of safety and support services.

Read also: Vanderbilt University Alumni

Emergency and Safety Measures

Emergency telephones (Blue Light Phones) are located throughout the University campus, Medical Center, and One Hundred Oaks. Each phone has an emergency button that when pressed automatically dials the VUPS Dispatch Center. An open line on any emergency phone will activate a priority response from an officer. An officer will be sent to check on the user of the phone, even if nothing is communicated to the dispatcher. Cooperation is essential to help us maintain the integrity of the emergency phone system. These phones should be used only for actual or perceived emergency situations. An emergency response can also be received by dialing 911 from any campus phone. Cell phone users can use 615.421.1911 to summon an emergency response on campus. Cell phone users should dial 911 for off campus emergencies. VUPS provides additional services including property registration (for bikes, laptops, etc.), lost and found, weapons safekeeping, and submit a Crime Tip.

Keep your contact information up to date in YES (Your Enrollment Services) to receive AlertVU notifications. More details about AlertVU are provided at this link: alertvu.vanderbilt.edu.

VandySafe App

The app allows users to connect directly from their cell phones to the Vanderbilt University Public Safety via voice call, SMS text, or iReport. In the event of an emergency situation, you can hit the GET HELP button, which will give you the options to call VUPS, text VUPS, or call 911. When you select to either call or text VUPS, Communications Officers will be able to see your GPS location when enabled on your phone. These options allow VUPS to provide quick and professional service to its community even when the user is unable to give their location.

VandySafe also allows you to request a safety escort from VUPS, view information about Vandy Vans, assign a contact to monitor your safety at your request, view VUPS emergency guides, and make an iReport. Use iReport to submit crime tips and report crimes, including text, photos, and/or videos. Vanderbilt University Police Safety provides walking escorts to students, faculty, and staff walking to and from any locations on campus during the nighttime hours.

Support and Wellbeing Services

The Center for Spiritual and Religious Life functions in educational, spiritual, religious, and ceremonial capacities, providing individual spiritual/ pastoral counseling, a bereavement support group, weekly religious services, spiritual study, interfaith dialogue, programs that are religious/spiritual and interdisciplinary, and venues for meditation, prayer, and reflection.

The Center for Student Wellbeing helps students thrive within the Vanderbilt community. There are multiple resources and services available to students that support personal development, academic success, and lifelong wellbeing practices that use a holistic framework.

Student Care Coordination is committed to supporting undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in successfully navigating life events related to academic stress and/or medical, mental health, and/or other personal concerns that may interfere with a student’s ability to achieve their academic and personal goals. This team of Care Coordinators is the central and first point of contact for students to help identify needs and determine the most appropriate resources in Vanderbilt’s Student Care Network and in the Nashville community to address concerns. Student Care Coordinators work collaboratively with students to develop a student success plan, share education about and facilitate connections to appropriate on and off-campus resources, and provide accountability through supportive follow-up meetings. Our goal is for students to have the right support, in the right place, at the right time. In addition, Student Care Coordination coordinates support for students returning from medical leaves of absence. Though staff typically have a background in mental health services, it is important to understand that work with a Student Care Coordinator is not counseling or therapy.

Many students face challenges during their educational experiences and each situation is unique. Student Care Coordination is the first step to determine where to go for the most appropriate support for your needs. Students are encouraged to visit www.vanderbilt.edu/carecoordination to complete an initial assessment and schedule an appointment to meet with a Student Care Coordinator.

The Student Care Network is the holistic network of services and resources available to Vanderbilt University students pertaining to health and wellness. Resources are included for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as postdoctoral fellows. The Student Care Network is available to students to support their wellbeing and their care. The Student Health Center provides primary care services for students and is staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and lab technicians. The Student Health Center provides services similar to those provided in a private physician’s office or HMO, including routine medical care, specialty care (e.g. nutrition and sports medicine), and some routine lab tests. Students can schedule an appointment by calling 615.322.2427 or go online to www.vumc.org/student-health/online-appointments.

Project Safe

Project Safe partners with students, faculty, and staff to create a campus culture that rejects sexual violence and serves as a resource for all members of the Vanderbilt community. Part of the Office of the Dean of Students, Project Safe provides support to survivors of sexual harassment and intimate partner violence and engages the campus community in bystander intervention efforts and sexual misconduct prevention.

Project Safe offers bystander intervention training, an online prevention education module, and a variety of programs and presentations on consent, healthy relationships, sexual harassment and assault, dating/domestic violence, and stalking prevention.

Student Access and Accommodations

Vanderbilt University strives to provide an accessible environment for all students; however, some barriers may arise for students with disabilities. If students anticipate needing a reasonable accommodation, they should visit Student Access (SA) and create an online profile via the Commodore Access Portal. Please note, only students who have accepted their admittance to Vanderbilt are able to request through the portal. On average, the process takes 5-10 business days; the process will be delayed if the student provides insufficient information. Detailed information regarding the process and information needed is below.

To request reasonable accommodations, students should submit their request via the Commodore Access Portal on the SA webpage. The portal will guide the student in completing the connection form (demographic information, accommodation request(s), and previous accommodation history) and request supporting documentation, if necessary. An access specialist will then review the connection form and documentation. Once reviewed, the access specialist will follow-up with the student to either request more information or request an orientation meeting. The orientation meeting usually lasts an hour and introduces the student to the SA team and reviews student responsibilities and procedures. During the meeting, the access specialist will also show the student how to request an accommodation letter through the Commodore Access Portal. The letter will be sent electronically to the instructors of the students’ choosing. The student must log in and send the letters each semester.

Reasonable accommodation arrangements are not retroactive. Student Access provides a wide range of reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities at Vanderbilt University. Accommodations are determined on an individual, case-by-case basis. Examples of accommodations include, but are not limited to, extra time on exams, technology for note-taking, priority registration, and alternate format class materials. Student Access provides reasonable accommodations based on the functional limitations a student experiences due to their disability and the barriers presented in the educational environment. Documentation varies based on diagnosis, medical professional, and disability type. Student Access requests that documentation submitted contain diagnostic information (such as date of original and most recent diagnosis, severity, and treatment, if appropriate) and the functional limitations, or how this diagnosis affects the student in a specific environment. Reasonable accommodations are determined individually, and on a case-by-case basis. Documentation should adequately verify the nature and extent of the disability in accordance with current professional standards and techniques. If the nexus is not made between the accommodation and the limitation, SA will request additional documentation from the student.

All applicants go through the same admission review process and are admitted based on the quality of their academic record. As there is no separate admission process for applicants with disabilities, students with disabilities are competitively admitted to Vanderbilt University every year. Federal law prohibits making preadmissions inquiry about disabilities. If a student believes, however, that some aspect of their academic record was affected by their disability, they may choose to share that with the Admissions Office. Vanderbilt students who experience impairments that will temporarily restrict them on campus (broken bone, concussion, adjustment disorders, etc.), can contact Student Access.

Other Campus Resources

Sarratt Student Center

The Sarratt Student Center offers a wide variety of activities for students. Programs include exhibits in the Sarratt Gallery, films in the Sarratt Cinema, art studios, the Overcup Oak restaurant and pub, and conference and meeting rooms available by reservation.

Hours of Operation:

Monday - Friday: 7am-9pm

Weekends: 8am-9pm

Students have 24/7 card access during all other hours. (Hours subject to change during the summer and academic breaks.)

The Sarratt Student Center sponsors many other events and activities throughout the year that enrich the cultural life of the University. The student-run Vanderbilt Programming Board offers various activities. The Sarratt Box Office, located on the first floor of Sarratt Student Center, sells tickets for most campus events and is a Ticketmaster outlet. Monday - Saturday (hours are limited during breaks and the summer) and payment methods include cash, Commodore Card, Visa, and MasterCard. Tickets to most Vanderbilt events are significantly discounted for undergraduate and graduate students. Call the Sarratt Box Office at 615.343.3361 for information regarding upcoming events.

Transportation and Parking

Parking space on campus is limited. All motor vehicles operated on campus at any time by students, faculty, or staff must be registered with VUPS Parking Services located at 111 28th Avenue South in the 2800 Building. Registration can be completed online and a fee is charged. Parking regulations are published annually and are strictly enforced. Bicycles should be registered with Vanderbilt University Police Department. More information is available at www.vanderbilt.edu/parking.

All graduate and professional students can ride to and from the Vanderbilt campus free of charge on Nashville’s Metropolitan Transit Authority buses or commuter train. To use this service, a Vanderbilt-registered QuickTicket app or card is required for free rides on WeGo.

Reporting Incidents

The Origami reporting system is used to report any risk, professional liability, or safety occurrence, observed by or involving a Vanderbilt University School of Nursing student, staff, or faculty member. Any type of incident may be reported including but not limited to risk management issues such as clinical related occurrences, student injury or near miss when in a clinical setting, bullying, incivility, and discrimination. There are other VUSN and VU resources available to resolve concerns related to programs of study and courses. Additional resources are listed in the VUSN Student Handbook section entitled VUSN: Academic Policies.

All reports entered into Origami Risk will be reviewed within a 48-hour period by VU risk management personnel and certain reports will trigger notification to additional departments, for example, Student Access Services, Equal Opportunity and Access, or Title IX. An aggregate report of VUSN incidents will be provided to Dean Pamela Jeffries.

It is important that all students, staff, and faculty feel safe reporting any incident they desire without fearing retribution. It is the goal of the University to encourage reporting to best respond to perceived and actual risk occurrences. From the Welcome Page, select “Submit a New VU Incident.” The first incident page will ask a series of questions designed to direct you to the appropriate type of report. If reporting an adverse occurrence or outcome in a clinical setting (patient), if there was an injury, select yes “Are you reporting an injury or illness…” and follow the prompts for selecting Employee or Non-Employee. If the reporter (student) experienced an injury or exposure in a clinical setting, select “yes” for injury. Faculty and Staff of VU will report work related injury (worker’s compensation) by selecting the checkbox “yes” for VU employee injury. On the Injury Incident Detail page, under “Specific Incident Type," there is an option to select “VUSN Incident." And in the injury type, multiple options including - Maternal/Childbirth (where applicable). If reporting an incident involving no bodily injury risk, select “No” and then select "YES" for “Did something else happen." This will show the “other” incident type and then select the box. Please enter a complete description of the event.

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