For New Users: Getting Started
Let's face it, navigating the universe of scientific information is complicated. The Libraries are here to help you. This checklist will help get you set up and ready to do research in chemistry. New graduate students should also see the
For Graduate Students page. If you're a new undergraduate, check out the
For Undergraduates orientation page. You can also take this fun quiz to check your "Chemical Information Literacy Factor"! If you're a new
postdoc, please see these
important notes about access privileges.
Obtain your UT EID
- You will need your EID and password to conduct your online library business, log into library workstations, and access information resources from off campus.
Be safe and secure:
- Make sure that you choose a strong password, which is required for login to library workstations and most other things.
- NEVER share your EID and password with anyone else
- NEVER provide your password to a spammer or phisher who asks for it!
- New postdoc?
Set up your computer.
- Obtain BevoWare software to get UT-compliant security, media viewers, browsers, email clients, virus protection, etc. Bevoware is free to students and faculty.
- Make sure you have a good anti-virus system and that it's always up to date.
- Remember that UT offers special pricing and licensing options for many commercial software products.
- Mac users: Not all relevant software is available for Macs, but you can run Windows on a Mac too. See MacWindows.com for a survey of options.
Install a good Web browser:
- Firefox is probably the best. Experience has shown it's advisable to avoid MS-Internet Explorer when possible.
- Install necessary plugins for chemistry applications. Some are generalized and others are site- or application-specific. Mac users beware: some plugins work only in Windows (e.g. CRC ChemnetBase).
- Make sure you have the latest Java and JRE versions installed. These are often needed for chemical structure viewing and are essential for SciFinder and Reaxys.
- Configure your browser to open and read PDF documents as desired. Install the latest version of Adobe Reader.
- Install browser add-ons and widgets to help you in your research.
Register for your SciFinder search account.
(If you already have an account from another institution, you'll have to get a new one.) An email account ending in utexas.edu is required. New postdoc?
Purchase and install EndNote bibliographic management software if desired.
Set up wireless ethernet connectivity for your laptop.
Bookmark some important starting points:
Start keeping up with the literature:
- Set up Alerts or RSS feeds for your favorite journals.
- Set up Keep Me Posted alerts in SciFinder or Web of Science.
- Set up alerts in the Library Catalog to find out about new books matching your interests.
- Come in and browse our New Book Shelf regularly, or scan our virtual Recent Arrivals site.
Attend relevant Library Classes and Tours on various resources and skills.
Finally, be ready to use the physical library.
Notes for New Postdocs and Visiting Researchers
- UT-EIDs assigned to incoming postdocs and visiting researchers may not have the correct privileges to allow you to access library resources remotely (off campus) or to enter the SciFinder registration pages.
- Your ID card will not allow you to check out library materials until you get it validated for this purpose.
- First, obtain a document from your department showing the terms and dates of your appointment and affiliation.
- Take your ID card and your appointment documentation to the Courtesy Borrower Desk in the PCL Circulation department (PCL 2.122, in the lobby of the Main Library) during daytime hours. There you will be entered into the library's patron database and you can get your access privileges adjusted. You will need to provide a valid email address at this time.
- Your privileges will have an expiration date. If your appointment is later renewed, you will have to repeat this procedure to extend your library privileges. You will not be able to check out books past your expiration date.
- You must obtain a utexas.edu email account in order to register for a new SciFinder account. If you are a visiting researcher with an active appointment at another institution, you can continue to use your existing account via that institution's links and IP range.
If you have any questions, please ask a staff member or send us an email.
