Information for New Students

New to Ginn Library? We're Here to Help!

Ginn Library provides a variety of in-person and remote services and resources to help Fletcher students succeed in their courses, research, and experiential learning activities.  

Research Assistance

Ginn's Research and Instruction Librarians are on duty between 9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday to help you with:

  • Developing a research strategy
  • Finding books, journals, and articles 
  • Searching out statistical data
  • Locating legal documents
  • Formatting citations for footnotes and bibliographies
  • Researching your Capstone and dissertation topics

Appointments outside of our hours of operation are available upon request. Visit Ask a Librarian to connect with one of our librarians.

You might also want to see the Research Basics section for do-it-yourself assistance and tips for your research, or the Writing Center for writing resources and tutoring.

Workshops and Learning Opportunities

Ginn Library and IT staff hold a variety of workshops, both in person and on Zoom. Ginn workshops cover a variety of topics including:

  • Getting started with research
  • Citation tools and strategies
  • STATA and statistical analysis

Visit our workshop calendar to see upcoming training opportunities. You can also sign up for a Udemy Business account to participate in web-based, self-paced technology training. Contact FletcherIT@tufts.edu or Ask a Librarian if there is a workshop you would like to see offered at Fletcher. 

Circulation/Reserves

Borrow books from Ginn or any other Tufts library with a valid Tufts ID card. 

Course Reserves include both print and electronic books that are required readings in Fletcher courses. Check out print Reserve books at the library circulation desk, and access ebooks through the library catalog, JumboSearch. For a list of books on Reserve for a particular course, see:

  • Our Course Reserves page
  • The Reading Lists tab of your course’s Canvas site
  • The iPads at the Ginn Library circulation desk

IT Help

Tufts Technology Services (TTS) provides a variety of technology resources for students to help you successfully complete your course work.  

Visit Learning Remotely for tools and information about how to participate in online classes.

You can also contact Tufts Technology Services (TTS)

  • By phone: Tufts Technology Support Center Service Desk, available 24/7 at 617-627-3376
  • By email: it@tufts.edu.
  • In person at Ginn Library or Tisch Library

Additional Technology Resources

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Tufts adopted 2FA as an extra security measure to prevent hackers from accessing Tufts systems and stealing information. The 2FA program safe-guards Tufts systems that store your email, files, grades, etc. Enroll in 2FA today to protect your personal information.

Tufts Virtual Private Network (VPN) for access to Tufts systems (like library databases) from off campus.

Canvas for course materials: Canvas provides faculty with a space to share readings, post assignments, and engage students. Check out the Tufts Canvas User Guide for more information. For help with Canvas, contact canvas@tufts.edu.

Office 365: Office 365 provides access to Microsoft Office products, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and more, to use online or download to your computer. 

Tufts.edu email address: You may forward your Tufts email account to another email account or set up your mobile devices to read Tufts email.

Zoom: Use Zoom for remote classes, group work, and to connect with professors and colleagues. Activate your account to use at Tufts, by signing into Zoom with your Tufts credentials. Check out Tufts IT Guide for Zoom.

Box Storage: Box is a cloud storage resource available to Tufts community members. Store your files on Box, and collaborate with colleagues with or without Tufts credentials. Check out Tufts Box User Guides.

myFletcher: myFletcher serves as Fletcher’s intranet and is a one-stop-shop for information for students, faculty and staff.  Fletcher’s calendar of events is located on this site. Many faculty use myFletcher for Office Hours.

Tufts On the Hub: provides access to free or discounted software you may need to use for classes, projects or assignments.  Download STATA or SPSS onto your computer (at no addtional expense) and for easy access.  Antivirus software is also available to protect your computer and data.

Tufts Remote and Virtual Lab can be accessed from your personal computer by downloading the VMWare Horizon Client. This program will allow you to use specialized software programs (like Adobe products), just as you would at an on-campus computer lab.

Printing, Scanning, and Copying: Computers, printers, and scanners are located in Ginn Library. Black and white print-outs cost 10¢ per sheet single-sided, and 15¢ per sheet double-sided. Add value to your Tufts ID with a credit card at the JumboCash website, or with cash at the kiosk in the library. You can also download drivers to your laptop to print to the public printers.

Computer Safety and Responsibility: Viruses and malicious software can damage your computer: make sure you have anti-virus software installed. Also, be aware that it is illegal in the US to share music and movie files without the copyright owner’s consent. If caught, you could face stringent fines and lose your network privileges. Uninstall and do not use peer-to-peer (P2P) programs (e.g. BitTorrent or MOJO). You are responsible for understanding copyright law pertaining to sharing music and movie files, and Tufts’ expectations about responsible use.

Consult with an event support specialist: If you need help planning the audiovisual and technology aspects of an upcoming event, feel free to set up a consultation appointment with our specialist.