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Staff Resources: Chester Fritz Library

A summary of resources available to staff at the Chester Fritz Library.

First Floor

  • Newspaper Rack: holds paper copies of the Grand Forks Herald, Fargo Forum and Bismarck Tribune. Plus, all staff can get the New York Times on their phone (learn more about the NYT in another section of this guide).

  • Vending Machines: Multiple vending machines, a coffee machine, and a microwave.  

  • Puzzles: Available on the first floor

  • ADA/Gender Neutral/Family Restroom 

  • UIT Desk: Technology assistance, see specific offerings below

UIT Services for Staff

UIT provides the following services for staff members:

  • In-person or online help for UND-supported computers
  • Equipment checkout options if traveling to a work-related event
  • Access to a makerspace and the assistance of UIT on various projects

UIT recommends using TEAMS for communication and OneDrive for storage

Second Floor

  • The Knowledge Commons Main Information Desk: Get directions, find out where to go, check things out, etc. 

  • Reference/Peer Research Consultant Desk: Get research assistance 

  • The Reading Room: Cozy spaces complete with heated window seats and comfortable furnishings  

  • Popular Reading Shelves: Books and audiobooks that are newly released or are popular among patrons

  • Self-Checkout Machine Across from the Front Desk: Your library card is your ID

  • Access Services Desk: More advanced services such as holds or special item checkout

    • Library of Things: Many creative and useful items for checkout

Third Floor

  • DVD area: An assortment of movies and tv shows, some classics, some newer 

  • Nistler Building Skywalk: The skywalk that connects the Library to the Nistler Business Building

  • Tulip Chairs: Sensory-friendly, fashionable seating

  • Board Games: A variety of board games that can be checked out for up to a week

  • The Writing Center: Get assistance with writing projects, for more information, see below

  • Academic Book Collection: Also known as "the stacks" 

The Writing Center

The Writing Center provides assistance with:

  • Class assignments
  • Resumes and CVs
  • Application essays
  • Graduate theses and doctoral dissertations
  • Creative writing projects

For more information:

Fourth Floor

  • Children’s Collection: Assortment of children's and young adult books

  • Conference Room: Event and conference space

  • ADA/gender neutral/family restroom 

  • Academic Book Collection: Also known as "the stacks" 

  • Special Collections: Excellent collection of rare and historical resources regarding the history of UND, Grand Forks, and the state of North Dakota. Materials include photographs, diaries, organizational records, correspondence, publications, genealogical materials, and ephemera. NOTE: UND has access to Ancestry.com but this resource can only be accessed on-campus, see details below. 

Family History

Looking for Family History Records?

Ancestry Library Edition (ALE) is a collection of historical and genealogical databases. It differs from a personal subscription by not having collaborative features. Although the bulk of the databases deal with U.S. records, there are also databases for Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries.

Search Tips
  • It is useful to have a research strategy, which includes identifying specific databases to search. Familiarize yourself with the navigation of the website and how to locate databases. It is generally advisable to search in one database at a time.
  • Database titles are sometimes misleading. Check the details about the contents of a database, located below the search interface, before searching in it for the first time.
  • Understand how and when to use wild cards in your searches as names can be misspelled in indexes. ALE uses both the asterisk(*) and the question mark (?) as wild cards.
  • Less is usually better for database searching. Only one wrong entry among the search criteria will return a negative result.
  • It is recommended to use the “Match all terms exactly” option at the top of the search form. This option gives you control over the results that are returned.

Contact the Department of Special Collections for more assistance with genealogical research.