Doing your homework and finding academic sources is more user-friendly than ever before.

The University of North Georgia’s Library Technology Center has been using the GALILEO system for the past few years to provide a variety of online resources including databases, articles and journals. It is free to all UNG students, providing academic sources and low-cost textbooks through Affordable Learning Georgia.

Macy McGinnis, junior kinesiology major, said, “I’m in a Research Methods class where we have to complete a research project. I’m currently using GALILEO’s resources to find the articles I need for upper-level research, and I’m thankful for their threshold of academic-based research and easy access.”

GALILEO provides students with easy access to a wide array of media, both for academic purposes and other uses. Teresa Nesbitt, UNG reference services librarian, said, “People often think GALILEO only holds academic and peer-reviewed sources, but we also have access to magazines, videos, newspapers and some fiction, too.”

EBSCO, GALILEO’s updated user interface, offers more organized facets, a graphical “concept map,” text-to-speech options and article recommendations. GALILEO incorporated feedback and introduced the new look to public libraries and K-12 schools about a year ago. After further understanding users’ needs and receiving positive feedback, the university level launched in May 2024 and is available for UNG students now.

“I think schools continue to use our system because we provide high-quality content through a convenient and easy-to-use interface. I think students want to use it because they have used it throughout their educational journey, from elementary school through college and beyond,” said Lucy Harrison, executive director of GALILEO.

Harrison says GALILEO will gather more user feedback through its annual survey in November.