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Preparing for Finals Week: UW Libraries 10 Tips for Success

March 5, 2026

While many students think of libraries primarily as places to study and access research materials, UW Libraries provides many services and support for students year-round! Be sure to bookmark this page and learn more about these time-saving resources to help you succeed and stress less during finals!

Extended Hours and Events:

Extended hours March 13-15: Odegaard Library will extend hours during end-of- quarter and finals week! See hours.
Study Sprints March 11-13: Odegaard will host timed study sprints – check the calendar for all dates and times.
De-Stress Activities– TBD
Fuel n’ Fun – March 13, 6PM-11PM: FREE hot drinks and buttons!

Top Ten Tips:

Graphic: Alarm clock, text: Sprints 7-pm-12am

1. Ask Us

Librarians (humans) can help you find things that Google can’t. Really. We’re online and ready to answer any question to help you find the resources you need. Chat online, meet virtually, or email us. No question is too big or too small. If you are interested in a specific topic or toolset, you can search by subject or specialty and get connected to personalized help in person or online.

2. Find a place to study, and plan ahead

Looking for music and sounds to help supercharge your study sessions? Check out our Ethnomusicology Archives’ Study Sounds page and thisStudy Beats playlist!We hope these tips and resources will help you find what you need to succeed in preparation for finals week and throughout the year. You’ve got this, Huskies! 🙂

3. Utilize the Odegaard Writing and Research Center

Not sure where to start your research? Need some advice on how to organize your ideas? Writer’s block? Don’t wait until the day before your paper is due–set up an appointment now with the OWRC.

Research Consultant

UW students can get 1:1 libraries assistance with all types of research projects and assignments. Meet with a librarian one-on-one to discuss:

Focusing a research topic
Identifying & evaluating sources
Searching library databases effectively

4. Get help creating and publishing digital projects:

Open to faculty and students, UW Libraries Open Scholarship Commons (OSC) offers office hours the first Tuesday of the month to advise on a wide range of digital scholarship topics and tools– digital publishing, data visualization, digital exhibits, data research management, audio and video production, copyright, and more!

5. Connect Google Scholar.

Connect Google Scholar with your UW Libraries account to see which results can be accessed through UW Libraries with a direct link to the resource in the catalog!

6. Bookmark Academic Search Complete

ASC is a great database for pretty much any topic. Find it under A-Z databaseshere.

7. Don’t forget about Interlibrary Loan.

If there are articles or book chapters that you’re not able to get immediate digital access to in our UW databases, Interlibrary Loan may be able to get them for you.

8. Read 7 essential tips for Research

To learn about some of our most helpful search tools and best practices – whether you are a new student, or a PhD grad, this post has helpful advice for all students.

9.Discover the Undergraduate Researcher Tutorial

Students told us what they wished they knew their very first year at UW, and we listened. Your feedback helped us to create an online tutorial for all levels of student research expertise. Don’t wait until the end of your UW journey to hone your research skills. Learn more.

10. Be good to yourself. Take Breaks. Get Inspired.

We know it’s not easy to eat right, get rest, and find ways to reduce stress, but it is essential! Check out these resources to help you take care of yourself and find that balance during stressful times:

Odegaard Wellness Room and Resources
Game Collection (games are a great study break option!)
Health and Wellness at UW, brought to you by UW Health Sciences Library
Finding Your Balance tutorial

11. Set the tone.

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