Online Brightspace Orientation

Newly matriculated students are added to the USM Graduate Student Online Brightspace Orientation every week. From ordering textbooks to navigating library resources, this space is designed to give students an overview of what – and who – they need to know to be successful in their graduate studies at USM.

Use maine.edu login credentials to access the Online Brightspace Orientation.

  • Matriculated students who do not have access should reach out to the Office of Graduate Studies at usmgradstudies@maine.edu or by calling (207) 780-4872.
  • For new students who don’t yet have access to the Brightspace, the page below contains some essential information to review in the meantime.

Graduate Catalog

The Graduate Catalog is a helpful reference for graduate students to find out information on important policies and procedures and the resources that USM offers.

For a comprehensive list of policies, please see the Graduate Student Catalog.

Library Services

The mission of the USM Libraries is to provide collections, services, facilities, equipment and programs in support of the highest possible levels of University teaching, learning, research and public service. The Library seeks to build collections in any and all formats which foster student learning, faculty research and institutional services to the larger community.

USM Libraries provide access to 1.5 M books, 75,000 journals, free Interlibrary Loan, and free research assistance and tutoring through the Learning Commons. Empower your college career through the use of the many services, resources and spaces that are available to you on each campus. Our librarians will help you find the exact materials you need and far more.

Your USM ID Card is your library card, and the library barcode is the number beginning with 25022… or 218…

To get started, visit the USM Libraries page. For further help with your research needs, please feel free to contact us through our Ask-A-Librarian service.

Glickman Library

314 Forest Ave, Portland Campus

207-780-4270

Gorham Library

16 University Way, Gorham Campus

207-780-5345

LAC Library

51 Westminster Street, Lewiston-Auburn College

207-753-6540

For a complete list of available services, including special collections and access, research and tutoring resources, visit usm.maine.edu/library.

The Learning Commons was developed through a partnership between USM Libraries and the Division of Student Success. It is not designed as a quiet study space, rather one for active collaborative learning. Students can work with Reference Librarians, tutors, faculty and each other in this dynamic environment. The Learning Commons at USM Libraries is here to help students achieve their goals through providing:

  •      Library and Research help
  •      Computers for individual and group use
  •      Assistance with technology
  •      Collaborative group study and small instruction spaces
  •      Tutoring in person or online, particularly in writing and math
  •      Consultation on learning strategies with a peer academic coach
  •      Online resources, including tutorial videos and helpful links

The Learning Commons provides additional amenities and services for those who choose to make USM Libraries an “academic home” on campus. The Learning Commons is located on the second floor of the Glickman Library in Portland and the first floor of the Gorham campus library in Bailey Hall.

In partnership with Graduate Studies, the Learning Commons at USM offers writing support for graduate students (MyUSM login required). The Graduate Writing Assistants provide USM students with:

  • Clarity regarding writing prompts
  • Recommendations on writing strategies
  • Feedback on clarity, content, and cohesiveness
  • Review of appropriate citation style
  • Introduction to the Reference Librarians for navigating databases and finding peer-reviewed sources 

To schedule a time with a Graduate Writing Assistant, visit the Research & Writing Assistance Overview page in the MyUSM Portal, scroll to the heading “Writing Assistance” and expand the “Schedule an Appointment with a Writing Assistant” text. View the instructional video, Scheduling A Writing Appointment, for explicit instructions for setting up time for writing-based assistance at USM. Additionally, the Tutoring: Writing Assistance link can be found in the MyUSM Portal under the USM Quick Links tab on the left-hand side, just beneath your Launchpad. Once you’re logged in to the system, you’ll see a weekly calendar view where you can schedule time with a Writing Assistant. 

If you need any help with this process, please feel free to contact the Learning Commons at 207-780-4228.   

Research

In addition to the Graduate Research Opportunities (GRO) Program, there are various entities across the university that are dedicated to supporting students’ research endeavors.

The Office of Research Integrity and Outreach (ORIO) is responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations in research, and other covered activities before work begins. ORIO provides helpful resources for research compliance and integrity as well as oversight of the:

For more information, please visit: usm.maine.edu/orio. You can also contact us at 207-780-4517 or USMORIO@maine.edu.

As an integral part of a comprehensive metropolitan university within the University of Maine System, the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education [OML] is committed to preserving the cartographic heritage of the state, region, and nation for future generations, and to making that heritage accessible to the University, the people of Maine, and to all other students, scholars, and visitors. It shares its collections through exhibitions and through collaborative efforts with other cultural institutions.

The Osher Map Library is located in the Glickman Library on the Portland Campus. For more information, location and hours, visit: www.oshermaps.org/

Special Collections, part of the University Libraries, collects and preserves rare materials, including books, manuscripts, photographs, and artifacts. The Department is made up of three meta-collections: General Rare Books and Manuscripts, the University Archives, and the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine.  Special Collections supports the academic mission of the University by inviting classes to use its collections in hands-on exercises where students learn research skills.

Find a more in-depth history of Special Collections here.

The General Rare Book and Manuscript Collection contains a collection of rare books donated to USM and the papers of individuals or records of groups associated with the University of Southern Maine. There are named book collections, donated by a single collector and covering a specific topic.

The University Archives contain the records of the University of Southern Maine as well as its precursors.

The Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine collects material documenting the ongoing histories of diverse communities. Current collections represent the African American, Jewish, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ communities.

To learn more about accessing and using Special Collections resources for your courses or research project, check out this helpful page.

Computing Services

Computing Services offers a variety of services to USM students, faculty and staff, including help desk support, repairs, training, software licensing, student computing support, network services, server maintenance, IT security, database and application development, and sales.

Our labs and computer classrooms provide a well equipped, comfortable, high tech environment for students and faculty to work independently or in a group setting. Each lab has a copier, scanners, assistive technology equipment and software, and laser printers (black & white and color). Our knowledgeable lab staff is always available to help.

Lab locations:

  •      Portland: 144 Luther Bonney Hall
  •      Portland: 3rd Floor Glickman Library
  •      Gorham: Information Commons, Bailey Hall
  •      LAC: Information Commons, Lewiston-Auburn College

Find more information on the Print/Copy/Scan page.

The technology support center is located on the 3rd Floor of the Glickman Library on the Portland Campus. You can contact us at 207-780-4029 or usm-helpdesk@maine.edu. For a complete list of resources, visit https://usm.maine.edu/information-technology/it-help-desk/.

Forms

GRS Enrollment Form

Leave of Absence Form

Add/Drop/Withdraw Forms (Registrar’s Office – login required)

Incident Report Forms