Library access for DL students

In another thread BillDayson made the following comment:

"Personally, I think that the library problem is one of the biggest problems facing DL in general. I don't really understand how graduate work can be done without adaquate library resources. Frankly I'm surprised that Degreeinfo hasn't had more to say about this."

Both Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Northcentral University require that students have access to a research library; the former provides a list of acceptable libraries and the latter provides a credit towards library membership fees.
Apart from having free access to several public university libraries I found my corporate library to be a great source for research materials.
I also joined, at no cost, what is possibly the best library in the world - The British Library- in London.

 

The University of West Alabama provides an online library with access to many journals, full-text and otherwise. You also have access to the land-based library should you want to use books. I'm not sure how that works because graduate school tends to revolve around journal articles.



Tom Nixon

 

P.S. Alabama also has the Alabama Virtual Library open, I believe, to students at all levels.



Tom Nixon

 

I have found local university libraries very cooperative. Guest or community borrower cards have been available free or for $10 or so. I think I have 6 or 7 of them. The term community needn't be immediate area only. Only Kalamazoo College--whose rep said I was "white trash" based on where I lived--and Notre Dame--which charges $500 (yep that's right) for a guest card--have been unhelpful.
A visit to the helpful libraries requires a 20 to 50 mile trip, but--and here's the beauty part--even in my rural area without a single college in the county there's no lack of resources. So if you think that unavailability of a university library in your immediate area will preclude your use of DL, please, please check things out thoroughly before giving up. Your local library card may well get you access to some colleges (mine worked at a Catholic college in Grand Rapids, so this avenue isn't necessarily restricted to public institutions).
Interlibrary loan is almost always available wherever you are. If, like me, you find that cumbersome and slow, look into guest borrower cards.