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Library Services for Distance Learners
The W.E.B. Du Bois Library and the Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have a large collection of online journals, periodicals, and reference material which are available to students, staff and faculty anywhere, anytime. We provide online research help in a number of different ways. We will deliver books and articles from our own collections, for a fee, or guide you to closer libraries. This page describes and links to library materials and services most useful for remote users.
Getting Started
A UMass Amherst OIT account is required to access databases and e-journals from off-campus. Remember to enable pop-ups. Access from some networked sites that have firewalls will be difficult: check with your network administrator, or try from home. The library bar code number on your UCard or Distance Learning ID Card is needed to borrow books and for interlibrary loans. For more information, see Connection Problems?
Online Course Readings
Your instructor may link to articles and other readings on your course page. If this material is taken from Library databases or ejournals, a UMass Amherst OIT account is required to access.
E-Reserves: Your instructor may have the Library set up an online site for course readings. The password will be supplied by the instructor.
Doing Research Online: Articles
Databases
Search for articles in the 200+ databases to which the UMass Amherst Libraries subscribe, providing on-line full text from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, reference sources, and some books.
Help with Databases:
- Subject Research Guides list and describe the best databases for your academic discipline.
- DBHelp (dbhelp@library.umass.edu) helps with problems accessing databases.
- Ask a librarian for help with research.
- Some databases provide citations and abstracts only. See How to Locate Materials from Databases for steps to follow when looking for full-text of articles.
- Library Express will deliver photocopies or scans of articles from the Libraries' hard-copy subscriptions. Photocopies or scans of articles from journals the Libraries don't subscribe to can be obtained through Interlibrary Loan.
E-Journals
If you have a citation or know of a useful journal, browse a list of online journals, magazines and newspapers to which the UMass Amherst Libraries subscribe, and then follow links to get specific articles.
Books
Library Catalog
The catalog lists all books, journals (periodicals), maps, videos, scores, recordings, and other holdings of the UMass Amherst Libraries.
Library Express
Get UMass Amherst library books delivered through the mail.
Interlibrary Loan
Create an account to order books UMass Amherst doesn't own (delivery is to Du Bois library only) or get copies of articles in journals to which we don't subscribe.
Using Other Libraries
If you live near an academic library ( Libdex will help you find out), contact them. Many offer services to local residents. If you are a Massachusetts resident, numerous library services and resources are available to you through your local library, regional library system, and the Massachusetts Library and Information Network (MLIN). UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty can borrow books from and use material and databases within the libraries of three regional consortia:
- Five College Catalog
- Boston Library Consortium (BLC) includes many major universities in New England. Borrow books from these libraries with a Consortium Card: bring your UCard to the W.E.B. Du Bois Library Circulation Desk, or contact Rachel Hobbie (413.545.3397) for more details.
- MCCLPHEI: Books can be borrowed with a UCard from any of this group of the libraries of Massachusetts public colleges and universities.
Getting Help
- Ask a Librarian for help with research
- DBHelp (dbhelp@library.umass.edu) email for help connecting to library databases
- Subject Research Guides for your subject-specialist librarian's suggested resources
For comments or suggestions concerning this page, please contact: Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, Reference Librarian.
Last Edited: 15 September 2009
