Brigham Young University Independent Study students taking university-level English courses online will now have the benefit of access to additional resources from the Harold B. Lee Library.
A pilot program developed by the Lee Library, Independent Study and the Center for Instructional Design now allows students to freely access more than 50 databases that require a subscription or user fee.
University students have been able to access these databases for free on and off campus. Independent Study students have not previously had such access because it requires a net ID and password to access off campus.
"We are excited that we've worked out an authentication method so that those students can have access to library resources," said Allyson Washburn, distributed learning coordinator for the Lee Library. "They are just as much our students as those on campus."
Students can access the resources through a separate online portal with links to research guides, online access to full-text articles, research tips and tools, a writer's toolbox, a link to the online catalog, a book and article delivery service, subject librarian contact information, real-time chat service with library personnel and a feedback form.
Independent Study students can also now access the library services from within their online English courses instead of having to log out and switch Web sites, saving time and making the process more efficient, Washburn said.
"If this pilot program is successful with these 29 English courses, the opportunity will be extended in phases to other Independent Study courses," Washburn said.
The program was funded by a $10,000 grant awarded through the American Library Association and donated by the SIRSI Corporation, a leading provider of advanced library management systems.
For more information, contact John Kent at (801) 378-8101.
Writer: Michael Hooper
