|
What library resources are available online (catalog, databases, special collections)?
Often parents and students ask the question on campus tours about whether the dorms are wired. This question, however, only deals with the physical network, and instead you should be probing much further to find out what electronic resources are available to students; which of these are available via remote locations (including the dormitories); and whether or not any charges are associated with these resources.
Probably the most important ones to ask about are the basic library resources such as catalogues, and the fundamental library holdings you will need to support your coursework. Most campuses have electronic catalogues that allow for subject, author, and keyword searches of the catalog itself. You should ask if this catalog searching is available only in the library, or if it can be reached via the campus network, from off campus, and so forth. Some catalogs also have the ability to check circulation, so that you can determine whether or not the book you might want is checked out and when it is due back. On larger campuses, there are often multiple libraries, or departmental libraries. Does the catalog information cover all of these libraries, and does it identify the location of the specific holdings that you are seeking?
You should also be aware that while the citation information might be available through the online catalog, the vast majority of library holdings are not available electronically, because of the limitations of copyright. This means that although you might access the names and locations of the materials you want via the network, you will most likely still need to spend time going to the library, retrieving these materials, and reading them in the library or checking them out.
Other questions you might ask include:
|