This semester has been unlike any others before it. One of the big changes has been limited physical access to the library and its resources. Due to COVID-19, library branches within the UBC and UofT campuses either offer very limited services or remain entirely closed. However, this does not mean that students are left without access to library resources. Here are some quick and easy tips for digital access to your university’s library resources.
- Bookmark the library website http://www.library.ubc.ca/ through which the library will continue to provide access to electronic resources. UofT students should bookmark the UofT Library website.
- For UBC students, download the library access browser extension. The Library Access browser extension simplifies your access to UBC library materials when you are searching online. The extension will notify you when you’re on a website that the library has a subscription for. With a single click, you can open the website through the library’s systems and get access to all licensed material on that site. The browser extension works with most common browsers and is computer based. A mobile version, however, is not currently available.
- Use the on-campus materials pick-up service. The Library launched this to help UBC students, faculty and staff access items in the collection that are not available in electronic formats. As of this publication, requests will be processed within 7 business days, held for up to 2 weeks, and made available for pick-up on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.. Library users will be notified that their items are available for pick-up by email. Scanned items are subject to the same processing time and will be emailed to the requestor. Questions about loans, fines, and fees? Get in contact with the Library through our Assistance Form. UofT’s curbside library service can be found here.
- Get online librarian support through AskAway. This chat service is staffed by UBC Library but at peak service times or off-hours, you may be connected with a librarian from another academic library. UofT students can similarly turn to Ask Chat.
- You can identify and schedule an appointment with subject librarians via email if you need expertise in specific areas. They are available to UBC students and instructors for consultations. Similarly, UofT students can use the library staff search tool, where they can search for reference librarians in their specific areas of inquiry based on their affiliations, libraries, and the languages they speak. Start by searching for “reference.”
- Access collections through the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service (ETAS) for books that HathiTrust has verified as belonging to UBC Library’s print collections. UofT students can access the HathiTrust service here.
For more information about UBC, read the frequently updated library page. For more information about UofT, take a look at their COVID-19 information page.
Written by Eseohe Ojo
Edited by Samantha Summers and Rachael Bradshaw
Featured Image: Education – Creative Commons by NEC Corporation of America (CC-by-2.0)
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