Technology for Remote Access

Technology to access materials remotely has gone from document delivery via snail mail to documents received electronically. No longer do users have to come into the library to find articles in scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers. Books are not always available electronically, but users can search the library’s online catalog to find print and e-books without going to the library. The primary technologies used to access materials off-campus are virtual private networks (VPN) and EZproxy. These technologies authenticate users through a password. Once they are authenticated they can access the library collections for their research.

Developing Digital Collections

Digital collections are found in most libraries. They include not only databases but also photographs, institutional repositories, manuscript collections, materials from the university archives, or special collections. Designing digital collections and making them available to users expands the resources users can access for a research project.

Collection Development Policies

The collection development policies of the library will determine the types of material included in the collection. Along with those policies are databases licensing agreements that determine who can access the materials and where they can be accessed from. Collection development policies are usually driven by the academic programs of the institution. Digital collections and digital libraries will often be created from materials at the university. Without collection development policies the digital libraries and collections may receive little use because they do not meet the needs of the students or are difficult to access on or off-campus.

Social Networks and Web 2.0 Tools

Social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter can provide another opportunity for users to remotely access library resources. The creation of a library Facebook page provides the library with the ability to promote licensed databases and the information users need to remotely accesses those resources and course or electronic reserve materials. Twitter accounts provide libraries with the opportunity to keep users informed about changes to licensed databases, in other words, anytime they add or discontinue resources or there is a problem accessing them remotely. Another option is foursquare. Foursquare allows you to find your friends and discover your city or library. Libraries can use foursquare to introduce students to it resources and services. The library could develop a contest for users to earn points and badges by discovering information about the library such as, new books, databases or services. Social networks provide libraries and users with new ways to promote and provide remote access to licensed databases.

Meeting User Needs

Determining how a library can meet user needs can be accomplished through different methods. Libraries can use focus groups, surveys, or other means of assessment. Liquid+® is a survey available to all academic libraries from the Association of Research Libraries. Most libraries who administer the Liquid+® survey can use the survey results to do additional internal surveys with users or to meet with small groups of users to improve their services.

Remote Access Technology Problems

With any remote access technology, problems can and do arise. Some of the common problems with remote access technologies are security, broken links, and privacy. Most remote technology is relatively stable, but unfortunately, problems occur from time to time. It is important that the library has someone monitor the technology to make sure there are no problems. Users become frustrated when trying to access a resource from off-campus only to find they cannot.

Remote Access and Course Management Software

In addition to electronic reserves, instructors can link database materials through course management systems (CMS). This type of software allows faculty to link articles from databases into their course materials. This chapter provides an overview of different course management software and explains how instructors or librarians can link course materials into these systems.

Conclusion

Remote access technologies for library collections encompass more than just the technology required to access the resources from an off-campus location. Users no longer have to enter the library to use journals or search the catalog to find books, and remote access technologies have moved the library beyond its physical space to reach a greater numbers of users. Is the library going to cease to exist because of this technology? It is doubtful. The number of electronic resources and collections continues to grow but libraries cannot subscribe to every journal electronically, and not every journal is available electronically. The same holds true for books. E-books can be found in the collections of almost every academic library, yet they are not very popular with students. As more online courses are offered by colleges and universities, remote access to library collections will continue to increase, and libraries will need to make sure their users will be able to access the resources and to offer instruction to students and faculty on how to gain access to the resources from off-campus locations.

Mobile Technologies

Millions of people have a smartphone, and with smartphone technology comes the ability for Internet connectivity and with that the ability to access library resources. EBSCO, Elsevier, ProQuest, Gale/Cengage, and other database vendors have capitalized on the increased use of smartphones by developing the capability for library users to access EBSCO databases from their smartphones. Mobile technology extends beyond smartphones and includes technology gadgets such as e-book readers, the iPad, netbooks, and laptops. As technology that is more mobile becomes available, the ability and need to connect remotely will increase. Mobile technology has grown beyond cell phones and personal digital assistants to other types of devices most recently Apple’s iPad. Gone are the days when the only computer available was the one on your desk. With better technology came laptops, and now netbooks and e-book readers. To access the Internet, campuses have wireless technology in most classrooms and libraries. The proliferation of mobile technology and the ability to gain access to the Internet from almost any place means libraries and database vendors need to make sure their websites and resources are compatible with mobile devices.

Distance Education and Library Services

Remote access technologies for library collections are the result of the growth of distance education programs in higher education. With the increased demand for online education, students needed a way to access library collections without coming to campus. As technology improved, the ability for students to use a library’s database without coming to a physical campus became a reality. Through such technologies as virtual private networks (VPN) and EZProxy, students could use their ID and password to gain access to library collections. Distance education was the driving force behind the need to provide remote access to collections. As a result, students now have the ability to search a library’s catalog or find articles in a database without coming to campus, anytime of the day or night. Librarians also have the opportunity to promote library resources and teach synchronous instruction sessions in online classes. Remote access technologies provide students, faculty, and librarians with the opportunity to meet user needs regardless of whether or not they are on campus. This chapter examines the growth of distance education programs at post-secondary schools, a trend expected to continue for the near future.