+ AccessMyLibrary Offers 30 Million Free Articles (via Campus Technology)
A few notes.
1) This service is not new. It debuted in June 2005.
2) We're constantly promoting the use of FREE library resources and it's great to see Gale working on this service -- but it does pose two major challenges, in our view.
++++ A) Trying to find AccessMyLibrary articles in a major engine is a challenge for most searchers. Remember, most searchers do not use advanced search techniques and often use very few terms.
++++ B) Yes, you can go to the AccessMyLibrary website. That's great but as with all search resources, people have to know about it in the first place to go there.
So, let's assume a searcher finds it. He or she runs a search and finds several articles. After reading the 50+ words, he or she is now asked to enter a library card number. Well, the good news is -- now the searcher is actually reading the content. But what if that person does not have access to a card? He or she has to enter a ZIP code and find a local library.
When I entered my ZIP code, my local public was not listed in the first 100 results. Some libraries don't participate in the program. Which creates more confusion. And there is no documentation to clue you in to the fact that some of these libraries are not accessible to the general public. Yes, you can limit a search by library type, but that will not likely be helpful enough for some users.
+++ We tried a central Chicago ZIP code (60611) and then ran a search. We even found an option to limit to public libraries. The Chicago Public isn't listed. We also tried a ZIP for a town that borders Boston. Alas, no Boston Public, either. If a user clicks and looks around enough, he or she can find a telephone number to call for information about getting a card number. (BTW, a few states no longer require a library card to access remote databases. Connecticut, Michigan, and Indiana are three examples.)
So, now it's either forget it (frustrating users is not a good thing) or register for an "AccessMyLibrary" account -- good idea and nicely implemented.
Is this too much work for some people?
Yes, it's a good option but it can also can be confusing when you consider the big picture. It fails to get the searcher involved in the many additional databases, reference services, etc., that the local library probably offers. The searcher might also not realize that the ASCII-only articles available via AccessMyLibrary can be obtained as full images directly from the library. In other words, that useful graph included in an article is not available via AccessMyLibrary. And, of course, the local library might offer thousands more sources (via Gale). Don't want to register? Well, there's a link that allows you to purchase the individual article.
Bottom line: It's confusing to users -- and it makes something that is not all that difficult appear to be a never-ending process.
Again, we've focused here on people who are finding content via AccessMyLibrary/. But what about all those folks who never even see this content since there is no guarantee that the articles appear within the first few search results. That's another major issue, but for another time. See this post (re:Google).
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