Access to Research Initiative - free online articles via UK public libraries

[Sharur]

This Initiative, to allow better free public access to online academic journal articles via the UK's public library system, was trialled last year by ten local authorities. In January 2014, it started to be extended across the country in a two-year pilot scheme initially. The Access to Research Initiative website has searchable catalogues and an alphabetical list of all participating libraries. The system includes many journals not previously freely accessible online before.

As the topics covered include history and archaeology, the system should be of especial interest to our more research-minded members, and it's hoped the number of journals available in all fields will increase over time. Given that this is in a pilot phase, it would be as well for as many people as possible to be aware of, and make use of, this facility, on the assumption that the more activity there is, the more likely it will be continued.

A couple of caveats. The system can be accessed only at one of the participating libraries, and you're not allowed to download electronic copies of articles, but you are allowed to make one printout copy of any paper, for personal study usage (libraries may charge for such printouts).

There was also an online BBC News story about this in early February.

[Imperial Dave]

thats really useful Alastair. Not sure why they wont allow an electronic download though. If you print of an article then you can scan the print outs to pdf format (for personal use).

Still, a very useful research tool and it will be interesting to try it out for a few of the queries I have been looking at

[Jim Webster]

Don't think there's a library within 100 miles of us in the scheme 

Jim

[Sharur]

Jim: I'd recommend you speak to someone at your nearest library about it. My local's the county library, within walking distance from home. They don't have it yet, but they are on the waiting list. However, my going in and inquiring over the weekend seems to have helped grease the wheels a little, and there seems to have been some general chivvying along as a result.

As far as I know this shouldn't cost each area's library service a huge amount to join - if anything at all - so it may be it just needs them to be aware it exists, and get them to make the first move.

[Jim Webster]

My lady wife goes in occasionally to do genealogy (part of finding out who they've buried in our church yard and why (other than the obvious reason that they were dead, one of the lesser known duties of a church warden, getting the records uptodate), so she knows them and her request might be taken more seriously

Jim

[Mark G]

you must live in a different part of the country.  my local library is overjoyed to see anyone who isn't jus there to use the computers these days.

[Erpingham]

I thought the essence of this was people using computers in libraries, unless I've misunderstood.  Unfortunately, our local libraries haven't signed up but it is a concern I would have as we have no reference library at the moment and I'd be fighting for access on the lending library machines.  Maybe they could join this scheme and reopen the reference library

[Jim Webster]

you must live in a different part of the country.  my local library is overjoyed to see anyone who isn't jus there to use the computers these days.

It's the computers my wife uses for genealogy, the library service are signed up for various sites which we'd otherwise have to pay for access to.
I did wander into the library and discovered that in the areas I'm interested in, I've got more books than they have ;-)

Jim

[Sharur]

you must live in a different part of the country.  my local library is overjoyed to see anyone who isn't jus there to use the computers these days.

I've been using the UK's public library service as a research outlet for decades, so perhaps my take on them isn't typical - plus it has given me the huge advantage that I'm well-known to many of the staff, and do tend to be listened to if I make a suggestion or comment. The libraries I visit most often in NE England always seem to be busy generally though, with at least as many people using the print books as the computers and other genealogical gear (e.g. fiche and film readers).

I thought the essence of this was people using computers in libraries, unless I've misunderstood.  Unfortunately, our local libraries haven't signed up but it is a concern I would have as we have no reference library at the moment and I'd be fighting for access on the lending library machines.  Maybe they could join this scheme and reopen the reference library

My understanding is that it's to encourage more people to go to libraries generally, and yes for this Initiative, computer access is key, but the hope seems to be it'll also help people discover libraries have more to offer than just free-use Internet PCs. Might be worth badgering your library about it. After all, improved library use for whatever reason could make the jobs of those working there more secure 

I did wander into the library and discovered that in the areas I'm interested in, I've got more books than they have ;-)

That's hardly surprising, Jim. Even back in the "good old days" before budgets were cut THROUGH the bone, library contents were always somewhat hit and miss. For me, the massive advantage was I could always order any book or journal article I wanted to see for research, and get it on loan through the public libraries. I couldn't have written a fraction of what I have over the past thirty-odd years in various subjects without that help. Even now, that option remains invaluable, as many academic texts aren't available affordably otherwise.

[Jim Webster]

I used interlibrary loan a lot in the old days but then they stopped doing it (at least in this area) for books costing less than a certain amount, and also charging quite steeply :-(

Jim

[Patrick Waterson]

Down in my neck of the woods there are two levels of interlibrary loan: Kent Libraries, for which any book costs 25p to reserve, and further afield, for which the cost is £4.  Naturally I check (via the helpful staff who like the free historical talks I give their customers) whether Kent Libraries have any particular book prior to looking further afield.

One can also fill out a form suggesting new books to purchase, but unless another 999 people request the same book the chances are slim.

[Erpingham]

Down in my neck of the woods there are two levels of interlibrary loan: Kent Libraries, for which any book costs 25p to reserve, and further afield, for which the cost is £4. 

I think our equivalent costs are £1.00 and £8.50 - though I haven't used them recently so austerity may have driven up the costs.  I've always been impressed that we have a national library system that will support independent scholarship, though it is much more expensive that it was.  Long may it continue.

[Jim Webster]

I think our costs were higher and that was over a decade ago, but I cannot honestly remember now

Jim

[Andreas Johansson]

Here, interlibrary is free within the county, and last I did one from farther afield it cost something on the order of £1. Call it one of the upsides of social democracy.

I've sort of given up on the "Purchase suggestion" form, tho. The last time they didn't simply turn down my suggestion they waited till the hardback went out of print, and they won't consider getting the paperback, so it's been stuck as "purchase in process" for nearing a year now, apparently to remain so forever unless the publisher decides to print a new batch of hardbacks.

The Uni library is more amenable to buying books within some of my areas of interest, but neither it nor the city library has any discernible enthusiasm for English-language mil-hist, and translations of such books into Swedish are rare outside the most popular segment.

(ObAnecdote: One the city library does have in Swedish translation is Urban's The Teutonic Knights. I had some trouble locating it in the shelves because, as it turned out, it'd got shelved in the section for "historical auxiliary sciences" - stuff like orders of chivalry, genealogy, and heraldry - rather than the Baltic history section together with other books on the northern crusades. I made the mistake of trying to explain to a librarian why I thought this was weird; I think all I achieved was making her think I'm weird.)

[Erpingham]

Here, interlibrary is free within the county, and last I did one from farther afield it cost something on the order of £1. Call it one of the upsides of social democracy.

To be honest, I'd rather I paid for my loans than they cut more libraries or bought less books.  I used to use libraries a lot when younger but these days they are pretty much confined to the popular end - pop history, TV tie ins.  Again, I'd rather they prioritised and kept people reading and learning than worry about me.

But the persistence of the interloan system is vital if amateur scholars are to get access to the works of academic publishers.  There are a number of Brill books I'd like to have but at £180 a shot, its out of the question.

However, on our main topic, I've e-mailed a work colleague in the library service about to see who I need to lobby about them signing up so we'll see how we get on