CALVIN T. RYAN LIBRARY
CALVIN T. RYAN LIBRARY
University of Nebraska Kearney
2508 11th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68849-2240
Email: brownfieldlj@unk.edu
Tel: (308) 865-8853
Once you have graduated, the library is still open to you and we hope that you will visit us. You are always welcome in the library to browse our collections, check out materials, and use our databases (note, you will need to use the databases from the library - our licenses for our electronic collections do not allow us to provide access to alumni from off-campus).
Alumni can complete an application and receive a library card to check out up to five items, excluding periodicals. Most items may be checked out for 4 weeks depending on the material format.
Although you will not have access to our electronic resources from off campus once you've graduated, there are many options available when you need to do library research. If you are affiliated with a college or university, as faculty, staff or student, you have access to the electronic collections that the library subscribes to. If you are not a member of an academic institution, but live near one, you may still be able to use many of their collections if you visit the library. The Calvin T. Ryan Library is open to the citizens of Nebraska and most of our electronic resources may be accessed by members of the public who come in to the library.
Check with your local public library. Many public libraries offer access to a large number of electronic collections, though they may be less scholarly than what we have access to here. For example, Nebraska residents are provided with free online access to thousands of full-text magazine, journal, and newspaper articles, biographical and business information, genealogical resources, and more through NebraskAccess.
The software and technology guide covers available technology resources such as: software, printers, copiers, scanners, computer labs and wireless access.
At the Calvin T. Ryan Library, only current UNK faculty, students, and staff are eligible to use Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery (ILL/DD) services to support their research and instructional needs. However, most public libraries offer Interlibrary Loan services; thus, if you find a book or article that your local library does not have access to, you can request it through their Interlibrary Loan.
Other resources to be aware of are "open access" journals that are available for free and in full text to readers on the Web. You can find a list of these journals and search for articles at the Directory of Open Access Journals. You may also try searching Google Scholar to find full text articles that are sometimes posted on authors' websites or institutional repositories. You should check with your local library about getting access to an article before you order one from a publisher, but most articles are also available for a fee from the publisher's website.
Another option for research is an individual monthly or annual pass from JSTOR that provides access to 1,500 journals from JSTOR's archive collection. JPASS fees range from $19.50 for a monthly to $199 for an annual pass. Discounts are being made available to JSTOR's Register & Read users as well as to members of scholarly societies whose journals are included in the JPASS Collection. Visit JPASS for more information.