Can I use the library databases after I graduate?
Subscription databases and e-resource collections are available only to current Shenandoah University students, faculty, and staff due to license restrictions. This page provides advice for making use of free and open resources after you graduate:
Free Databases
Many popular databases and search tools, like PubMed and Google Scholar, are free and open to everyone. See the full list.
Getting Full-Text Articles
If an article you want to read has been published in an open access repository or journal, a link to the full text will typically be provided in the search results. Searching for an article in Google Scholar may reveal PDFs that have been made available by authors and others.
Browser Extensions
Installing a browser extension like the Open Access Button or Unpaywall can help you find more freely accessible publications.
Interlibrary Loan Services
To request articles that are only available to subscribers, inquire about interlibrary loan services at your local public library.
Visit a Research Library
Most public universities offer visitors on-site access to their electronic collections. Be sure to check their policies and hours before you go.
Open Access Digital Libraries & Repositories
This list represents a selection of free collections available online. Librarians can help you locate open repositories related to your field.
- OpenLibrary - offers controlled digital lending for books still in copyright
- Internet Archive - digitized books, periodicals, audio, and video
- HathiTrust Digital Library - digitized books no longer in copyright
- Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) - digitized archival materials
- Science.gov - federally funded research reports;
- arXiv - eprints of scholarly papers in math and allied fields
- Wiki Journal Club - summaries and reviews of landmark studies in medicine