Social Work Practice: Staying Informed

Changes in Library Services After Graduation...

• After graduation from University of Michigan you will no longer have access to Library electronic databases and most online journals from off campus. Access to materials is always available by coming to a campus library and using a guest computer. 
• Anyone is free to come in to any library location and use a guest login to find, read, and print most online materials.
• Alumni are not permitted to check out materials. For a fee of $125.00 annually you can register for alumni book borrowing privileges. This fee does not include access to online materials and library databases, however. Because of licensing agreements with publishers, access  to online library materials in limited to current faculty, students, and staff.
• Alumni and those not affiliated with the University of Michigan may search for materials from off-campus using Library Articles Search or the Library catalog to discover articles and books of interest. Full text will not be available unless you make a trip to the University of Michigan Library and use one of our guest computers. If you find a citation or article for your research you may also be able to request the article via interlibrary loan services from a public library in your area.

  For more detailed information on alumni library privileges see
Services for Alumni.

You may be able to meet many of your research and reading needs through libraries other than U-M.

• Take advantage of your local public library for interlibrary loan. You may be able to request materials owned by large research libraries and have them delivered to your local library at little to no charge.
• Many public libraries also offer remote access to databases, ebooks, and periodicals to library card holders.
• Check to see if your state library offers access to electronic resources to state residents. For example, the State Library of Michigan provides access to many databases, ebooks, and journals through the Michigan eLibrary and our neighbors to the south offer the Ohio Digital Library. Here is a list of state libraries.
• If you are not in the Ann Arbor area, try visiting an academic library near your location. Many public university libraries allow visitors guest privileges which would enable you to search their library databases and read, print, or email full-text electronic articles. Just be sure to check with them before you travel since they may have restrictions such as limited hours for public access.

• At Hatcher Graduate Library, guest computers are available on the second floor. Instructions for logging in are available on the computer screen or ask for assistance at the Ask a Librarian desk nearby.
• There are also several computers for guests at Shapiro Library on the first floor. Ask at the circulation desk if you need assistance.
• Here is a list of all campus libraries that have guess computers.

The University Library offers self-service copying and scanning in many libraries across campus. Guest copying and printing is managed by through an account.  Guests may create an account, then visit circulation desks of the Hatcher, Shapiro, and Art, Architecture and Engineering libraries to pick up a new copy/print card or add value to your new account.  Guest copying and printing accounts will work at any printer or copier supported by Campus Computing Sites. There are also options to scan documents to email using guest copiers. Instructions are available at the guest printers which are either on the first floor of Shapiro Undergraduate Library or the second floor of Hatcher Graduate Library.