| Links for Distance Education Students
Information on Library Services for Distance Education
Students
The following information is designed to help students who are enrolled
in distance only programs at Mansfield University.
Online Access to Resources
All library resources are available from the library
homepage. Many require that you enter a valid Mansfield University
ID number, the 18-digit number on your ID card. If you have not been issued
a student ID number, you can look up your ID number online.
Online Information and Subject-specific Resources
The Research Guides A-Z webpage can help you
determine what resources are best for your interest or topic. There are
also some general interest pages that can help you tackle everyday tasks
like using dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Reference Services
Librarians at the North Hall Library Information Desk are available to
answer phone reference questions during normal library hours at 570-662-4671.
You may send questions by email to the Information Desk at libref1@mansfield.edu
or by clicking on the Ask Us link on the library
web pages, and we will answer your question within 24 hours. You can also
use AOL Instant Messenger to contact the library, screen name NorthHallLibrary.
Accessing Books
PILOT, the online catalog for the Mansfield
University library, will tell you which books, sound and video recordings,
etc. are available in the North Hall Library. As a distance education
student, you can request that any of these items from the North Hall Library
be sent to you by using Interlibrary Loan.
If there is a book you want that is not available in PILOT, feel free
to request it using Interlibrary Loan.
We will locate a library to borrow it from and send
it to you. Basically, if you want a book, request it and we will figure
out how to get it to you.
Please select 'Mail' as the delivery option and include your mailing
address. If the item is available, we will ship it to you within 24 hours
of your request. Items will be sent to you by first-class mail, so you
are only responsible for return postage. Materials have a one month due
date and must be returned. For renewals contact the Interlibrary Loan Office, illdept@mansfield.edu,
570-662-4683.
Accessing Books - Sayre Students
Nursing students who are taking online courses or classes on the Sayre campus can make requests for materials in North Hall Library’s collection by filling out an interlibrary loan (ILL) request form, and the requested materials will be sent directly to the student. Please indicate on the ILL request form that you are a distance education student or a nursing student at Sayre, and note in the comments section of the ILL form that the materials that you are requesting are located in the North Hall Library collection.
Materials borrowed from North Hall Library must be returned at the student’s expense. However, materials borrowed from North Hall Library can also be returned to the Beck Library during normal working hours, and they will forward the items to North Hall Library at no expense to the student.
Online Books
North Hall Library provides access to a large collection of electronic
books through NetLibrary. Students can check
out books in the e-book collection to read online once they have created
a NetLibrary account. Many e-books can be accessed through PILOT,
the online catalog. For a complete listing of available books or to set
up an account, go to Mansfield's NetLibrary webpage.
Online Databases: Journal Articles and More
North Hall Library provides access to many databases, most of which are
available through the Internet from a home computer. For a complete list
of all databases that the North Hall Library subscribes to and to access
these resources, please visit the library's
databases page.
Online Journals
To determine which journals are available online, you can check the library’s
Look for Journal Titles page. This
list will tell you what journals are available online, what dates they
are available for, and whether or not they are also available in the library
in print. The list also provides direct links to the databases that contain
the journal.
As a distance education student, any article that is not available online
can be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
Articles may be mailed, emailed or faxed to you and
are yours to keep.
Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) provides access to books and journal articles
not included in the North Hall Library collection. Distance education
students should also use interlibrary loan to request that materials in
the North Hall Library be sent to them. Requests for articles and books
can be submitted through our Interlibrary Loan service.
Requests from students enrolled in off-campus classes will be handled
in the following manner:
- Items will be mailed as soon as they are received.
- Requests for renewal can be made by email or telephone. Contact the Interlibrary Loan Office, illdept@mansfield.edu, 570-662-4683.
- Items should be returned by U.S. Mail or UPS on or before the due
date to avoid fines. Please note that Mansfield University will bear
the cost of postage for sending the materials and the patron will be
responsible for return postage.
Other Libraries
Mansfield students can borrow materials from any of the other schools
in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) by using
your ID card. You can also return books from any PASSHE library to any
other PASSHE library. Contact the individual libraries for the policy
and procedure for checking out materials.
You can search many of the public, school and academic libraries in Pennsylvania
through a shared catalog called Access
PA. This can help you determine if material you are interested in
is in your area.
The libraries of the State University of New York (SUNY) at most locations
extend borrowing privileges to community residents. In addition, public
and school libraries in your home area may extend borrowing privileges
to the general public.
Help from Librarians
The librarians at the North Hall Library are information services professionals
that are able to assist you with your research projects. They can help
you locate materials and use resources to get the best information for
your research. The librarians and their areas of expertise are listed
on the subject specialists page. Feel free
to contact them with questions or problems.
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