Navigating Boston University Library Resources: A Comprehensive Guide
Boston University Libraries offer a vast array of resources to support the curriculum and research needs of its community members. These resources include online journals, indexing and abstracting services, reference sources, and full-text books. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the resources available, how to access them, and key considerations for their selection and use.
Accessing Electronic Resources
BU Libraries provides the broadest possible access to e-resources, as permitted by vendor agreements. Where a resource is of particular interest, access is extended to other University libraries wherever feasible. In cases where a resource provider seeks to limit access through prohibitive pricing, the Libraries provides for such restricted access on a case-by-case basis.
- BU Libraries Search: This is a one-stop tool for finding a wide range of materials from the BU Libraries, including books, journals, music scores, videos, audio, and other items in the library’s collection.
- BeyondBU: This search option, available in BU Libraries Search via the advanced search bar, allows users to go beyond what is owned physically or bought online by the libraries, or accessing records for journals and articles the library does not subscribe to.
- eJournals Search: This specific version of BU Libraries Search is limited to print and online journals.
- Research Guides: These are librarian-curated guides to help users get started with their research.
- WorldCat: A global catalog of library materials.
- BU ArchivesSpace: Provides descriptive Finding aids for unique collections housed across Boston University Libraries.
- Ask a Librarian: Use this service to chat with the library staff for immediate assistance.
Key Databases and Online Resources
The BU Libraries offer a searchable list of databases and other online resources, including:
- Comprehensive Biomedical Literature Database: Offers comprehensive coverage of abstracts to the biomedical literature, including medicine, the allied health disciplines, and biomedical literature.
- Psychological, Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences Database: Provides access to articles, books and book chapters, and dissertations that cover the scholarly literature in the psychological, social, behavioral, and health sciences.
- JSTOR: This database provides full-text access to the back issues of core scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Book reviews are included as well as journal articles.
- IBISWorld: Offers a comprehensive collection of Industry reports organized by NAICS code, including competitive landscape, supply chain, statistics and key facts, as well as information on key issues facing the industry.
- Web of Science: This database is a core general science resource, covering all aspects of scientific literature. It also has a number of tools that make it a unique resource for finding scholarly literature. Item records come with links both to the works cited by the paper in question and the future works that cite that paper.
Collection Development Scope for E-Resources
The aim of collection development at Boston University Libraries is to provide materials that support the curriculum and research needs of members of the Boston University community.
This collection development scope for e-resources covers the Boston University Libraries: Mugar Memorial Library, the African Studies Library, the Astronomy Library, the Frederick S. Pardee Management Library, and other BU libraries.
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E-resources that do not require subscriptions and licensing agreements may be added to the collection provided they support the curriculum and research needs of the BU community.
The scope does not cover the Libraries’ Integrated Library System (ILS), i.e., the online catalog. It excludes instructional software and software programs such as PowerPoint.
Selection Criteria for E-Resources
In most cases, the selection criteria for e-resources at Boston University are similar to those applied to print resources. Academic need as demonstrated by faculty recommendations and feedback from librarians is a major criterion in selection. The Libraries consider target audience, giving preference to resources for the university student through professional research level.
When possible and appropriate, the Libraries select e-resources that are interdisciplinary in nature and that can be used by a number of schools and departments. The language of a resource is another factor. The Libraries consider the possible interest of other Boston University libraries (Law, Theology, and Medical) and the availability of the resource in other Boston Library Consortium (BLC) libraries. The dependability and reputation of the producer and provider are other important considerations when choosing an e-resource.
BU Libraries evaluate the authoritativeness, comprehensiveness, timeliness, and uniqueness of the resource’s content. Ease of use and access are considered when choosing an e-resource.
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Licensing of Electronic Resources
Licensing of electronic resources is an essential component of the acquisitions process. As virtual objects, electronic resources imply no right of ownership for the library save those rights specified by license. The Libraries also focus on avoidance of auto-renewals unless a multi-year agreement with specified payment schedules or price caps.
Additional Considerations
- Subject Coverage: Many e-resources are selected for their coverage of specific subjects; others are interdisciplinary.
- Language: The majority of the e-resources are in English.
- International Scope: E-resources are published internationally.
- Access Restrictions: Current DHCP IP address identification schemes in use in the libraries system prevent restricting access to particular terminals within a library. The Libraries does, occasionally, purchase CD-ROMs or passworded access to Web-based resources that imply restricted access.
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