Distance Learners Help Guide

If you are a student enrolled in a distance education course through the University at Buffalo, you can use this guide to help you take advantage of the many resources available online through the University Libraries--resources that can assist you with your day-to-day coursework as well as your class papers and projects.

Connecting to the UB Libraries

The UB Libraries have adopted World Wide Web technologies and tools to provide you with convenient electronic access to a wide range of library resources and services. You can connect to our website via the Internet at http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries. For help with making the connection from off-campus, consult our guide Remote Access to Library' Resources. To take full advantage of the UB Libraries' resources, you will need a UBITName account.

A distance learner must request their UB Card information from the UB Card Office by e-mail. They must also have a request sent by their department to the UB Card Office. After both requests are received and verified, the information will be forwarded to the student.

Search BISON Catalog

Find books, magazines, journals, microforms, and multimedia in the UB Libraries collections. The UB Libraries' catalog, BISON, will tell you about the materials owned by the University Libraries, where they are located, and if anyone currently has an item checked out. Online guides are available that can help you with your searching: see Searching Tips. The BISON record for a particular book will tell you which UB library it is located in and its call number. There are 10 libraries at UB, located on both campuses. The Library Departments prvides links to the individual library's home pages, which describe the scope and collections of each library and provide directory-type information, including location, phone numbers, and hours. To make retrieving books easier for you, if the book you need is marked in BISON as currently "checked out" to another person, you can place a recall on it online by using the MyLibraryCard feature in BISON. Then, when the book is returned and is available for your use, the University Libraries will send you a notification letter.

Online Book Renewal

Although you must come to campus to pick up your books, you may renew them online up to three times--as long as the book you're renewing is not overdue and no one else has placed a hold/recall on it. To renew your books online, use the MyLibraryCard feature in BISON. Please note: Books borrowed for you from another library through Interlibrary Loan cannot be renewed electronically. Please call the appropriate Interlibrary Loan office for renewal information.

Electronic Course Reserve

The reserve readings for your course may be available online via the UB Libraries Course Reserves System. For instructions on how to access journal articles and book chapters placed on reserve by your instructor, you'll want to first consult Instructions for Remote Users of Online UB Course Reserve Materials, which provides important information on hardware and software requirements as well as printing and downloading issues. A second guide, Finding Course Reserve Materials, takes you through the steps of determining what is on reserve for your course and whether it is available online for you to view and print out in its entirety at your computer.

Online Databases

Find Journal Articles, Conference Papers, Reports, Dissertations, etc., Using Online Resources - Authorized users (i.e., current UB students, faculty, and staff) can search a number of electronic research databases from outside the library. These databases provide citations and, in some cases abstracts, to journal articles, conference papers, reports, dissertations, and other materials on a wide range of subjects. Some of these databases also include the full text of selected articles. To identify the most appropriate databases for your research, we suggest you use the Databases by Subject listing. Or, if you know the database you need to use, you can access it through the Databases by Title listing. Use the "Best Basic Resources" page if you are new to BISON. Database Search Tips for Selected Vendors will help you search many of our online databases more effectively and efficiently. Use the citation management software EndNote to save and import records from many of these databases.

Other Library Catalogs

You can access the catalogs of other libraries in Western & Central New York and Southern Ontario and other SUNY schools (including the catalogs of Binghamton, Albany, and Stony Brook). If UB doesn't have what you need, use these options to find other libraries that do.

ILLiad - Interlibrary Loan

If you find something that you need that the UB Libraries do not own, you may request that we borrow the material for you through our online Interlibrary Loan service, ILLiad. You will have to come onto campus to pick up any books, audiovisual materials, or microforms borrowed for you from another library, but journal articles and conference papers will be sent to you, either electronically or through the regular mail.

Online Reference

If you have an email account, you can get answers to reference questions and/or send your comments or ideas to library staff electronically using the Ask an E-mail Question form or via Instant Librarian.

Services for Students Enrolled in UB's School of Nursing Distance Learning Program

If you are a Nursing Distance Learning Program student, you can come to the Health Sciences Library to retrieve books and audiovisuals, copy articles, search databases, or request interlibrary loans--or you can request these materials and services from your home or distance learning site and they will be supplied to you. For more information, see Library Services in Support of the UB School of Nursing Distance Learning Program.

Services for UB's School of Social Work MSW Extension Program Students

Students enrolled in the MSW extension programs in Corning, Jamestown, and Rochester in the School of Social Work are entitled to use University Libraries resources for their research. You can come directly to the Libraries to retrieve books, copy articles, search databases, access course reserve readings or request interlibrary loans. You can also obtain many of these resources and services remotely from your home, office, or extension program site.

Services for UB EngiNet Students and Faculty

Students and faculty involved in the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences' EngiNet distance education program can take advantage of online library resources and services using our Library Guide for EngiNet Students and Faculty.

Teach Yourself About the Libraries

There are always new things to learn about the UB Libraries and about doing library research. You can teach yourself about the libraries from home with a little online help from us via the guides linked to from the UB Libraries Help Pages.

Pay a Visit to the Libraries

Although you can do much of your library research from home, we encourage you to visit the campus at least once during the semester to get individual, in-person help from reference librarians. You may also want to attend one of the many workshops offered by the UB Libraries and CIT. For help locating us, consult Directions to Campus as well as the Interactive UB Campus Map. And to make sure we are open when you get here, consult our Schedule of Library Hours before coming to campus.