Library Services for Off-campus Students
- Who is an off-campus student?
- Individuals enrolled in credit courses or degree programs offered
by
Cardinal Stritch University where ALL the classes are offered away from
the
main campus are off-campus students.
- What online resources are available
to off-campus students?
- The library catalog, Interlibrary loan, and all online
databases are accessible from any computer on the Internet 7 days a
week, 24 hours a day.
- As an off-campus student what do I
need to use the services of
the
Library?
- Access to the library catalog
is open to the public.
- To request books and articles from
SWITCH libraries and other libraries
and access the online
databases, you will need the barcode number on your valid
University ID. If your ID has expired or if you have outstanding fines,
you may not be
able to access the databases or request materials.
- When is a reference librarian
available to help me?
- A reference librarian is available to help you via phone, email,
or live
chat when the reference desk is
open.
- How do I check out items without
coming
to the library?
- Cardinal Stritch University students have access to material
owned by CSU and the seven other members of the SWITCH consortium. All SWITCH material is listed in
the library catalog called TOPCAT. As an off-campus
student, you may request
materials from the library
catalog to be held at any SWITCH
library or mailed to your home address. You
are responsible for the return postage on the material and any overdue fines.
- How long does it take to receive
materials from the library?
- It usually takes about a week between the time we receive your
request and the time you receive the material. Start your research
early!
- How do I know when my books and videos
are due?
- The due date is usually stamped in the back of the
book or on a bright pink bookmark. You can check due dates and
requests online by viewing
your patron record.
- Where do I find
magazine/journal articles?
- You can find magazine and journal articles in the library's online databases. If CSU
does not have the article in full text, you can request
the article from CSU's print archive or another SWITCH library, or
you can request the article through Interlibrary loan.
- How do I access the online
databases?
- You will need the 14 digit barcode on your University ID.
Also, your University ID will need to be valid. When you access a
database
you will be asked for
your last name and barcode number.
- Why can’t I connect to
the databases from work?
- Some companies have firewalls which may inhibit access to the
library's online databases.
- Why isn’t the full text of the
article I want available
online?
- The library subscribes to several online database with many
articles, but there are
still
millions of articles not available online. For instance, many older
articles have not been added to the databases. Also, some publishers
have an embargo on titles requiring 6 to 12 months to lapse before the
full text becomes available online. Other titles we simply do not
subscribe to or may never come online.
- What’s the difference between
full text and PDF image?
- Full text is an HTML version of the article. It may or may not
have the
charts, graphs or pictures of the original article. The page numbers of
the
article are not included. A PDF is usually a scanned
version
of the original print article. It will have the charts, graphs, or
pictures as
they appear in the print article. You will need Adobe's free Acrobat Reader in order to view
PDFs.
- I’m having difficulty
downloading full text.
- You may have some problems with downloading certain materials,
such
as PDF files. Some PDF files are large, making download times lengthy,
especially if you have a dial-up connection. Many of the
article databases also have an HTML version of
the
files which you might consider using.
Communication & Collaboration
