Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Libraries and Open content



I chose to access the Brandon University Library website which has totally proprietary content (Ebsco Host as seen from the highlighted areas.


Each time you tried to access any of the content areas you had to log in and be a registered student
I tried to access the Catalog but of course 'NO CAN DO!"
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I used my wife's account to access Ebsco host and then did a search for Slavoj Zizek.

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The Search in Ebsco host was not as good as that in Google Scholar for a general interest search on Zizek but it yielded more articles than Scholar ( as would be expected for a high priced service).




I finally found a few articles and they are relevant to my personal online learning. A very uninteresting search, but there were some great filtering options after a broad search was done. So much for my OER contribution. I can see why Scott J says he doesn't use his library, but I have yet to plumb the depths of the Ebsco beast. Time is still the limiting factor though ,, even if all this information is free. The more curiosity you have the more time it takes and the more distracted (even while learning) you become.
I guess all universities are not so enlightened as MIT . I will check my Alma Mater (M.U.N.) tomorrow

1 comment:

Miriam said...

Working at a University opens all kinds of content doors, but I put together a digest of links for a disability organization, and I'm constantly reminded of all the materials that are available only to students/faculty and staff of universities and colleges.