Distance Learning Faculty Factsheet
- SDSU Library and Its Collections
- Bibliographic and Full-Text Databases
- Print Reference Sources
- Items Not in the SDSU Library Collection
- Reference and Consultation Services
- Instructional Services
- Computing Assistance
Access to the SDSU Library and Its Collections
The SDSU Library catalog, the PAC, is the most complete listing of materials available in the SDSU Library and includes listings of books, government publications, media, and periodicals. The PAC is available online and is available to anyone who connects to the SDSU Library Home Page or visits the SDSU Library.
For items available in the SDSU Library collections, students must come to the SDSU Library to retrieve them themselves.
Access to Bibliographic and Fulltext Databases
The SDSU Library offers access to more than 100 bibliographic and fulltext databases. Most of these electronic resources are available remotely via the SDSU Library Home Page. Access to remotely available library resources is restricted to SDSU users by SDSU RedID numbers found in the SDSU Library patron registration database.
To use electronic library resources that require the use of SDSU ID numbers, the student must be in the SDSU Library patron registration database. To have been registered, at least one of the following must have taken place:
- a student has been listed in the Admissions & Records database as a current student;
- a faculty member or staff person has registered with the SDSU Library's Circulation Department by filling out a Library Registration Form and showing a current SDSU identification card at the Circulation Desk;
- a coordinator for a specific DL program has worked with members of the Library's Circulation Department to register students within their programs
If near another public or state-supported library, especially a CSU, students would be able to access most of the bibliographic and full text databases that the library offers while physically in that library.
Access to Print Reference Sources
Indexing and abstracting services: access to print indexing and abstracting services is only available within the SDSU Library.
Reference tools (dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories): if an answer can quickly be found in a reference tool and the answer/information covers 5 or fewer pages, the information can be faxed or photocopied and mailed to the student. Turnaround time on this service can vary, but averages 1 working day for faxes.
Access to Items Not in the SDSU Library Collection
For books not in the SDSU Library collection, students can make requests using a variety of Interlibrary Loan services including traditional ILL, the Circuit, or LINK+. For all three of these services, students can place electronic requests though they must come to the SDSU Library to retrieve the items requested. To use these services, students must be in the SDSU Library patron registration database. Turnaround times on these services vary from 24 hours to 2 to 3 weeks.
For periodical articles not available in the SDSU Library collection, students can place an electronic Interlibrary Loan request and have copies faxed (if 15 or fewer pages) or mailed to them (if longer than 15 pages). To use this service, students must be in the SDSU Library patron registration database. Turnaround time on this service can vary, but averages about 2 weeks.
Faculty, staff, and graduate students who are currently registered with the Library can also use the Article Delivery Service. This service provides free electronic access to the full-text articles from approximately 18,000 journals dating back to 1988 (providing the Library does not own the journal and the total cost of the article is not more than $50).
SDSU students do have access to other CSU libraries' collections. While physically in another CSU Library, students can make copies of articles, and, if they have a current SDSU student ID with them, borrow books.
Reference and Consultation Services
San Diego State University librarians can provide research assistance to DL students in-person, by phone, by e-mail and by online chat.
In-depth research consultation sessions with subject specialist librarians can be arranged by contacting the subject specialist librarian for the department/program. For optimum results, these librarians should be informed of the DL program in advance and be provided with a description of the research expectations placed upon the students.
Instructional Services
Orientations in using San Diego State University Library resources or in doing bibliographic research are available for DL programs. These orientations can take place in the SDSU Library or can be offered through the use of DL technology as long as it is available on both the sending and receiving ends. Librarians can also travel off-site to do instructional sessions, but support for this travel would have to be supplied by the group requesting the session(s).
Computing Assistance
The SDSU Student Computing Center can provide in-person, by phone and by e-mail assistance with DL student computing questions.
