Hi Annika,
Interested to see your post. I thought that I was the only one who had this
problem. As a bibliographer (and ex-librarian) with no affiliation to an
academic institution (although I have worked in one in the past), I find the
move to electronic journals and abstracting & indexing services very
difficult. I have been banging on about this 'academic exclusion' for a
while now. It seems to fly in the face of librarians' traditional freedom of
access and also the way in which work patterns are moving.
If you look at the T&Cs of most libraries for external users, they
specifically exclude online services from the material that a visitor may
use, citing the terms imposed by the providers of such services. I had some
discussions with vendors at an Online exhibition a few years ago and several
of them denied that they imposed any such conditions. Unfortunately I have
not had time to investigate this any further.
I think also that the problem with Athens accounts may be that the
institution must subscribe to the journal in question (not sure about this),
so it would not be much use going to my local university and expecting to be
able to look at a journal such as Isis.
We need not just a SOA (although I am fascinated to see such a group
exists), but a ROA (Researchers Outside Academia) with access to an 'Open
University' that could subscribe to a lot of material and which could make
it available (via subscription) to us Independents.
My own area of study is exceptionally difficult since it spans so many
academic disciplines.
Best wishes
Alan Pritchard MPhil FCLIP MBCS
ALCHEMY: a bibliography of English-language writings
2nd (Internet) edition at
http://www.alchemy-bibliography.co.uk
On 10/2/07, annika coughlin <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> I was wondering if it is possible for freelance researchers to be able to
> have an Athens account at their nearest university library?
>
> As librarians would you allow someone to open an Athens account who isn't
> a
> student but who has verification from a current member of staff? (a letter
> and/or signature?)
>
> Would you allow an independent researcher who is an Alumnus to have an
> Athens account?
>
> Or is Athens purely for current staff and students?
>
> I represent Sociologists Outside Academia for the British Sociological
> Association. It is a huge problem for freelancers to be able to write
> research proposals etc as they are at a disadvantage when it comes to
> accessing journals. The BSA has made progress by working with SAGE to
> allow
> all members access to their complete collection. This is great news for
> independent workers. But researchers need more then the works published by
> SAGE.
>
> thanks
>
> Annika
>
> http://www.britsoc.co.uk/specialisms/soa
>
--
Best wishes
Alan Pritchard MPhil FCLIP MBCS
Tel: +44 (0)1202 417477
|