Rice alumni now have access to online research tools

Rice alumni now have access to online research tools

BY B.J. ALMOND
Rice News staff

The benefits of being a Rice alum now include online access to more than 23,000 searchable books, maps and reports, as well as to business, finance, economics and science journals.

These services are available through the new Rice Alumni Digital Library, a collaboration among the President’s Office, Fondren Library, Information Technology and the Association of Rice Alumni (ARA).

“President David Leebron realized that this service would enhance the professional and career development of Rice alumni by giving them access to an extensive range of digital resources that otherwise are quite expensive,” said Maryana Iskander, adviser to the president. “Rice is making them available to alumni at no cost.”

“The Rice Alumni Digital Library is intended to support continuing academic engagement with Rice graduates,” said Chuck Henry, vice provost and university librarian. “In essence, Fondren Library and its services can remain a valuable and convenient source of information to students long after their final exit through the Sallyport.”

Among the online research tools currently available through the Rice Alumni Digital Library are the following:

• Academic Complete from e-brary, which features full-text access to books, reports and other documents, including academic collections in business and economics; computers, engineering and applied sciences; humanities; science, medicine and allied health; and social and behavior sciences

• ProQuest ABI/Inform, one of the world’s first electronic databases, which provides access to local and regional business publications, journals, company profiles, The Wall Street Journal and other databases for tracking business conditions, trends, management techniques, corporate strategies and industry-specific topics

• ProQuest Science Journals, which provides researchers with scientific journals in full text and image formats on such topics as computers, engineering, physics, telecommunications and transportation

Kerry Keck, assistant university librarian, helped select these particular resources because they cover a broad range of interests and reflect the academic backgrounds of Rice alumni. She said the collection is likely to expand, and changes in which resources are offered will be made on the basis of evaluating usage of various titles and services.

“The association is pleased to offer enhanced Internet services in order to reach alumni wherever they may be,” said Jeff Rose ’77, president-elect of the ARA. “The Rice Alumni Digital Library joins the current palette of programs that already includes the online directory, e-mail forwarding and event registration. We hope that alumni will continue to take advantage of these important services.”

Alumni who want to use the digital library must register for access to the alumni online services system at <http://alumni.rice.edu/>. The digital library can be accessed through that site only. The site includes a page of frequently asked questions to help alumni who encounter problems with the service.