Distance & online students have access to all of our electronic resources (which are the majority of our collection).
Below, we've also highlighted resources & services we think will be most helpful to students taking classes online, at the Syracuse campus, or elsewhere.
Finding books, articles, & more
SUNY Oswego students have access not only to our library's resources, but also to resources from many other libraries. Below, we'll explain how to access our resources, and those at other libraries.
Accessing our library's resources
Online resources
If you're not taking classes on the main Oswego campus, you're probably most interested in finding online resources.
Books
(For information on how to get print books, see the next dropdown on this page, labeled 'Print Resources.')
Articles
The vast majority of our articles are online. Here are some instructions on how to find and access articles.
Videos
The library has access to a few video databases. Most of these videos are more scholarly in nature - they don't provide access to popular movies.
Print resources
If you live in Syracuse or nearby, you might find it useful to request a book be sent to the Syracuse campus.
If you don't live near the Syracuse campus, see the section of this page about getting resources from other libraries.
Accessing resources from other libraries
Interlibrary loan
Interlibrary loan is a service that allows you to request items we don't own from other libraries. Our interlibrary loan web page explains how to request different types of items, including full books, book chapters, articles, and theses and dissertations. Most of these items will be sent as PDFs, except print books.
Please note that we cannot send print books to you - but if you are taking classes at the Syracuse campus, or live nearby, you can pick up books there.
Libraries on other SUNY campuses
As an Oswego student, you can check out books from all other SUNY campuses (including community colleges).
Each campus has different policies on what SUNY students can check out from their library. Some of these libraries have this information on their website, but others do not.
When visiting these libraries, we recommend you bring:
- Your Oswego student ID card, if you have one
- Your driver's license or similar ID, if you don't have an Oswego ID
- Proof of your enrollment at SUNY Oswego (you should be able to get this information from MyOswego)
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact us. We are happy to reach out to the other libraries for more information if you need it!
Resources for NY state residents
As a resident of New York state, you have free access to a wide variety of resources.
If you're not a New York state resident, we encourage you to see what your state has to offer. Many other states provide free access to databases (ex. Pennsylvania's Power Library, Michigan eLibrary, etc.).
Getting Help
There are many ways to get help, but if you're feeling overwhelmed or you're not sure who to ask, please reach out to a librarian. We'll be happy to help or point you in the right direction!
Tutorials & how-tos
We have many how-to guides that explain how to develop your research skills and how to complete more technical tasks (like renewing items).
Help with research or accessing library materials
We have many friendly librarians who are ready to help, and we can be reached in a variety of ways, including:
- Text
- Chat (available 24/7!)
- Video conference (Zoom or Google Meet)
- In person
Further information (including email addresses, phone numbers, etc.) can be found on our Get Research Help page.
Technical issues
For login issues, we recommend you contact Campus Technology Services (CTS). The library uses the University's login systems, but does not control them.
For any other technical issues, please reach out to a librarian through one of the methods outlined on our Get Research Help page.