Library Services for Students in the Off-Site Programs

The Boston College Librarians would like to extend a warm welcome to GSSW students enrolled in the off-site programs. We are committed to providing you with prompt assistance with your research needs. This site is designed to answer some frequently asked questions about our services for off-site students.

How can I get help from a librarian?

There are several different ways to get help with your research. You are always welcome to do one of the following:

• Contact the Social Work Library by phone by calling 617-552-3233 . A librarian can call you back during regular business hours in order to minimize long distance charges.
• E-mail a librarian by writing to swlib@bc.edu. You will receive a response within 24 hours.
• You can have an online chat with a social work librarian by typing in questions in the Meebo box on the lower-right side of the homepage at http://www.bc.edu/swlib.
• Consult the research guides to get a list of suggested databases, books and web sites that will help you begin your research.
• Use BC 's Ask a Librarian 24/7 . Service. This service offers you the opportunity to have a live, online chat with a librarian. You can have an online chat with a librarian from your own home computer or office by clicking on the Ask a Librarian 24/7 link. Through this service, professional librarians are available to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also request to have an online chat specifically with a social work library by calling us at 617-552-3233 or e-mailing us at swlib@bc.edu .

Where do I find course readings listed on the course syllabi?

• Copies of required books for each course are available on reserve for “in-library” use at each of the off-site campuses. The BC collection is kept at the Circulation Desk. Check with your site coordinator for specific policies and procedures at your campus.
• Copies of required journal articles are available through individual course sites on Blackboard Vista.
• Copies of recommended or supplemental journal articles or books are available by request from the Social Work Library on the Chestnut Hill campus. Send a message to swlib@bc.edu to make a request.

How can I get books from a Boston College library?

Students enrolled in the off-campus programs may request a mail delivery of books from the Social Work Library or any of the other BC libraries (except Law). Please allow at least one week for this service. To request a book from a BC library, send a message to swlib@bc.edu with full details about the items you want, as well as your name and contact information. You can also request items directly from the Quest Catalog:

• Use Quest, the BC library catalog, to search for items relevant to your topic of interest. Quest may be searched from any computer with Internet access.
• From your results list, put a check in the box next to items you would like to borrow.
• Then click on "Add to My List".
• If you do additional searches, you can continue to add to "My List."
• When you are finished searching, click on "View My List."
• Then click on "e-mail." Make sure to complete the E-mail form by entering:

• your name.
• swlib@bc.edu (e-mail address of Social Work Library).
• include your home address, contact information, and which campus you attend in the comments box.

Can I get books that are not owned by a Boston College library?

There are several ways to obtain books from other libraries:

• Request a book through Boston College 's interlibrary loan service.
• Stonehill students have borrowing privileges at the Stonehill College Library.
• Because of a reciprocal agreement, BC GSSW students who live in the western part of the state have borrowing privileges at Smith College Libraries. Before you visit the Smith library, contact the Smith reference librarian, Pam Skinner at pskinner@mail.smith.edu so that your card will be ready for you.
• Residents of Maine are eligible to borrow materials at the University of Southern Maine 's Glickman Family Library.
• All BC students have borrowing privileges with libraries in the Boston Library Consortium including the UMass libraries at Amherst, Worcester , and Dartmouth. To request a BLC card, please contact the social work library by e-mailing swlib@bc.edu. We will send a BLC card to you. Take the BLC card to a participating library, and you will be given a BLC borrowing card for that library.

How do I use BC databases from home?

• All you need to do is go to the Social Work Library homepage. Under “Find Journal Articles”, select Social Work Databases.
• When you click on one of the databases, you will be prompted to enter your username and password.

How can I get copies of journal articles?

• Many journals are available through Boston College Libraries in electronic full-text. Use the "Find IT" tool in each BC database, or consult the Quest catalog, using the Journals Catalog tab.
• Many of the social work databases include the full-text of journal articles. Go to the databases guide to see a list of databases that include the full-text of journals.
• If the journal is not available in electronic format, look at the print journal holdings in the Quest catalog to see is Boston College owns the print volume(s) of the journal that you need. You may request copies of articles from print volumes; see below.
• If BC owns the volumes you need, you can request that articles be sent to your e-mail address as a PDF attachment. Send an e-mail request to swlib@bc.edu. Be sure to include the full citation of the article that you want, and provide us with your e-mail address. Allow two business days for this service.
• If BC does not own the journals that you need, you can request an article through interlibrary loan; or,
• Check the catalogs of the libraries listed under "Can I get books from other libraries?" These libraries may carry the journal and volume that you need.

What happens when I am taking courses on the Chestnut Hill campus?

When you are taking classes on the Chestnut Hill Campus, you will have the same privileges as all other part-time students on the main campus. Students will be expected to use the course reserve books in the Social Work Library or to make photocopies of the assigned chapters. We encourage students to get all the journal articles and books you need when you are on the Chestnut Hill Campus. Site delivery and mail delivery of books is not available, nor will articles be scanned and emailed to students. Contact the Social Work Library staff if you have questions or concerns about these services.