We hope you've enjoyed your time studying here in Massachusetts. On behalf of MA libraries, we wish you the best of luck wherever the road takes you! We couldn't include a page for every possible location in this guide, but many of the resource types listed on other pages will be available in your home as well. Look for your local public library, your state library or regional library system (which may offer additional resource access), or your national library.
Each state is a bit different, so your state library can be a good place to start. Most state library websites include a public library directory, as well as information about any statewide databases or other resources.
Find yours here!
Planning to live, work, or travel outside the United States? Use this site to find libraries around the world!
Use WorldCat to find items within libraries -- over 10,000 of them worldwide! Once you locate an item, you may be able to request it via the interlibrary loan servic at your local public library.
The Library of Congress is not only the research arm of the United States Congress; it is the largest library in the world! It offers a vast array of resources and services for the public, including many digital collections online. If you find yourself in Washington, D.C., make time for a tour! (Be sure to plan in advance if you want to use the research and reference services on-site.)
Some places in your community that may have libraries you can use: museums, historical societies, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, news agencies, zoos and botanical gardens, etc. If you're not sure, ask! Some colleges also allow the public to use their libraries on-site.
DPLA, based in Boston, offers free and immediate online access to a wide array of materials from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions.
PubMed is a database with millions of citations to medical and life sciences literature. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher websites.
ERIC is a database with 1.5 million citations to education journal articles, grey literature, and other resources. Approximately one quarter of its citations include full text.
Free information sources recommended as most useful by Massachusetts librarians.
This guide from Boston College gives a great introduction to open access and OA initiatives. Check out the "OA & Your Discipline" section for a list of core open access resources.
Open access resources are freely available to anyone on the public internet (vs. subscription databases, which can be cost prohibitive if you can't access them through a library). Check out the video below for an overview.
Open Access 101, from SPARC from Karen Rustad on Vimeo.
Some companies have their own libraries and/or database subscriptions. Be sure to ask about this during your orientation. (Or if you want to make a good impression, ask at the interview!)
If you are moving on to graduate school, congratulations! Each college's library is a bit different, so be sure to attend the library orientation, if one is offered. If not, make time to stop by and find out what's available to you, including work spaces, technology access, remote resources, and of course, librarian assistance.
In addition to your public library, you may find other libraries available in your community. For example, many churches, temples, and mosques have collections of religious materials. If you are in the military, you may find a library on your base. Some apartment complexes or living communities such as senior centers offer libraries for their residents. And we hope you never have occasion to use them, but even prisons have libraries for their populations to use!