Access Library resources from off-site
04/07/2023
![pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3808785 Young woman working on laptop sitting on a park bench.](https://blogs.cranfield.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3808785-scaled.jpg)
Not on campus? Not a problem!
Did you know that Library resources can be accessed wherever you are in the world?
While you are a student at Cranfield you have full access to our online resources even if you are not based on site or even in the UK. In some circumstances you can also still access our print resources. Want to know more? Read on…
“I need access to a database from home.”
The best way to ensure that you can access the full online resources that Cranfield offers is to access them via our website – either our Databases A-Z page, our subject or course guides, or our online business resources – NOT through a Google search!. Accessing databases through our web pages will send you directly to the correct login screen for Cranfield users. Just log in using your Cranfield details and you should be taken to the database with full access to the articles and documents, just as if you were sitting on site.
If you do use Google to find a database look for a login/sign in option, and choose ‘Institutional access’ or ‘OpenAthens’ login. Search for or select Cranfield University and then login using your Cranfield details when prompted. You should be able to access the full resource if we subscribe to it, but it is a less direct route.
- TIP: do not use the extranet (VPN) as most resources will be incompatible.
There are a few resources which require individual registration or are not available off-site. If you have any problems accessing a Cranfield resource off-site, please email us.
“I need to read a book but cannot get to the Library.”
Many of our books are available as eBooks. You just need to search for the book title on Library Search and limit your results to online only materials. eBooks in Library Search are indicated by a pink banner, ‘To read this online, click the link below’ or ‘Electronic Access’, with a link to access the online book.
How you can read the book will vary; some titles let you download a PDF copy, others will restrict you to reading the book online. If you cannot access an eeBook at the first attempt, try again later as some books have a limit on the number of users who can access them at the same time.
“I want to read a journal article but it’s asking me to pay!”
Do not pay to read online articles! Most articles you need will be available from the Library. To access full text articles search for the article title in Library Search and follow the links to find the full text, or you can check to see whether we have the journal using the eJournals link. Search for the journal title and follow the links to full text access. You may be prompted to log in using your Cranfield details to authenticate yourself.
If we don’t have access to the article you need, you can use our interlibrary loans service to request a copy.
“The book/report/article I need is only available as a print copy and I am not on site – help!”
Some of our books or documents may only be available in print and not online. If you are not based on campus and cannot visit us to read print items we have in stock, then we may be able to email you a scanned copy of a chapter or article, or if you are based in the UK or ROI we may be able to send you a book through the postal service. You can read more about our postal and scanning services for print materials on our website.
“I have finished my course at Cranfield. Can I still access the Library resources?”
Your access does not stop once you leave Cranfield. As a registered alumnus can use Alumni Library Online via the alumni portal to access a selection of our online resources for personal use after you have graduated, and you are welcome to visit us if you are ever on site – we would love to see you!
You can find out more about accessing resources from off-site on our website, or if you have any questions or problems accessing Library resources, email us and we will help you.
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Keren Tuv: My Cranfield experience studying Renewable Energy
Hello, my name is Keren, I am from London, UK, and I am studying Renewable Energy MSc. My journey to discovering Cranfield University began when I first decided to return to academia to pursue ...
3D Metal Manufacturing in space: A look into the future
David Rico Sierra, Research Fellow in Additive Manufacturing, was recently involved in an exciting project to manufacture parts using 3D printers in space. Here he reflects on his time working with Airbus in Toulouse… ...
A Legacy of Courage: From India to Britain, Three Generations Find Their Home
My story begins with my grandfather, who plucked up the courage to travel aboard at the age of 22 and start a new life in the UK. I don’t think he would have thought that ...
Cranfield to JLR: mastering mechatronics for a dream career
My name is Jerin Tom, and in 2023 I graduated from Cranfield with an MSc in Automotive Mechatronics. Originally from India, I've always been fascinated by the world of automobiles. Why Cranfield and the ...
Bringing the vision of advanced air mobility closer to reality
Experts at Cranfield University led by Professor Antonios Tsourdos, Head of the Autonomous and Cyber-Physical Systems Centre, are part of the Air Mobility Ecosystem Consortium (AMEC), which aims to demonstrate the commercial and operational ...
Using grey literature in your research: A short guide
As you research and write your thesis, you might come across, or be looking for, ‘grey literature’. This is quite simply material that is either unpublished, or published but not in a commercial form. Types ...