Alumni are reminded the Michigan Electronic Library (MeL) allows access to many online databases from home, work or their local public library. Alumni may borrow books from the Wayne State collections (and over 100 other libraries) through MelCAT, if their local public library is a MeL member.
Graduates are automatically provided membership in the Wayne State University Alumni Association, and alumni do have WSU library print collection borrowing privileges. In order to receive Alumni Borrowing Privileges, the patron will need to contact or visit the Tierney Alumni Office where they will receive their free OneCard. The libraries are unable to provide alumni with remote access to databases, as this type of access is limited by license agreements to enrolled students, faculty, staff.
Other Borrowing Privilege options for WSU Graduates who have not already joined the Alumni Association:
- Join the Alumni Association. Membership is free, and also entitles them to other benefits. See the Alumni Association website for details.
- MILibrary Card. Check list to see if the patron's home library participates in the MILibraries program. See the MILibrary website for details.
- MeL Visiting Patron. Check list to see if the patron's home library participates in the Visiting Patron program. This allows patron to use their local library card to check out WSU Library material in accordance to MeL circulation policy.
- Purchase Guest Borrowing for $25 which is good for one year from date of purchase. If Alumni opts to pay the $25 and then joins the Alumni Association within year of purchase the $25 will not be refunded.
Borrowing Privileges for WSU Alumni Association Members:
- Free borrowing privileges with proof of membership
- Check out a maximum of 10 books at one time
- 28 day loan, one renewal
- DVDs, videos, and all reserves material will be available for in-building use only
- Access to Storage materials
Accessing Articles
Graduates may also want to explore accessing articles through open access repositories. These are quality online research articles that have been made openly accessible by the authors or publishers. You can find a list of open access article and book repositories here.
Try the eresources page on the https://mel.org Academic Search Complete is a good option to start with.
Look at the Michigan residents and Open Access databases by selecting these from the All Access Levels drop-down menu on our Article Databases list.
