The Portland State University Library is committed to meeting the information access needs of distance learners.  All distance learners are encouraged to take advantage of the Library's Online Reference Service, Online Databases, Research Guides, and Tutorials. The online Library catalog (Vikat) contains links to digital resources, including online periodicals and e-books. 

Who is eligible for Distance Education services from the Library?

Portland State Library offers full-scale access to its resources to off-campus students and faculty who are taking or teaching an online, partially online (hybrid), or televised course.  

Distance Education students will receive Inter-Library Loan (ILL) privileges; those living more than 30 miles from campus will also be eligible for document delivery services from our collection. 

Getting Set Up

For full access to PSU Library's print and online collections off campus, you will need a PSU ID, an ODIN campus computing account, and set up an interlibrary loan account. Follow these three steps:

1. Make sure you are registered and have a student ID. You can test your Library account at "My Library Account". This allows you request books, update your account information, and renew items.

2. Create ODIN Account. This lets you use Library resources off-campus.

3. Create ILLiad Account. This lets you request articles and other material that you can't get through Summit (and renew them). If you don't live near a Summit Library, when setting up your ILLiad account, select "mail to address" as the delivery option from the drop-down menus.
   

Finding Books

Students and faculty members have access to a world of resources through the Library's catalog, the Summit regional borrowing system, and through Inter-Library Loan (ILL). The Summit system provides quick access to materials from libraries in the Pacific Northwest. Inter-Library Loan provides access to materials from around the country and the world.  Both Summit and ILL can be accessed trough the Library's catalog. If we don't have what you need, click "send search to Summit" and a search of both Summit and ILL will be launched. Borrowing periods for Summit and InterLibrary Loan vary.

If you live near a Summit Library, you can use that Library and arrange to pick up your Summit materials there. You will be asked to present your PSU school credentials at the other Summit library in order to be added as one of that library's patrons for the term. Once you are added, you can submit and pick up your Summit requests as if you were the other library's patron.

Getting Articles

Start by searching the Library's databases for articles. Once you have found an article that interests you click on the Find it @ PSU button to check for full text availability. If full text isn't available, REQUEST ARTICLE VIA INTERLIBRARY LOAN-ILLIAD - its that easy! Interlibrary Loan will e-mail you a copy of the requested article, generally within 3-5 working days.

Better, Faster Research

PSU Library offers a number of services designed to help you become a more skilled and savvy researcher - just Ask Us! Or check out the Research Survival Guide , our online, available 24/7, anywhere research tutorial.