I would like you to think on the possibility of granting access to the on-line resources currently available to students through Duke library system. It could be granted for an annual fee to access a limited number of e-magazines and e-resources chosen and needed by subscribers.
This initiative (if ever implanted) could be specially useful to foreign alumnus like me living in developing countries who lacks access to such resources on an affordable way.
Thanks a lot,
Ricardo Flores G.
MA PIDP 98
rflores@alumni.duke.edu
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Alumni have asked for this for years, but the access that we can grant is spelled out in our legally-binding licensing agreements with the database vendors. The mechanics of a solution seem daunting. The standard licenses don’t allow access off-campus for persons who aren’t current Duke students, faculty, or staff. I don’t think the vendors like the idea of their databases being used broadly by persons no longer affiliated with Duke, for instance being used for the benefit of private employers who would then not need pay the high subscription costs themselves. A lot of licenses with a lot of different companies would have to be specially negotiated, which is unlikely to happen. It’s also unlikely that Duke’s OIT would allow alumni to purchase a NetID (which would allow use of the databases off-campus). Also, anything involving passwords is dangerous from the point of view of the vendor, since anyone who gets hold of the password would then have access.
I’ll pass on your request. Perhaps someone can figure out a solution that will only apply to a manageable number of vendors or only apply to alumni in specific countries. Your suggestion of paying a modest annual fee seems like a reasonable offer.