Other Research Resources

Topic 1 – Alternate or Local Access to Materials

Where are you sitting as you listen to or read this micro-course? Through your computer, you are virtually very close to your University of Kentucky Libraries system, but it is likely you are also geographically close to other library systems as well. If you are in an urban area, you probably are near several college or university libraries, one or more public library systems, and possibly near museum libraries or other special libraries as well. If you are in a rural area, you are probably served by at least one public library system.

While we hope you will take full advantage of the UK Libraries’ distance learning, interlibrary loan, and borrowing opportunities for the materials you will need in the course of your doctoral research, you may find at times, depending on your situation, that it is convenient to rely on your geographically local libraries as well. Sometimes your lack of association with a local college or university library may prevent you from using that library, but sometimes community users are welcomed, especially for on-site use of databases in public institutions. At UK, a public land-grant institution, for instance, anyone in Lexington can visit our libraries (during public operation hours) to use our online subscriptions. Some academic libraries even offer community library card privileges for borrowing materials, so they are always worth investigating.

Many museum or special libraries are only open by appointment, but it is also worth taking a look at what is available in your area, because these institutions can aid your research or even suggest particular research projects you would want to pursue for your arts administration degree.

It may seem like a public library system’s focus on popular, contemporary materials makes them unrelated to doctoral research, but many public libraries offer access to local government publications or streaming films you can access with a library card. If you haven’t looked at your local public library’s resources recently, have a look now with a creative eye toward materials you can use for research.