Services for Alumni

Database, Scholarly Journal, and e-Book Access

Oberlin alums registered with OberLink can access journal articles and select e-book titles in JSTOR through the "Access JSTOR" alumni resource. Create an Oberlink account or login and go to "Access JSTOR" under Resources.

You can access the rest of Oberlin’s online resources if you are connected to campus WiFi or using a computer in one of the college libraries. 

For more online scholarship, you can explore Open Access resources. We have created an online guide that pulls together databases, journal articles, and e-books that are available to anyone, regardless of enrollment at Oberlin College.

Borrowing Privileges

If you are a graduate of the college living in Cuyahoga, Ashland, Erie, Huron, Medina, Summit, Portage, or Wayne counties, you may register as a courtesy borrower. Note that courtesy borrowers are not eligible to borrow materials through OhioLINK or Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and must be on-campus to access electronic resources like databases and e-books. 

For Oberlin residents, their Oberlin Public Library card is also their college library card. Other borrowers may use an Oberlin Public Library card or may be issued a courtesy card from the college library. Alumni IDs are not valid as Oberlin College library cards.

All borrowers must register at the Main Library circulation desk and provide proof of their current address (driver's license, utility bill, etc.); their library card is then valid at all the college libraries.

Borrowing privileges expire every three years for the purpose of address verification. Privileges will be renewed as long as you meet one of the criteria listed above and honor the policies of the libraries.

RefWorks

Oberlin graduates with a RefWorks account at the time of graduation will have continuing access to their data. If your RefWorks account uses your @oberlin.edu email address, there are three updates you should make prior to graduation to retain access to your account.

•  Select the “Alumni” option from the Profile/Role section of the Settings page.

• Update the email linked to your account to a non-Oberlin email on the Profile/Email section of the Settings page. 

• Remove the institution login from your account by clicking “Remove Credentials” in the Settings page. You’ll then be prompted to set a new password for your account. 

If you did not have a RefWorks account upon graduation, but you would like one:

• Join OberLink.

• Navigate to "Connect," then "Community." 

• Search for Elizabeth Sullivan.

• Send her a message requesting a RefWorks account and indicate which email address you would like to use as a login.

Friends of the Libraries

All alumni are invited to join the Friends of the Libraries. Friends receive the Library Perspectives newsletter and invitations to events sponsored by the Friends, including faculty book talks. Friends get limited OhioLINK print borrowing (up to five items at one time). 

As a Friends member, you will receive a Courtesy Plus account, which allows you to borrow materials held by Oberlin College Libraries and submit OhioLINK and SearchOhio print requests (up to 5 items at a time).