How to continue with your lifelong learning
Did you know you can use Massey University Library as an alum? Access a growing number of print books and electronic resources available to alumni.
Learn more about Discover for Alumni
As a student, you probably used Discover through the Library home page, but as an alum, you’ll need to use Discover for Alumni, linked from our Alumni library services page. Alumni are in the right place if you can see links specifically for alumni at the top of the page, e.g., “Alumni Relations,” “Benefits,” etc.
Once you’ve signed up for an alumni membership, you can access Discover, the library’s subscribed electronic resources, including article databases, online journals and ebooks, and MyLibrary. An alumni membership costs NZD$100 for a year, or NZD$50 for six months.
Book an online preview
Before becoming a member, you can get a preview of the electronic databases that alumni can access, which will allow you to review alumni content to see if it will be of use to you. You can email library@massey.ac.nz to arrange an online preview. Click here to find out more.
The screenshot below shows a sampling of search results. You can see a print book, which can be borrowed by alumni residing in New Zealand, and a couple of full-text articles from journals. There are also links to alumni-accessible databases along the right side of the page. Alumni can use the Folders link to save search results, set up alerts, and view the books you have checked out.
Why is it great that alumni still have continued library access?
One of the purposes of university libraries is to subscribe to online journals and subject databases for students to access while enrolled. But after graduating, you lose that privilege. You might wish to continue learning or be required to keep up with the latest research in your field. However, subscribing to journals or buying individual articles can become expensive, especially if you’re just starting a career. Purchasing an alumni membership through the Library provides admission to a wide range of scholarly materials accessible to current students.
Are journals available to alumni?
Yes, thousands of online journals are available to alumni. Wiley alone has over 700 titles; SAGE has over 1,300. There are also several journal packages, such as CSIRO, BioOne, and American Physiological Society, which are smaller but have high-quality content in targeted subject areas. Moreover, there are many ebooks, online reference resources, and specialty databases such as First World War and Vogue Archive.
Are there any access limitations?
The Library can’t provide access to its full collection because, unfortunately, not all publishers are “alumni friendly.” The Library signs license agreements with all of the publishers it does business with, and each of those agreements has a “Permitted User” clause. The Library goes through all of its licenses to check which “Permitted User” clauses include alumni. You’ll find some big publishers: Wiley, SAGE, JSTOR, ProQuest, and more. However, some publishers are noticeably missing – these are the ones who don’t allow alumni access. Thus, we encourage prospective alumni to sign up for a free trial before purchasing an alumni membership.
You can find out more about alumni benefits and services here: https://alumnionline.massey.ac.nz/benefits