Accessing Electronic Resources FAQ
Q: What is an electronic resource (a.k.a. e-resource)?
A: Any resources that is available in a digital format. They are accessible online using your PSU credentials. They include e-books, audio files, streaming videos, government documents, online scholarly journals, and more. More than 4 million electronic resources are available to Penn State students, faculty and staff, including more than 2 million electronic books.
Q: When I search the catalog, can I limit the results to view only electronic resources?
A: Yes. From https://catalog.libraries.psu.edu/, input your search. When the results appear, you will see a filter labeled "Access" on the left-hand side. Click "Access," then "Online" (See Figure 1 below). This will limit your results to online only.
Figure 1.
Q: I followed the link to an e-resource in the catalog, but don't see how to actually read it. How do I get to the resource?
A: In the description at the top, there will be a heading labeled "Access Online" (see Figure 2 below). Follow the link. You may be prompted to log in using your Penn State credentials. You can then read the resource online or download it, depending on the particular resource.
Figure 2.
Using the Catalog
Penn State Libraries has over 9 million books, e-books, videos, and other items available to you. Nearly anything can be sent to Penn State Abington from other Penn State Libraries across the Commonwealth. You can search the Penn State collection using the Penn State Libraries catalog.
Each item in the catalog includes item availability (i.e. which campus it is held at) and a call number, which tells users where the item is located within that library. For items listed as Penn State Abington in the catalog, you will need a call number to find the item on our shelves. To learn more about reading call numbers, see here.
To request items from other Penn State locations, use the “I Want It” button in the Libraries catalog. Items usually arrive in 2-3 days. We will check out the materials for you and they can be picked up at the library circulation desk. You'll need to bring your student ID to pick them up. Most items are checked out to you for a whole semester.
If you need assistance ordering, finding or picking up books, go to the front desk of the library or email the Penn State Abington Librarians. See the video below for a visual guide to ordering items.