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Searching, Viewing, Borrowing, and Purchasing Dissertations |
For interlibrary loan purposes, dissertations are a world of their own. If you want to borrow a regular book, we may identify ten or a hundred or a thousand libraries that own it. With a dissertation there is usually only one source to borrow it from--the school where it was done. Some schools loan all their dissertations in hard copy; some loan microfilm copies, and some don't loan at all. If the school doesn't loan, you can usually purchase the dissertation.
When you are looking for dissertations, your search techniques will depend on whether you are looking for a specific one, looking for all that exist on a subject, looking for ones done at TAMU-Commerce, etc. Whatever your purpose, Current Research @ and FirstSearch are good sources to search.
1. Current Research @. Go to Current Research or go to our library database page and select the Current Research @ links.
Browse the list of participating institutions and link to a participating university. You can only search one institution at a time. You cannot search the entire UMI dissertation file through Current Research @.
For TAMU-Commerce dissertations you can:
For dissertations done at other universities you can:
2. FirstSearch. You can use some of the library's FirstSearch databases to find dissertations. You may find references to dissertations in ERIC, but the files (a) World Cat and (b) Dissertations will probably give you better results.
If you are searching from off campus and have never configured the Proxy Server, you will need to do this first. Go to Using the Proxy Server.
WORLD CAT. From the library database page select World Cat.
Requires a special password. You must either be in the library to search this file or you must be enrolled in certain classes. Contact Craig Wheeler, Head of Reference, ph 903-886-5719 or email Craig_Wheeler@tamu-commerce.edu for more details.
There are four ways to submit borrowing requests:
1. Use the library home page and select "Electronic Forms." Use the "book" option.
2. Submit requests from the computers in the Reference Department; look for the ILL Icon on the computer desktop.
3. Submit requests directly from the FirstSearch databases. Ask a Reference Librarian if you are not familiar with FirstSearch. Look for the ILL icon on the upper left of the record.
4. Fill out the paper Request for Book/Dissertation/Thesis" form. You can get them in the ILL Office or in the Reference Department.
We almost always submit the request electronically and receive an electronic response, so we know "yes" or "no" very quickly. Obviously, if the answer is "yes," there is still mailing time involved.
We estimate we are successful in borrowing about 70% of the dissertations we request. Most loans are hardcopy, but there is always the possibility of microfilm.
If we get a "no" we will notify you, and if you still feel you must have a copy of the dissertation, you are ready for the "purchase" routines.
Master's theses--Some theses are in the databases and available for loan, but many theses are not in the databases. We do not have a high success rate borrowing theses, but we will be happy to try.
Gain access to all the following options from Proquest Dissertations
1. Dissertation Express.
2. Digital Dissertations.
3. Other formats.
Master's theses--Some theses are in the files and available for purchase, but many theses are not.
If you have questions, please contact Jake Picharcik at 903-886-5722 or Jacob_Pichnarcik@tamu-commerce.edu