Information resources accessed online are critical to the teaching, learning, and research activities of the University. Use of these resources is guided by licenses that outline usage rights, which restrict the use of these resources to academic purposes. By signing a license, the Library makes a commitment to ensure that resources are used in an appropriate manner as defined by each license. This often includes limiting access to authorized users only, ensuring no commercial or excessive use occurs, and educating these users about the terms of use.

Electronic resources licenses require compliance with accepted definitions of what constitutes an authorized user. To ascertain who qualifies, the Library relies on the University’s policies and systems. Electronic resource licenses define authorized users in very specific terms. Generally speaking, authorized users are defined as currently enrolled students, currently employed full and part-time staff, current faculty, faculty or staff that have retired from the University, and on-site users who are physically present at one of GVSU’s campus locations. All authorized users, as defined within a license, have access to the resources.

Alumni

We welcome and encourage GVSU alumni and surrounding community members to come on campus to use most electronic resources. While most licenses limit remote access to the active campus community, most also allow for “walk in use”. Anyone that comes into one of our library locations, can request a guest user account, log into a computer, and use our electronic resources.

Community Users

Anyone that comes into one of our library locations, can request a guest user account, log into a computer, and use our electronic resources.

Temporarily Affiliated Users

Non-affiliated individuals working with GVSU faculty on a project may request temporary access as an authorized user by having the sponsoring GVSU faculty or staff member complete the Third-party guest account access form. Access will be granted on a case-by-case basis. Third party users must be actively engaged with a GVSU faculty or staff member on a project. Third party users may not use access to GVSU provided resources for anything outside of the scope of the defined project. Third party access must have a beginning and end date, as unending access will not be granted.

Dual Enrolled/Shared Student Users

Students enrolled in any shared programs will be granted access as long as they remain an enrolled GVSU student as defined by GVSU Information Technology security systems.

Policy last updated December, 2018