Boston College students and faculty now have access to The New York Times, thanks to a recent deal struck between BC Libraries and the publication. The University will pay a flat fee to the paper in exchange for unlimited access to articles, including viewing, downloading, and printing articles.
Other features include archive access dating back to the Times’ first edition in 1851, Chinese and Spanish language editions and related coverage, multimedia projects, and NYT In Education resources.
“There are 16 different categories of informational subjects,” Sally Wyman, head of collection development for BC Libraries, said. “It’s designed to be used by faculty for teaching.”
Through the Times, students and faculty can sort recent coverage by subject—areas of study include American government, environmental sciences, and religious studies—and view relevant instruction strategies and bonus expert commentary.
Last fall, BC Libraries added The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times to its roster. Previously, the BC community could access article-aggregator databases, such as Factiva and Access World News. Sonia Ensis, business librarian for BC Libraries, explained that the recent expansion offers a new opportunity for students looking to stay in the loop on world affairs.
“If you’re researching a particular topic [the databases] would be a good way to go, but of you have a particular article, want to keep up to date, or want current news, then these personal accounts are interesting,” she said.
About 4,000 people have subscribed to The Journal through BC Libraries’ offer, and Ensis expects will take advantage of The New York Times even more, given its interdisciplinary appeal.
Subscriptions made through BC Libraries will have to be renewed every year, and graduating seniors will lose access four months after they leave BC, according to BC Libraries’ FAQ section.
Wyman believes that these arrangements are valuable for both parties—as students and universities explore the new resources, newspapers like The New York Times are reaching new audiences.
“I think The New York Times is working with institutions even more now because I think that they’re realizing that they need to get students used to reading a newspaper and becoming a customer to The New York Times,” Wyman said.
Featured Image By Jess Rivilis / Heights Staff
