Database Changes over Summer:

The IRIS network was one of the first means by which the Library was able to make information available electronically across the University campus. However, the IRIS software has been unsupported for quite some time, and it is not possible to make databases on IRIS available off campus. In addition, IRIS is slow to use, and sometimes unstable.

For these reasons, the Library has been investing in information resources that are available via the Internet, both on and off-campus, for several years. The vast majority of databases previously available on IRIS are now available via the web, and the remainder which have not been replaced directly now have suitable alternatives available.We have been monitoring usage statistics for some time, and these show that the CD-ROM network is now very little used. So, the time has come for IRIS to go into a well deserved retirement! Over the summer vacation, links to the databases will be taken down from the Library website. The CD-ROMs themselves will be be retained in the Library Store, unless alternative arrangements have been made.

If you have any questions about alternatives to databases on IRIS, please contact your Academic Liaison Librarian.