By Steve Kurr
Because of their inherently specific nature, dissertations can be an invaluable source during the research process. Unfortunately, they can also be difficult to obtain because of their limited distribution. When Mills Music Library does not hold the item, there are the traditional avenues of interlibrary loan (ILL) and research road trip through which you can procure the needed dissertation.
Buying the dissertation has always been a desperate last resort. But the purchase of dissertations is now easier and more feasible through an online service offered by UMI, the company that acts as the dissertation clearing house. UMI's Online Dissertation Service can provide copies from an immense library of works. Point your browser to: http://www.umi.com/hp/Support/DServices/ and follow the "Ordering" link. Here you see the prices for various dissertation formats: microfiche, $32.00; softcover, $36.00; hardcover, $43.50; and unbound paper, $29.50. This final option is relatively new and bears some explanation. A dissertation purchased in the unbound format arrives on full sheets of paper, so the type size is larger than on the other formats. The lack of binding allows for various personal storage options (three-ring binder, large folder, etc.). And the price is right: simply follow the "Dissertation Express" link to finish your shopping.
This ordering service is available from your home computer, and UMI accepts credit card payments over a secure site. There is an even cheaper approach, however, if you initiate your purchase through the ILL Department at room 231 Memorial Library. Because Mills Music Library (and the Memorial Library in general) participate in the ILL program, dissertations ordered in the unbound paper format and delivered via the ILL Department receive a $5.00 discount, dropping the price to an affordable $24.50 per dissertation. Incredibly, these often arrive in two or three days!
The UMI website is a useful one for other services besides ordering dissertations. It provides hints on preparing dissertations, information on finding dissertations, and also contains links to other dissertation-oriented sites. Some of the services are limited unless you are accessing the site from a library computer, but even from home it is worth a look for any researcher.