After graduating from the Air Force Academy, your McDermott Library account is deleted and your ability to access most of the databases provided by the McDermott Library is terminated. However, this doesn't mean you lose access to all library resources or to professional/academic resources for the rest of your military career. The Department of the Air Force Libraries provides access to library resources and collections through Base Libraries and access to electronic resources through the Department of Defense (DoD) Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Libraries and the Air Force (AF) Portal. Depending on your career path, access to resources may be available through professional organizations. Library resources and services are also available through a local state/county library, and if you're pursuing higher education, through a university/college library.
Some of the resources available include information essential to the Air Force mission, to support professional military and voluntary education programs, online access to a wide variety of formats and topics, streaming videos/music, facilities, resources, and services. With only a few exceptions, the online resources accessible through both the DoD MWR Libraries and the AF Portal are mostly the same. This guide provides a quick overview of the library resources and services available.
The Air Force Portal provides easy access to information, applications, and tools to help you during your military career and also provides 24/7 access to online library resources. A Common Access Card (CAC) is required to log into the Air Force Portal.
Go to the Air Force Portal login page:
The library and other resources can be found under the LIBRARY & RESOURCES tab.
Hover over the LIBRARY & RESOURCES tab to see a dropdown menu of resources. The first two items on the list are library resources and the other resources are items of interest. To access the library resources:
Clicking on the LIBRARY & RESOURCES tab takes you to the Library & Resources page. Under the Library & Resources heading on the left side there are two options for browsing available: ONLINE RESOURCES or A-Z DIRECTORY OF RESOURCES.
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Help with the AF Portal
Any questions about or problems accessing the AF Portal should be directed to the AF Portal Help Desk.
The online AF Portal Help System can be accessed via the HELP link at the bottom of each page. If the online help system does not answer your question, contact the Help Desk at:
DoD MWR Libraries provides 24/7 access to current and new resources from military service libraries in one place. A CAC or Uniformed Services ID (USID) Card is required to log into DoD MWR Libraries.
Once you set up a profile on this site and you have existing accounts for OverDrive or Mango Languages, you can link those accounts. Follow the directions in the "Managing Your Accounts" information on the website.
To access the resources, go to the website and click "Login" on the upper right side of the screen.
You will be prompted for your DoD ID number (found on your ID card) and your birthdate to validate your eligibility.
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Help with the MWR Libraries
Any problems with the website should be directed to DoD MWR Libraries by using the "Contact Us" link at the top of the Digital Library page.
Base Libraries are located on each military installation and provide access to both online and physical library resources. They offer most of the same services that are available through a traditional state/county library and include book checkouts, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service*, online resources, etc. A USID Card is required to establish an account. Please contact the Base Library on your installation to see what resources and services they provide. Air Force Libraries maintains a list of base libraries, CLICK HERE to find your library.
*Most of the books in the McDermott Library's general collection can be borrowed using the ILL service provided by these and non-military libraries.
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Non-military Library Resources and Services
If there is no online access available to the DoD MWR Libraries/AF Portal or no Base Library near your location, you can still find library resources and services through a state or county library. They provide the same library resources and services as a Base Library and sometimes may even provide more services. If you're pursuing higher education, a University or College Library can provide access to academic library resources and services in additional to the services provided by traditional libraries.
Please contact a library in your local area to see what resources and services they provide.
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