Wikipedia:WikiProject Resource Exchange

The Resource Exchange is a WikiProject dedicated to organizing and sharing the vast resources available to Wikipedians, to aid in verification. Some Wikipedians have limited or no access to information sources; other users have access to resources that are difficult to find or are cost-prohibitive for most people. This project tries to bring those two sides together, so that someone looking for a source to back an edit, can easily ask a member of the Resource Exchange to provide a relevant document. Basically, we are trying to create kind of a virtual library.

How it works
This project has two main features:
 * Shared Resources: a list of resources available to other Wikipedians.
 * Add your own resources here in the appropriate section.
 * Search this list if you're looking for a source and ask the Wikipedian who left their name for help.
 * Resource Request.
 * Request a specific article or document, or request a specific search in a commercial full-text newspaper/journal database or another information database. The participants of this project try to track down your request and email it to you.

Use of the resources

 * Users should note that these shared usage offers are only valid for Wikipedia purposes.
 * It's best to first scan the Shared Resources list, before placing a request on the Resource Request page. That way, you avoid a lot of unnecessary work for the participants involved.
 * There are other language versions of this WikiProject offering library help. A lot of other language libraries have access to a wide variety of English material, and most likely you'll get help in English too. You can find those projects by using the links in the 'languages' navigation box.
 * Most of the time, the offered sources are not public domain resources. They may be helpful references, but you are not allowed to publish them, pass them on, use them for commercial purposes or use them verbatim for Wikipedia articles. Some public domain resources can be found in the navigation box above.

Input of participants

 * Anyone can add their resources to the list or fill requests, no need to sign up anywhere.
 * It is assumed that the resources you offer are available to you for free or that you are willing to cover any costs.

Other options

 * Many databases and other online publications that are normally paid for are available for free for personal use at many public libraries, often requiring only a library card, itself available for free to local people.
 * An interlibrary loan service is available at most local libraries, in many cases for free. Consider this as an option when you have a specific work in mind. Such a service will almost always be faster and more reliable than this project.

Open tasks

 * Add your own sources to the Shared Resources, or help solve requests on the Resource Request.
 * Expand the list of articles in the Category:WikiProject Resource Exchange articles. Find fitting articles on Wikipedia about an information resource, and add the WikiProject Resource Exchange template to the talk page.
 * Place links to the Resource Exchange on related project pages.

Subpages

 * List of

Templates

 * WikiProject Resource Exchange - for talk pages of related articles
 * User WikiProject Resource Exchange - userbox for participants
 * Diligent Librarian Barnstar - barnstar award for exceptional valour in delivering up the sources (please list recipients on the template talk page.)

Resources

 * Book sources
 * Journal sources
 * WikiProject Fact and Reference Check - project that actively verifies articles.
 * WikiProject Unreferenced articles - project that adds references to unreferenced articles
 * de:Wikipedia:Bibliotheksrecherche (Library research) - alternative German version of this project, with a lot of English material.
 * List of academic databases and search engines
 * List of digital library projects
 * List of scientific journals
 * Free English newspaper sources
 * United States government document search tools