The ERIC database has disabled online access to its documents because of a privacy breach involving social security numbers and other personally-identifiable information contained in some documents.  Since offending information was found in “multiple documents and in a way that could not easily be isolated,” the team is having to manually clear individual documents and to reinstate access to them on a rolling basis. No completion timeline has been announced, but it will be a slow process.

To clarify, this affects only ERIC documents, those where the record number begins with ED. The ERIC database still works to find the literature, and access to journal articles (whose record numbers begin with EJ) is status quo: either the Linked Full Text or the Find it @ WOU button will confirm availability through Hamersly Library.

Regarding the online documents, those labeled as “peer reviewed” have been reinstated (according to some sample searching, about 1%).

Hamersly Library still has its microfiche collection of ERIC documents for years 1958-2003 (up to ED483004).  Starting in 2004, microfiche was no longer produced as ERIC moved exclusively to its digital content.

Reference staff can assist you with locating your ERIC document.  We just need the record number (ex., ED400892).

See also Education Week’s story from Sept. 7, 2012.

If you have any questions at all about this, please contact Janeanne Rockwell-Kincanon.