Remote Access Revisited: Disintermediation and its Discontents by Mary Kate Boyd-Byrnes and Marilyn Rosenthal Available online 28 April 2005 Through interviews and case studies, the impact of remote access on nontraditional students is explored. Their experiences, along with the perspectives of the researchers, highlight the need for a much more fundamental and pivotal role for intermediation. PURPOSE This research examines the growing role of self-directed remote-access search systems and the effects of the resultant disintermediation, 1 or bypassing of librarian intervention. A nontraditional student population was targeted because remote- access databases have been considered to be a critical solution to their special academic requirements and personal circum- stances. 2 How much of a solution this actually is, and how remote access and the resultant disintermediation impact the quality and effectiveness of the research process is the focus of this study. As primarily evening librarians working extensively with nontraditional students in an academic setting, we have been closely monitoring the rising tide of remote access and its role in fulfilling their needs. With the demand for and availability of remote access steadily intensifying, it has evolved from a useful convenience to a perceived panacea. However, in our first-hand experiences and interactions with students using the databases remotely, and during follow-up intermediations, we found much to be desired in the success of their independent searching efforts and their reported satisfac- tion. While there are many user satisfaction studies in the literature, 3 we wanted to delve deeper into the content and issues upon which user perceptions impinge and to integrate librarian perspectives into the analysis. SUBJECTS OF THE STUDY: NONTRADITIONAL EVENING STUDENTS This group was selected because the convenience of remote access has been deemed especially beneficial to their particular needs and circumstances, and because nontradi- tional students represent the fastest growing segment of the academic community. 4 Defining this population has histor- ically been difficult and elusive. The literature is replete with vague and conflicting definitions because the grouping is so diverse. Nontraditional students are identified by such circumstances as full-time employment, dependent-care issues, part-time status, or delayed enrollment, among other factors. 5 Moreover, those re-entering the educational system after years of domestic or occupational pursuits may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with current technologies, as well as with college-level research. Mary Kate Boyd-Byrnes is Assistant Professor, Reference Librarian, B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville, NY 11548, USA bmboyd@liu.eduN; Marilyn Rosenthal is Associate Professor, Reference Librarian, B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library, C.W. Post Campus, Long Island University, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville, NY 11548, USA bmrosenth@liu.eduN. 216 The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 31, Number 3, pages 216–224