Yes, my University library covers access to many (but not all) IEEE articles, but the ability to download and read IEEE articles from a library is completely se

Yes, my University library covers access to many (but not all) IEEE articles, but the ability to download and read IEEE articles from a library is completely separate from being an IEEE member. IEEE membership costs ~$229 for 2025 in the U.S. for Professionals [1]. This fee typically is not covered by universities in my experience. If you're asking why I don't simply access articles through my library and forget about the membership, members typically are given fairly significant discounts and enhanced options for publishing in conferences and open access journals. [1]: https://www.ieee.org/membership/join/dues.html https://www.ieee.org/membership/join/dues.html