Internet vs Universities
If you've got access through the relevant online paywalls, the only areas a university is likely to surpass your access is in current research projects that specific university is directly involved in.
I don't think that relatively minor failing is enough to drop the internet a full step down the ladder.

re: 'internet for most people'
Wikipedia alone has a wealth of information far surpassing what the Encyclopedias of the mid-90s could ever hope to including in their fill-your-entire-bookshelf dreams.  And that's one website.
The modern non-paywalled internet is solidly beyond a tier 2 library for someone with the knowledge, skill, and/or contacts to find its treasures.
Heck, I'd suggest that the growing body of information resources on youtube is likely threatening to breech beyond tier 2, if it hasn't already.

I think the difference being missed, here is that between 'picking up' the coin and 'taking up' the coin.

The physical act of 'picking up the coin' (or catching it mid-air, or otherwise coming into direct skin-to-metal contact) means that the Fallen imprisoned within it has access to you to the extent that it can communicate with you and offer you (limited) help, advice, and power.  In Harry's case (the only one we really have knowledge of), this was facilitated by the 'shadow', Lash.

'Taking up the coin' is often used synonymously with accepting the Fallen, up to and including 'cohabitation' and perhaps even within your body.  In some cases, the human vessel is so psychologically broken from interaction with the Fallen that cohabitation turns into full-on possession.

You could project the shield on only one side of yourself, which would  leave you visible to anyone looking from another direction, but from the direction shielded, all they would see is a blob-like shadow on the objects behind you.

Maybe I should read that power again.

The slightly weak for 1 refresh (I'd extend the benefit to all invocations of the aspect for the purpose of benefiting a dodge be they by means of FP, tag, or debt).  But comes attached to a substantial additional restriction (no precognition outside designated condition).  Why?

Eh, intimidation/deception-based Incite Emotions attacks don't need an extra or different roll despite (by default) requiring contact of some sort.
At most, I'd go with that minor Limitation suggested by Taran.  More likely, I'd just use Compels to not target people outside the same zone.

True, but so far as the rules are concerned, that's no less true for Evocation.

Soulfire makes no mention of providing any Evothaum whatsoever, let alone all Thaum compatible with the agenda as Evothaum.
All other Sponsored Magics explicitly call out what effects, if any, they provide as Evothaum, and in almost every case the Evothaum is narrower than the Thaum (Hellfire is a special case, but that requires sponsor debt; Kemmlerian Necromancy is also a special case, but then, it would be entirely pointless for that power to offer any Thaum, since it already requires you to have access to all of it; even in these special cases, though, the presence of Evothaum is explicitly called out).
It is illogical, then, to assume that Soulfire provides something that in all other cases is explicitly stated as being available when no mention of it is made in the description of Soulfire.

Houserule as you will.