Why is it better to use the LibrarySearch catalogue to find journals and articles rather than Google or other websites?
Last Updated: 17.Mar.2023 Views: 106

In short, because the Library may not always subscribe to the items you find on external sites, or subscribes to them on a different platform to where you have found them.

Many of our journals are accessible via dedicated subject databases provided by companies such as Proquest and Ebsco so trying to access them on a publisher's site will not work. Additionally, Google links can bypass our authentication system so even if we do subscribe on the publisher platform, it may still deny you access to the full text until you login correctly.


How can I check for Library access to a specific Journal Title?

It is easy to check if the Library has a specific Journal - enter the Title or ISSN into the LibrarySearch catalogue. You will then be able to see:

  1. if we subscribe to the title
  2. which years we have access to
  3. what format they are in - online and / or print
  4. where any online full text is (which database or platform)

Can I check for access to a specific article?

Yes you can!

  • Copy and paste the article title into the LibrarySearch catalogue. If it finds a match you will see an 'available online' and/or 'download pdf' link.

or

  • If the article has a DOI or PMID number, simply paste that into the 'Find a journal article by DOI or PMID' box of the LibrarySearch catalogue and it will check for access.

Please contact the Library if you need help with checking for access to any item.