You can access any of the Library's databases just by searching the Library Catalogue. Simply enter the name of the database in the search box and click on the database link in the search results. If you don’t know which database to search, go to the Library Guides webpages to find the key resources in your area.

Remember to log in for full access to the Library's databases.

Searching In Databases

When you are searching a database, you can access content by searching under:

• subject heading or keyword
• title
• author
• journal name

Getting to the full-text

All databases will provide you with citations of articles relevant to your search, i.e. author name, article title, journal title, year, volume and page numbers. Many will also provide you with an abstract or short summary of the article, to help you ascertain how relevant it is going to be. Some databases even provide you with the full-text of the journal articles.

If the full-text is not immediately available you may see an SFX symbol: 

SFX is a linking technology that will link you from a citation in a database to the full-text of that journal, wherever the Library has made it available (often in a different database). Simply click on the SFX icon and choose the relevant option from the menu that appears. If the Library does not have a subscription to the journal you need, you can apply for an Inter-Library Loan or Google Scholar can often point you to a freely available version of the article.

Library Training

You will save a lot of time by attending a Library training event, which will teach you which databases are most relevant for your subject area and how to make best use of those databases.