How to find an article when...
...you are looking for a particular article and have a citation
...you've looked up the article and the library does not have it
...you're looking for articles on a topic, not one particular article
I have a citation (article title, author, journal in which it was published, date, volume and issue number, or some combination of the above):
Here's an example of a citation:
Lee, Cin-Ty. (2005). Trace element evidence for hydrous metasomatism at the base of the North American lithosphere and possible association with laramide low-angle subduction. Journal of Geology, 13 (6), 673-685.
To find out if the library has this article, go to Journals @ PLU and type the name of the journal in the search box:
On the results page, click the title that matches your journal, then compare the library's holdings to the date from your article:
Click on the link to either access the journal electronically...
...or to locate the journal on the library shelves.
Electronic copies of articles can be saved, printed, or e-mailed to yourself. Print journals can be checked out at the front desk of the library or photocopied at the copiers near the library entrance.
Request the article through Interlibrary Loan. Most articles will be e-mailed to you directly within a few days.
Interlibrary Loan is also a way to borrow books and other materials that the PLU library does not have. It's just what it sounds like: articles and books are loaned between libraries when patrons like you request them.
Some frequently asked questions about Interlibrary Loan:
- How long does it take?
It depends. As noted above, most articles arrive within a few days in your e-mail inbox. If for some reason we can only get the article in print, it may take longer. Likewise, books have to be shipped from the lending library, so can take awhile to arrive. The point is, don't request something through ILL if you need it immediately. Budget about a week, just to be on the safe side. - Is there a charge?
No. The library pays all associated fees. There is no cost to you. - Is this just for articles we find in library databases?
No. Any article can be requested, including citations found in reference lists and on the Web. - I found an article citation in a database, but when I clicked on the full text it asked me to pay. Do I have to pay to get the article?
No! You've found an article that our subscription to that database doesn't cover, but we can still get it for you. Make an Interlibrary Loan request and we'll take care of the rest.
Go to the Subjects page and click the subject that most closely matches your topic or subject area. On the resulting page, you'll see a list of article databases. Click on the link to the one you wish to search. More help here...
