eResources Help

eResource FAQs

What are the Library’s eResources?|
How do I find the Library’s eResources?|
Why would I use the eResource homepage? Can’t I just use Google to find resources online?|
I’ve been asked to find journal articles on a particular topic. Where do I start?|
How do I find the databases most relevant to my area of study?|
Why can I only cross search some of the databases?|
I’m looking for a particular database. Where will I find it?|
I’m looking for a particular eJournal. Where will I find it?|
My tutor has told me to read a specific journal article. How do I find it?|
I’m looking for a particular eBook. Where will I find it?|
Can I access the eResources off campus?|
I’m getting an error message when I try and access the eResource passwords page. What should I do?|
Where can I get further help?|
What is Article QuickSearch?|

eJournal FAQs (SFX)

What is SFX?|
What do the different links on the SFX menu mean?|
Why can't I see all the links on the SFX menu?|
How do I use SFX?|
Does SFX work both on and off campus?|
Why do some journals have more than one link to the full text?|
Why is no full text link available when I click on the SFX button?|
Why can’t I see an SFX button on my results list?|
What should I do if there is no link to the full text?|
I have clicked on the full text link but have only been taken to the journal’s home page – why?|
What if the article I require is not available either in print or electronically?|
Who should I report any problems to?|
Why haven’t I got the link to export my article into Refworks?|
Why does nothing happen when I click on the SFX link?|
SFX and accuracy|

What are the Library’s eResources?

The Library’s eResources (electronic resources) include databases, eBooks, eJournals and websites.

Databases are mostly commercial subscription services available either through the Internet or as CD-ROMs accessed locally through the computer network. They are a good resource if you are looking for a journal articles on a particular topic but they can also contain a range of other types of information including images, sound, market research, and data/statistics.

eJournals can be online versions of printed journals (though they may exclude certain features, e.g. the advertisements, letters or book reviews) or they may be published only in electronic form. Some are free but most are subscription only.

eBooks can be online versions of printed works or they may be published only in electronic form. Some are freely available on the Internet (e.g. many government reports); others (notably textbooks) are subscription only. Their catalogue records will have an EBOOKS tag in the subject keywords line.

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How do I find the Library’s eResources?

Log in the portal, go to the Library homepage, and select ‘Find Electronic Resources’. This will take you to the eResources homepage, the gateway to our eResources.

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Why would I use the eResource homepage? Can’t I just use Google to find resources online?

The eResource homepage gives you access to a large number of online resources that have been specifically selected for your areas of study. We pay a subscription for a large proportion of these resources and they are, therefore, not freely available on the internet. By accessing resources via the eResource homepage you will also ensure that you have the appropriate access information available to you.

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I’ve been asked to find journal articles on a particular topic. Where do I start?

The best place to search for journal articles are the databases. These allow to search across a number of journal titles at one time. You can access the databases most relevant to your subject area from the drop-down menu on the eResources homepage. Some databases will give you access to full text articles but others will only give you the reference details, and sometimes summaries, of articles.

To see if we have the full text elsewhere you will need to click on the SFX or Is it @ SSU? icon (see the SFX FAQs below for further information) or search for the journal title on the library catalogue.

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How do I find the databases most relevant to my area of study?

From the eResource homepage select your subject area from the drop-down menu. Select an appropriate subcategory from the left-hand side.

If you wish to view all the resources relevant to your subject area then select the ALL subcategory. You can go into an individual resource by clicking on the title.

Alternatively, you can search up to ten resources at one time (CrossSearch) by selecting the tick boxes of the relevant resources, entering your search term(s) into the search box and clicking on GO.

If you are off campus you will only be able to use CrossSearch if you are logged on. Click the Log In link in the top right-hand corner and enter your university username and password.

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Why can I only cross search some of the databases?

Unfortunately, you are not able to cross search all the databases as they need to have been enabled by their supplier. We hope that the number of these will increase over time.

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I’m looking for a particular database. Where will I find it?

First check the Popular eResources links on the eResource homepage. If the database you’re looking for is not there then click on the ‘A-Z List of Databases’ link. You can use the A-Z listing or the search box to locate the relevant database.

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I’m looking for a particular eJournal. Where will I find it?

Click on the ‘A-Z List of eJournals/Newspapers’ link on the eResource homepage. You can use the A-Z listing or the search box to locate the relevant eJournal. If the journal is not listed then search the library catalogue to check whether we hold this journal in print instead.

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My tutor has told me to read a specific journal article. How do I find it?

Click on the ‘Search for a specific journal article’ link on the eResource homepage and fill in the details that you have for the article. If you don’t find the article then search for the journal title on the library catalogue. This will tell you whether we hold the journal in print as well as the particular volumes/years that we hold.

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I’m looking for a particular eBook. Where will I find it?

All our eBooks are listed on the library catalogue. From the library homepage select ‘Search Library Catalogue’ and then search for the required title. If you click on the title of the book then you will presented with a link to access it.

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Can I access the eResources off campus?

Most eResources are available off campus but you will often require a username and password to access them. In a lot of cases this will be your university username and password but there are exceptions.

Please see the password help pages for more information. You will find the access information for individual databases by clicking on the icon next to the database name in the A-Z List of Databases.

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I’m getting an error message when I try and access the eResource passwords page. What should I do?

The passwords page is only available to staff and students of Southampton Solent University so you need to be logged on to the portal to view it.

If you get an error message then you need to log on at the top of the page with your university username and password. This will take you to the university homepage. Close the window and then click on the eResource passwords page link again. This time you should be taken straight through to the passwords page.

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Where can I get further help?

Please contact either the Library Enquiry Desk on 02380 319681 (during opening hours), or the electronic help desk at library.enquiries@solent.ac.uk| which will respond as soon as possible (operates office hours Mon-Fri). Alternatively, you could contact your Information Librarian.

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What is Article QuickSearch?

Article QuickSearch allows you to search for journal articles (as well as other types of information) within a pre-defined set of databases relating to your subject area. 

It is a great place to start when you are looking for journal articles for an assignment but it is not the place to go if you are looking to do a comprehensive search of the literature.  For this it is advisable to go into each of the relevant databases where you can do more sophisticated searches. 

To use Article QuickSearch make sure the Article QuickSearch tab is selected, select a subject area from the drop-down menu, enter your keywords in the search box and click on Search. 

If you are off campus you need to make sure that you are logged in using your university username and password.  Your results will be a selection of articles from each of the databases that were searched.  Please be aware that you may not be able to access the full text of all of the articles that you find.  

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SFX FAQs 

What is SFX?

SFX is a linking service that will connect you to the full text of a document where the library has access to it.

You can link to this full text from a list of articles found when searching a database (such as ABI Inform, Academic OneFile etc) or link to a journal from the Library’s A-Z list of ejournals.

Where full text is not available electronically, you can search the Library Catalogue for any print holdings available in the library, or link to other sources you could search for material on your topic.

No link to the full text is given if the Library does not subscribe to the article/journal in question.

What do the different links on the SFX menu mean?

Full text is here – link(s) to the full text where it is available electronically. From the A-Z list, the date range(s) available for the journal are given for each provider.

Holdings information: check for a printed version - use this option to check if the Library has print copies of the journal and which dates are available.

Under the More Options tab:

Search the Library Catalogue – takes you to the Library Catalogue to search for other material on your topic.

Request this item via Inter-Library Loan – takes you to the Inter-Library Loans web page which includes a link to the request form. Third years, postgraduates and staff can use this form to ask the Library to obtain material not held in stock through another library.

Search for related information in Google Scholar – search for your topic in Google Scholar by entering your search terms and specifying where you want them to be found.

Download record into Refworks – allows you to save the record in Refworks, the University’s reference management software, so you can keep hold of the details and use Refworks to create your assignment references if you wish.

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Why can't I see all the links on the SFX menu?

If you click on the title of an ejournal in the A-Z list, you will only see where this ejournal is available electronically.  Use the SFX menu icon to check for printed holdings and view the 'More Options' tab:

How do I use SFX?

Is it @ SSU? button/link from databases
When searching within ‘Cross Search’ or any individual database that is compatible with SFX, you will see the SFX button or Is it @ SSU? button beside your search results. Click on this to view any full text availability for that result.

Is it @ SSU button		SFXbutton

If no full text is available, use the Library Catalogue link on the SFX menu to check if the journal is held in print in the Library. Alternatively, you can enter a search into Google Scholar through the SFX menu or send the details of the record into Refworks.

A-Z list of ejournals
The A-Z list of ejournals allows you to search for and access a particular ejournal. There are several ways to locate the ejournal:

• Title: You can enter the title of an ejournal in the search box, click on ‘Go’ and see if it’s available. To access the ejournal, either click on the title or the SFX button on the right. If you know the article you want, enter the details on the SFX menu that appears. If you want to view all available issues of the journal, just click on ‘Go’ on the SFX menu.
  
• Category: To browse a list of all ejournals in a subject area, choose the ‘Category’ tab and then select the relevant category and subcategory. To access the ejournal, either click on the journal title or the SFX button on the right. If you know the article you want, enter the details on the SFX menu that appears. If you want to view all available issues of the journal, just click on ‘Go’ on the SFX menu.
  
• Locate: This option allows you to locate an ejournal by either title or ISSN. Alternatively, you can view a list of ejournals by provider or general subject category.
  
• CitationLinker: Use the CitationLinker to locate a specific article. You will need to enter as many details as possible and must include the journal title or its ISSN.

Some journal titles on the A-Z list include a link to ‘View journal history for additional full text’. This will indicate any previous titles by which the journal was known.

If a title is greyed out on the A-Z list it is because the title relates to a previous version of a journal that is now known by a different title. Click on the link to ‘View journal history for additional full text’ to find out what the current title for that journal is and then search for it in the A-Z list.

Does SFX work both on and off campus?

Yes, you may be asked for a username and password if off campus and not already logged in under the relevant password.

To find out more about usernames and passwords for off campus access to databases, please see: http://portal-live.solent.ac.uk/library/eResources/eresourcepasswords.aspx| or use the passwords link on the SFX menu.

Why do some journals have more than one link to the full text?

The library may have access to the full text through more than one provider as some packages that have been purchased may duplicate access to titles. Always check the dates available from each provider as these can vary.

Why is no full text link available when I click on the SFX button?

The full text will not be available if the Library does not have a subscription to the journal. Sometimes the Library may have a subscription but the journal provider may have restricted access to all but the most recent articles (there may be a year’s embargo on them for example).

Why can’t I see an SFX button on my results list?

At present, SFX can link to journal articles but may not pick up other resources such as books. Check the result to see if it is referring to information in another format. You may need to enter the details for that resource into the Library Catalogue yourself to see if it is available.

The database you have searched may not be compliant with SFX and therefore not include the link to the SFX menu. To find out if the Library has the resource, search for the journal title in the Library Catalogue.

Some databases may include a link saying Is it @ SSU? rather than the SFX button which you can click on to get to the SFX menu and see whether full text is available.

What should I do if there is no link to the full text?

Click on the link ‘Check for a printed version' to see if the full text is available in print in the Library.

If full text is not available either online or in print, you may be able to ask the Library to obtain a copy of the item for you through its Inter-Library Loans service (for more details see: http://portal-live.solent.ac.uk/library/interlibrary_loans/interlibrary_loans_home.aspx|).

I have clicked on the full text link but have only been taken to the journal’s home page – why?

Some journals will only let SFX link to the journal’s home page. You should be able to browse a list of volumes and issues to identify the one you need to access for the full text of the article.

What if the article I require is not available either in print or electronically?

- If full text is not available either electronically or in print, you may be able to ask the Library to obtain a copy of the item for you through its Inter-Library Loans service (for more details see: http://portal-live.solent.ac.uk/library/interlibrary_loans/interlibrary_loans_home.aspx|).

Who should I report any problems to?

Email the Library at library.enquiries@solent.ac.uk| (this can also be found at the bottom of the SFX menu)

Why haven’t I got the link to export my article into Refworks?

You may not be able to save your record into Refworks if there are not enough publication details supplied by the resource provider to create a correct reference for it.

Why does nothing happen when I click on the SFX link?

SFX uses pop-ups so you may need to check if your browser has blocked pop-ups.

SFX and accuracy

Please note that although SFX provides an accurate record of the ejournals available from the Library, there may be rare occasions when the data from the database provider is inaccurate and may indicate a journal is available for a particular date when it is not.

If you come across such an error, please check any other links that may be provided to the full text and contact the Library to let us know of the inaccurate data: library.enquiries@solent.ac.uk|