FULL TEXT JOURNALS- FAQ's
What is the "Full Text Journals" service?
The "Full Text Journals" service provides direct links to full text journals. These journals are available to the libraries from a variety of vendors. The service may be used by one of two convenient methods: (1) searching for a journal title by either of four different methods or (2) browsing a simple list arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the journal title.
When should the "Full Text Journals" link be used?
The service might be used whenever someone is trying to find the full text of a journal using the journal's title.
Who provides this service?
The service is provided to the libraries by Serials Solutions, a serial aggregator.
Which journal titles go into this service?
The titles in this service come from databases and services to which the libraries subscribe. The libraries decide which databases to have Serials Solutions include.
What information is provided for each title?
After the title of the journal, there will be one or more lines of text. Each line describes availability of the text for this journal. It often includes the dates available, as well as a link to the vendor providing that text. If the link is clicked, in many cases a user will be taken directly to a page listing the available issues for that title. In some cases, the user will be taken to a search screen within a database. It will then be necessary to search the database to find articles in this title.
Where does the journal access information come from?
The information comes from a combination of sources, but is assembled for UC by Serials Solutions. Information about titles and their links comes from the vendors selling these services to the library community. The libraries maintain the libraries' profile at Serials Solutions, informing the company of changes in subscriptions and other issues related to the product.
How does it work?
Serials Solutions maintains a database of titles and links related to full text journals that various information providers sell to libraries. Serials Solutions works with these vendors to keep its database accurate and current. Serials Solutions also maintains a profile for the University of Cincinnati. By running the UC profile against the Serials Solutions database of vendor information, it is possible to get a current list of titles and linking information specific to UC's subscriptions and services.
How current is the information and how often does it change?
Serials Solutions generates the alphabetic lists every two months. Each product will contain fresh information up to the time of its production. When the browse method is used to find journal titles, the production date is at the bottom of any page listing titles. When the search method is used, results are produced in real time on the Serials Solutions server. The information that results from searches in Serials Solutions can contain information that was changed as recently as the preceding day.
Will the "Full Text Journals" link connect me with all the journal text the University of Cincinnati has access to?
No. The library catalog, UCLID, is the final authority on the titles the University of Cincinnati owns. If the "Full Text Journals" option does not provide needed information from journals, the library catalog should be checked. In many cases, the "Full Text Journals" service will point to recent years. The libraries may have many, many years of the title in paper. The "Full Text Journals" service is a library resource tool to be used in conjunction with the library catalog, which should be consulted for further information on a title.
Why does the library have this service if the library catalog has all these titles?
This service provides many titles that the libraries do not purchase directly but which are available through a database to which they subscribe. Records for these titles are not in the library catalog but in this service. Vendors change title availability too often to make it feasible to add these titles to the library catalog. The catalog links to many stable full text journals that we have purchased. In addition, this service allows the libraries to bring together in one location many, many titles from various databases.
8/28/02 JN