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How Do I Find Journals?

Find Journals & Magazines

To find out if we subscribe to a journal or magazine...

Journal Search Portal

  • type the journal title in the search box and click "Go"
  • if you get too many results, change the radio button from "Contains" to "Starts with" and click "Go" again
  • if your journal isn't listed, go to 2
  • under the journal you want, click the "Get It!" button
  • in the popup window or new tab, all the different providers for the journal are listed, and their years or volumes of coverage
  • click the provider that includes the year or volume you need
  • if it says: "Available from 1996 volume: 11 issue:1" ...it means we have everything from then to the current issue
  • at the provider page, look for a link to the past years, volumes or issues, and navigate to the year, volume, issue and page you require for your article
  • if none of the providers include your year/volume, go to 2

Get It! window "Check for a print copy in our Library Catalogue"

  • if none of the providers include your year/volume in the Get it! window, click "Check for a print copy in our Library Catalogue"
  • if we have the journal in print on the shelf, details of where it is and what years are covered will be shown in a new window or tab
  • if there's nothing listed, go to 3

Check the Library Catalogue

Option 1: Keyword Search

  • type the journal or magazine title into the search box
  • change the drop-down menu on the right from "Anywhere" to "Journal Title"
  • click the Find button
    • if too many results
      • enclose your journal title in "double quotes"
      • limit your search by clicking on the right side of the search results under Format>Journal or  Format>eJournal
      • NOTE: some periodicals change titles so try alternate titles if you know any (e.g., Harper's new monthly magazine changed to Harper's monthly magazine to Harper's magazine to Harper's)

Option 2: Browse Search

  • Under More Options (in the footer of  the library catalogue home page), select Browse Alphabetically
  • change the drop-down menu on the right from "By Topic" to "By Title"
  • type the journal or magazine title into the search box 
  • click on the Browse button
  • gives you a list of titles in alphabetical order, from which you can pick the relevant one(s)
  • in both options, you may find your journal or magazine either in print or online
  • if your journal or magazine is not listed, we don't have a subscription to the title; you may get the article you need through RACER; it typically takes 7-10 days for the photocopied article to arrive

Locating Paper Journals

To find a paper version of a journal or magazine, you must know...

  1. The library that holds it (Mills, Innis, Thode or Health Sciences)
  2. The location within that library (Serials Stacks, Periodicals, etc.)
  3. How it is arranged at that location
  • Mills arranges by call number
  • Innis arranges alphabetically by title (call numbers are noted in the catalogue)
  • Thode arranges alphabetically by title/range number
  • Health Sciences arranges alphabetically by title

Understanding the "Location" tab

The location tab tells you:

  • the library and location within the library, e.g.,
    • HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY, Health Sciences Journals-Lower Level
      • the journal is on the lower level of the Health Sciences Library in the Journals area
    • MILLS LIBRARY, 3rd floor: the journal is on the third floor of Mills Memorial Library
  • whether we have the issue(s) you need, e.g.,
    • We have: v.1 (1979) - v. 24 (2003)
      MISSING: v.4 (1983): no.2-no.4
    • this means we have all paper issues from v.1 (1979) to v.24 (2003) EXCEPT issues no. 2, 3 and 4 of volume 4, 1983.
    •  N.B. if you see a note: "Print cancelled. Now available online", it means we have the listed issues in paper, but are getting the current issues in online format only
  • for online journals (e-journals):
    • click a Get it! button or a link labelled "Access this resource" to connect to the issues/years available
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