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How to Use Database Alert Services

How to set up tables-of-contents and search alerts, and stay up-to-date in your field!

How To

Use Database Alert Services (and Stay Up-to-Date)

Set Up Alerts!

Table of Contents alerts will automatically notify you when a new issue of a particular magazine or scholarly journal has been published, and will provide you with its table of contents.

As you can imagine, this is a great way to stay up-to-date with the latest content from periodicals relevant to your particular field of research or interest!

The Table-of-Contents alert instructions are arranged by database vendor, because it is from our databases that our periodical information is delivered.

Step 1 is to determine which of our library databases contains the periodical information that you want to be alerted about. You might already have this information, but if not, use the library's Journal Finder (link below), searching on the title of the periodical, and find which of our databases contains the periodical's indexing (and full-text).

A librarian can help you with this! Questions? Ask a Librarian!

Search alerts allow you to search for a topic in one or more databases and then save that search to be automatically run on a regular schedule, as new item are added to the database.  When new items are found that match your search, you will be sent an e-mail message.  Most search alerts require you to create an account on the database first, then perform your search, save it, and then set up your alert.  (This is often done from the results screen or from your search history screen).  Instructions for individual database providers are provided on this guide.

 

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