We talk a lot about monographs on this blog and understandably so, the English Faculty Library has got lots of them and new ones are arriving all the time. However, just as important in our mission to support the teaching, study and research activities of the English Faculty are the journal runs that make up a significant chunk of our collections. They come in print and electronic formats, referred to here as journals and ejournals.
Journals
In addition to the 40+ in-print publications residing on the open shelves of our ground floor reading room, there are a number of journal issues that can be requested from the Rare Books Room and Turville-Petre Room during opening hours. Those with a preference for print can also make use of the collections housed in the Old Bodleian Library and off-site store. Stay apprised of the latest developments in your chosen topic by viewing the new journal displays in the ground floor and upper reading rooms of the English Faculty Library and the Old Bodleian Library respectively. You can also set up contents alerts for literature journals using ZETOC.
New journals display at the English Faculty Library.
Ejournals
A significant number of journals are now available electronically, with the Bodleian Libraries boasting online subscriptions to a whopping 118,000 ejournals! Don’t fret if that sounds like a tad too many to get your head around; two powerful tools can help you to filter and refine this number down to a more manageable and relevant list of titles. Ejournals A-Z allows users to search by title, topic and citation, while BrowZine’s sleek interface provides a neat way of filtering by an increasingly specific selection of subjects. Those who choose to create an account with BrowZine are rewarded with customisable services including ‘My Bookshelf’, ‘My Articles’ and integrated citation services. Unlike print journals, ejournals have the added benefit of being accessible away from the library, 24/7.
Searching for Journals and Ejournals
Searching for and requesting serials has never been easier. In the vast majority of cases they are discoverable through SOLO, the library catalogue for Oxford University.
Signing in to the catalogue affords users the option of having a journal article scanned and sent to their email address or for off-site volumes to be sent to a specified Oxford location for in-person consultation.
There are a number of ways to search for the journal issue you want via SOLO. For example, you can search using:
• the title of the journal
• the title of the article
• the ISSN
Different searches can yield markedly different results, so it is worth trying more than one before throwing in towel.
Ulrichsweb
Ulrichsweb is a directory service provided via the Bodleian Libraries that allows users to search for information on over 300,000 periodicals of all types. It is a rich source of metadata that proves a great starting point for constructing a successful search query on SOLO. You can distinguish between different journals of the same name, check whether a particular journal is still in print or if it is available electronically, and what its ISSN is. Find Ulrichsweb in Databases A-Z on the SOLO homepage, or by clicking the link above.
Screenshot of a search for ‘Vanity Fair’ in Ulrichsweb.
Though we’re only just scratching the surface here, the take home message is that there’s never been a better time to get to grips with journals and there’s plenty out there to help you on your way!