E-Journals FAQ

What is the basic strategy for identifying full-text articles?
Your strategy will differ depending on your particular need:

• Are you just looking for a few good articles to back up a term paper?
• Do you have citations to specific articles already?
• Are you conducting a more thorough literature search for your research?

Are all journals available electronically?

• Not all journals are online. Some (journals or years) may never be.
• Not all years of an electronic journal are necessarily available because:
  • Electronic publishing is relatively new, and the publisher may not choose to electronically publish back issues.
  • As with print products, sometimes we may only access the years for which we have paid.

• Not always; only if the entire page image was scanned into the database.
• Some services offer text only (no graphs, charts, photos, etc.). You may need to consult the print version to get the "complete picture".
• Some electronic versions do not include non-article items, such as letters to the editor or advertisements.

• Most are available only for an additional fee or may require us to maintain a print subscription to subsidize the electronic access.
• Some are included as a package with our current print subscription.
• Some are free for an initial period but require a subscription later.

• The E-Journals link on the Libraries' Home Page provides the E-Journals Locator to search or browse for specific journal titles. Entries in the E-Journals Locator include the years of coverage and a link to the full text site(s) subscribed by the UF Libraries. The page also includes links to packages of articles and lists of major publishers.
• The UF Libraries' Catalog - records will include links to full text options if subscribed. Because the Library Catalog updates for E-Journals occur once a month (instead of daily as in the case of the E-Journal Locator), added or changed links may vary slightly between the catalog and E-Journals Locator (above).
• Trial subscriptions link from "What's New?" may provide temporary access.

• The Libraries may not subscribe to the electronic version.
• Some licenses restrict use to campus.
• Some journals are accessible if you type in your activated Gator-1 card number; you may activate your card at any library on campus.
• Some journals are accessible only if you use UF as your Internet Service Provider (e.g., your GatorLink account) or if you use the Libraries' proxy.

1. Library staff need to be aware of an electronic journal's availability. Sometimes publishers inform us. Sometimes we are alerted by UF faculty or students to check into possible access.
2. A License agreement often needs to be examined for compliance with the laws of the State of Florida. Publishers are far more concerned about the ease with which copyright laws may be violated in the electronic environment. The UF Libraries must now often work with the University attorney and the publisher before a license may be signed and access provided.
3. The connectivity/access methods and limits need to be examined to see that they can be reasonably implemented and enforced by the UF Libraries. For example, does the publisher expect the library to distribute and protect the security of a single password to potentially 40,000+ users? If we're lucky, the publisher may allow us to distribute access to anyone with a campus IP address (ufl.edu).
4. In most cases negotiations are eventually completed and library staff do the groundwork necessary for access.
5. Sometimes, however, the UF Libraries may simply not be able to provide access.

• When the cost is prohibitive.
• When the license restrictions are impossible to meet.
• When the publisher doesn't respond to requests for access or further information.
• When any individual may subscribe (without the Libraries' intervention).

• Scanned image formats: PDF, requiring Acrobat.
• Sci/tech formats to display formulas and symbols properly: TeX, LaTeX, Postscript, etc.

• Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory describes access and format options, also gives the ISSN of a journal.

• Are you sure it's not available electronically? Did you check the strategies on the Finding Full-Text Articles page or consult with a Reference Librarian?
• Check to see if there is a print version of the journal available in the library.
• Request through Interlibrary Loan if no print version is available on campus.
• Read the abstract, etc. either through an indexing service or from the publisher's home page.