Frequently Asked Questions
Locating Materials:
How do I find research material on my topic in:
- Journal articles
- Books
- Internet sites
Accessing Materials Online:
Obtaining Pring Materials by Mail
- How do I obtain journal articles and books that are not available online?
- How long will it take to acquire these materials?
- What is the cost of the service?
- How can I expedite the process?
- Are there other options?
Obtaining Print Materials in Person
- How do I find out if a book is available at UMDNJ?
- How do I find out if print materials are available from a local source?
- How do I borrow a book in person?
- How can I obtain a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation?
Getting Help
- Can I ask a librarian a reference question?
- Who do I go to for help with a database search?
- Where do I report technical difficulties?
How do I find research material on my topic in:
Locate articles by performing a search in one or more of the Libraries’ electronic databases, located at http://www.umdnj.edu/librweb/databases.html. If you would like to take a brief tutorial on using a resource, consult the Tutorials link on the left side menu bar.
SFX is a resource that allows users to key in a search topic and have the system search for the information across a number of resources. To use SFX, go to http://sfx.umdnj.edu:3210/sfxlcl3/a-z. Information on the SFX system is located there.
The UMDNJ – University Libraries’ collection of e-books is listed at http://www2.umdnj.edu/rwjlbweb/ebooks-subject.htm, or is found in the Online Catalog.
Go to the Virtual Reference link to find quality resources.
Or, you can select a a quality search engine such as:
Google http://www.google.com
Northern Light http://www.northernlight.com
Allthesites http://www.allthesites.com/
AltaVista http://www.altavista.com/
Some links to quality Internet sites are found in Toolkit.
In order to perform the best search, you should use the most specific terms that express your concept. If you are looking for articles, for example, on non-small cell lung cancer, don’t just search on the broad term, cancer.
If you don’t get good results, check your spelling. Try other terms that also express your concept, including acronyms.
Remember that much of the information on the Internet is NOT quality-controlled; government sites or educational sites (.gov or .edu) are most likely to have reliable, quality information
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How do I access the articles I have identified?
Many of the UMDNJ – University Libraries’ databases include direct links to full-text versions of articles. If the citation includes a caption indicating “full-text,” click to go automatically to the complete article. It is also possible to click the SFX button located on your search results screen to see copies of full-text articles. The UMDNJ – University Libraries also provide access to full-text of many other journal articles that are not linked directly from a database.
To determine if a journal is available electronically, check the Online Catalog or the Electronic Journals page on the Libraries’ Web site. Not all journals are available electronically. If you cannot locate an electronic full-text copy of an article, you can complete an Interlibrary Loan Request Form and one will be obtained for you.
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What electronic journals does UMDNJ have?
To determine if a journal is available electronically, check the Online Catalog or the Electronic Journals page on the Libraries’ Web site. Not all journals are available electronically.
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What books are available electronically?
Books and book collections available electronically through UMDNJ – University Libraries are listed in the online catalog. There is also a list of electronic books by subject, title and author.
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What do I need to do in order to access these resources electronically?
You will need a remote access account. Once this has been established for you, you can access electronic resources. Remember to always begin your search for materials from one of the campus libraries’ Web sites or from the University Libraries Web page. When you click to view a resource, you will be prompted to enter your full last name and the last four digits of your University “A” ID number as a user name and password. Once you’ve been authenticated by the system, you will be passed through to the information resource of your choice. For more information, please consult Remote Access/EZProxy.
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How do I obtain journal articles and books that are not available electronically?
You can submit a request for the item via forms at George F. Smith Libray's Interlibrary Loan Web page, found at: http://www.umdnj.edu/delibweb/ill.html
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How long will it take to acquire these materials?
You should allow 5-7 business days for the average article request. Items owned by UMDNJ – University Libraries will be available fairly quickly; it may take some time to locate and obtain materials from other sources. Books are sent via the U.S. Postal Service and will be delivered more slowly than articles, which are photocopied or scanned, then faxed, mailed, or e-mailed to the Smith Library.
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What is the cost of the service?
The fees are as follows:
For items owned by UMDNJ – University Libraries –
$.25/page for articles
$22 for books shipped to you on loan from the UMDNJ collection
For items NOT owned by UMDNJ – University Libraries –
$12 each for articles mailed via U.S.P.S.
$22 each for articles faxed, e-mailed, or posted on the Web for your retrieval
Books that are borrowed must be returned at your expense by the due date. Failure to do so may result in the withholding of diplomas or transcripts.
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How can I expedite the process?
There are a number of things that make the process speedier –
- Provide complete, accurate bibliographic information for the requested item, such as MEDLINE UI number, title, author, journal title, volume and issue numbers, date of publication, and page numbers.
- Indicate a “need by” or “not needed after” date on your request.
For more information, consult Inter-Library Loan Department page.
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Are there other options?
There are commercial document delivery companies that provide prompt service for a fee. For a list of options, consult the "Commercial Services" section at: http://www.umdnj.edu/librweb/dds_UMDNJusers.html
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How do I find out if a book is available at UMDNJ?
Check the Online Catalog http://voyager.umdnj.edu/ to determine availability and loan status. Remember that course textbooks that have been placed in the Reference Collection or on Reserve do not circulate.
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How do I find out if print materials are available from a local source?
If there are other colleges, universities, or large public libraries located near you, search their Web sites and look for a link to Library Services or Online Catalog. Once you locate these links, search for your item. If you locate the book or journal that you need, you may want to contact the library to learn their borrowing or use policies OR request the item via interlibrary loan.
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How do I borrow a book in person?
You will need to register at the Circulation Desk of a campus library first. Once you’ve completed this process and have been assigned a barcode, your materials will be checked out to you.
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How can I obtain a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation?
These materials can be difficult to obtain, depending upon library policies. Since these are unique materials and there are few copies, most libraries limit use to onsite only and will not circulate or photocopy theses or dissertations. They can be requested via Interlibrary Loan, but the request may/may not be filled. UMI (University Microfilms International) is in the business of selling copies of theses and dissertations. For more information, see http://www.umi.com/hp/Products/Dissertations.html
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Can I ask a librarian a reference question?
Who do I go to for help with a database search?
Submit your questions to Ask A Reference Librarian at: http://www.umdnj.edu/librweb/newarklib/ref/inquiry.html
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Where do I report technical difficulties? And where do I get help with EZProxy?
Submit your question via a UMDNJ Libraries Remote Access Problem Report http://www.umdnj.edu/librweb/access/ezp/ezhelp.htm
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