Within the 'Articles' tab, use the 'Quick article search' to search across a selection of resources and get fast results. Alternatively, conduct a more in-depth search across a wide ranger of databases by specifying the subject in the drop-down menu.
Quick article search
'Quick article search' is a single large database of scholarly full text journal articles, ebooks, conference proceedings, reviews, newspaper articles and more. It includes a selection of the Library's online subscription databases together with many free websites. Search results are returned very quickly and are generally very relevant.
Mixed subject databases search
A 'Mixed subject databases' search will search across a number of very content-rich databases simultaneously, and incorporates several large databases that are included in a 'Quick article search'.
Subject area search
You can also limit your search to databases that are in a particular subject area or format, by choosing from the drop down list next for the search bar. For example, you can choose to search only across business or literature databases or Australian newspapers.
Viewing your search results
'Quick article search' results are returned very quickly and are generally very relevant.
'Mixed subject databases' and specific subject area search results are delivered more slowly than quick articles. Searching for articles across numerous remote databases simultaneously takes about a minute or so to return the first set of results. When you search this way, a pop-up box indicates the progress of your initial search. You can click on 'Show me what you have so far' at any time to stop the search and view the results.
You can add more results to your initial search by clicking on 'Display more results?' New results are indicated as such, and are interfiled with the first set of results in order of relevancy.
Accessing articles in the Library & from home
All the databases included in an 'Articles' search can be accessed when you are on site at the Library without signing in.
Most of these databases are also accessible from home if you are a registered Library user and Victorian resident. To access them, first sign in to the catalogue (via the 'Sign in' link on the top right of the catalogue). Select the 'View online' link for the article you wish to view. You'll be prompted to sign in again on the 'Access from home' log-in screen and agree to the conditions of access. (If there is no 'View online' link, you may be able to view the article online via the links in the 'More' or 'Details' tabs.)
Some articles can be accessed by anyone from anywhere. The 'Quick article search' contains many free sources as well as subscription-only material. You can search a selection of free databases by selecting 'Free websites' in the drop-down menu right of the search box (it's third on the list). Some subject categories contain freely available material too. These are identified in the drop-down menu as 'partial access' or 'full access' when you are outside the Library and not signed in.
More articles
Some of the Library's electronic resources are not available in the 'Articles' tab. To search for more articles and electronic books, visit our Research tools page. You can also check the Databases A–Z list for a range of online databases the Library subscribes to.
