LinkSource Provides Easy Access

Finding scholarly information for research just got easier for Harding University students and faculty. A recent purchase of EBSCO's LinkSource software will allow researchers to find citations for material and also find the full text of an article no matter where it is located.

"It's very common for article databases to only include a citation and abstract of an article," stated E-Learning & Instruction Librarian Lisa Burley. "Often, the complete text may be available in another online resource, but it's not obvious to the user. In the past, it was necessary to take several steps to find out if our library owned the full text. LinkSource will make the process much easier."

Citations found in any Brackett Library database will have a LinkSource button and/or a text link saying "Search for full text". This is usually shown on the citation in the list of results, but in some databases it will only appear in the detailed reference record.

When the link is clicked, researchers will be connected directly to the full text if it is available online. If LinkSource cannot locate the full text, three options will be presented. Users may choose to search the Brackett Library print collection to see if a physical copy is available in the library. If a physical copy is not available, users can use the Interlibrary Loan link to request the article through ILL. A third option offers the possibility of searching Google scholar for more information.

"Our goal is get our patrons as close to full text articles as we can. Each database has its own rules, but we will connect you as closely as possible," stated Ms. Burley. "And if you need help finding a physical copy, feel free to ask a librarian. That's why we're here!"