Library Guide to Finding Articles

OneSearch is a large source of full text articles and can be a great resource whether you are newly researching a topic or have a specific citation. The system ingests records from the library's licensed commercial databases and e-journals, publisher websites, and open access repositories. Users can find citations and full text for millions of articles, as well as book chapters and reference entries.

By default, OneSearch displays results for content that users can get as full text online from the library. Log in with your NetID when prompted to maximize search results and to access account features.

Expand your search by clicking on the toggle Include results with citation only under Refine Results.

Activating this search can sometimes find immediate full text options both inside and beyond the library's collections. When full text is not offered, the system can provide request forms for interlibrary loan services to efficiently obtain the article from another source.

It is recommended you include citation only results if using OneSearch to find more recent scholarship. The library may not have subscriptions to the most current content, particularly as we have cut several major ejournal packages in recent years (such as Springer and Sage in 2021, and Elsevier for 2024).

Tips for looking up citations in OneSearch:

If you have a specific citation in hand, here are some ways to use the system to obtain the material.

• You can paste a citation into the OneSearch search field.
• If you know what journal the article is in, search for the journal title and then search for the article title.
• If you have a DOI or PMID from a citation, use the quick article look-up tool.

The brief record will provide a direct link to a pdf of the article if available. You can also check for availability options by clicking on the article title to access the full record. 

OneSearch records display two types of full text availability:

Online Availability

Full text access from one of the library's licensed sources, including publisher sites and aggregator databases (e.g. Academic Search Complete).

Physical Availability

Indicates if the library owns the print version of the journal in which the article was published. However, the system cannot automatically check the inventory to verify whether the library has the exact issue containing the article. If you would like a print version, check the Library Owns description in the record, browse the available items through the Description drop-down, or scroll through the item records. 

Note: Due to the way items are inventoried in our system, Description may be the most effective for filtering results.

The “No full text” indicator on a record means no online access is found within the library's collections. You will only find "no full text" records in OneSearch by selecting Include results with citation only under Refine Results. Users may also encounter these records when trying to connect to full text from library databases and other resources.

A "no full text" record may present you with these options:

1) An online copy. These pdfs and full text links are pulled in through enrichment services the library has integrated with OneSearch.

2) A physical copy. The library may only have a physical copy of an article, particularly if it has an older publication date. Physical Availability indicates whether the library owns the print version of the journal in which the article was published. It cannot check whether the issue containing the article is in the library's inventory. Browse the items through the Description drop-down or scroll through the item records.

3) If no options are available, place an interlibrary loan request to receive an electronic copy of the article. For your convenience, an interlibrary loan form link displays and pre-populates with details from the record you are coming from. Fulfillment takes 1-4 days.  

FYI, should the library have a physical holding for a journal, the interlibrary loan request option will display a bit differently. Use this route if the library does not offer the volume containing the article you are looking for.

Should the interlibrary loan form fail to display, access the form here and fill it out manually. See Get the item through Interlibrary loan for details about services and timelines.

Many library databases are a source of full text and abstracting information for journal articles, book chapters, and other types of publications. When a database cannot directly provide the full text, most are configured to help users locate full text sources within the library’s collections using link resolver technology. Look for a link labeled “Link to article” in most databases.

If library services can find a pdf in one of our collections or an open access source, a download page will display to you.

Should the library lack the full text of an article, the No full text options will be provided.

Interlibrary loan requests may be submitted from records in OneSearch and library databases if full text is not available.

A blank request form may be accessed from Log onto Illiad. 

Articles are delivered electronically within 1-4 days and are available to the patron 24/7 for 30 days from the date of receipt. They can be viewed, printed, pasted into documents, saved to disk or downloaded to a personal computer.

See Interlibrary Loan Policies for more information about use and timelines for interlibrary loan services.

Tip: Use the search box below if you have a DOI or PMID from a citation. This quick lookup tool allows you to quickly determine if the article is available from a library source and place an interlibrary loan or Article Galaxy Scholar request if we do not have the item.

Article Galaxy Scholar (AGS) is a fast article delivery service introduced in January 2024 to complement interlibrary loan (ILL) services, particularly for Elsevier journals that were cancelled at that time. Unlike traditional ILL, which typically takes 1–4 days, AGS offers near-instant, 24/7 access to articles not owned by the library.

Starting in Fall 2024, the library expanded AGS coverage to include additional publishers such as Springer, Sage, Oxford University Press, and others. To determine whether an article qualifies for AGS or must be requested through ILL, please refer to the instructions and use the designated request form.

Both AGS and ILL are free for users. However, AGS incurs an average cost of $30 per request to the library. To help manage expenses, users are encouraged to use ILL when immediate access is not essential. The library will monitor AGS usage closely and strive to allocate sufficient budget to meet demand. Please note that if AGS funding runs out, it may not be replenished until the next fiscal year.

To submit an AGS request, locate the article citation in OneSearch. If the full text is unavailable, enable the “Include results with citation only” filter under Refine Results to find eligible citations.

An article record without a full text match from one of our subscriptions or open access source will display as No full text.

Articles that are available to request from Article Galaxy Scholar (AGS) will have a Request PDF link in the record. An ILL request option also displays for your convenience on the request screen--shown below.

Articles that aren’t available to request from Article Galaxy Scholar (AGS) can be obtained through ILL by clicking into the record and finding the link to the ILL request form. 

To make an AGS request click REQUEST IMMEDIATE PDF, enter a valid UM email address and click Submit.

Click the Request PDF button on the following screen to submit the request.

The article PDF will load in your browser or you can download it at a later time through the confirmation email you receive. Download the article to a location you will be able to access later. The download will only work once before you will get an error message.

Note: You will receive a confirmation email from "Reprints Desk," followed by a second email with a link to the PDF. This link will be valid for 30 days. If you don't receive your article in a timely manner, check your SPAM filter and add "reprintsdesk.com" to your list of permitted senders.

Example of PDF download email:

The document is protected by copyright. You are responsible for complying with all appropriate copyright laws with your use of this article.