Obtaining Full Text Materials

The research process requires one to locate information from books and articles. ( If you are not sure how to begin to do this or feel unsure, please note and click on First Help). The Internet is the most current place to go. More and more materials appear in full-text and some sites provide free downloading or viewing.

You should know the difference between Bibliographic Citation Databases & Full Text Databases.

A bibliographic citation database supplies the exact information needed to locate the original/source book, article, format.

A Full Text Database supplies the citation along with the full text of the desired material.

Religion Online

Here is a repository of full text materials by recognized scholars and includes more than 3,000 articles and chapters. http://www.religion-online.org

Online Databases

FirstSearch: Trinity has chosen to purchase a database package from OCLC that include citation and some full-text listings. The 12 databases in this package come from scholarly resources relevant to academic research needs. Downolad the 2 tutorials before you begin searching.

The databases ATLA Religion & WorldCat are the most applicable databases to use.(FirstSearch supports the ability to search in up to three databases at once). But note others that also support full text.
If you use the database "WorldCat" when searching you will be able to see what libraries in your environs "hold" (have) the item in question.

It may be best to telephone the library to make sure that the item is actually on the shelf and available to circulate before actually going to the library. It may be necessary to locate to a locate an academic (graduate level) library or local public library to obtain the hard copy of the magazine/journal needed. Reference librarians are usually more than willing to help you with your information needs. If they cannot provide the information you require, they usually can point you to where you can find it.

Please realize, that any library or resource provider (digital or otherwise) will try, but cannot possibly be all things to all men.

Research Level Libraries in Your Locale

The databse WorldCat (a FirstSearch database) will list libraries where you can locate material.
Academic and public libraries are listed alphabeticall by state. If after using the tutorials for FirstSearch you still need assistance, contact the Information Specialist. librarian@trinitysem.edu
Access via your State Library Internet System/Consortium

You may want to check online at "LibWeb". Just type it into the query box of your favorite search engine to see if you have free state access or have a graduate level library in your environs. This is a list of online libraries on the local, state, regional, and international levels. Also: a "Directory of Library Catalogs Throughout the World" at: http://www.libdex.com