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Library Search: About Library Search

Introducing the Library Search services

The Library Search services will help you discover books, journals, articles, audio visual material and more on your chosen topic. This is a good place to start when you are beginning to research a topic as you can draw on content from a variety of different sources.

Library Search

Search for print and online books, journals, articles + more. Library Search LibGuide available for guidance.

computer generated representation of person typing info into a computer
Penryn Library Search

Search the print and streaming media collections that you have access to at Penryn campus.

Library Search - Why use anything else?

Library Search enables you to find high quality resources from a wide range of sources in a single search.

  • It is great as a starting point.
  • It covers all topics
  • If you are looking for a specific book or journal title, you can quickly find out if you have access by limiting your search to items on the Library catalogue.
  • If you are looking for a range of content on a particular topic you can find a large amount of full text material, drawn from across the databases available via the Library
  • In the vast majority of cases, the content you find will be immediately accessible in full text online

BUT - be aware that ...

  • It doesn’t cover every database, some specialist content needs to be searched separately.
  • It does not have all the advanced search options like the specialist databases. Some databases have in built thesauri and search histories for example, which can assist with complex search strategies
  • It does not provide personalisation/alert features. Some databases allow you to save and rerun searches or set up alert services for current awareness.

How do I save records from library search?  See our FAQ

Complementary search tools

Think of the Library Search and A-Z Databases Lists as complementary services and choose whichever suits your research need at the time.  

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