Determine if UCSC subscribes to a Journal

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CRUZCAT, the UCSC Library catalog (cruzcat.ucsc.edu), is the best tool to use to determine if the library subscribes to the journal you need. CRUZCAT shows material owned by UCSC and where it is located.

  • To find out if UCSC owns a journal you need to know the title of the journal the article was published in. Do NOT use the title of the article. (Choose an "Article Database" to find articles on a topic.
     

1. Look up the journal title in CRUZCAT to see if UCSC has a subscription.
Enter the journal title in the search box (the text in the drop-down box should read TITLE).

Note: The term "journal" also refers to magazines. The term "periodical" refers to anything published at regular intervals and includes journals, magazines and newspapers. These terms are often used interchangeably.
 

2. Scan the list of results to find the journal you need and click on the journal title to display the full record.

Tip: Can't figure out which entry is the title of a journal? Use the Periodicals and Journals search in CRUZCAT to focus your search to journals only.

  1. Look for the pulldown menu bar, titled "Search a Different Collection" in the gray section of the CRUZCAT main page.
  2. Pull down to Periodicals and Journals then click the GO button.
  3. Enter the name of the journal in the search box.


3. Look through the full record to find:

  • Which library holds the journal, the call number, subscription dates, and if there is an electronic subscription.

Important Note: IGNORE the table with column headings Loc, Call#, and Status. It does not show what the library owns, it only shows what has been checked out in the past. The LIB.HAS and Latest Received lines show what the library has in the collection.


4. If there is no link to a database or website:

  • Write down the complete call number of the journal/magazine


5. Find the Journal in the library:

  • Consult the Call Number Guide to determine where the call number is shelved. A guide is available at the reference computer stations in McHenry library and posted next to the stairwells in the Science and Engineering library. Or see Library Research page> Getting Started with Research> Use Call Numbers to Find Materials in the Library

Find the journal at McHenry Library

  • Go to the stacks (bookshelves) to retrieve the journal. All journals are shelved by call number in the stacks (there is no longer a section for new journals in McHenry library)

Find the journal at Science and Engineering Library

    • If it is a very new article (approximately 6 - 12 months old) go to the current periodicals area. (Main Level of the Science and Engineering Library)
    • If it is an older issue, go to the stacks (bookshelves) to find the bound issues of the magazine or journal on the shelf.


If you don't find the journal you need in CRUZCAT, search again using MELVYL (http://melvyl.cdlib.org).

What to do if UCSC does not own the periodical or journal:

  • Request the journal article through Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery (library.ucsc.edu/services/ill)
    Follow the directions on this page to request articles.

    • Articles often arrive within a few days. A message letting you know the article is ready and directions about how to retrieve it will be sent to the email address you provide with your request.