For in-depth searches, try databases. Use databases to search for articles, books, newspapers, and more on a particular topic. Choose broad subject areas (e.g., history, art, political science) and interdisciplinary databases, or ones that search across multiple disciplines. The Library has access to hundreds of databases -- organized by broad subject areas.
To begin your search, type your search terms into the Basic Search Box at the center of the Library Home Page, or click on the “Advanced Search” link below the box. Please note that an Advanced Search will give you access to more options to narrow your search -- but you can always change to Advanced Search later on.
As with the Simple Search, the default scope for the Advanced Search is Articles, books, and more. However, with the Advanced Search, in addition to a platform that will guide you in using Boolean operators and narrow you can use the radio buttons to change your search to items within the Library Catalog only (only UC San Diego Library items), WorldCat, or Course Reserves:
The results page is divided into two parts. A list of items that fit your search parameters will appear in the middle of your screen and additional limiting filters will appear on the left side. Use the filter options on the left under “Refine Your Results'' to narrow your search in various ways. The available options are dependent on the listed results. These include:
Once you have limited the results of your search to your liking, you may want to tweak this search (adding new keywords, subjects, authors, etc.) or begin a completely new search.
If you have run a Simple Search, you can do this by clicking on the Advanced Search link to the right of the search box:
If you have run an Advanced Search, you can do this by clicking on the Search Criteria link in the upper right corner of the screen:
To learn more about and access or request a specific item, click on the title link of a search result:
When viewing the record details you will see an item overview, follows by options under “Send to”, a link to “Get It”, and item “Details”.
In the “Send to” section, you may access functional links to export information about the item. You will be able to print, email, export the citation to a citation management system, and more.
The “Get It” section will display options for requesting the item once you have Signed In. If you did not sign in, at the beginning of your search you may do so using the Sign In link within the Sign In call-out message.
Clicking on “Sign in” will prompt you to authorize using your SSO (current students, faculty and staff only):
When signed in, click “Request” to request the item for pickup or “Digitization” to request a scan of a selection of the item. These are located in the Get It Section.
Finally, once you indicate whether you want to request the material in a physical format or have it digitized, you will arrive at a screen asking for the necessary details to complete the transaction (where will you pick it up, what portion do you need to have digitized, etc.)
