The Library in Five Minutes: Finding Books and Articles

Bluffton University patrons have a number of options for finding books and other materials. Review the full Finding Books guide for more details.

Bluffton University patrons have a number of library catalog options for finding books and other materials.

1. Search the Bluffton Catalog - to find materials here at our library.
2. Search the OhioLINK Catalog - to find materials at other academic libraries in Ohio. Request materials for pickup at Bluffton, Edison, Northwest State or other OhioLINK institutions. For help, see: https://www.bluffton.edu/Library/services/offcampus.aspx
3. Search the SearchOhio Catalog - to find materials at public libraries in Ohio. Available items can be requested.
4. Search WorldCat / Interlibrary Loan - usually, the first three steps will enable you to find what you need. But if not, you can search WorldCat to see if it might be available there. WorldCat includes materials from libraries around the world. WorldCat is listed on the library’s homepage and on the Find Articles and More in Research Databases page. If an item is found, patrons can fill out an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request form. The library staff will then try to borrow the book from a library that owns the item (Important note for students at Northwest State and Edison: we cannot deliver ILL books to these sites – they would need to be picked up at Musselman Library).

For more help, review the full Finding Books guide.

Select “Search WINDOW” at the library's homepage.

Enter your search terms and click on the Search button.

Your results will include both books and articles. To limit your search to the Bluffton Catalog, checkmark the box for Bluffton Catalog in the lefthand column.

To expand your search to OhioLINK, click on the Search button at the bottom of the OhioLINK widget on the right side of the screen.

There are a number of ways to find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles. You can search WINDOW or you can search individual Research Databases.

Select “Search WINDOW” at the library's homepage.

Enter your search terms and click on the Search button.

Your results will include both books and articles. To limit your search to article sources, choose from the options in the lefthand column (eg. academic journals, magazines, trade publications).

Searching individual databases is also a good way to proceed. It’s a way to focus your search. While WINDOW searches many databases, searching an individual database allows you to focus on one subject area. You might decide to search a business database, or one in the area of sociology, psychology, medicine and health, etc.

Often an individual database (e.g. Business Source Complete) offers more specialized options for refining your search than WINDOW does.

Musselman Library has access to more than 220 research databases. Follow:  library homepage > “Find Articles and More in Research Databases” to see alphabetical and subject lists.

Interlibrary Loan

In many cases, articles will be available fulltext from within WINDOW, or in the research databases. But if they aren't, don't give up. We can often get the articles for you.

• Place an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request, using the article request form on the Interlibrary Loan page OR find the ILL link in the database record for the article of interest.
• Many times we can get what you need. Articles can be available in about a week. But it can take up to three weeks, so it’s helpful if you do your research early so that we can better assist you.
• Don’t give up on a source just because it’s not immediately available full-text. Often we can help you access the source you want if we have sufficient time.
• ILL article delivery: Usually the article will be delivered by email.