New Database Module: ACS Legacy Archives

Although we have had the current (1996+) full-text content of the many journals published by the American Chemical Society for several years, we are happy to have just added the deep backfile of ACS journals to our available resources.

Called the ACS Legacy Archives, this journal module "provides full-text searching and instant access to all titles, volumes, issues, and articles published by the ACS from 1879 to 1995." That means that science (and other interested) students and faculty can now make use of an additional 464,037 articles, 11,103 issues, and 966 volumes of the valuable research literature published by the ACS over the years. Instantly access the "best minds from 117 years of chemistry...including 180 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry, Physics, and Physiology or Medicine."

Suffolk users should access this content the same way they have always accessed ACS Publications, through the Suffolk link to the ACS Publications homepage. This busy homepage allows researchers to browse journals (see list in the lower left) or you can simply perform a search for keyword topic or author or title words from the search box in the upper right.

Since the default option of the search box is "Anywhere," I usually open the pull-down box and search specifically for a title concept or author. Note, too, that there is a a light yellow Advanced Search button you can click that allows for more precise searching.

Want to know more about the Legacy Archives? You can take a look at this page or this PDF brochure.

We hope that you find this core scientific literature helpful to your research.

[FIND ACS Publications (including the Legacy Archives) on the Sciences page of the "Database by Subject"Lists, right on the first column.]

New Database: Gender Studies Database

This past spring, we added another database that expands the specialized research options of our student and faculty researchers. Gender Studies Database (GSD) is a newish database from our most familiar vendor, EBSCOhost. But it results from the acquisition of several long- established indexes from a small publisher called National Information Services Corporation (NISC). GSD combines the older Women's Studies International with a Men's Studies database, providing a wide range of gender studies materials.

EBSCO indicates that "GSD covers the full spectrum of gender-engaged scholarship inside and outside academia." But the admission that some of the content is "outside academia" can be reason for caution. Although covering activist and community and "gray" literature is perfectly valid in an index analyzing gender issues, all materials may not be appropriate for ALL research needs. GSD includes "several thousand links to freely available and indexed full-text articles and documents on the Internet," from "carefully selected and important websites." But these items may not be applicable for use in an academic paper. (If you are unsure, review all materials with your professor before committing them to your paper!)

GSD source documents include professional journals, conference papers, books, book chapters, government reports, discussion and working papers, theses & dissertations, among others. This database includes more than 869,000 records, with coverage spanning from 1972 (and earlier) to the present. To review a list of GSD's indexed sources see this list.

Although some full-text (as in the first item in the above search) will be available directly from GSD, or "soft-linked" from other EBSCO databases we subscribe to, like Academic Search Complete, you should check the "360 Link to Full Text" option (as circled in above search example) for any item that interests you that does not display an HTML or PDF Full Text icon underneath the results citation. Note, too, as in the above screenshot, that you can easily limit your results to "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" by simply clicking a box on the opening screen, or in the left frame of your results page. If your professor says "academic journals only" to you, limit your results to avoid any of the general web materials that GSD also indexes.

The coverage of sexual diversity issues is impressive in GSD. Combine it with the earlier blogged-about LGBT Life with Full Text and you will discover a great wealth of materials related to sexuality and gender topics.

[FIND Gender Studies Database on the Social Sciences page of the "Database by Subject" Lists, right above LGBT Life with Full Text, on the second column.]

New Database Module: GMID Passport Industrial

We have had the Global Market Information Database (GMID) for several years. It is probably the most maddening database to which we subscribe. Without doubt, it has more valuable international business intelligence than just about any other database available to educational users. I would also bet that it will frustrate and confuse almost any scholar or librarian that attempts to utilize it for the first time...and maybe for the twentieth time. The information in GMID is very high-quality, but the interface is such that you are more likely to stumble upon a useful report than actually identify it through an intelligent and systematic research process.

Because the database has so much unique and useful information, we continue to build upon it, even as we despair that the platform never seems to become any more user-friendly. Recently, we added the Industrial module to the database.

Euromonitor claims that "Passport Industrial is a breakthrough economic research solution that analyses the industrial makeup of the six largest economies in the world – China, Germany, France, Japan, UK and USA. It provides a strategic assessment of each industry and explains the complex relationships between them."

They go on to say that "Passport Industrial analyses each country in striking detail. An entire economy is split into 177 industry sectors which equate to total GDP for that country. Industries are compatible with the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) code. Each industry is analysed in its entirety, from its sources of supply to its buyers, allowing you to trace the whole value chain from raw material extraction to end consumption.

There are two problems with the early launch. One is that Japan is promised, but is not yet available. The other is that, as a European -based company, Euromonitor does not use the U.S. Government system of the NAICS or the SIC, but rather the ISIC. See this link for more on this different industrial classification schedule.

So, how do you get to the Industrial area of GMID? First, login to the main database as a member of the Suffolk Community (by being at a Suffolk IP or by authenticating through the proxy if you are off-campus). After you accept the agreement, you will go to the GMID homepage.

Click the teal-turning-orange tab in the top banner for Industries (as illustrated in the first screen-shot, above left) and then move down the list and click the word Industrial (as circled in the picture).

Once you get to the opening Industrial page, you can browse recent reports. Or, better yet, look to the left gray frame on that page. Below all the industry categories is another section labeled SEARCH ANALYSIS (see the screenshot above and to the right). Click on the Country Reports category (as circled in the picture).

That will bring you to another page, illustrated below. All (currently 885) reports will be listed there. Above the results list, simply filter the big list (see circle) by geography and/or category to get the reports you want to see.


Alas, it is neither an easy nor an intuitive process. But the material is good quality, so do take advantage of our major investment on your behalf!

[FIND GMID on the Business and Management page of the "Database by Subject" Lists.]

Database Alert: SpringerLink Changes, Use New Link

Please be advised that SpringerLink (like LexisNexis Academic and Wiley Online Library) changed their platform this past weekend. Unfortunately, the company did not warn us that the advanced/citation search (which is a much better approach for those researching a topic or tracking a specific article) would no longer be a stable link. Therefore, the links on our database pages and guides are not currently viable. They will produce an error.

Here is the valid basic link to the database, set to run through our proxy:

http://0-www.springerlink.com.library.law.suffolk.edu/

Use this URL while we get our links changed through Web Services. Or, you may simply adjust the shortcut in the address window. Our links produce a Page Not Found error that has this address:

Simply remove the error part of the URL, as in

and hit enter, and you should be able to access the database with no problem.

Advanced Search still provides more research options, but you must now click on the button just to the right of GO in the electric orange top banner to get to advanced search.

We are sorry for any inconvenience. Please contact us with any questions or concerns. All of our links should be updated shortly.