FAQs

• How can I suggest a title or recommend that the library purchase a book for Bobst's collection?

  Submit a Library Recommendation form to make collections recommendations.

• How do I check a book out of the library?

  Authorized borrowers check out books at the circulation desk on the first floor. For more information, visit
  Borrowing Policies.

• How do I find a dissertation?

  Visit Finding Doctoral Dissertations.

• How do I find out if the library has a specific book or journal?

  Use the Bobcat catalog to search by book title or journal title.

• How do I search BobCat?

  See BobCat Tutorials. Remember, the BobCat catalog has much more than books -- it searches for music, government documents, electronic journals, children's literature, and many other items.

• I clicked on "full-text", but I only got to the journal's homepage. Why?

  SFX will get you as close to the article-level as it can, given the structure of the information provided by the database publisher. Sometimes you may link directly to the full text, other times you may have to click through to an issue or through a table of contents

• I need a book or a journal that is not in the collection. How can I get it?

  Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service which helps eligible patrons obtain materials that are unavailable in the New York University or consortium libraries. Submit an Interlibrary Loan request.

• Is my journal article or periodical online?

  By searching BobCat
  , you can find out a periodical's location, either in the building or on the Internet.

• Is there a librarian who covers my discipline? How can I contact him/her?

  Visit our list of subject specialists.

• What are oversized books, and where are they?

  Oversized books are too large to fit on the regular stacks shelves, so there are special sections on each floor for them. Check the maps on each floor to find these materials.

• What is The Arch?

  The Arch The Arch is a subject searchable database tool. By selecting a subject or category, you can view databases specific to that subject area, and search them individually or simultaneously for articles
  
  

• What is the difference between microfilm and microform?

  "Microform" is the generic term for material published in microfilm, microfiche or microprint, none of which can be read with the naked eye.

• What magazines do you have?

  You can search for serials (magazines, journals, newspapers, etc.) by their titles by going to BobCat. Search just as you would search for a book title.

• Where are the journals located?

  Most recent issues are located on the 3rd floor, but the latest issues of science journals are shelved on the 9th floor. Older issues are shelved in the stacks by call number (just like books). Microfilm and microfiche subscriptions are housed in the Microform Center on Lower Level 2. By searching BobCat, you can find out a periodical's location, either in the library building or electronically.

• Where is the microform room?

  Microfilm, microfiche, and microprints are all located in the Microform Center on Lower Level 2.

• Why are there two options for full-text for some articles?

  Sometimes NYU Libraries licenses full-text packages from third party vendors, so there are occasionally duplications.

• Why did I get "no hits" when I clicked on "check holdings"?

  NYU Libraries do not subscribe to all the titles indexed in our databases. Students and faculty who find a journal that is not available in any NYU library may fill our an interlibrary loan request in the SFX menu or directly from Interlibrary Loan.

• Why didn't I get a full-text link for my article?

  There are two likely reasons: (1) There is no full text available or, (2) NYU Libraries does not have a license for access to full text of that journal. When a full text link is not available, your next option is to check the BobCat catalog to locate the title in print.

• Why does the number of options in the SFX menu vary?

  When you click on SFX, your computer connects to NYU's SFX database to see what services are available for the article. The only services that display are those that are available.

• Why don't I see any SFX buttons in my search results?

  The database you are searching may not yet be set up by the publisher to work with SFX. Many databases from NYU Libraries are "SFX aware." For a current list, see the SFX Page. Another reason you may not see the button is that you have not enabled javascript on your browser.