Library Search Tool Guide: Home

Maxwell Library Discovery 

Maxwell Library Discovery is the big search box at the center of the library's home page. It is also called EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS). 

EDS is the library's Google-like tool, pulling together the majority of our library resources, such as books/ebooks, journal articles, databases, film, media, government documents, subject research guides, digital repositories, special collections, and web pages.

When you are new to your topic or assignment

Finding the breadth of what is available on your subject.

Researching interdisciplinary topics in all formats

Using the filter and narrow down to your targeted results

Searching for full-text books/articles

Library Catalog

Find print books, journals, media, and some ebooks

Does not search full-text articles or electronic databases

Not all e-books can be found in the catalog 

Library loan policies

When you know you are looking for physical items or ebooks or

When you are looking for a specific title

Finding reserves for my courses

Checking out equipment (e.g. Chromebook and WIFI hotspot)

Finding physical materials and items held by the library quickly

A-Z Databases

Provides over 200 electronic databases, available to BSU faculty, students, and staff only

Electronic databases may contain single or mixed content types (e.g., ebooks, full-text articles, multimedia, newspapers, magazines, videos, primary and web resources)

Some databases focus on particular subjects while some on multidisciplinary topics

When you know you need peer-reviewed journal articles or other full-text scholarly works

Searching by database name, subject area, provider (e.g., Proquest and EBSCOhost), or type (e.g., indexing and abstracts, and full-text)

Performing searches within a database

Journals/Ebook/newspapers A-Z

A portal to all library electronic journals, books, and newspapers

Search in multiple databases simultaneously

Available to BSU faculty, students, and staff only

When you know a specific journal, book, or newspaper title

Browsing by discipline and limiting to peer-reviewed journals

Full-text access 

Crossref Search

Use if you only have a partial citation

Finding articles

Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat)

Borrow physical items (books and DVDs) from Massachusetts libraries

Includes content from libraries within the commonwealth.

Free of charge to BSU members

How to Request an item from the Commonwealth Catalog?

Patron FAQs

Delivery usually takes 7-10 days before you receive the item

You can have 10 active requests on your account

28-day loan period (non-renewable)

If you cannot find the physical materials from the Library Catalog

Interlibrary Loan

BSU faculty, students, and staff may use Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery Services (ILL/DDS) to request materials including book chapters from libraries within the state, the nation, and the world.

Submit online requests

The average length before receiving materials is 7-10 days; digital articles generally 2-4 days.

Loan periods and renewals are determined by the lending library.

When Maxwell Library does not own the resources you need

Worldcat

Search for and request books from libraries across the world

Submit online requests

Loan periods and renewals are determined by the lending library.

If you do not find what you want from the library catalog and ComCat

Google Scholar

Find articles across a wide range of academic literature, from journal publishers, university repositories, and other websites that Google has identified as scholarly.

You can find and access article-level links to full-text materials the library has subscribed to if you configure your Google Scholar first.

Finding e-resources, such as journals and conference articles

Best used when you have a citation for an article and want to find it in full text.

Find physical items placed on reserves specifically for your class

The Course Reserve Collection is located at the Circulation Desk and is staffed all hours that the library is open.

The loan period is 2 hours. Fine may incur if not return by the due time.

Faculty put materials on reserve

When your faculty member tells you there is something on reserve for your class

Get help starting on your topic with Librarian-recommended databases and other resources.

Faculty request course/subject guides specific to a class

When you do not know where to start

Finding resources specific to your course or topic

Bookmark by discipline with all sources hyperlinked

BSU digital repository for research, scholarship, campus publications, archives, journals (e.g., honor theses, yearbooks, and Graduate Review) generated by BSU faculty, students, and staff

When you are looking for BSU-generated scholarship and institutional content

The library's K-12 curriculum library

The majority of the ERC's collection is practical and classroom-oriented for curriculum planning, preparation and teaching of lessons, and assessment of pupils.

The center holds Print Collections, Microfiche Collections, and Standardized Test Collection

Use the Library’s Online Catalog to find specific materials in these collections.

The catalog’s Advanced Search allows you to search by collection (“location”).

Loan periods vary by collection

Some materials do not circulate to non-BSU users.

Archives and Special Collections

Archives: dating back to its founding in 1840

Special Collections include rare and unique books, ephemera, photographs, and manuscript collections.

Special Collections & Archives (digitized collections)

Digital Projects and Online Exhibits

Finding Aids to the Collections describing the scope and content of some of the Archival and Special Collections

When you are looking for primary sources

Contact us by phone, email or fill out the Reference and Research Request Form.

Collections

Find videos and films

Find newspapers