There are two ways to search the Periodicals List:

1. Searches you initiate yourself (discussed on this page)
2. Searches that are initiated through databases -- Find It (discussed on the next page)

There are two main things to remember when you search the Periodicals List:

1. You are searching to determine if the library owns the publication you need. Keep in mind that the library may not. (See the Interlibrary Loan module if this is the case.)
   
2. You search using the publication name, not the article title.

Example of a Search for an Article

Let's pretend you have a citation to an article. Here's what you do.

Determine whether or not the Meriam Library has the magazine or journal containing the article you want.

There are three important questions you need to answer:

1. Does the Library subscribe to the magazine or journal? if yes,
2. Does the Library own the particular year of the magazine you want? if yes,
3. What is the library call number, or where is it available online?

Citation:
Aloise-Young, Patricia A.C, and Chavez, Ernest L. "Not all school dropouts are the same: Ethnic differences in the relation between reason for leaving school and adolescent substance use," Psychology in the Schools, 2002 vol. 39(5), p. 539-547.

• To find out, check the Periodicals List
  
  
• From the ReSEARCH Station, click on "Periodicals List"

• As you can see from the image above, we've typed the name of the journal into the search box. Now all we have to do is click on the Go button.
  
  
• REMEMBER: Do not type the title of the article, "Not all school dropouts are the same: Ethnic differences in the relation between reason for leaving school and adolescent substance use". Type in the name of the journal: psychology in the schools  (tip: you don't need to capitalize).

Next, if the Library subscribes to the journal, you will see a screen like the one below.

• The journal title is highlighted in yellow. Now you need to click on the red underlined title "Psychology in the Schools." This will take you to the Citation Station, which tells you what kind of access you're going to have to this journal, print or online, or both.
  
  
• Looking at the Citation Station screenshot below, you'll see we have three matches for our journal title: 1) EBSCO Academic Search Premier, 2) Meriam Library Catalog, and 3) Wiley Interscience. That's good! It means you will be able to get your article in either electronic format (online) or in hard copy in the library.

• Both the EBSCO Academic Search Premier and the Wiley Interscience links above are links to online versions of the article we want.
  
  
• Let's find one of these online versions. Click on the EBSCO Academic Search Premier link. The next screen you see will look like the one below.

• To get to your article, simply click on the year in the right-hand column, the select the correct volume and issue number. You can then read your article and print it out from your computer if you'd like.

• Now let's find the hard copy of the article in the library.
  
  
• Clicking on the Library Catalog link will bring up a screen like the one below.

• When you get to a screen like this notice the line that says "Chico Has" This is an important field in the library catalog record that indicates how long the library has subscribed to this periodical.
  
  
• In the case of "Psychology in the Schools", we have all the issues from 1964 through Nov. 2003. This is good as it verifies that we will own the issue that matches your citation, which was to an article from 2002.
  
  
• Now the most important thing you need to do is write down the Call Number: LB1101 P75 (Periodicals)
  
  
• You'll need the Call Number and your citation when you come to find your article on the shelves of the library.

We now know Library subscribes to your journal, and we have answered all three of our questions.

1. Does the Library subscribe to the magazine or journal? Yes

2. Does the Library own the particular year, 2002, of the magazine you want? Yes

3. What is the call number, or where is it available online?

The call number is LB1101 P75, and it is also available online via EBSCO Academic
Search Premier database or the Wiley Interscience database.