Database Basics: Home

BJU students must use their CAS (campus login) user name and password in order to access databases. It is the same user name and password used to access email.

OWL stands for Online Writing Lab located at Purdue University.  It is an invaluable resource for college students.

Note:  The Fall of 2021 will have a module that can be accessed via the link provided by your professor in your LMS.

Search Mack Library

INDY (Information DiscoverY at BJU Mack Library)

• Be sure to check INDY for periodicals that may be fulltext in another database in our collection. INDY will also indicate the print subscription in our library, if we have it. 
• When the record states that an embargo is in place for a certain length of time, the publisher has refused to allow the digitization of the articles for the current months, year or years.
• If we have the print subscription, then you may photocopy or scan articles to PDF and send to your email.
• If we don't have the print, then you may request articles via InterLibrary Loan from another school library by filling out the ILL form on our home page or choose the ILL tab in this LibGuide for easy access.

Popular magazines vs. scholarly journals

What should you use? It depends on your purpose:

Using online indexes

The Library subscribes to several article databases and indexes that allow patrons to search for articles in all subject fields. These online indexes are usually hosted on the Internet and can be accessed via our Online Resources Link. Select either the alphabetical listing or the subject listing of available databases. Current students, faculty, staff, and graduate assistants can access these databases from home through the BJU CAS and enter your campus log-in.

Online databases will often provide an electronic copy of the printed article. 

Choosing the right database

The online databases are categorized by subject and name. Choose the subject heading that suits your topic and click on the dropdown list to see a list of databases that index articles in your subject field. Some databases overlap.

In general, try these databases for

• News or Law -- Custom Newspapers, HeinOnline
• Articles from journals or magazines — Academic Search Complete; Academic OneFile
• Controversial issues — Opposing Viewpoints in Context
• Government documents and information -- HeinOnline
• Religion or Theology -- ATLA PLUS; Theological Journals Online
• Education — Education Research Complete; ERIC
• Health/Medical -- CINAHL Complete; MEDLINE Complete
• Literature — Literature Resource Center; Humanities Index Complete

How to obtain an article from the library

1. Check the catalog to see if the library has a subscription to the magazine or journal.
2. Check the database, INDY, for availability to the electronic format.
3. If the library carries the title, check the location in the online catalog. If the title is in the stacks the issue will be in a bound volume shelved with the books.

How to obtain articles from periodicals the library does not subscribe to

The library can obtain most articles through Tipasa, our InterLibrary Loan service. Please click on Inter-Library Loan for policies and the Tipasa request form.

Most articles will arrive within ten days. In some cases, the lending library will send the article directly your your email.

Back to TOP