Your Engineering Librarian has created a series of YouTube videos to help you learn about databases, including how to choose one for your search and what kinds of different databases are offered at UAB.
OneSearch is a tool for searching multiple library resources using one interface. This is the name of the tool you're using when you perform a search from the UAB Libraries home page!
OneSearch - This link will take you to a webpage that will help you learn to navigate OneSearch to perform a basic or advanced search and limit the results by resource type (such as books, book chapters, and articles) and by availability (held by library is print format and available online is electronic format).
eBook collections are tools for searching online books for reference and background information. The following links will take you to just a few examples of great places to look for online books on Engineering.
Searchable online library of full-text content from different publishers. Contains books, textbooks, handbooks, manuals, dictionaries, encyclopedias, conference proceedings, and regulatory information.
Searchable online library of full-text content from McGraw-Hill. Contains books, textbooks, handbooks, study guides, exam prep, and code commentary.
Library databases are tools for searching the literature from many publishers. The examples listed below are great for covering a wide variety of topics, including engineering. There are other databases that may also suit your needs - you can explore more options on the Engineering Guide or this list of all databases.
Google Scholar is a tool for searching scholarly literature available on the web. This can be a great way to look for literature related to your topic of interest, but you may find sources that are not accessible through the UAB Libraries.
Customize library links using the settings menu to find full-text available through the UAB Libraries. Anything you find that isn't available through the UAB Libraries can be requested via Interlibrary Loan (ILL)! (In other words, we can help you borrow it from another library.)
Boolean Operators
AND = find all terms and get fewer results
OR = find any of terms and get more results
NOT = find first term but not second term
Truncation
robot* = replace characters at end of term (robot, robots, robotic, robotics, etc.)
Proximity
"internet of things" = find terms next to each other in the order given as a phrase
You are welcome and encouraged to contact the Engineering Librarian at any time to ask questions or get help.
Email (amcneill@uab.edu), phone (205-934-2925), or ask for me online in the chat on the library website (select Mervyn H. Sterne Library) or in person at the HUB Desk on the first floor of the Sterne Library.
Courier service allows students to request materials be moved between Lister Hill Library, Sterne Library, and the remote storage facility in the 801 Building.
Document delivery service sends students electronic copies of articles from the UAB Libraries print journal collection.
Interlibrary loan service enables students to borrow materials not available at the UAB Libraries from other libraries. This can be print materials like books or individual journal articles.
The design of this page was partly adapted from Research: By Course, Subject, or Topic, by University of Arizona Libraries, © 2020 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.