Finding full text
To access the full text of resources, we recommend using the search tools and links provided by the Library on our webpages and in this guide (Finding Resources tab). This way you will be authenticated (logged-in) and recognised as a member of the University of Bristol.
However, we appreciate that people search and discover resources in a variety of ways, often outside library-mediated routes. To help ensure you access our paid-for content from wherever and however you are studying or researching, there are a number of useful options available...
LibKey Nomad
LibKey Nomad is a browser extension that links to full text articles available through Library subscriptions or open access alternatives (via Unpaywall data).
Once installed, you will be prompted to select an institution. You can type 'Bristol' in the box to get a short list and then click on 'University of Bristol' to complete the process.
LibKey Nomad then scans the pages you visit for publisher URLs. When you land on a page with an article that is available to download, you get a banner alert from LibKey Nomad (see below).
If you are off-campus, you may initially be steered to the University Single Sign On to authenticate as an authorised user. LibKey Nomad does not store your credentials.
Where the PDF is not accessible, LibKey Nomad will connect you with our Get it@Bristol Univ service.
In the example below from Strategic Management Journal the Library has access at JSTOR but not at Wiley Online Library. LibKey Nomad presents a banner alert at the bottom of the page labelled ‘Access Options’ which will connect you to our Get it@Bristol Univ service on Library Search.
On Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Wikipedia you will also see in-line 'Download PDF' links that will link you seamlessly to UoB Library subscription access.
On search result pages you will see links to articles and PDFs, the cover images of the journals that articles appear in, plus links to view all the articles in a journal issue through BrowZine.
And when viewing the list of references for a Wikipedia entry, in-line links will appear next to articles and PDFs when the citation is to a scholarly source that can be accessed courtesy of the Library.
LibKey.io
This site allows you to access journal articles using either the digital object identifier (DOI) or PubMed Identifier (PMID). If the article is available through the Library or via Open Access you will be able to access the PDF or the article link.
Go to the LibKey.io landing page
After visiting the landing page, your affiliation with the University of Bristol will be recognised.
Enter the DOI or PMID for the article you wish to view and click 'find article'.
Select 'download PDF' to download the PDF or 'article link' to view the article on the publisher's website. The 'View article in context' option will take you to Browzine and allow you to browse other articles within this journal (for more info see Journal articles and databases section under the Finding Resources tab within this guide).
And finally...direct login on the provider website
There will often be a link on publisher/service websites (usually top right) that says 'Institutional Login', 'Log in at your home organisation' or simply 'Log in'. Follow the 'UK Federation'/'Shibboleth' route and then search for or select 'University of Bristol'. You will then be directed to the University Single Sign On page, and upon successful login using your UoB username and password, you will be directed back to the service, this time authenticated.
Accessing resources off-site
Help and advice on accessing the Library's resources both on and off-site.
Getting started with LibKey Nomad
LibKey.io
Google Scholar
Google Scholar provides a broad search of scholarly literature. It covers multiple disciplines and sources.
Using Google Scholar off campus
To get full-text links in your Google Scholar results, you must first tell Google Scholar that you have access to the University of Bristol library subscriptions by
- Selecting Settings from the top of the home page
- Selecting Library Links
- Searching for the University of Bristol and selecting it from the list
- Saving your settings
You will now see 'Get It @ Bristol Univ' links next to items in your Google Scholar results that you can use to access the full-text provided by library subscriptions.