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Resources for My Subject

Asian and Middle Eastern Studies: Researching a Topic

Using online catalogues, journals, databases

The University Library provides access to numerous online resources. Here are some tips on searching for primary and secondary sources for your research topic.

  • Search filters in iDiscover - to conduct an effective search, it is helpful to know the various search options which iDiscover offers:
    • Cambridge Libraries Collections: use this option to search for books (both printed and electronic). Items deposited in Apollo (Cambridge institutional repository) can also be searched using this option.
    • Articles and online resources: use this option to search for articles (in electronic journals) and other online content. This option does not include ebooks. In principle, the content of databases can be searched using this option, but we recommend that users in our subject area not use it because many of the AMES subject databases are in non-Roman scripts; therefore, it may not be exhaustive. Alternatively, we suggest using the individual database platform to search.
    • Search everything: use this option to search all resources (both those included in Cambridge Libraries Collections and Articles and other online resources). 
  • iDiscover search results can vary depending on whether you are logged in to the platform. We suggest that you are always logged in. 
  • Most bibliographic records of items written in non-Roman scripts, catalogued after 2004 (including those updated after that), contain the original scripts in the records. That means you can search in iDiscover using the original script. However, we recommend our users search using both the original scripts and transliteration for a more effective search. 
  • From the A-Z Databases page, you see a list of online resources available to you. Please narrow down the list by choosing 'Asian & Middle Eastern Studies' from the subject filter at the top of the page.  
  • When you connect to these online resources from abroad, we suggest you connect to the Internet via VPN. The University Information Services website provides instructions on how to set it up on your devices. [University Information Services - please choose VPN from the A-Z menu at the top of the page]

 

Links to other online resources

Here are some large online catalogues outside Cambridge which could be helpful for your research:

Worldcat is one of the largest union catalogues which contains records of any material (books, periodicals, scores, films, recordings, etc.). Over 41,000 OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) member libraries contributes records to the database.  The records are, primarily but not exclusively, from libraries in the United States, but extending to 82 other nations. There are more than 47 million records in the database.

You can search using transliteration as well as original scrips.  Each physical item's record also provides the holding library information to be useful if you would like to submit an Inter-library Loan request from another library. 

Library Hub Discover is a union catalogue containing materials held in many UK national, academic and specialist libraries. Over 200 UK and Irish academic, national, and specialist institutions contribute to this database. Using transliterations is recommended.

 

Services helpful for research

You can request an individual scanned copy of one chapter (or 5%) of a monograph or one article per issue of a journal from collections held by Cambridge University Libraries for your research. You can also request a scanned copy from the AMES library collection (The service is subject to relevant conservation approval and copyright permissions). Free digital scans of University Library Special Collections items may be ordered for personal research use if the material is suitable for scanning and the volume of the request is reasonable. 

You can place a request for a copy of an article and a book chapter not held in the Cambridge Collection via iDiscover.  You can receive the request in electronic format.  This is a semi-automated service that operates on a 24-hour turnaround. Within 24 hours, the user will either receive a download link to the item or it will be rejected. When rejected, the user can request the item via the standard Inter-Library Loans service. 

You can place a request for a print and microform materials from the British Library and other libraries within the UK and overseas, including:

  • Books (chapters from books)
  • Theses
  • Journal articles (and loan of whole issue)
  • Conference papers
  • Selected microforms.

 

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