Search Tools¶

Databases¶

As you have seen previously in this module, your institution subscribes to numerous individual databases that can support your research. Many of these databases will have specific advanced search features and filters to help you refine your searches.

For help with specific databases, check out LIRN's Vendor Resources page.

Vendor-Specific Power Searches¶

When you view your LIRNPortal in "vendor view," you will notice that some of the vendor headings (such Gale, Ebscohost, and ProQuest) are actually hyperlinks. If you click on these links, you will be taken to a "Power Search" page that searches all (or at least most) of the databases from that vendor - after opening the link, you will see a list of what databases are available in the Power Search.

These vendor Power Searches are useful tools that allow you to search multiple databases at once, however they do not include all of the advanced search options and filters that the individual databases do.

LIRNSearch & Subject Search Boxes¶

In the upper right corner of your LIRNPortal, there is a search box. This is LIRNSearch, a powerful federated search tool. You will learn more about how LIRNSearch works in the next module, but for know just know that LIRNSearch searches all of your institution's databases at once.

When you view your LIRNPortal in "subject view," you'll notice that there is also a search box to the right of each subject heading.

Please watch this short video (01:14 min) for an overview of these subject-specific search boxes. A transcript of the video is also provided for you.