PERIODICALS

A periodical is a publication that appears at least twice yearly and contains articles by various contributors. Periodicals are also called serials. They may be either popular (magazines) or professional, academic or trade (journals).

LOCATING PERIODICALS:
There is no separate area for periodicals in the PSU Library. Periodicals are cataloged and shelved along with the books. Each periodical title has its own unique call number. To locate a periodical’s call number, consult the online catalog at http://www.lib.pdx.edu.   Be sure to note PSU's "holdings" of particular journal and determine if the item is in microfiche or microfilm.

FINDING SPECIFIC ARTICLES IN PERIODICALS

IF PSU DOES NOT HAVE THE PERIODICAL YOU WANT:
If the periodical you want is not in the PSU Library you have two options. If you need the article quickly you can find out which libraries in the Portland area have the periodical and go to that library to photocopy the article. To find out which libraries have the periodical, go to ORULS from the library homepage at http://db.osl.state.or.us/oruls2002.htm.  If the periodical is not available locally, you may request a copy of the article you want from another library via the Interlibrary Loan Department (ILL) on the first floor of the Library. You must have a complete citation (author, article title, journal title, volume number, date, pages) of the article. To find out more about this, please see the handout Interlibrary Loan Policies available in ILL.

CIRCULATION:
Periodicals generally do not circulate. However, sometimes graduate students and faculty are permitted to check out periodicals. Check with each floor to see what its policy is.

IF THE PERIODICAL IS NOT ON THE SHELF:
Check the sorting shelves, nearby shelves, study tables, book trucks, photocopy areas, and other floors. Double check the entry on the online catalog to determine library holdings and see if the periodical is in microfiches or microfilm. Check the periodical display shelves for the latest issue. If you still don’t find the periodical, check with reference desk of subject floor to see if the periodical is in storage or at the bindery.

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