Use LibrarySearch to look for a specific title.

• Type the whole title as a phrase (inside double quotation marks) into the search box. E.g.: “Style manual” After the search is completed use the filters on the left to select Books listed under the Resource Type category. Remember to clear filters afterwards.
• If not found it can be worth trying again by removing the quotation marks, using a few keywords from the title and adding the author’s name.
• Once you have found the required item, if it is available as an e-book, use the ‘Online access’ link to view.
• For physical books, check the availability, and note the call number.
• If the item is on loan or at another campus, place a hold via the link under the locations heading. You need to be logged into LibrarySearch to place a hold and access online resources.

• Go to LibrarySearch and log in.
• In the search box, enter the exact title of the article, enclosing it with double quotation marks. E.g. "Consumer rights awareness of young Australians".
• If this search doesn't find the article, check that:
  • you have entered the title without leaving out any words, and
  • there are no spelling errors.
• If this search doesn’t find the article, search for it in Google Scholar Enter the same search that you used in LibrarySearch.

Search for e-books in LibrarySearch.
If searching by topic, you can limit your results list by choosing to filter for Online and in the Resource Type category select 'books'. 

• Open e-books by selecting the 'Online access' link. If there is more than one version, 'see all versions' and then the 'Online access' link.
• In the View Online section of the record, click on the link that appears next to 'Full text available at...' Note any additional notes.
• Use your RMIT ID and password when asked to login.
• E-books can be read online or downloaded ('borrowed') to read offline.

Note, not all books are commercially available as e-books. When a title has been published as an e-book, the Library purchases relevant titles within budget parameters.

For additional information, go to our e-books guide. 

There are 4 options to obtain a title we don't have.

• Use Document Delivery Services
  You can request items held outside of RMIT University Library collections through our Document delivery service. Login to LibrarySearch and select 'Document Delivery' from the options at the top of the screen. A request form will open. Fill in as much detail as you have and submit.
  You can check or cancel your requests in your My Library Account via LibrarySearch. They will be listed under 'Holds'.
  You will receive an email when the item is available for you.
  Loans from other libraries and postal loans are not available to students and staff residing outside of Australia
  For additional information, go to Document Delivery
• Borrow it yourself
  You may find the item is at another organisation's library service and you can then borrow it yourself. Access our listing of other library catalogues  to research which library has the book. If it is held at another academic library, you may be able to borrow from them using a CAVAL card.
• Suggest a purchase
  RMIT Staff and students are encouraged to recommend relevant resources to add to our collection. All suggestions will be considered in the light of budget and relevance to the teaching, learning and research needs of RMIT University. The Library will purchase online resources in preference to print resources. Suggest a purchase.

For additional information, go to borrowing from other libraries.

Your RMIT University student card is also your library borrowing card. Staff will need a barcode from the library to borrow print books. If you need assistance placing holds, contact Ask the Library

To borrow physical items from the Library, scan your card and the item using one of the self-checkout units.

More information on borrowing can be found on the borrowing page.

E-books can be read online or downloaded ('borrowed') to read offline. Use your RMIT ID and password to download.

For additional information on e-books, go to our e-books guide.

• at another Library site?

• already on loan?

• in “off-site storage”

You can place a hold on a physical item at another site or an item already on loan.

• Search LibrarySearch and select the title of the item you wish to borrow. Open the record fully by clicking on the title to view the details
• If you haven't already, login to LibrarySearch. You will return to your search page
• Under the ‘Physical Items’ heading, locate REQUEST: 'Place a Hold:' You will then see a drop down menu to select “Pickup Location” Select the location you wish to pick up the item from and press 'SEND REQUEST'.
• You will receive an e-mail when the hold is ready for you to pick up. Items are kept on the ‘hold’ shelf, alphabetically under your family name. You’ll have 7 days to collect and borrow the item.
• More information on borrowing can be found on the membership information page

Note: Items from Temporary Off-site storage generally arrive within one business day. Available items arriving from one site to another generally arrive within two days. (Items with the location of "Off-site storage" can only be borrowed by placing a hold)

• There are no holds placed on these items.
• You have not reached your maximum borrowing time.
  RMIT students and staff - 12 months
  CAVAL and Special Borrowers - 3 months

If there are holds placed on any of the items, or if you’ve reached your maximum borrowing time, you will receive a library notice. Please return these items by the due date in the notice.
All other items will be automatically renewed unless your account is blocked due to overdue items. You can also manually renew items via your My Library Account after logging into LibrarySearch.

For additional information, go to Holds, renewals, returns and overdues..

Log in to LibrarySearch. Select the item to view the details. Under the ‘Physical Items’ heading, locate REQUEST: 'Place a Hold:' You will then see a drop down menu to select “Pickup Location” Select the location you wish to pick up the item from and press 'SEND REQUEST'.

You will receive an e-mail when the hold is ready for you to pick up. Items are stored on the ‘hold’ shelf, alphabetically under your family name. You have 7 days to collect and borrow the item.

For assistance or to change a pickup location, contact us via Ask the Library. To cancel a hold request, login to LibrarySearch and select the menu under your name in the top right hand corner, to see My Library Account.

Staff need to have a barcode attached to their staff card to borrow print books. Library staff can issue the barcode when you collect your hold.

For additional information, go to the Holds page.

Yes, there is lots of help available. The Easy Cite Referencing tool provides guidance and examples for the Harvard, APA, AGLC, Chicago, Vancouver and IEEE styles.. We also have 'referencing guides' available via the Library website. Our online referencing tutorials in the Learning Lab may also be helpful. You can contact your teaching staff for help and Library staff can also provide basic referencing advice.

Scholarly articles are in-depth, accurate, well researched, written by academics, and published in academic journals. They are good and credible sources of information because the articles have been through a peer-review process. This process involves formal evaluation by equally qualified academics and experts.

Some databases will give you the option to only see results in your search from 'peer reviewed' or 'scholarly' journals.

If you want to know if the article you have found is in a scholarly and/or peer reviewed journal, use Ulrich's Periodicals Directory. The video and handout will show you how:

How to tell if a journal is scholarly (video)
How to use Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory (PDF)

Prefer to speak to someone?
Talk to library assistants at the entrance to the Library or chat with a Librarian via Ask the Library.
A librarian may be able to sort out the problem or find an alternative source for you.

Need some tips on using LibrarySearch?
Try the search tips and video tutorials on the Help with LibrarySearch page or our self paced online library tutorials.

Having access problems from off-campus?
Check the Troubleshooting Access to Online Collections page for instructions