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Resources> Sirius> SFX FAQ

SFX FAQ

What is SFX ?

SFX offers a way of navigating between and within electronic resources.
SFX allows students and researchers to link from a citation in a database to a list of different services available for that item including

  • links to the full text of a cited article
  • links to the holdings of the item in the UNSW Catalogue and other library catalogues
  • an Interlibrary loans form if the journal is not held by UNSW library (staff & postgraduates only)
  • a book purchase request order if the book is not held in the UNSW library
  • a citation search for the author in Web of Science
  • search of the web for the title
Only services directly related to the citation of interest will be offered.

Which databases have SFX buttons in them?

SFX buttons not only appear in the UNSW Catalogue and Sirius but can also be found when you search other resources including Science Direct, ProQuest and most OVID, CSA, Galegroup, HW Wilson, ISI, Biblioline, RLG, Silverplatter databases & electronic journal collections from JSTOR & Swetsnet.

Why don't I see any buttons for SFX?

  • you are not using an SFX enabled database
  • Javascript is not enabled on your browser
  • the publisher/supplier decides where to put the SFX button. If you don't see them on the brief display check the full record
  • some publishers use a different button or link (e.g. OVID databases have an Open URL (SFX) link next to each citation
Why are there multiple windows when I'm using SFX?

When you click on SFX, an SFX window opens listing all the services available for that citation. When you select one of these services, another window opens. There will generally only be three windows open for any article you are looking at.

Why does the choice of services in SFX vary?

SFX services are determined by the information available in the record you started with, as well as the library resources that are available to you.

Why didn't I get a full text link for my article ?

Possible reasons why the article is missing:

  • sometimes, the article citation appears in a database before the publisher has made the full text available.
  • the publisher or author withheld the full text of this article. Please let us know about any missing articles by using the "Report a Problem" service.
When I click to get full text, sometimes I end up on the journal's home page or table of contents. Can't I go directly to the article?

SFX will get you to the full text as close as it can, given the structure of the publisher site and how well their citation records have been catalogued. Sometimes you will go straight to the full text or an abstract with a full text link, sometimes the best that SFX can do is take you to the journal issues table of contents or home page, and you will have to navigate the publisher site yourself to get to the full text. There is a note on the SFX services screen under the data boxes that indicates how close SFX can initially get you to the full text.
Essentially a full text link in SFX means that full text is available -- but you may have to do some of the work of getting to it yourself.

What do I do if I get an error or "cannot access" message ?

Use the Report a Problem link which is found at the top of the SFX Services page and also in the blue Electronic Access and Support bar which appears at the top of most electronic resource screens.