SFX FAQ

Introduction | Database List | Journal Group List

What is SFX and what does it do?

SFX is a software product purchased through the CSU Chancellor's office for use in CSU libraries. SFX intends to make your research easier by providing links from many research databases to fulltext electronic resources. SFX will also link you to other relevant resources, such as the HSU Library catalog, or a document delivery form. Implementation of SFX at the HSU Library began in August 2002, and will continue to expand as new resources are added.

Who can use SFX? Can I use it from home?

Any Humboldt State University student, faculty, or staff can access SFX on campus. To access it from off campus, you must have an HSU ID and sign on using the form for Off Campus Access to Databases. You will be accessing the service via a proxy server.

How do I access SFX?

Many, but not all, databases that the HSU Library subscribes to are SFX-enabled. When you find a record in one of these databases, click on the Available via SFX link. This will open a window with a menu of service options.

What service options does SFX provide?

SFX is context specific, and that means that service options will change from citation to citation, and that the number of options in the SFX window will vary. When available, and as appropriate, SFX services offered will include one or more of the following:

fulltext and/or abstract of the article
table of contents of the issue of the journal in which that article appears
an automatic search of HSU Library catalog
a document delivery form request form.

Why don't I see any buttons for SFX?

SFX buttons will appear in different places in different databases. They will appear either on your search results page, or in the individual records for each citation. You will need to click on the actual database record to see the SFX button. You still may not see SFX buttons if:

JavaScript is not enabled in your browser. Check your browser settings.
You have not connected to the database through the link on the HSU Library Databases web page.

Why are there multiple windows when I'm using SFX?

When you click on an SFX button, it opens a new browser window to display the menu of services. Selecting a service from the menu opens a third browser window. Generally you will not have more than three or four windows open at one time. You can use "alt tab" to easily navigate among the windows for the database, SFX menu, and various services.

Why is a fulltext link not always available?

The option to link to fulltext is shown on the SFX menu when the Library has subscribed to the fulltext of the journal title. If there is no fulltext link option on the menu, there are two likely reasons:

the Library does not license the fulltext for the particular title
there is no fulltext version available (either for the journal, or for the specific [usually older] volume/issue of the journal).

If the fulltext link is not shown as an option, be sure to check the local catalog to see if the journal is available in print form.

When I click to get fulltext, sometimes I end up on the journal's home page or table of contents, rather than going directly to the article.

The journal publisher controls whether we are able to link to the journal home page, or directly to the article. SFX will get you as close to the fulltext as it can. The SFX fulltext link essentially means that fulltext is available, but you may have to do a little more work to get to it on your own.

Why are there multiple links to fulltext? Which one should I choose?

Sometimes an article is available in more than one fulltext article database, so we link to as many as are available. You can choose the version you want to access. If one database is temporarily not working, you will have a backup choice.

When I click to get the fulltext, my article isn't there.

Sometimes a citation may appear in a database before the publisher has made the fulltext available. A publisher or author may withhold the fulltext of an article for various reasons. Please let us know about missing articles by contacting: Ask a Question about SFX.

Tell me more about SFX.

SFX is a link server that the HSU Library has licensed through the CSU Chancellor's Office from Ex Libris (USA) Inc. For more information about SFX visit their web site.

I would like to comment on SFX.

Send an E-mail to library staff.

Send comments and suggestions about this page to: Library Webmaster
Last Updated: August 20, 2002