MetaLib home and general features help
On this page:
The other pages of MetaLib and Get it! help are available in the left navigation or on the main MetaLib and Get it! help page.
MetaLib home
MetaLib home is the home page of MetaLib, and provides information about, and links to, the main sections within MetaLib. News about MetaLib will also be posted here.
Links to the main sections of MetaLib
Links to the main sections of MetaLib are given on MetaLib home and are also available in the top navigation bar throughout the site:
- Cross-search: where databases can be cross-searched within MetaLib or linked to. In cross-search you may choose to view resources categorised by subject or material type, or you can choose from a selection of highlighted resources. Alternative approaches include using the 'find databases to cross-search' function, or, once you have logged in to MetaLib you may view My databases, i.e. the databases you have previously saved. Quick links to Cross-search categories are on MetaLib home so that you can pre-select the category of resources that will display when you go to Cross-search. Please note that these same quick links to categories are now available on the Quick search > Articles & databases option of the Library home page.
- Find database: where you can search or browse for databases to search individually within MetaLib or link to.
- Find journal: enables you to search for print and electronic journals.
- My space: MetaLib enables you to personalise your environment, such as creating your own database lists, saving records that you find interesting for future reference, saving searches for future re-use, and defining your preferences for the display of results. You must Login to use My space.
General features found on MetaLib pages
These include:
- Login click on Login on the navigation bar of the Cross-search, Find database, Find journal or My space pages, or on the lock symbol
next to a database title, and then enter your UOB username and password.
After logging in you will be able to use any of the databases, though some may have extra requirements indicated by icons next to the database name with corresponding advice in the Information for the database, and be able to take advantage of MetaLib's personalised services, using My space.
If you do not login you will not be able to use the databases with the lock symbol next to them and not be able to save records, searches, or databases for future use, into My space. - Logout by clicking on Logout on the navigation bar of the Cross-search, Find database, Find journal or My space pages.
You should logout when you leave the PC unattended for reasons of privacy and to prevent others from using your access rights. MetaLib will automatically log you out when you close the browser or if MetaLib has not been used for a certain period of time (8 hours). When you logout you end a MetaLib session and will lose temporary information that is not saved, such as Previous searches. - The Turn Off Auto Refresh link above the footer on the right hand side is a web accessibility feature that is explained in Web accessibility: Turn off auto-refresh. If you turn off auto refresh a Turn On Auto Refresh takes its place.
Navigation and standard links
Navigation and standard links that appear on all the main pages of MetaLib include:
- Navigation bar, just under the banner, that allows you to access the 5 main sections in MetaLib (MetaLib home and the 4 sections listed above). A secondary navigation bar displays under this when you enter Cross-search, Find database, or My space to give you further options appropriate to that section.
- UoB library catalogue is a link in the footer that takes you to the University of Bristol Library Catalogue in a new window. Inter-library loans are requested via an option on the library catalogue.
- Standard University website links at the top (university home | contacting people | a-z index | news | events | help | Search) and bottom (University home | a-z index | help | © University of Bristol) of the page are to university pages and are not MetaLib related, so the Search function is to search the university website, the A-Z index is for the university website, contacting people links to the university contact directory, news to university news page, events to university events page and help to university website help. The links at the bottom of the page open in a new window. The links at the top of the page use the same window. The University home page can also be accessed by clicking on the university logo on the banner.
- Library home is a link in the footer that takes you to Library home page (which incorporates Quick search) in a new window.
- About this site is a link in the footer that takes you to the MetaLib and Get it! help pages on the Library website in a new window.
- Help is a link on the navigation bar that takes you to the MetaLib and Get it! help pages on the Library website in a new window. If your question is not answered by these help pages, then please contact us via the following Contacts link.
- Contacts is a link on the footer that takes you to the Library web page about Contacts for MetaLib and Get it! If you have any questions about using these services, encounter problems, or wish to make a suggestion, please go to this page to find our contact details.
- Many resources that we subscribe to are restricted to on-campus use. The Off-campus access link on the footer takes you to the Library web page about Off-campus access in a new window that explains how you can access these resources off-campus.