Current awareness services, also known as alerting services, are free services provided by publishers. Researchers are able to obtain notices about new books, journal table of contents, database updates, and much more. Most of these services require you to register with the publisher(s) and to create a password and user name to login.

Glossary

• Table of Contents Alerts - Provide the latest table of contents of a journal via e-mail. If you or the library owns a journal subscription to this journal, you can also freely access the full-text articles. Also known as Journal Issue Alerts.
• Search History - Allows you to save a search in an article database and return to the search results at a later date. You may also retrieve newer articles based on this search.
• Search History Alerts - Retrieve newly-added articles based on your search history topic and periodically e-mail them to you.
• Citation Alerts - Notify you when a particular citation is cited within another document. Also known as CiteTrack. Web of Science, ScienceDirect, ACM, and HighWire Press offer this service.
• AutoAlerts - Run saved searches automatically retrieving newly-added documents and e-mail them to you. You may search for authors, keywords, or citations.

The best way to setup a table of contents alert is:

1. Identify the publishers of your preferred journals. You can use EUCLID or the eJournal Database (EJDB) to locate publishers and publishers' journal web sites. Or, you can ask for assistance at the Woodruff Library reference desk in person, by e-mail at WoodRef@listserv.cc.emory.edu, or by phone at 404-727-6875.
2. Locate the journal at the publisher's web site. Browse the list of e-journal publishers below.
3. Register and login to setup alerts.

Note: Library or personal journal subscriptions may not be required to participate in these services. However, a library or personal subscription is required in order to view the full-text freely. Check eJournals@Emory for a library online subscription.

Table of Contents Alert Providers & Publishers:

• Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
  The ACM Digital Library provides personalized services including TOC Service and My Binders. Select the ACM Digital Library, click on login required at the Personalized Services section.
• Academic Press / Elsevier (ScienceDirect)
  ScienceDirect, a database of journals produced by Elsevier and Academic Press, includes science, social science, and some humanities journals. Select Alerts to begin. Help is provided.
• Blackwell Publishing
  Publishes journals in most disciplines. Blackwell Synergy is the name of their e-journal web site. Select the My Synergy tab. Additional information is available.
• Cambridge University Press
  Select the Register Now link. Once you have created an account, you will be logged in automatically. Use the My Cambridge Journals Online section to personalize your account.
• Ebsco
  Provides full-text to various publishers' magazines and journals. If Ebsco does not provide access to the most recent journal issues, this service will not work. View the Publication Details Screen and click on the Journal Alert link. Login. Complete the form.
• HighWire Press
  HighWire Press publishes the online versions of many scientific, technical and medical society journals. Social Science journals are also included. Within the Customize My HighWire section, select the Get a free account link to register.
• Ingenta
  An extensive collection of journal table of contents compiled from publishers. Prior to paying Ingenta's fees to view the full-text, search eJournals@Emory to see if you can locate the full-text you want for free. Click on Sign up here to begin. Instructions are provided.
• Project MUSE
  A collection of electronic journals from various publishers. Subjects include humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Registering is not required. Click on the Journals link. Select Request Journal Alerts. Type in your e-mail address and click on Make or Change Selections.
• ProQuest
  Provides full-text to various publishers' magazines and journals. If ProQuest does not provide access to the most recent journal issues, this service will not work. While on the journal's page, click Set up Alert. Complete the Set up Your Publication Alert.
• Springer-Verlag
  A publisher of scientific, technical, and medical journals. SpringerLink is the name of their e-journal web site. Select the Register button at the bottom right. See the FAQ for help.
• Web of Science (ISI Citation Indexes)
  A scholary, multidisciplinary database. Click on the Sign in or register link at the bottom right to register. Select the Information for New Users link for information.

The following databases allow you to save a search and receive updates about new content on your topic periodically. Typically, these searches are saved on the publisher's server, so you can access and modify these saved searches at any computer.

Database Spreadsheet
You can locate databases offering alerting services using this Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is sorted by publisher, database, discipline, and subject. You must use Internet Explorer browsers 4.0 or higher to use. Database publishers providing search history alerting services are below.

ABC-CLIO - step-by-step instructions

Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (CSA) - select Search Tools, then Alerts for instructions

EBSCOhost - step-by-step instructions

ISI Web of Knowledge - step-by-step instructions

OVID - step-by-step instructions

Browse the help and what's new sections in other databases to see if they offer similar services.

Locate publishers and university presses to receive e-mail alerts and catalogs about new publications.

AcqWeb's Directory of Publishers
This web site includes directories by subject and by university presses.

The Association of American University Presses Directory
Located in Woodruff Library Reference Z475 .A88 2000/2001
The directory includes a subject guide indicating which presses publish in specific disciplines. Produced by the AAUP.

For assistance setting-up or managing your alerts, please contact the Woodruff Library Reference Desk.

Boston College Libraries have created an extensive Automated Alerts guide. University of Delaware Libraries have created an Alerting Services guide listing publishers and journals.

Research guide and workshops taught by Kristan Majors and Erin Mooney.