Where to search?
UC One Search Library Catalog
UC Library Search is the single online library catalog for the UC system. It allows you to search materials from the UC Davis Library and the entire UC System.
What am I searching when I use the search box?
The search box on the library homepage searches materials found in UC Library Search, the UC’s systemwide online library catalog, including books and ebooks, journals, maps, government documents, films, musical scores, manuscripts and photos, plus citations and full-text articles from 200+ databases. It is a helpful starting point for cross-disciplinary searching.
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UC Library Search
Sign in (via top right corner) with your UC Davis login for full access to available features, including loan periods, online book renewals, and ability to request items that are in storage or checked out to another borrower.
Subject Specific Databases
Library databases are specialized search engines for journals, magazine articles, newspapers, videos, music and more. Databases can be general or subject-specific.
Which subject database should you search?
In deciding which database(s) to use, it is helpful to note:
- Who: Who is authoring these publications? Are these scholarly, popular, or industry sources?
- What: What can I find in the database? (e.g. articles, conference proceedings, data)
- When: When does coverage begin? How well is historical literature covered? Does it include articles published in the last year?
- Where: What is the geographical scope of the coverage? Does that match your research interest?
You can also use the Library's A-Z Database list and the Research Guides to help you to identify which databases best fit your information needs:
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A-Z Databases
Browse this comprehensive list of UC Davis Library databases. You can filter your results by subject area (ex. Plant Science) and/or by the type of resources featured in the database (ex. Newspapers). -
Research Guides
Under our list of Research Guides you can browse the Subject Guides that provide recommended library resources by subject area. They are created and maintained by UC Davis Librarians who recommend specific subject databases used by scholars in your field.
Google Scholar
If there is a record of a journal article or other academic publication on the open internet, you can use Google Scholar to find it. Some UC Davis library licensed articles can be accessed directly in Google Scholar, but you must first configure your Google Scholar settings to work with our library subscriptions.
- Learn how to set up your Google Scholar Library Links to identify UC Davis Library licensed resources.
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Google Scholar
Search across disciplines for articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, and online academic repositories.