BU Libraries Search is a gateway to books (both print and ebooks); peer-reviewed articles; government documents and media.
What you need to know:
Sign In after your first search. This allows you to keep a record of your search strategies and results using My Favorites - simply click the image by each record you want to save (saved items = )
BULS searches for books, articles, and other formats such as government documents, dissertations, short news articles and images. The results list will be a combination of formats sorted by relevance. Each result indicates that it is available either in print or online -- or sometimes, both. = print
BULS does not search most newspapers (such as the New York Times); BUT we have other databases that cover newspapers and more.
To refine searches use quote marks to retrieve phrases ("gettysburg address") or consider looking for keywords only in the title (as opposed to looking in the full record.)
Need articles in "peer-reviewed journals"? No problem!
The databases listed here cover the highest-quality scholarly journals in the field; you will not have to filter out thousands of lesser quality items.
BU Library Search focuses on material we own, while these databases identify articles in journals we may not own – but material you can easily obtain (for free!) through Interlibrary Loan.
If you've signed in (IMPORTANT!) you'll see
The button takes you to ILL online request forms. The first time you use the service you'll need to add some personal info. If an item is locally available, turnaround time is approximately three working days. (This is a free service to BU students, so use it early and often!)
*NEW* Current Boston University students, faculty, and staff may borrow books from Boston College, Brandeis University, and Northeastern University with your Boston University ID (Terrier card), just as you would in Boston University Libraries.
BU's Krasker Library has films and videos available for viewing on site?
Search BULSearch and limit to Resource Type "Audio Visual".
We also subscribe to the streaming video service Kanopy - Here's a sample (you'll be prompted to Sign In)
Britannica AcademicThis link opens in a new windowOnline version of Encyclopædia Britannica along Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, magazines and periodicals and other reference sources.
Chicago Manual of Style OnlineThis link opens in a new windowThe Chicago Manual of Style Online is a searchable guide the Chicago style of citation, editorial, and publishing practices. It includes both the 15th and 16th editions plus searchable Q&A content, sample forms, letters, and style sheets, and other tools.
Oxford English DictionaryThis link opens in a new windowA complete version of the second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (1989) with onlines updates added four times a year since 2000.
Oxford ReferenceThis link opens in a new windowPublished by Oxford University Press, it is a fully-indexed, cross-searchable database containing dictionaries, language reference and subject reference works.
ProQuest CongressionalThis link opens in a new windowCovers abstracts and indexing for hearings, reports, documents and committee prints. Date coverage: 1970-
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT)This link opens in a new windowThis database contains indexing and abstracts of American doctoral dissertations accepted at accredited institutions since 1861 and a selection from other countries. Masters theses are included selectively. Date coverage: full text 1997 - present; abstracts 1980 - present; indexing 1861 - present.
WorldCat DiscoveryThis link opens in a new windowProvides access to resources owned by the Boston University libraries or available to BU affiliates, to resources available from affiliated libraries, and to resources owned by all other WorldCat libraries. WorldCat is a worldwide union catalog created and maintained collectively by more than 9,000 member institutions. With millions of online records built from the bibliographic and ownership information of contributing libraries, it is the largest and most comprehensive database of its kind.