You have a citation but cannot locate a trustworthy full-text route through available library services.
The useful bits
- Complete citation if available
- Search routes already tried
- The reply should identify the correct source and a legitimate route to obtain or consult it.
Before you write
Use this example when you have a citation but cannot locate a trustworthy full-text route through available library services. Gather the details below so the recipient can act without asking you to reconstruct the situation.
- Complete citation if available
- Search routes already tried
- Library’s support mechanism
An email you can adapt
The subject “Help locating [source citation]” identifies the request. Replace each bracketed field with a checked detail and remove any sentence that does not describe your situation.
Subject: Help locating [source citation] Hi [name], I am trying to locate [citation] for [study purpose] and have checked [official routes]. Could you help identify an authorized access option or a suitable library request process? I do not need an unofficial copy from an unverified site. Please let me know if the citation is incomplete and which field would help you search. If the source is unavailable, an appropriate related reference would also be useful. Best, [sender]
Check the boundary
A matching title alone may refer to a different edition or source, so verify citation details before relying on it.
What a useful reply should settle
The reply should identify the correct source and a legitimate route to obtain or consult it.
Check the edition and citation after access is arranged so your reference matches what you actually used.
About this guide
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