Doggone Paywalls! . . . But There's Good News: Libraries Provide Access!

Some of you find great stuff out on the web. And then you're frustrated because the publisher's paywall cuts you off from full access. That is disappointing, isn't it?

But wait a minute. Libraries subscribe to lots of databases to provide you with access to zillions of magazines and newspapers. We made a video explaining how you can find magazines and journals through the University Libraries:

 

Retrieving Magazine Articles: Tips for Source Gathering

 

While searching the web can turn up lots of great stuff, you might also consider starting with a database with advanced search features and links to the full articles. If you're looking for articles from say, psychology or sociology, using PsycInfo or Sociological Abstracts will focus your search much better than Google, Bing, or any other search engine. 

To get to those specialized databases, start with the University Libraries A-Z Databases list. If you don't know which databases might be useful, take a look at the terrific Research Guides prepared by the University Libraries' subject specialists. If you don't know where to start for computer science or East Asian studies, those guides will get you going. (If you're looking for legal topics, remember the Gallagher Law Library guides!)

Here's a tip for Google Scholar. You can set your preferences so it automatically connects you to sources licensed by the University Libraries. See these blog posts, with illustrations.

PS If you're reading this post and you aren't affiliated with the UW, check out what's available from your local public library. They also subscribe to databases!

Research Tribal Court Caselaw

Most legal scholarship focuses on federal and state law, with perhaps a quick nod to local government law. But what about the law of the 574 federally recognized tribal governments? 

Prof. Elizabeth A. Reese (Stanford Law) makes a persuasive plea for moving tribal law into the mainstream of American legal study in The Other American Law, 73 Stan. L. Rev. 555 (2021).  

UW Law has been taking tribal law seriously for a long time, notably through the work of the Tribal Court Public Defense Clinic and the Native American Law Center. 

But how are you going to study tribal law (or anything else?) if you can't find it? That's where your library can help. We have a research guide on Indian & Tribal Law. And in the last two weeks we've been updating the section on tribal court decisions, complete with a new video posted today.