There are 6 possible forms an article can take. The catalog will indicate the various forms for each journal title and what years the library owns for each of the formats, referred to as the library's holdings. Obviously, it's important to match format with year when retrieving an article.

1-Full Text
You are searching in a bibliographic database, e.g., Academic Search Premier, and the article you are interested is available full text.

2-Current Issue
In print - This is a loose separate issue of the journal. At Hunter, current issues are located either on the 5th or 6th floor in alphabetical order. These journals are stored on the shelves that are slanted and flip up. Ideally, the most current is on top and the others are found underneath.

3-Bound Journals
These are journal issues from one year or volume of a particular journal title bound together between two hard covers, once bound they resemble the shape of a big book. At Hunter, these are shelved on the 5th and 6th floor in alphabetical order on the flat shelves.

4-Electronic Journals
are available online via the web. These journals do not typically run more than 7 years past the current year; however J-STOR is the exception to this providing access to an electronic backfile to scholarly journals in the Humanities and Social Sciences. At Hunter, the easiest access to these journals is through the Hunter College Library Homepage.(library.hunter.cuny.edu) From the left tool bar, click on "Electronic Journals," then find the journal you are looking for in the alphabetical list.

5-Microfilm
Microphotographs of printed material, on a reel of cellulose film, viewed using a microfilm reader/printer. At Hunter, microfilm is stored on the fourth floor. The journals on film are arranged alphabetically and you retrieve the film yourself. The room is staffed with someone to help you with the reader printer.

6-Microfiche
A small sheet (4" x 6") containing microfilmed images of pages, read with a microfilm reader. At Hunter, microfiche is stored on the fourth floor. You must ask the attendant to retrieve these types of documents for you.

There are 4 possible ways for you to get an article regardless of format.

1-Hunter College Library
We own the journal. Locate the journal in the form owned.

2-Other CUNY Libraries
If Hunter does not own a particular journal, another CUNY may own the journal. You may visit that library and obtain the journal especially if time is a consideration and you need the article quickly.

3-ILL/Interlibrary Loan
If Hunter does not own a journal, and even if another CUNY library owns it, you may request the article through interlibrary loan. The wait time can be up to two weeks.

4-Another Library outside of CUNY
If you don't have time to wait for an ILL, you may want to see if another library in the area has the journal. Feel free at this point to involve the help of a librarian in this process or follows these steps.

WORLDCAT - Check WORLDCAT to see whom in the city owns the journal. WORLDCAT is found on the Hunter Library's database page. Search by title, select an entry and then click on "Libraries that own item."

NYPL - If NYPL owns the journal, you must use that library. WORLDCAT will indicate whether the journal is located in the research libraries or the branch libraries. Before you head off to NYPL, check the appropriate catalog to see which library and what years are owned. (www.nypl.org, select catalogs) If NYPL does not have the volume you need, you will have to go elsewhere.

METRO PASS - If NYPL and CUNY do NOT own the journal you are looking for, a reference librarian at the 4th floor desk will issue you a METRO pass to you to use another university library. The pass allows you entrance to use materials on site only. The pass is valid for two weeks; however, it may be used for only one visit within that two week period. Metro passes are also given for books not owned by NYPL or CUNY.