BISON adds full-text database

Academic Universe http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/lml/e-resources/acaduniv.html is a wonderful new addition to BISON's expanding list of resources. It is a retooled and easier-to-use version of the previously available LEXIS-NEXIS database, with full-text access to hundreds of newspapers and other publications. Now you can search and retrieve New York Times articles from today's issue back to 1980. Dates of coverage will vary from title to title, but there's a wide selection of news sources from around the world, plus broadcast transcripts from numerous radio and television news/interview programs.

Other segments of Academic Universe include the "Legal Library," which covers federal, state and European Community laws, U.S. patents, plus articles from the major law reviews. The "Business Library" features company profiles, financial statements and a variety of reports, directories and business-news sources. There's also a "Reference Library," which includes the world almanac, biographical and geographical profiles, quotation dictionaries and public-opinion polls, and a "Medical Library," with many specialized newsletters.

Dow Jones Interactive http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/lml/e-resources/djnr.html is another powerful database system offering current and retrospective full-text coverage of newspapers and periodicals. Articles and financial data are searchable from a vast selection of U.S. and international publications, including The Wall Street Journal from 1984 to date. There are more than 6,000 newspapers, magazines and media-program transcripts in the "Publications Library." A second component, called the "Company & Industry Center," has company profiles and comparison reports between businesses and industries.

Although Academic Universe and DJI are quite similar in content and purpose, they each offer many unique titles and searching capabilities. For comprehensive results, you should try them both.

These products will be the focus of "Databases for Current Topics in the Humanities and Social Sciences," a hands-on workshop for faculty and teaching assistants to be held from noon to 1 p.m. March 13 in the Educational Technology Center http://www.etc.buffalo.edu/index.htm, 212 Capen Hall. Michael R. Lavin, Lockwood Library's business-and-management subject specialist, will be the presenter.

-Will Hepfer and Nancy Schiller, University Libraries