Electronic databases
Book Review Index
Try this electronic resource first, it is the major database in
this area. It will give you citations to book reviews and links to
full-text options. We may be able to give you access to the full
book review if we have an electronic subscription to the journal or
newspaper. We may also have the review that you want to read in one
of our print journals (the "check full-text option" allows you to
search the library catalogue and get the call number.)
Academic Search Premier
This is an excellent source, as it is updated daily and indexes
many of the major newspapers and journals that publish book
reviews. Many reviews are immediately available online in full
text. You can use the keyword search option and search on the title
of the book: e.g. island walkers and book reviews. The
database coverage is from ca. 1985 onwards
Factiva
Newspapers are a useful source for book reviews; Factiva indexes
many international and Australian newspapers.
Reviewing journals in the
BSL
Recent issues of the following newspapers and journals are held in
the Barr Smith Library in the following locations:
The London review of books
BSL Newspapers 011.05 L847
Other issues held in Reserve and Multimedia
Bound volumes in Oversize Collection
Also available online.
The New York times book review
BSL Current journals collection 011.05 N532
Bound volumes in Oversize Collection
Spectator (London, England)
BSL Unbound journals collection 05 S74
Bound volumes from v. 270 in Main Collection
T.L.S., the Times literary supplement
BSL Newspapers 05 T58t
Recent issues held at BSL Reserve and Multimedia
Replaced by microfilm
Indexes held in Reference Collection, and available electronically
via the British Newspaper
Index.
The New York review of books
BSL Unbound journals collection 011.05 N53
Bound volumes in Oversize Collection
Selected articles also available in an electronic version
via the Internet.
("The New York Review of Books" offers selected book
reviews in full-text online. It is possible to search for these by
the author and/or title of the book. From the search page in their
archives, select "book reviewed or discussed" as your type of
search.)
Australian book
reviews
Austlit : the Australian
literary database
Austlit is a very good electronic source for reviews of
recent Australian fiction; it indexes the major Australian journals
that publish book reviews (e.g. Australian Book Review, Quadrant,
Australian Women's Book Review, Adelaide Review.) Search by the author's name, then scroll down to Reviews.
The Australian book review
This major reviewing journal is indexed in Book Review
Index (BSL Reference collection 011.05 B724) and by
Austlit.
Recent issues are held at BSL Reference collection 05
A926.2, and in Special Collections.
Australian newspapers
The major Australian newspapers publish current book reviews,
often in their weekend issues. Austlit indexes the major national
and state newspapers and Factiva provides full-text access.
Australian literary and historical texts (formerly Ozlit)
This University of Sydney site includes some book reviews, but is predominantly a
source of general Australian literary information.
Printed indexes
The most useful source for literary reviews is Book Review Index
(BSL Reference collection 011.05 B724). You need to establish
the year of publication of the novel, then check under the author's
name in the appropriate annual or quarterly volume of Book Review
Index (remembering that most book reviews are published within 12 -
18 months of the publication date.) The Australian Book Review is
indexed here, as well as many international journals. The
Barr Smith Library holds a number of the major reviewing journals
in the library.
<-- Back to the
Finding book reviews
page.
