Skip to Main Content

How To Use

How to Use The Digital Theological Library

If you need a digitally available resource (particularly in religious studies), the DTL probably can provide access to it. The instructions below will help you discover and retrieve the content that you need. If you need more assistance, please contact your institution’s library to inquire further.

Quick Search

Most DTL content, including ebooks, articles, journals, and databases, can be found by using the main search box at the top of the page or the advanced search engine.

Finding More Information on a Specific Topic

If using the search bar does not provide enough resources for you, look through the A-Z list of databases. The brief database descriptions in this list will help you decide which databases are most likely to help you find the specific information that you are seeking. When you find a database of interest, simply click on the link and use the search engine within that database to discover the content you need.

To find general resources on a particular topic, peruse the DTL's cultivated subject guides.

Finding Journal Articles

Most major journals in religious studies are well indexed in these databases:

A comprehensive search for all available articles requires searching several databases (see the A-Z list). You may also want to use the bibliographic references available in the DTL (see below).

Building a Bibliography

The DTL’s A-Z list can also help you create a bibliography. The databases listed below do not provide access to the books and articles, but they will help you discover resources which you can then locate in the DTL’s collection.

Finding a Particular Article with a Known Title and/or Author

If you already know the bibliographical information for an article, you can find the article using one of these approaches:

  • Search for the author or article title in the main search box at the top of the page or the advanced search engine. Many articles will appear using this method and the system will provide a direct link to the article. However, if you do not find what you are looking for, try the next approach.
  • Search for the journal title in the main search box at the top of the page or the advanced search engine. This approach will lead you to the journal’s home page, where you can retrieve the article from the journal’s website. If you do not find what you are looking for, try the final approach.
  • Go to the A-Z list of databases and search in the database(s) that are most likely to contain the article. If you do not find what you are looking for, contact your librarian for assistance.