Database and Search Engine Alerts
Many library databases, full text journal providers, and some search engines feature the ability to alert the user about new information that is added to the database or search index about a particular topic or person. Some databases provide table of contents alerts for newly published issues of journals. These alerts can come in two forms: email sent to the user or an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed that the user subscribes to using an RSS or news aggregator. Some databases offer one form; others offer both. Listed below are some databases and search engines that offer alerts with links to instructions for using the alert service.
| Provider | Form of alert | Link to Instructions |
| American Chemical Society Journals | Email and RSS | Instructions for Email |
| ACM Digital Library | Email (table of contents) | Instructions |
| BDSL Online (Bibliographie der deutschen Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft) | RSS | Instructions |
| BioMed Central | RSS (table of contents) | Instructions |
| Compendex (Engineering Village) | Email and RSS | Within the database, select the Help tab in the upper right. In the Contents menu select "RSS Feature" or "Blog this!" or "Search History Feature" |
| CSA Illumina: ASSIA, IBSS, PAIS, Worldwide Political Science Abtracts, and more | Instructions (click on the Index tab, then Alerts in left menu) | |
| EBSCOhost: Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, and more | Email and RSS | Instructions (Select "Saving Searches and Alerts" in left menu) |
| Registration | ||
| Highwire Press | Email, RSS, and PDA | Registration |
| Institute of Physics Journals | Email and RSS | Instructions for Email |
| IEEE Xplore | Email (table of contents) | Registration |
| informaworld | Email and RSS | Instructions |
| IngentaConnect | Email and RSS | Instructions for Email |
| Project Muse | Email and RSS (table of contents) | Instructions for Email |
| ProQuest: Dissertations & Theses, Ethnic NewsWatch, and more | Instructions | |
| PubMed | Email and RSS | Instructions for Email |
| Sage | Registration | |
| Science Direct | Registration | |
| SciFinder Web | Info about Keep Me Posted | |
| Springer | Email and RSS | Instructions |
| Washington University Libraries Catalog | Instructions under Save Searches & Receive Email Alerts | |
| Web of Knowledge: Web of Science, INSPEC, and more | Email and RSS | Instructions for Email Instructions for RSS |
| Wiley InterScience | Email and RSS | Instructions |
| WilsonWeb: Education Full Text, Essay & General Literature Index, and more | Click Help at top of screen, then choose RSS Feed or SDI Alerts |