Staying Current: Table of Contents Alerts

A table of contents alert will send you the table of contents (TOC) for new issues of your favorite journals. Alerts may be sent via email or RSS feed. There are several ways to sign up for alerts including directly from the journal publisher, databases or other services.

Many journals offer table of contents alerts. Go directly to the journal publisher's website and look for links such as New Issue Alert, TOC Alert, or Email Alert. You may need to register for a free account before you can receive an alert. The advantage to using this method is that you will receive the new contents quickly, and they are easy to unsubscribe from. Here is an example from JAMA:

Most databases will allow you to set up table of contents alerts. The benefit of using this service to publisher alerts is that you can manage your alerts all in one place. Some of the library-subscribed databases that you can choose from include ClinicalKey, CINAHL, and Ovid Medline. 

Here is a simple way to do this from Ovid Medline:

• On the Advocate Health - Midwest Library page to go Quick Links and select Medline (Ovid)
• Click on "My Account"
• Create a personal account or login if you already have one
• Click on "My Workspace"
• Click on "My eTocs"
• Enter your email address
• Go to eTOC Subscriptions Available and select titles of interest and click "Add Text"
• Repeat for each title of interest
• Click "Update"
• To stop alerts just delete titles no longer of interest

Another method to receive TOC alerts is through an independent service. JournalTOCs is the largest collection of scholarly journal TOCs. Sign up for a free account and receive alerts via email or RSS feed.