As you've probably noticed, Library Search returns search results of both print books in the library and online items (like ebooks and articles) from various kinds of databases. For finding online commentaries in Library Search use Method One below. Use Method Two to find commentaries in their native databases (EBSCO or ProQuest).
Use the same search terms mentioned for print commentaries. Then, within Library Search, you can refine your results by using the filters on the left side. For online commentaries, select the following filters:
This will limit the results of your search to books with full text available online, but it won't filter out everything that isn't a commentary. Hopefully, if you used good search terms (see above), the commentaries should be at the top of the search results.
The library's online books (or ebooks) come from a variety of databases. When you select an ebook commentary from the results in Library Search, you'll be directed to a database or website that has the full text of the book.
As mentioned at the top of this page, many commentaries are in the public domain (if they were published before 1924). Library Search will return search results that include these out of copyright works from open access book databases (usually the website HathiTrust). If you look at the dates of online books with this symbol , usually they'll be published in the 1800s or early 1900s.
Other ebooks will be indicated with these symbols: or . These books are resources contained in various academic ebook collections. When you click the link, you'll be directed to the full text of the book usually on an EBSCOhost website or on a ProQuest website.
Please NOTE: Library Search not show all the commentaries available on EBSCOhost or on ProQuest. So if you're not finding a relevant commentary on Library Search, try searching EBSCOhost or ProQuest directly (see below).
As mentioned above, the two major ebook databases which contain many biblical commentaries are on EBSCOhost and ProQuest. There is some overlap in titles between these two databases. Their ebook collections are respectively titled as follows:
If you're using these databases off-campus, you'll be prompted to login with your UNW credentials.
First: use the Advanced Search.
Second: change the top search field to 'Title.'
Third: type in the name of the biblical book in the top search box. In the example, 'john' (or peter, galatians, genesis, etc.)
Fourth: type in 'commentary' in the lower search box. The best way to search for commentaries is by using the following search terms