Document Availability
About OSTI.GOV
OSTI.GOV is the primary search tool for DOE science, technology, and engineering research and development results and the organizational hub for information about the DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI). It makes discoverable over 75 years of research results from DOE and its predecessor agencies. Research results include journal articles/accepted manuscripts and related metadata, technical reports, scientific research datasets and collections, scientific software, patents, conference and workshop papers, books, theses, and multimedia. OSTI.GOV provides access to this DOE scientific and technical information (STI) by offering numerous easy-to-use search capabilities and customization options.
How to Access DOE Resources Through OSTI
OSTI.GOV contains two categories of records: Full Text/Resource Available and Citation Only.
- Full Text/Resource Available: Includes records for which OSTI provides access to the resources, full text, datasets, software, etc. OSTI employs a distributed hosting model where some resources are hosted internally at OSTI, while others are hosted by organizations or at institutional repositories and OSTI links to those copies. If you encounter an issue with a full-text document not opening properly or reach an error page, please Contact Us.
- Citation Only: Includes records in OSTI.GOV, regardless of product type (journal article, technical report, dataset, etc.), that do not have an associated resource or full text available. This may be because the resource is unavailable from our office, a journal article accepted manuscript is still within its 12-month administrative interval, or the resource has not yet been digitized. Copyright may also influence resource availability.
Accessing a Full-Text Document
When an electronic full-text document is available for a journal article, technical report, patent, conference/event, book/monograph, program document, or thesis/dissertation, there are several ways it can be accessed.
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From the Search Results list: Hyperlinked text located under the abstract will read "Full Text Available." This may open the full text or the Full Record page. Instructions for access via the Full Record page are in the next section.
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From the Full Record page: A green button that reads "View [Document Type]" in the center of the Full Record page following the abstract will open/download the full text.
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From the DOI: The DOI, when available, is provided in the Search Results list and from the Full Record page.
If the options described above are not available, OSTI does not currently have an electronic version of the record available. In general, when an electronic document is not available, additional information regarding document availability may be found within the metadata provided on the record page in the Availability, Publisher, Author, Research Organization, and/or Resource Relation fields. This information may be helpful in obtaining a copy of the document.
Accessing a Resource Available Record
When a resource is available for a data, software, video/audio, or miscellaneous record, there are several ways it can be accessed.
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From the Search Results list: Hyperlinked text located under the abstract will read "View [Resource Type]" or "Media Available." This link opens the resource at its location or the Full Record page. Instructions for access via the Full Record page are in the next section.
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From the Full Record page: A green button that reads “View [Resource Type]” in the center of the Full Record page following the abstract will open the resource at its location. Software availability will display differently, please refer to that section below.
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From the DOI: The DOI, when available, is provided directly from the Search Results list or from the Full Record page.
Note: Specialized software may be required to view certain resources.
Software Availability
Software availability is displayed differently than with other product types. On the Full Record page, if the software is currently available via a public repository URL, you will see a green “View Publicly Accessible Repository” button in the center of the page following the abstract. For software not available via a Publicly Accessible Repository URL, a Project Landing page URL will be provided which includes information describing the project, or a Contact Email for the project will be provided.
If a Publicly Accessible Repository URL, Project Landing Page, or Contact Email is not provided to the source code in the Search Results list or on the Full Record page, you will see instead a message at the center of the page that reads:
"To order this software or receive further information, please fill out the following request: Request Software [Link]".
This link will open the Software Request pop-up where you may complete the necessary information and request the software. OSTI will respond to your request.
Further Availability Options
When an electronic full-text document or resource is not available, information regarding availability is often found within the metadata provided on the record page in the Availability, Publisher, Author, Research Organization, and/or Resource Relation fields. This information may be helpful in obtaining a copy of the document.
To access this metadata, especially the Availability field, you will need to export the search results or full record metadata into your preferred format. There are two ways to export the metadata:
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From the Search Results list: Select the "Save Results" dropdown at the top of the page and choose your preferred format. This will export metadata for all records (max 1000 results) in your search results.
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From the Full Record page: Select the "Export" drop-down at the center-right side of the page following the abstract and choose your preferred format.
Once the metadata has been accessed, you can cross-reference any included abbreviations or acronyms appearing in the Availability field (called Publisher Availability in XML format) to the Availability Field Codes and Meanings table at the bottom of this page. The Availability Field Codes and Meanings table will provide contact information so you can request the full text or resource.
Journal article information is found in the Resource Relation (or Relation) field of the downloaded metadata. Journal articles are obtained from the publisher and/or made available through a public or university library. Libraries that may hold the record as full text are identified using a search in WorldCat. You will need to reach out to the libraries directly to determine if they can share the resource with you according to their own distribution policies.
Regional Federal Depository Libraries maintain DOE research literature and provide access to non-electronic documents prior to 1994 and electronic access to more recent documents.
The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) may have digitized copies of technical reports that OSTI has not yet made digital.
Availability Field Codes and Meanings
AECL |
Reports of the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, for sale by the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Library, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. |
AP |
American Institute of Physics Publishing |
CC |
Computer media, copyrighted: |
CFSTI |
Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, VA (US) - a predecessor to NTIS (see NTIS). |
CM |
Computer media, software packages: |
CS |
Computer media, abstract only at NTIS. For complete software package, see CM. |
Dep |
Depository Library Program, Government Printing Office (see GPO) |
EM |
Inquiries regarding the availability of blueline prints of DOE CAPE drawings which were formerly available for sale by NTIS should be addressed to: |
EP |
EPRI Journal, |
EU |
CEC from EUR: Publications Office of the European Union |
EUR |
|
FD |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, |
FW |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NASA-Slidell Computer Complex (See FD) |
GJO |
DOE Grand Junction Site, |
GP |
GPO: U.S. Government Printing Office, |
GPO |
For sale by the Government Publishing Office |
GR |
Gas Technology Institute, formerly Gas Research Institute, |
IAEA |
Available from the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, and from its sales agencies in various countries throughout the world. A list of these agencies is found in each STI/DOC and STI/PUB publication. See also INIS. |
INIS |
International Nuclear Information System of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), |
LMEC |
Available only to requesters within the United States from the Energy Technology Engineering Center (formerly the liquid Metal Engineering Center), now closed. 4100 Guardian Street, Suite 160 Simi Valley, CA 93063. |
NT |
NTIS: National Technical Information Service, |
NTIS |
For sale by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Alexandria, VA 22312 |
NU |
NTIS, US Sales Only (see NTIS) |
NUREG |
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, Washington, D.C. 20555. |
NY |
NYSERDA: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority |
OECD |
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, available from: |
OF |
OSTI (see OSTI) |
OS |
OSTI (see OSTI) |
OSTI |
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information, |
OTS |
Office of Technology Services - predecessor to NTIS (see NTIS) |
RSO |
-Historical Office- Available only to requesters within the United States from the Nuclear Standards Program Information Center (formerly the Reactor Standards Office) |
TIC |
DOE Technical Information Center, a predecessor of OSTI (see OSTI) |
Other Options
If you cannot locate availability information using the process described, or the information you have obtained indicates that OSTI may hold the record, please Contact OSTI. OSTI may hold a copy of the record in our paper vaults, which may be available for scanning pending a review process. While not typical, any associated charges for digitization services are discussed prior to initiating said service.
Records are oftentimes not available for several reasons:
- OSTI does not hold a copy;
- The record is copyrighted so OSTI cannot distribute it;
- A trained and qualified individual cannot be located to conduct a review as required by law prior to release; or
- Other case-by-case circumstances.
In cases such as these, OSTI will attempt to provide information about other sources that may be able to help locate the full text or resource.