One of the most useful databases to appear on the scene recently is CSA Illustrata. It is unique in that it uses deep indexing to allow the user to search for millions of tables and graphs that are usually hidden from searching. Currently, CSA indexes 3,096,191 objects. 2,680 journals have indexed objects.
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A couple of important things to know are that CSA Illustrata has different arrangements with publishers on the display of data. Depending on the arrangement, you might see: pinkynails on the search results screen, or thumbnails in the abstract and on the tables and figures tab, or large size images on the object record.
- Additionally, CSA Illustrata does not search the full text of the articles. Instead, it searches the text and data surrounding tables and figures. It searches: the caption of the image, the image category, terms used in the indexing of the document: subject, taxonomic, geographic and statistical descriptor terms taken from the image, and data variable labels and surrounding text.
- Tables and Figures can be saved to your PC and imported into production software such as PowerPoint, MS Word, or MS Excel as image files. In the future, some tab data may be exported to MS Excel.
- You have to have access to a subscription to the electronic journal to see the full text. Linking works in various ways to the full text of the document, depending on what your library has set up.
