# Step 3: Sources, where do you search ?

You have formulated a search query! The next step is choosing a database to search for literature. In a literature database, you will find an overview of publications in a specific field, on a certain topic, or by a particular author (books, book chapters, journal articles, reviews, etc.). You do not necessarily have direct access to these publications.

In the Subject Guide for Social Sciences, you will find an overview of databases and other information sources you can use. Here, we will take a closer look at the most relevant databases. We will also explore AI applications for finding literature.

Tip: Use the “Lean Library” plugin.

If you are searching for scholarly literature, you may encounter paywalls and have to pay to access an article or book chapter. The university has agreements with publishers and aims to make as much literature accessible as possible. Make sure you are recognized as a VU student on publisher websites by installing the Lean Library plugin. As soon as you visit a website for which the University Library has a license, you will receive a notification that you can log in with your VUnetID or VUmc account.

If the installation doesn’t work, try using a different browser.