Ovid Autoalerts and Saved Searches

  • Streamline your searching with saved search histories and Saved Searches, and keep up to date with publishing in your field with AutoAlerts.
  • Create an Ovid Personal Account in order to save search search histories, create Saved Searches and AutoAlerts.
  • Saved Searches are stored in your Personal Account for you to re-run as needed.
  • AutoAlerts automatically run a search and email you new results.
  • User Guide - See "Creating Autoalerts" section

Create a new Personal Account:

  • Open an Ovid database from the Library database listings. The Personal Account Login Page is only accessible from an Ovid database search screen.
  screenshot of Ovid search screen  
  1. On the top green bar, click Personal Account (for Searches).
  2. Click Create a New Personal Account
  3. Fill out the text boxes, then click Create. Note:
    • Use a unique name for your account in the Personal Account Name text box. (Case-sensitive, maximum number of 40 alpha-numeric characters).
    • The Password is case-sensitive, between 6-8 alpha-numeric characters
  4. Click Logoff to exit Personal Account Administration and your Personal Account at the end of your session.

Save Your Searches

  Save Search/Alert icon  
  • First create your search, then click Save Search/Alert
  • If you have not already done so, you will be prompted to create or login to your Personal Account.

Personal Account Expiry

  • You will receive an emailed expiry notice one year after you last accessed your Personal Account.
  • Simply log in to your Account, before the expiry date given for your searches, to re-activate it for another year.
  • Note: you must be a staff member or currently-enrolled student to do this.

To access Saved Searches and Autoalerts set up before November 2003:

Ovid's new Personal Accounts functions were enabled on 24 November 2003. If you need to access a search history, Saved Search, or AutoAlert set up before that date:

(1) Create a Personal Account and locate your searches or autoalerts:

  1. Follow the instructions above to create your new Personal Account.
  2. Click Logoff to exit Personal Account Administration and your Personal Account.
  3. Find your Autoalert/SDI and Saved Search names. All pre-existing Autoalert/SDIs and Saved Searches were shifted into a Storage Account. To access these:
  4. Re-open the Ovid database from the Library database listings. At the Ovid search screen, click Personal Account
  5. Login with:
    • Personal Account Name = storage
    • Password = account (both case-sensitive)
  6. The Storage Account will display. Find the names of your Saved Searches and Autoalerts/SDIs in the Storage Account.
    Note: Names of Autoalerts/SDIs are also included in the results emailed from the Ovid server.

(2) Contact the Library

  1. Email your Personal Account Name and the names of your Autoalert/SDIs and Saved Searches to the Electronic Access Librarian or your Subject/Faculty Liaison Librarian
  2. Ovid will then transfer your searches to your new Personal Account, and delete them from the Storage Account.
  3. Please contact your Subject/Liaison Librarian if you wish for help or advice about editing or creating new search strategies.