Grey literature
From WolfWikis
Grey literature is a general term for information not commercially published (i.e., not distributed by a publisher, but instead usually by a university, government agency, or other non-commercial group), but valuable to the research community. This can include information like technical reports, working papers, or conference proceedings.
It can take a lot of searching and an element of luck to find these obscure publications, as they are not usually indexed in major databases.
Where to search
In general you will search in the same places as you would for commercially-published literature, but results may be mixed. Some suggestions:
- Library catalog
- Compendex. Within the Engineering Village interface.
- NTIS. Also within Engineering Village.
- General internet searching might even work. Or give you an idea of where it might be published.
You can still try searching databases in the appropriate subject. If grey literature is a key component of the literature in the field, it will still be indexed to some degree. Not as completely as the commerical publications, but still valuable.
Or, Ask A Librarian for help.