ClinicalKey Content Lag and Embargo Practices

Modified on Tue, 21 Oct at 11:03 AM

Minor timing differences between Elsevier’s updates and vendor indexing cycles can cause new ClinicalKey articles to appear slightly later in EBSCO, Ex Libris, and similar systems.


To maintain accurate availability information and avoid false positives for recently published articles, many libraries choose to self-impose a temporary embargo on ClinicalKey titles—usually 1 or 2 months. This ensures that link resolvers and discovery tools only surface content confirmed as accessible through ClinicalKey.


When setting up or reviewing embargoes, please refer to the guide for your knowledgebase:


For assistance determining appropriate embargo length or verifying how ClinicalKey content is reflected in a specific vendor’s system, please contact us at support@thirdiron.com.