In Reference

OCLC FirstSearch Customizing Tips
OCLC has installed a number of enhancements to the FirstSearch service that give users more control over their search results and administrators more control over how the service interacts with users.

Making sure FirstSearch users have adequate time to complete a search and then review their search results without getting bumped off the system, as well as freeing up the system if a user forgets to exit the program, are important issues for both users and administrators. To alleviate both problems, OCLC FirstSearch administrators can change the length of time FirstSearch waits for a request before automatically ending a session. The default setting is 15 minutes, but can be set for any time from five minutes to 30 minutes by typing a number in the Session Timeout box to indicate how long FirstSearch should wait when activity stops during a search session. In addition, any number between 15 and 45 can be typed in the Full-Text Timeout box to indicate how long FirstSearch should wait while users read, print or download full-text articles from their search results.

To access this option, go to the FirstSearch administrative module home page at firstsearch.oclc.org/admin?firstpg=General/, and enter your library's FirstSearch administrative authorization and password on the administrative module login screen. You will be taken directly to the Authentication/Access > General area in your administrative module, where the timeouts can be set.

Please note: If your FirstSearch access is through a group purchase, you want to check with your group's administrator. Changing the time may impact the number of ports available to the group, possibly necessitating the need for more ports.

Library administrators can also set up custom library groups in the FirstSearch administrative module by designating OCLC symbols, then giving the groups names recognizable by your users. A library group icon and the group name will appear in WorldCat search results lists next to items owned by libraries in the group. Not only is it easy to create library groups, but it's a simple matter to remove a group from a list, add others or change a group's name. Depending on what custom library groups you set up, you can limit your users to viewing holdings of libraries in a given geographical area or consortium, or to those with which they have borrowing privileges.

To set a custom library group, go to the OCLC First- Search Web site and select the firstsearch.oclc.org/admin?firstpg=CustomLibraryGroups/. Enter your FirstSearch administrative authorization and password on the administrative module login screen. This will take you directly to the Library Holdings area in your administrative module, where you can set up how you want the custom library groups displayed to your users.

OCLC FirstSearch Promotional Toolkit Now Free The most recent version of the FirstSearch promotional toolkit is now available at no charge. Librarians will find this new set of promotional materials useful in helping patrons to better understand the value of using the WorldCat database on the OCLC FirstSearch Service. To download the kit, go to www.oclc.org/firstsearch/promoting/toolkit.htm.

The kit contains two customizable press releases, two posters with the theme, "Discover the world at your library" to display at your library, 25 bookmarks and two table tents with the same theme. Also included is one "Finding what you want in OCLC FirstSearch" brochure (www.oclc.org/firstsearch/promoting/materials/finding.pdf), which includes information on searching WorldCat and other FirstSearch databases.

To order print copies of the toolkit or individual items at no charge, go to the OCLC Publications Request Web site (www.oclc.org/oclc/forms/pubreq.htm). You will need to use the following product codes:

FirstSearch EventLine Database Discontinued
OCLC has been notified by the publisher of the EventLine database that it will no longer be updating the database after March 2003. Since the database provider decided to limit its focus to cover only events in the medical, biotechnology and scientific fields, OCLC decided to drop the database from its collection of FirstSearch databases as of April 1.

Infotrieve Announces New Ariel Store and Forward Server
RLG is planning to discontinue it's store and forward server at 5 p.m. PST on May 2. Until that time, Infotrieve and RLG will run both servers in parallel, providing participating institutions with ample time to update address books and ILL management systems and coordinate the new store and forward configurations with firewall administrators. This change will affect only those institutions that limit their inbound and outbound Ariel traffic to one server, i.e., Infotrieve's store and forward server. Other than the change in the IP address, this service will be identical to the previous store and forward server at RLG.

For the new server address as well as a FAQ sheet, go to www4.infotrieve.com/ariel/sfserver.html. For help in setting up your institution's firewall to work with Ariel, go to www4.infotrieve.com/ariel/arinstal.html#firewall. For information on ordering Ariel, contact BCR's Laura Chittivej (lchittiv@bcr.org).

Ovid Announces Cancellation of CANCERLIT
The National Cancer Institute has notified Ovid that it is discontinuing production of the CANCERLIT database, formerly included with Ovid's MEDLINE database service. Options to create a replacement database for CANCERLIT users is being explored and, in the event a suitable replacement cannot be made, Ovid will be happy to make the appropriate refund to its users. Contact Karen Graham at BCR (kgraham@bcr.org) for more information.

Grolier Online Renewal Period Ends May 1
Current BCR Grolier Online subscribers are encouraged to renew before May 1 or their subscriptions will expire. To maintain access, current subscribers must submit an order for the new year. All new subscribers or transfers from direct Grolier accounts also must complete a BCR Web order form. For detailed pricing and order information, please go to BCR's Web site (www.bcr.org), select Reference Databases and then Grolier or any Grolier title. Don't miss out on this new purchasing opportunity for academic libraries, as well as several enhancements including an update module and ADA-compliant versions of two of its encyclopedia databases, the Encyclopedia Americana and The New Book of Popular Science. For questions or more information, contact Laura Chittivej at BCR (lchittiv@bcr.org).

For questions or to subscribe to any reference database, contact BCR's Rosario Garza (rgarza@bcr.org), Karen Graham (kgraham@bcr.org) or Laura Chittivej (lchittiv@bcr.org).

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February 27, 2008
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