First Search

A Guide to the Basics

ILLINET/OCLC Staff

Table of Contents

Accessing FirstSearch and Selecting Databases…………………...……………………..3

Basic Searching…………… ……………………………………………………………..4

Advanced and Expert Searching………………………………………………………….5

Viewing Search Results ………………………………………………………………….6

The WorldCat Services Administrative Module…………………………………………8

Linking FirstSearch to a Web-based Catalog………….……………………...…………10

Interface Display…………………………………………………………………………11

FirstSearch Databases offered by the Illinois State Library …………………………….11

Purchasing Access to Additional Databases……………………………………………..11

Practice Exercises for FirstSearch…………………………………………………….....12

Contacts for Additional Help…………………………………………………………….15

2

OCLC’s First Search is an online service that gives library professionals and end users access to a collection of reference databases. With FirstSearch, materials in your library’s collection are highlighted in results from searches in dozens of leading databases. To access the databases, go to:http://firstsearch.oclc.organd logon with your library’s authorization and password.

Once you are logged on, select the appropriate databases(s) to search by using one of the three options available on the navigation bar.

List All Databases – Select this option to see a list of all available databases.List Databases by Topic – Select this option to see the databases grouped together in broad categories.Suggest Best Databases – After entering a keyword, author, or source and selecting a database topic area, FirstSearch will scan the databases for your topic and return a list of estimated results. You can then select from that list.

3

The “list all databases” is displayed below. FirstSearch allows searching of up to three databases simultaneously. In the example below, however, we have chosen to search only PerAbs (Periodical Abstracts).

The basic search provides simple search boxes (e.g., keyword, author, title, etc.). This interface is appropriate for quick results using a simple search statement.

4

The advanced search provides three search boxes for separate search statements that can be combined using Boolean operator (AND, OR, and NOT) selected from pull-down menus. Additional limiting by date, language, and record type is also available.

The expert search is designed for experienced searchers who prefer to construct logical search strings. In the example below, we are looking for MEDLINE literature published in 2006 in which the terms heart and stress occur within 3 words of one another.

5

Search ResultsLet’s rerun the advanced search on the top of page 5. 77 items are retrieved from the WorldCat database – 46 of which are books, sound 24, Internet 6 and computer 1. To view a detailed record, click on the appropriate title.

The detailed record for the second title in the retrieval set is displayed below.

To determine which libraries own the title click on “libraries that own item.”

6

Libraries with web-based catalogs can set up a link to their catalog in the FirstSearch administrative module. Because the Acorn Public Library has set up this link, we are given information on the availability of the book when we select their library.

7

The WorldCat Services Administrative Module

Web-based administrative tools let you manage every aspect of your FirstSearch account.Among the features of the administrative module are options to:

Manage all authorizationsControl access to databases and full textControl access to journal contentCustomize displays and functionality for search and results

To access the administrative module, go to:http://firstsearch.oclc.org/adminand logon with your library’s authorization and password.

8

Tabs across the top of the Administrative Module allow you to manage various aspects of the service. To change passwords, click on the Authentication/Access tab and then select (on the left-hand side of the screen) “Passwords”.

To change a password (for the administrative module, the user service interface, etc.) type the new password (use at least 4 but not more than 10 characters in the password) in the appropriate box and click “save changes.”

If you would like your users to be able to logon to FirstSearch automatically (within the library) you will need to add your library IP address (es) by clicking on the “IP Address Recognition” box that appears directly below “Passwords”. Enter the correct IP address (es) or range according to the instructions and click on the ‘save changes’ button. Once you have added your IP range, you may set up a link to FirstSearch using the URL:http://firstsearch.oclc.org/fsip

9

To control access to the various FirstSearch databases, click on the “Database Access” box above “Passwords”. In most cases you will want to retain the default setting that permits access to all of the databases that you have purchased (or that have been purchased for you), but you may deselect any database that might be inappropriate for your users.

Linking FirstSearch to a Web-based CatalogThe full power of FirstSearch for your users, you will want to link your web-based catalog to the service. Under the linking tab, select “Web Library Catalogs” (left-hand side of the screen) and enter the URL for your catalog’s entry screen. Next, enter the URL for the screen that displays an ISBN (and an ISSN or an OCLC) search of your catalog and click on the ‘Save Change” button.

10

Interface DisplayTo make changes in the way the FirstSearch screen displays to your users, click on the Interface Display tab. Under “Your Library Settings” you many change the default search screen (basic, advanced, expert), the interface colors etc. “Topic Areas” can be customized as can the type of library holdings (regional, group, all, etc.) than your user sees.

Databases Currently offered by the Illinois State Library ArticleFirst* OCLC’s index of articles from the contents pages of journalsClase/ Periodica An index of articles from Latin American and Caribbean

journals eBooks* Catalog of online ebooks available through libraries worldwideECO* An OCLC collection of scholarly journalsERIC Journal articles and reports in education GPO U.S. government publicationsIllinois Catalog* OCLC catalog of materials in Illinois libraries (SILC)MEDLINE All areas of medicine, including dentistry and nursingPapersFirst* OCLC index of papers presented at conferences worldwideProceedings* An OCLC index of worldwide conference proceedingsWorldAlmanac Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia and four almanacsWorldCat* OCLC catalog of books, web resources, and other materials WCatDissertations* A database of all dissertations and theses in WorldCat

* Denotes databases produced by OCLC

Purchasing Access to Additional DatabasesFor access to additional databases, you must either purchase a subscription or a block of searches. For a database subscription price quote, please contact our network. Blocks of searches may be ordered at the Online Service Center at:http://www.oclc.org/servicecenter

11

Practice Exercises for FirstSearch

Basic SearchingSearch in keyword, author or title indexesLimit to “items in my library” or, in some databases, to “full text only” Rank results by relevance or date

Database = WorldCatUser’s guide to the brain in the title index. After you retrieve your results, limit to books.

Database = WorldCatShakespeare in the author index. After you retrieve your results, limit to scores, then sort by date.

Advanced SearchingSelect indexes from drop down-menusCombine terms with Boolean operators (and, or, not)Search limits depend on database (e.g., year, document type, language, library code, full-text)Rank results by relevance or date

Databases = PerAbs and WilsonSelectPlusSeasonal affective disorder in the keyword index, andSad in the title index, andLimit to 2001

Database = WilsonSelectPlusRecipes in the keyword index, andChocolate in the keyword index, notPeanuts in the keyword index

Database = WorldCatSubliminal messages in the keyword index, and Limit to UIU andRank by date

Database = WorldCatOliver Twist in the title index, and Limit to Spanish

Expert Searching (i.e. command line searching with index label)Enter an index label along with a search term. Combine these “search keys” as needed (e.g., au: dickens and ti: tale of two cities). Index labels will vary with each database. Click on the “indexed in” drop-down menu to see which labels are pertinent to the database you have selected.

12

Use the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT to combine search terms when you need to expand or narrow a search. AND retrieves only records that contain all search terms and will thus narrow your search. OR retrieves all records that contain one or both terms and will thus expand the search. NOT eliminates records that contain a search term and will thus limit a search. Use NOT with caution or you may unintentionally eliminate relevant records. Use parentheses ( ) to specify the order in which terms will be combined. Process AND, OR, or NOT in left-to-right order unless parentheses ( ) are used. For example:(baseball AND brewers) OR twins baseball AND (brewers OR twins)

Use proximity operators for adjacent terms. Type w between two terms to search for records containing both terms, in the order typed, with no words between them. Type w and a number (1-25) between two terms to search for records containing both terms, in the order typed, with no more than that number of other words between them. For example:aluminum w wiring aluminum w2 wiring

Type n between two terms to search for records containing both terms, in any order, with no words between them. Type n and a number (1-25) between two terms to search for records containing both terms, in any order, with no more than that number of other words between them. For example:overview n 1998chicken n3 egg

Use truncation to search for a term and its variations by entering only the root of the term followed by an asterisk (*). Use the truncation symbol only at the end of a term (e.g., librar*).

A wildcard is a special character used to represent one or more characters in a search term. FirstSearch recognizes two wildcards. The pound sign (#) represents a single character and the question mark (?), alone or with a number, represents zero to nine additional characters. Include a number if you know the maximum number of characters the wildcard will replace. Wildcards can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a term. For example:wom#n (woman or women)colo?r (color, colour, colonizer, colorimeter)colo?1r (color, colour, but not colonizer or colorimeter)

To search for a word and its plural form, add a plus sign + to the singular form. The plus + will search for any plural formed with either -s or -es. For example, giraffe+ retrieves all records that contain giraffe and giraffes. To search for the plural of words that change form, such as mouse or story, search for both forms and combine them with the Boolean operator OR. For example, to retrieve mouse and its plural, search for mouse OR mice.

13

To search for an exact phrase, use quotation marks (e.g., “culture shock”).

Options to limit your search will vary by database but may include limiting by:

Full textLibrary holdingsDocument typeLanguageYearItems on the Internet

14

Questions?

For additional information on FirstSearch and to review the service we have demonstrated today, please see the FirstSearch “support” page at:

http://www.oclc.org/firstsearch/support/default.htm

For additional help you may also contact us at the ILLINET OCLC Services office by phone or e-mail.

Suzanne Schriarsschriar@ilsos.net217.785.1533

Debra Aggerttdaggertt@ilsos.net217.558.1945

William Echelbargerwechelbarger@ilsos.net217.524.6313

If we are not available, please feel free to call OCLC Customer Service at:1.800.848.5800

15