FirstSearch is a set of twelve databases which are available to the university community through the VAX and CONSULS, the Burritt Library's online catalog. These databases are: World Cat, Article First, Applied Science and Technology Index, Art Index, Biography Index, Biology Digest, Book Review Digest, Education Index, General Science Index, Library Literature, Medline, and the Modern Language Association's International Bibliography (MLA). The software is user-friendly. All commands except print (use "print screen" key) and exit (type "bye") are listed on each screen. Barbara Meagher in the Reference Department has developed a short guide to using FirstSearch. These guides are available at the Information Desk on the 3rd floor of the library or via campus mail, or e-mail to meagherb.

In addition, 40 other databases, also provided by FirstSearch are available from a terminal in the Reference Department using a special password. Please ask at the Information Desk. To access FirstSearch through the VAX type FIRST at the $ prompt. To get to the Library's catalog type CONSULS at the $ prompt. Through CONSULS, the Library also offers a service called CARL. At the CONSULS main menu choose b>connect to other databases. CARL describes itself as the "world's largest article index and single source for document delivery" which means it contains over 4 million citations to articles taken from tables of contents of over 14,000 journal titles and allows users to request the complete text of articles delivered by fax within 24 hours. There is, however, a charge for this service.