by Nick Tomaiuolo, Bibliographic Instruction Librarian
While the CCSU Library has made
electronic databases widely
available in the past, access to more
information than ever is possible
through an expanded array of FirstSearch databases.
For several years, the Elihu Burritt Library
has been meeting the electronic information needs
of library users through a variety of means. CD-ROM databases were the first publicly accessible files.
These may be used by visiting the Library's Reference Department on the third floor. A popular
compact disc database is the full text version of the New York Times (full text indicates that complete articles
may be found on the computer); the Hartford Courant is also available. A second option is World Wide
Web access which allows the public to find
documents on the Internet. Several computers located on
the third floor have "surf" or "search" capabilities
to the Web. Another electronic resource, CONSULS (the Connecticut State University's online catalog
-- or "electronic card catalog"), allows users to
find items owned not only at the CCSU Library, but also at Southern, Eastern, and Western
Connecticut State University by entering authors,
titles, subjects, or keywords. An additional option
within the CONSULS system is to search bibliographic databases (to find journal articles, for example).
Among the database options that a user may select is
"FirstSearch".
What is "FirstSearch" and how did we "Expand" it?
FirstSearch is NOT a database; it is a database service. Until recently, choosing the
FirstSearch service would have given the user a choice of 14 databases on which to perform a search.
Presently, however, the Library has now made it possible for the public to choose from
50 databases. This represents over thirty additional files that you may explore for your information needs.
Among the newly offered databases are Index to Legal Periodicals, INSPEC (a database
for physics, electronics, and computing), Environment (key aspects of environmental science), PAIS
Decade (public affairs), and Business News.
Here is a comprehensive list of all FirstSearch databases:
| Database
name | Scope
|
|---|
| 1) WorldCat | Books and other materials in libraries
worldwide
|
| 2) Article1st | Index of articles from nearly 12,500
journals
|
| 3) Contents1st | Table of Contents of nearly 12,500
journals
|
| 4) NetFirst | Database of Internet resources
|
| 5) A & H Search | Arts and humanities (a citation
index)
|
| 6) AGRICOLA | Materials relating to all aspects of
agriculture
|
| 7) AIDS/Cancer | AIDS and Cancer Research
|
| 8) AppSciTechAb | Applied Science and technology
literature
|
| 9) ArtAbstracts | Leading publications in the world of the
arts
|
| 10) BasicBIOSIS | A wide range of bioscience
topics
|
| 11) BioDigest | Non-technical digests in biology, ecology
& health
|
| 12) Biography Index | Guide to a wide range of biographical
material
|
| 13) BiolAgrIndex | Leading publications in agriculture and
biology
|
| 14) BookRevDigst | Reviews of fiction and nonfiction
books
|
| 15) Books in Print | RR Bowker's Books in Print
|
| 16) BusDateline | Citations on Regional business articles
|
| 17) Business/Industry | New: Business and industry
|
| 18) BusinessNews | Daily news and information from 350
sources
|
| 19) BusinessOrgs | Organizations that serve business and
industry
|
| 20) CINAHL | Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied
Health
|
| 21) Consumer Index | An index of articles providing consumer
information
|
| 22) DataTimes | An index of regional newspapers
|
| 23) Disclosure | Financial reports on publicly owned
companies
|
| 24) Diss | Dissertation Abstracts Online
|
| 25) EBSCO | The EBSCO MasterFILE. Nearly 2,400 magazines
|
| 26) EconLit | An index of economic literature
|
| 27) EducationAbs | Leading publications in the field of
education
|
| 28) Environment | Key aspects of environmental science
|
| 29) Eventline | Scheduled conventions, exhibits, etc.,
worldwide
|
| 30) FactSearch | Facts and statistics on topics of current
interest
|
| 31) GeneralSciAbstracts | Leading general science
periodicals
|
| 32) GEOBASE | Worldwide literature on geography and
geology
|
| 33) GeoRef | Guide to materials in geology and earth
sciences
|
| 34) GPO | U.S. Government publications
|
| 35) HumanitiesAbs | An index of articles in the
humanities
|
| 36) IndxLegalPer | Index to Legal Periodicals & Books
|
| 37) INSPEC | Physics, electronics, and computing
|
| 38) LibraryLit | Materials on libraries and librarianship
|
| 39) MDX Health | Digest of medical and health information
|
| 40) MEDLINE | Abstracted articles from medical journals
|
| 41) MicrocompAbs | Microcomputer Abstracts
|
| 42) NewsAbs | Newspaper Abstracts
|
| 43) NYT | New: The New York Times
|
| 44) PAIS Decade | Materials on public affairs (most recent 10
years)
|
| 45) PapersFirst | An index of papers presented at
conferences
|
| 46) Proceedings | An index of conference proceedings
|
| 47)RILM Abs | RILM Abstracts of Music Literature
|
| 48) SocSciAbs | Guide to the literature of the social
sciences
|
| 49) WilBusAbs | Leading English-language business
periodicals
|
| 50) WorldScope | Financial reports on companies worldwide
|
Note: One additional database, the Modern Language Association
Bibliography (MLA) is also available.
For access details see "3a" below.
Expanded access translates into more information power for our users.
Just six months ago,
a typical technology query may have been searchable on only one available
FirstSearch database, users
now can try their search query against several related databases!
WHAT: Using the Expanded Database Options of the FirstSearch
service
HOW: From any CONSULS terminal in the CCSU Library
At the CCSU Information Gateway Menu
1) Choose "D" Journal Indexes and Other Databases
2) Choose "F" FirstSearch
3) For easy access choose "T" Using OCLC Menus
3a) For access to MLA only choose "M"
4) When you are connected you will be presented with a list of
Topic Areas -- these are not the databases themselves -- you
must choose a category that is appropriate
for your search, and then choose a database. Or you may choose
"14" to see the complete
list of databases as shown in the table above.
Example of Topic Area Screen
| NO. & TOPIC AREA | |
|---|---|
| 1 Arts & Humanites | 8 General Sciences |
| 2 Business & Economics | 9 Life Sciences |
| 3 Conferences & Proceedings | 10 Medicine &
Health |
| 4 Consumer Affairs & People | 11 News & Current
Events |
| 5 Education | 12 Public Affairs & Law |
| 6 Engineering & Technology | 13 Social Sciences |
| 7 General & Reference | 14 All databases |
Example of Result of Choosing Topic Area 8 "General
Science"
| NO. & DATABASE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|
| 1 WorldCat | Books and other materials in libraries
worldwide
| | 2 Article1st | Index of articles from nearly 12,500
journals
| | 3 Contents1st | Tables of Contents of nearly 12,500
journals
| | 4 NetFirst | Database of Internet resources
| | 5 Environment | Key aspects of environmental science
| | 6 General Science Abstracts | Leading general science
periodicals
| | 7 GEOBASE | Worldwide literature on geography and
geology
| | 8 GeoRef | Guide to materials in geology and earth
sciences
| | 9 INSPEC | Physics, electronics, and computing
|
Next Step: Choose the database best suited to your question!
5) Once you've selected a Topic Area, choose a
database.After you have connected to the database a
"banner" will appear; it tells you about the content of the
database,
for example:
*********Social Science Abstracts*********
COVERAGE: More than 400 international, English-language periodicals in
sociology,
anthropology, geography, economics, political science, and law. Indexing
from February 1983 to the present.
Abstracts from 1994. Updated monthly.
******************************************
6) Searching the selected
database: After you see the "banner" press "ENTER"
to continue. Follow any prompts, "Hints," or "Help"
that
you may encounter to begin
your search, refine your search, and view your results.
WHERE: You may use FirstSearch as follows:
1) The full menu of 50 FirstSearch databases (plus MLA Bibliography) is
available at
any CONSULS terminals at the Library.
2) If you are a student, faculty, or staffperson with a CCSU VAX account,
access
the VAX through your usual means, and type CONSULS at the prompt. Follow the
instructions under "HOW" above. If you are using your VAX
account, you do not need to be
in the Library to use FirstSearch.
Caveat: Despite better computer hardware and software, users
sometimes experience a delay in
using FirstSearch, particularly after the West Coast has
"logged on."
 |
Emily Chasse, Online Services Librarian discusses
FirstSearch and other resources with new faculty
members during an orientation
|
|
More Electronic Databases Now Available