Action for Libraries

              ACTION FOR LIBRARIES
311186 0022 62266 BCR NETWORK NEWS
Bibliographical Center for Research .. Volume XXV, Number 3, March 1999 • ISSN: 0363·0250
New OClC FirstSearch .to Provide
Integrated, Enhanced. Reference Service
By James Spe~d Hensinger
BCR member libraries are urged to take.a look at
OCLC's New FirstSearch service ,?,hen it becomes
available. OCLC has scheduledthe full release in
August. The new service will help users find and access
infor~ation more, quickly and easily. ,
.New FirstSearch is a redesign of the existing OCLC
. FirstSearch online service, integrating features and con­tent
of OCLC Electronic Collections Online into a
single, comprehensive referen~e service. It ~lso incor­porates
enhanced functionality familiar to users of "the
OCLC EPIC service ..
'In ~his next generation -FirsrSearch, "libraries will find a
rich collection of databases with links to the World
Wid~ Web, online full-text services, document delivery,
library holdings and interlibrary loan. New features
and functions will help libraries better manage their
collections, while making reference information r~adily
available to patrons at an affordable cost: Dsers will be
'prov'ided with seamless, electrdnic access to biblio- .
graphic, abstract and full,text information.
Users cithe New FirstSearch will have access to more
than 75 databases with more than 1.5 million full-text
articles. That's in addition to the more than 1,800 ele~­tronic
journal titles from Electronic Collections _Online
expected to·be available this year:
. New FirstSearch: ,
• Integrates physical and electronic library
holdings, merging them with other databases
on the service. ,
• Brings local library or group holdings to the
forefront of search results.
• Can be custorriized to meet the individual
library'S needs.
• Puts librarians in contrQI by providing a greatly
enhanced web· based Administrative Module with
more options .
• Can be fully integrated through 239.50.
Continued-on page 2
New OCLe FirstSearch Kansas Tri·Conference 6
The Inter'net Connecti()n 2 . Highsmith Offer 6
OCLC Update 3 Member News 6
. Flat Fee Internet Access 4 Workshop Calendar 7
In Reference 5 PBS Launches Web Site 7
Multimedia Managment 5 lifestart Video End·orsed B
System
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