search50 – using search results

With search⁵⁰ you can select the areas you want to search in, and define your search much like a CompartheMarket.com for library resources. Instead of cheaper car insurance you are presented with lists of search results from different resources.

The results page displays results in the order they are returned. The activity bar on the right hand side of the screen indicates if the search is completed, but you can interact with the search results as soon as the first list is displayed. Search results are displayed in sets. You can click on the database name in the list below the activity bar to go to the first set of results returned from that resource. You can click on Next Set… for more results. At the top of the results page you have the option to reorder the results returned by Author, Title or Date.

For more information on a search result, click on View. This will be displayed in the resource that result was returned from. You can also link directly to the full-text of a journal article, where it is available, from the results screen. It’s not uncommon to search an online database only to find that you do not have full-text access to the article you find. In most instances this is because the Library does not maintain the necessary subscription.

If there is no Full-text or PDF View link, the seven thousand online academic journals and 150 online databases we do subscribe to can be found on the Databases and Journals pages on the Library website. It is also possible to order articles located through search50, but unavailable in online full-text, through inter-library loan. There’s an icon on the resource list in search⁵⁰ indicating whether access on a particular resource is to full-text, partial full-text, or in the case of library catalogues, no full-text.

You can select all results returned from a specific resource, or make your own selection. This information can then be printed out, emailed to your choice of email account or saved. There are various options for the format in which you can save results, whether as a text file or for use with EndNote or other bibliographic software. You also have the option to export directly into EndNote or RefWorks.

For more information or assistance with any aspect of online searching or support for EndNoteWeb contact the Library, browse through some of our previous postings on this blog, and look out for our information skills workshop sessions.

Iain Young
Resources Manager

Library Workshop slides available

Library Staff have so far presented two sessions as part of the Lunchtime Workshop Programme.  If you want to view the PowerPoint slides from either of these sessions, these are now available.  If you missed the session and/or have any further questions regarding the information presented, please get in touch with the presenter.  The slides and contact details are available from the Library Workshops page.

If you have attended one of the lunchtime workshops and didn’t complete our short feedback form, we’d very much appreciate your comments – please use our feedback form and return by email or hand in to Library Sttaff.

Sarah Kelly
Subject Librarian

Attention all Inter Library Loan users

Most ILL users will get their requested articles delivered directly to them in electronic format, thanks to the British Library’s Secure Electronic Delivery service. You will now need a new software application, Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) in order to view documents through the SED service. ADE can be downloaded, for free, from the Adobe website. If you are currently using Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6 or 7, then we recommend that you upgrade to Adobe Digital Editions as soon as you can.

Please Note:

As long as you have ADE installed and activated, you can receive SED documents regardless of any other Adobe software installed on your computer (e.g. earlier versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader).

If you currently use Adobe Reader 6 or 7 you will be able to continue receiving SED documents until the middle of 2009. However, Adobe Reader 6 is no longer available for download, and Adobe has stated that there will be no new installations of Adobe Reader 7 permitted from March 2009. If you are new to SED please install Adobe Digital Editions.

For more information, please view the British Library’s SED FAQ.

Gill McDonald
Deputy Librarian