OCLC'S FirstSearch platform
Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, MeL Training Materials
FirstSearch
Revised 8/9/2010 SR This section will cover primarily WorldCat. If you have time, you may just show them that OAISTER looks and acts a lot like WorldCat.
(I took out WilsonSelectPlus and created an entirely new subpage for OmniFile Select which is now from WilsonWeb. It is the same set of full text resources but on a different platform. MeL has not lost any content. We are just using it differently now.)
Explain that FirstSearch through the Michigan eLibrary contains over a dozen databases covering a
variety of topics. Most are citation only, but there is some full text, for example, World Almanac.
(NetLibrary is now owned by EBSCO and provides MeL with approximately 20,000 digital book titles.
This is taught as a separate database, and the platform is still the same, so users will not experience any changes at all).
FirstSearch includes WorldCat, a large catalog containing information for books, audio and
video materials, maps, musical scores, Internet sites, etc. It contains over 95 million records!
In this section, we will demonstrate WorldCat.
Go to mel.org. Next, click on MEL DATABASES. Scroll down and find WORLDCAT in the alphabetical
list. Click on it.
Discuss navigation tabs across the screen: Home, Databases, and Searching. Explain that the tabs
in view will be different depending on what the user is doing in which FirstSearch database, but
most of these general features are common.
Explain that when a user gets to FirstSearch from mel.org, the MeL default setting is to Advanced
Search, then point out the buttons to go to Basic Search, Expert Search, and Previous Searches.
Click on the DATABASES tab, then explain how to find the information link for each database. Click
on one INFO link (round button with an “i” in it). Anytime this button is displayed, the user can
click on it and see a summary of that specific database. Explain that the full text icons are not
reliable – some refer to full text of citations (rather than full text of the item), so we
recommend that users “ignore” those icons most of the time.
Point out the drop down menu that also allows users to navigate within the screens. These provide
the same “routes” as the buttons.
SEARCHING IN WORLDCAT:
Explain that we are going to begin by searching only in WorldCat (because it is so widely used) and
do those exercises; we will come back to later and learn to search in a full text periodical
database and do those exercises. Encourage them to be patient and follow along.
Have the class enter Harry Potter and change the drop down box from Keyword to TITLE.
Explain how the results list will default to a display with the most libraries owning the book shown
first. Libraries can choose to set those defaults differently, or the user can sort the results
differently before a search (use the Rank by drop down box for that purpose -- this box is at the
very bottom of the search screen).
Do the search. Point out that the tabs across the top have changed. Point out the tabs for
different formats and the buttons for Related Subjects and Related Authors. Look at the List of
Records that displays.
Show the tabs and symbols for the different types and numbers of materials such as book, audio,
Internet sites, etc.
Click on the first title to call up the Detailed Record.
Show the parts of the Detailed Record including the area near the bottom reading “Class
Descriptors” which will provide a call number. Point out that users need to scroll down to see the
complete record because there is so much information included. Point out that the search terms are
highlighted.
In the Detailed Record, view the library holdings by clicking on LIBRARIES WORLDWIDE THAT OWN ITEM.
In most cases, a local city will be listed, indicating that local libraries own the item. Show
that the local city and/or Michigan libraries appear first. If available, the library names are
links to their local catalogs. Each one is different as far as the type of information available.
For example, some will show if the book if available, some will not present that type of information.
Click on the DETAILED RECORD button. Point out the options for other information: External
Resources, More Like This, Find Items About.
Point out that the Detailed Record has several tabs: Detailed Record, Table of Contents, Excerpts
(sometimes), Add/View Comments. Have the class click on ADD/VIEW COMMENTS. This is feature
that allows users to add their own reviews or to read reviews and
comments from other readers.
Click the LIST OF RECORDS button or use the GO TO PAGE drop down menu to go back to the list of
records. Click the tabs across the top to see records for different formats, particularly the
Internet resources. Scroll down in the list to get past the NetLibrary titles.
Have the class follow a link through a detailed record to reach a web page. Point out the Session
timeout counter/clock. Use the RETURN button in upper right corner of the screen to get back to
FirstSearch.
Click on the GO TO PAGE drop down box and go back to Advanced Search.
MORE SPECIFIC SEARCHING TECHNIQUES IN WORLDCAT:
Click on SEARCHING. Show other drop down options besides Keyword (ISBN, ISSN, etc.)
Explain Author vs. Author Phrase and other main entry options such as Conference, Corporation, etc.
(“Title Phrase” or “Author Phrase” implies the precise words in precise order). Click CLEAR to
start fresh.
Use the drop down to change to TITLE (not Title Phrase). Type girl dragon tattoo in the box,
click on SEARCH. Click on the title link for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. Show the tabs for Table of
Contents, More Info, and Excerpt (displays the first chapter). Explain that if users now want to email or print
something, they need to be very careful to look at what the email or print choices are (as displayed by the radio
buttons). In some cases, the entire first chapter of the book may print.
Click the LIST OF RECORDS button to go back to the list of records.
Have the class mark 3-4 records. Show how to click on the MARKED RECORDS button to display only
those selected records. While the class has the Marked Records list displayed, show how to email
that list by clicking on the EMAIL button. Explain the choices: Brief or Detailed Records,
suggest that they leave it at Send as plain text. Let them actually email the record if they want
to.
