A c t i o n f o r L i b r a r i e s — J u n e 2 0 0 1

In Reference...

CIS Lexis-Nexis Database Products See Substantial Price Drop
BCR has been able to dramatically reduce prices for the CIS Lexis-Nexis databases for FY 2001-2002. Both academic and public libraries will benefit from this price reduction. For more information, contact Jim Hensinger (jhensing@bcr.org) or visit BCR's Web site www.bcr.org.

OCLC FirstSearch Service Enhancements
MEDLINE on OCLC FirstSearch has been reindexed to allow for searching in a number of new fields. MEDLINE now supports the limiting of searches by library holdings and increased access to local library holdings. No changes need to be made by libraries that provide MEDLINE to their users.

Health and Wellness Information has been added to the OCLC FirstSearch group of reference databases and replaces the Gale Group's Health Reference Center and Health Reference Center-Academic databases. Health and Wellness Information provides access to more than 390 titles and represents a gain of more than 100 journal titles, significantly enhancing the health information available through FirstSearch.

OCLC FirstSearch Price Increases Per search pricing for the OCLC FirstSearch service will increase starting July 1. This new pricing is being introduced to reflect new functions that will be available to subscribers. BCR/OCLC users will pay $0.67 per search and non-BCR/OCLC users will pay $0.77 per search. Searches are purchased in units (blocks) of 500 searches. From BCR's home page (www.bcr.org), click on Reference Databases, then FirstSearch, then Order Forms. Select the OCLC FirstSearch Individual Institution Order Form.

OCLC FirstSearch Service Automatic Notification Option
OCLC has implemented an administrative module option that generates an e-mail message when a per-search account falls below a locally-defined threshold. To activate the low search option, log on to the FirstSearch administrative module at firstsearch.oclc.org/admin. Complete the Low Search Notification screen within the System Settings area.

Grolier Online Introduces New Features
Grolier Online has a powerful new global search capability that enables users to search by title or by content. Just type in your search terms, select Titles Only or Full text and click GO.

The all-new Atlas includes more than 900 full-color maps, including geopolitical, historical, geological, climatic, population and many more. The maps are linked directly from related encyclopedia articles.

Dialog Launches New Products and Implements Enhancements
Dialog has released Dialog1, a Web-based product that combines Dialog's traditional precision search tools and wide-ranging content with new technology to make it easier to use.

A new version of Dialog's Profound online information service offers faster performance via AltaVista- powered search technology; enhanced usability and features; additional content and publishers; and standardized worldwide pricing. Navigation, search input and output review capabilities have also been made more user friendly.

MCB Introduces Emerald 2001
BCR libraries will find the new version of Emerald Online Management Information Resource provides increased content, ease of use and accessibility. The new Emerald 2001 database is part of a new Emerald Reviews section that offers 110,000 abstracts from more than 400 top management journals and publications. Users have an extra 3,500 full-text articles from 130 titles giving them access to more than 35,000 articles. A powerful state-of-the-art search engine provides greater speed, full relevance ranking and Boolean and phrase searching. For more information, contact Dawn Devine (dawn.devine@mcb-use.com) at MCB or Jim Hensinger (jhensing@bcr.org) at BCR.

GaleNet Moving to Standard URL/Product Menu
GaleNet subscribers will soon be required to change the URLs they currently use to one standard URL for all products. Subscribers will have six months to make the changes.

In addition, instead of having to learn and support two different URLs for GaleNet and Info Trac, the Gale Group will now offer a single URL syntax for all product access. This will greatly simplify product support and provide a consistent access method for most Gale Group products.

Finally, a single product menu will contain all product subscriptions. This will eliminate the multiple Gale Group menus that many subscribers currently use. Watch for more information on BCR's Web site or contact Jim Hensinger (jhensing@bcr.org).

New H.W. Wilson Service
H.W. Wilson recently released its new Publisher Full Text Links Service for WilsonWeb users. The new service provides seamless retrieval of full-text articles from select Academic Press journals. There is no charge for current Wilson Web subscribers to AP's IDEAL data server. Anyone else may purchase the full-text articles online. The Applied Science & Technology Full Text database will be the first Wilson product to offer this service.

BCR Group Subscription Deadlines
Several database products offered by BCR are in the final phase of their subscription periods. In most cases, the more order volume generated, the better the final price will be, so submit your renewal/order form as soon as possible.

Britannica Online — Subscription year runs June 1 - May 31.
CIS/Lexis-Nexis — Subscription year is July 1 - June 30.
Oxford University Press — Subscription year runs July 1 - June 30. Starting this year, BCR will invoice for Oxford products in July.
AccessScience — Subscription year runs July 1 - June 30. Invoices will be mailed in July.

To renew or activate any database subscription, complete the appropriate Web order form at www.bcr.org/~ids/Reference/. The order forms can also be used to automatically calculate your library's approximate costs without committing to placing an order. Click on Reference Databases and scroll down the menu on the left side. Libraries may subscribe to any database offered by BCR at any time throughout the year. Contact Jim Hensinger (jhensing@bcr.org) or visit the BCR Web site (www.bcr.org) for more information.

For questions or to subscribe to any reference database, contact BCR's Jim Hensinger (jhensinger@bcr.org) or Karen Graham (kgraham@bcr.org).

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