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Customize FirstSearch

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Learn how to customize database and full-text access, ILL and your library logo and link in FirstSearch.

Use the administrative module to customize FirstSearch to meet the needs of your users and staff. Logon to the administrative module with your FirstSearch authorization and administrative password at https://firstsearch.oclc.org/admin.

Use the temporary FirstSearch password included in your FirstSearch welcome letter to logon to the administrative module for the first time.

The administrative module lets you customize:

  • Searching and library holdings
  • Databases and full-text access
  • Interlibrary loan
  • Passwords and timeouts
  • Links to other information services

Database and full-text access

  1. Turn access to individual databases and full text on and off using the Database Access section under the Authentication/Access tab in your WorldCat Services Administrative Module. You can also let your users view, e-mail and print full-text articles.Set a full-text password in the administrative module to restrict full-text access to certain users.
  2. In the user interface, a full-text button (Full text icon) in the brief and full record displays indicates the availability of full text.
  3. Turn on links to other full-text resources such as JSTOR, Infotrieve, and NetLibrary® using the Outbound Linking section under the Linking tab in your WorldCat Services administrative module.

Interlibrary loan access

The FirstSearch-ILL link lets you request library materials found in FirstSearch databases. Customize this link using the following administrative module options:

  • ILL access: Turn ILL access on or off. You can also customize the text for the link to the ILL Request Form.

    Control the databases in which users can submit ILL requests and the method used to process the requests for each database.
  • WorldCat® ILL access: Suppress access to ILL requests for document types (such as archival materials) that are seldom loaned.
  • ILL request form: Customize the FirstSearch ILL Request Form for your users.
  • Display Library Holdings: Specify whether users can view holdings information for libraries other than yours. You can also turn on a Display All Libraries link to allow your users to view a list of all libraries that hold an item.

Add your library's logo to your interface

Add your library's logo to the user interface using the administrative module. You can also add custom Web links to the FirstSearch user interface. For example, you could include links to your library's Web site or to the Ask-a-Librarian service. For more information, see Add your library's logo to FirstSearch.

Link to your library's catalog

You can add a link from FirstSearch to either your library's Web catalog or your library's Z39.50-accessible catalog to let your users view detailed local holdings information. Instructions for setting up this link are in online help within the administrative module and also in WorldCat Admin.