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Navigate the administrative module

Learn how to navigate the WorldCat Admin module in order to configure FirstSearch for your library.

Main menu of the administrative module

The main menu is located below the administrative module name and logo on each screen. It contains a tab and a menu for each section of the administrative module. Click the tab for a section to go to that section. The menu below a section tab contains links to the options available in the section. Click a menu link to go to the screen for that option.

Home tab

Use the Home tab to view information about customizing the administrative module for your library, and information about your FirstSearch account, including:

  • Expiration dates
  • Searches remaining in a per-search account
  • Your institution's name
  • Your institution's OCLC symbol

Authentication/Access tab

Use the Authentication/Access tab to view and select the options that determine how your FirstSearch account is accessed.

Authentication/Access tab options - Table
Option Purpose of option
Database Access Make individual databases available or unavailable for searching.
Make information needed to create direct article access links available or unavailable by database.
Passwords Change passwords for access to the FirstSearch service, full text, usage statistics and the administrative module.
Select the databases that require the full-text password.
Provide a brief message that FirstSearch displays to users when prompting for the full-text password.
IP-Address Recognition Set up or change IP address recognition access to FirstSearch.
NCIP See NCIP access to FirstSearch.
General Select options for:
  1. Low search notification
  2. Full text delivery method
  3. Length of timeout periods
  4. Maximum number of databases per search
  5. Select Translation Service
  6. Comments

Resource Sharing tab

Use the Resource Sharing tab to view and select options for providing additional full-text resources for your users.

Resource Sharing tab options - Table
Option Purpose of option
Patron ILL Settings View and select options for customizing interlibrary loan in FirstSearch. Contains:
  1. ILL Processing
  2. WorldCat ILL Access
  3. Patron ILL Request Form
  4. ILL via E-mail
ILL Processing Turn ILL access on or off.
For individual databases, specify whether users can make ILL requests and, if they can, how those requests are processed.
WorldCat ILL Access Control the document types that your institution's FirstSearch users can request through ILL.
Patron ILL Request Form Customize the FirstSearch Patron ILL Request form for your users.
ILL via E-mail Specify information used in the ILL via E-mail method for processing ILL requests submitted by your users while using FirstSearch.
ILL Request Management Use the ILL Request Management screen to determine which request management options will be available to your FirstSearch users.
Staff ILL Settings See Staff ILL authorizations overview. Contains:
  1. Staff ILL Authorizations
  2. Constant Data Options
  3. Constant Data Records
  4. Saved Notes
  5. Custom Holdings Group
  6. Custom Holdings Path
  7. Direct Request Profiles
Staff ILL Authorizations See Add staff ILL authorizations and Delete staff ILL authorizations.
Constant Data Options See Constant Data overview.
Constant Data Records See Constant Data overview.
Saved Notes See Saved Notes overview.
Custom Holdings Groups See Custom Holdings overview.
Custom Holdings Paths See Custom Holdings overview.
Direct Request Profiles See Direct Request Profiles overview.
Journal Settings Turn access to full text on and off by journal.
OpenURL Links Add links in FirstSearch that lead to your library's OpenURL server. For more information, see OpenURL links.
 Note: This option is also available in the Linking section.

Linking tab

Use the Linking tab to view and select options that link your users to additional resources.

Linking tab options - Table
Option Purpose of option
Online Booksellers Create links between the WorldCat database and booksellers' services.
Web Library Catalogs Add links in FirstSearch that lead to your library's catalog.
Link partners' users from WorldCat holdings information to your library's catalog.
Z39.50 Library Resources Let users view holdings information retrieved from Z39.50-compatible library catalogs.
Outbound Linking Increase the amount of full text available to your users in FirstSearch by providing links that lead from FirstSearch detailed records describing items to the full text of those items in other services that your library uses.
OpenURL Links Add links in FirstSearch that lead to your library's OpenURL server. For more information, see OpenURL links.
 Note: This option is also available in the Resource Sharing section.

Interface Display tab

Use the Interface Display tab to view and select options that determine how the FirstSearch interface is presented to your users.

Interface Display tab options - Table
Option Purpose of option
Search Settings Select options for default search screen and related searches.
Your Library Settings Add your library's logo to the FirstSearch service.
Add links in FirstSearch that lead to library web resources that you choose.
Your Library See Your library's logo and Your library's custom web links.
User Interface Colors Select an institution's FirstSearch interface colors. Choose blue, green, gray, FirstSearch classic, or design your own custom color combination.
Topic Areas Customize the topic areas in which FirstSearch databases are listed for users to select.
Specify which OCLC-defined topic areas and which custom topic areas are displayed to users.
Specify the default topic area that users see first.
Custom Topic Areas Create your own topic areas and specify the databases listed in them.
Library Holdings Select options for library holdings display and display all libraries.
Let users limit their FirstSearch search results to items in your library and their search results in the WorldCat database to items in libraries that you select.
Custom Library Groups Create or modify custom library groups for use in the WorldCat database.
Virtual Catalogs A virtual catalog combines up to three FirstSearch databases into an entity that can be searched as a single catalog. When you create a virtual catalog, the system automatically assigns WorldCat as one of the databases, but you can remove it if you like.

Collection Analysis tab

(if applicable)

Collection Analysis tab options - Table
Option Purpose of option
Comparisons The Comparisons screen allows you to create a Comparison Group, display the members of an existing Comparison Group, or delete an existing Comparison Group. The screen also contains direct links to:
  • Find an OCLC Library search to enable you to locate institution symbols.
  • Sample text for asking a library's permission to order a one-to-one comparison.
Predefined Groups The Predefined Groups screen allows you to create a comparison between:
  • a library's Individual Library Analysis (for those subscribing as individual institutions)
  • an Aggregated Group Analysis (for those subscribing as part of a Subscription Group)

and an OCLC-defined group. These comparisons are called predefined group comparisons. The screen also contains a direct link to the list of existing OCLC-defined groups.
Authoritative Lists The Authoritative Lists screen allows you to create a comparison between:
  • a library's Individual Library Analysis (for those subscribing as individual institutions)
  • an Aggregated Group Analysis (for those subscribing as part of a Subscription Group)

and an authoritative collection development list such as Booklist or Outstanding Academic Titles. This list is called an authoritative list comparison.
ILL Analyses The ILL Analysis screen allows you to view your library's ILL borrowing or lending activity in WorldShare ILL.
WorldCat Comparison The WorldCat Comparison screen allows you to create a comparison between your collection and WorldCat in which titles are compared irrespective of format. For example, a library that owns only a recorded copy of Chancellorsville (Sears, Stephen W; Davidson, Richard M. Prince Frederick, Md : Recorded Books, 1997) will match the WorldCat record for the printed edition (Houghton-Mifflin Co., 1996). This will prevent differences in format from causing what are in fact different versions of the same title to appear as unique to a library's collection.

WorldCat.org

WorldCat.org allows web users to search the catalogs of more than 10,000 libraries. Your library's holdings are accessible on the web to people everywhere when you maintain a subscription to WorldCat on the FirstSearch Service.

Individual screens of the administrative module

Service bar

A black bar located at the top of each screen, the service bar contains links to the services described in the following table. When you click the link to a service, a new browser window opens containing the screen for logging on to that service. Your administrative module session and its browser window also remain open. To return to your administrative module session, select its browser window.

Service bar services - Table
Service Description
Usage Statistics Click the Usage Statistics link to go to OCLC Usage Statistics, an online service that provides information about the use of your FirstSearch account.
FirstSearch Service Click the WorldCat Services link to go to the OCLC FirstSearch service where you can verify the effects of your administrative module changes.
WorldCat Registry Click the WorldCat Registry link to go to the WorldCat Registry.
WorldCat.org Click the WorldCat.org link to go to WorldCat.org.
Policies Directory Click the Policies Directory link to go to the OCLC ILL Policies Directory logon screen.

Service title area

Located below the service bar, the service title area contains the administrative module name and logo. It also contains links and buttons for various options.

Service title area options - Table
Option Description
Help Click the Help link or button to view online help. To search for Help topics, type your search word or words in the Search box, then click Search Help.
Comments Click the Comments link or button to access a form for sending a comment or suggestion to OCLC.
Site Map Click the Site Map link to view a list of administrative module screens and settings.
Print Your Settings Click the Print Your Settings link to print a list of administrative module screens and settings.
Exit Click the Exit link or button to end your session and leave the administrative module.

Main menu

Located below the administrative module name and logo on each screen, the main menu contains a tab and a menu for each section of the administrative module. Click the tab for a section to go to that section. The menu below a section tab contains links to the options available in the section. Click a menu link to go to the screen for that option. For more information, see Main menu of the administrative module.

Authorization bar

The authorization bar, a gray bar located below the main menu, contains the authorization number for your FirstSearch account. Changes made in the administrative module affect the use of that account.

If you have multiple FirstSearch accounts, the authorization number in the bar reminds you of the account for which you are viewing or changing settings. To view or change the settings for another account, you must log on to the administrative module using the authorization number and administrative password for that account.

Screen name

Located below the authorization bar, the screen name identifies the administrative module option you are using.

Work area

Located below the screen name, the work area is where you view or enter and save your administrative module settings.

Save Changes button

To save any changes you make on a screen, click the Save Changes button at the top or bottom of the work area. When you click the button, the system displays a message at the top of the work area to confirm your changes.

You must save any changes that you make on a screen before you move to another screen. If you do not save the changes, they will be lost when you leave the screen.

Language selection area

Located at the bottom of the work area, the language selection area provides a list of languages in which the Administrative Module screens can be presented. To pick a language, click the language you want. For more information on selecting a language, see Administrative module available in several languages.