ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries July/August 1 9 9 2 /4 6 1 Is FirstSearch really attractive? By Usha Gupta and Lutishoor Salisbury This service could be the answ er to y o u r p a tro n s’ inform ation needs F irstSearch, an inexpensive online interac­ tive search service geared to end-user searching was recently introduced by OCL contains 17 databases with 15 to be added by the end of 1992. FirstSearch can be accessed using OCLC workstations or terminals on many other microcomputers and terminals via dial access, dedicated line, or Internet communica­ tions. This paper examines FirstSearch features and offers observations based on our m onth’s free trial of FirstSearch at the University of Arkan­ sas at Fayetteville. This service was made avail­ able to graduate students and faculty during February 1992. Passwords w ere provided to patrons interested in searching the databases th ro u g h th e ir p erso n a l co m p u ters on the internet. Mediated searches for patrons request­ ing this service w ere conducted by librarians. Costs FirstSearch allows patrons to control costs by charging by the number of search statements and not by connect hour or by records printed or displayed. Libraries may purchase searches in blocks of 500; the more searches purchased the cheaper the cost per search. Searches are always less than a dollar per search with prices varying from 45 to 90 cents p er search state­ ment. However, the lack of the Boolean oper­ and “OR” can cause costs to mount. Based on 20 information requests conducted in Biosis/ FS for end users, a typical search had to be executed six times to allow for all the synonyms at a cost of $2.70-$5.40. Although the actual C. cost in dollars of a search is still relatively low, the search becomes more expensive if search­ ers factor in their time. Records can only be viewed/printed or downloaded one at a time so the time spent in viewing/printing/down- loading can be considerable. FirstSearch Card Authorizations can be sold oItr distributed free of charge, in batches of 10 to 25 searches, to library patrons enabling them to have individualized access. Users can keep track of how many searches are remaining on their accounts by checking the FirstSearch Ad­ ministrator online every morning. The Admin­ istrator will indicate the number of remaining searches in the accounts by subtracting the number of search statements used during the day. The Administrator would be more helpful to large libraries if the accounting software was interactive— subtracting the number of searches as they are used rather than once a day. Cur­ rently the system is updated once a day so searchers can use up their searches without re­ alizing it. This can cause endless frustration to those searchers at remote sites w ho did not realize they sh o u ld have p u rch ased more searches for their account. Making the Admin­ istrator interactive would enable patrons to know how many searches they have used and the cost of the search at the end of the transaction. Patrons can also control cost(s) if the limits for time, language, and formats are set at the outset. This is billed as one search statement. However, if the limits are applied during the process of searching, costs are incurred for each limit set (i.e., three search statements). If one has the patience for a few search statements, one could retrieve relevant information that w o u ld cost a considerable sum o f m oney through other vendors. Usha Gupta is associate librarian, physical sciences, a n d Lutishoor Salisbury is associate librarian, agricul­ ture a n d biological sciences, Mullins Library, a t the University o f Arkansas, Fayetteville 4 6 2 / C&RL N ew s If the search term results in zero postings, Libraries catalog theses and dissertations as soon as they are available and input the data into WorldCat. The currency and scope of cov­ ­ erage of theses (master’s and doctoral) far ex­ , ceeds that available in Dissertation Abstracts International.2 There are 2,241,759 disserta- ­ tions/theses listed in WorldCat while there are s 1,085,142 in Dissertation Abstracts In tern a ­ t tional? However, it should be noted that there might be duplicate records for some theses in r W orldC at b e c a u s e se p a ra te b ib lio g ra p h ic records for microfilm and paper copies are cre­ ated. WorldCat is also a cheap source for find­ ing titles in series; for verification of bibliographic references, for building comparative collections, and ­ for compilation of bibliographies. . While recognizing that searching by hold­ ings is very costly in terms of space for index­ ing the holdings field, WorldCat could offer a real service if it was enhanced with the ability l to search by holdings. Libraries could access r specific collections for universities with similar ­ academic programs and use this valuable in­ formation in collection development. This can be done at present by the very tedious process ) of searching by subject and viewing the records ­ for library holdings; call number ranges are not searchable. Smaller libraries would benefit from using WorldCat as their online catalog at much r lower cost than automating their collections in ­ terms of software, hardware, manpower, etc. Of course, OCLC will have to set a pricing ­ policy for this service to the mutual advantage of both parties. User friendliness FirstSearch may appear to the end user as an easy-to-use system. However, a critical analy­ t sis of some searching strategies and the records ­ retrieved suggest that the searching character­ ­ istics need considerable improvement and ex­ , planation for end-user searching. For instance, , retrieving records by author (a u jo h n Smith) can lead to many false drops and user frustra­ ­ tion. By using the au: method in searching, f the name John could be retrieved from one f individual’s name and Smith from the name of another person. Records are also retrieved for , John Smith w here an adjacency is implied for l the first and last name. The form of entry for , an author (i.e., au=John Smith) explains that searching a name as a bound-phrase results in ­ precision in search results. This is a flaw in the presentation of information for the end user. This is also true for subject searches. The fact there is no charge. For example, a misspelled entry “Arknsas” might get no postings, and therefore w ould not count as a search. How ever, two terms might have individual postings but combining them with an AND operation might result in no hits. For example, “Basket ball” might get 20 hits and “Daffodils” 12 hit but the search “Basketball AND Daffodils” migh get zero hits; because both terms are posted in the database, the search counts and the searche is charged. There is no charge for browsing the index, which is useful for preparation of a search strategy. For example, a patron looking for subject information could first browse the word index (w sh=) to see the number of en tries and then decide if a search is worthwhile D a tab ases on C D -R O M vs. FirstSearch Most of the databases on FirstSearch are also available on CD-ROM products so libraries wil have to examine which medium best meets thei needs and budgets. FirstSearch does offer sev eral advantages over the comparable CD-ROM products: 1) databases used infrequently may b e c h e a p e r to access o n F irstSearch; 2 FirstSearch allows simultaneous access by mul tiple users; and 3) databases on FirstSearch are updated more frequently than similar databases on CD-ROM and, in some cases, have broade coverage than their print or CD-ROM counter parts. For example, Newspaper Abstracts on FirstSearch lists 25 titles while Newspaper A b stracts o n CD-ROM (UMI) has eight; the FirstSearch database is updated weekly and the CD-ROM monthly. W o rld C a t WorldCat (OCLC’s union catalog with subjec access) was popular with our patrons. This da tabase has 24 million records for books (the ses, dissertations, honors papers), journal titles tapes, musical scores, sound recordings, films videocassettes, computer programs, maps, and manuscripts. Patrons so far have not had ac cess to a database of this size and the variety o formats at an affordable price through any o the online vendors.1 This database is especially useful for searching for theses and dissertations honors papers, working papers, and interna reports emanating from individual universities research stations, businesses, and corporations without the normal wide channels of distribu tion. Location symbols for libraries are provided expediting interlibrary loan. 4 6 4 / C&RL N ew s that Su: searches target references from the title, subject, and series field results in retrieving ir­ relevant records. Further, end users do not have access to thesaurus and subject headings lists and therefore w ould expect the w ord list to be much more comprehensive. The online help screens n eed to be transparent to users for im­ portant search concepts. End users should be provided with one definitive m ethod of search­ ing a field w hich w ould result in retrieval of relevant references. Conclusion FirstSearch offers an inexpensive and attrac­ tive service. It has very good potential as an end-user resource but attention needs to be directed towards improving the searching char­ acteristics and its method of viewing/printing/ downloading. With the availability o f WorldCat, BIOSIS/FS, and the Wilson databases at a very affordable pricing policy, together with loca­ tion symbols to aid in docum ent delivery, this service could very well be the answer to many of our patrons’ information problems. ' “Why Use DB23 on EPIC W hen We Have LC MARC?” OCLC Reference News (January/Feb- ruary 1992): p. 7. 2L u tish o o r S alisb u ry a n d U sha G u p ta, FirstSearch: Potential a n d Search Characteris­ tics (Submitted for publication, 1992), p. 3. ’’Dialog Database Catalog 1991, p. 40. ■ UC trie s FirstSearch OCLC offered free public access to its FirstSearch service to the Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, and San Diego campuses of the Uni­ versity o f California (UC) during February 1992. FirstSearch w as made available to li­ brary users without additional equipm ent by p ro v id in g an INTERNET c o n n e c tio n to FirstSearch via the MELVYL Library System. The ten-year-old MELVYL is a shared UC in­ formation system and includes the nine-cam­ pus union catalog, six article databases, and automatic INTERNET connections to about 30 library information systems worldwide. Starting the second w eek o f February, public access was offered to the four cam­ p uses as a m enu choice through the UC MELVYL Library System. Remote or modem access' was provided to selected users and OCLC provided stacks of coupons, good for ten searches, to distribute to UC users w ho w anted to have dial-up access from homes, offices, or dormitory rooms. Librarians from the four campuses held a brief meeting on April 1 and shared the fol­ lowing observations. Although the librarians w ere concerned that one month w as not suf­ ficient time to evaluate a multiple database system such as FirstSearch, users w ere en ­ thusiastic. They liked the menu-driven sys­ tem with excellent help screens; most people w ere able to find something on the first try. Some faculty found the menu-driven system frustrating and w ere annoyed with the soft­ ware barrier that prohibits the continuous printing or downloading of records. Con­ nections w ere not always stable and during peak loads remote users reported being fre­ quently dropped. There was little or no im­ pact on staff at public service desks. The staff liked the ability to control w hich data­ bases are available to users. For example, i ERIC was available in the library as a CD- ROM, access to ERIC FirstSearch could be blocked. During the February trial period 8,099 searches were perform ed on the 14 data­ b a s e s o n F irstS earch, as c o m p a re d to 1 ,5 6 4 ,2 7 4 MELVYL c a ta lo g s e a r c h e s . WorldCat was the most frequently selected database with 3,511 searches. Some librar­ ians thought this was because WorldCat was the first choice on the menu in all the sub­ ject categories. The article databases w ere searched 4,588 times and all files show ed som e use. Among th e article databases, BIOSIS was the most popular followed by News, H um anities Index, Periodical Ab­ stracts, and PAIS. FirstSearch was a success and worth con sideration for librarians w ho are looking for ways to increase access to the journal literature without local tapeloading.—James E. Crooks, data services coordinator, University o f Cali fornia, Irvine; bitnet: JECROOKS@UCI ■ f ­ ­