• From Library Workstations, open Netscape.
• From the Ely Library Home Page <http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/index.html> on Netscape, click on Periodical Indexes (with Abstracts).
• Click on FirstSearch Databases.
• Click on Connect to OCLC.
• You must have the Westfield State College Login information to proceed. This is available in the Ely Library.

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Enter a word or phrase in the Search for box. Most people choose to search a Subject word first, but you can change the default in the box to the right to search other fields such as Title, Author, and Abstract as well.

Click on Start Search.

Important: Use the buttons and links (see above) on FirstSearch screens to move around in FirstSearch:
 

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Search Results Screen (printing, saving, and more)

FirstSearch displays a Search Results screen containing a list of the records found by your search.
If your search found no records, FirstSearch displays a screen containing information to help you redo the search.
To return to the Search screen to redo your search, click on SEARCH.

Up to ten records are listed on each page of the Search Results screen if your search is successful. The records are numbered and listed in the order they were added to the database, with the most recent usually occurring first.

Here are the primary options available on the Search Results screen:

• To print or save the list, click on File, then Print Preview or Save As.
• To see more of the list, click on Next Page or Previous Page.
• To jump to a particular place in the list, type a record number in the Go To Record box and then press Enter (or click on Go To Record). In response FirstSearch displays the page of the list beginning with the record that has the number you typed.
• To see the full display of a record, click on the linked title in the list.
• To tag up to twenty records for viewing all at one time, click in the Tag Record box following each record.
• To redo the search and limit the records found to certain categories, click on Limit Search.
• To view subjects related to your latest search, click on Related Subjects. (This feature is available in some databases but not all.)
• To begin a new search, click on Search.

View a full record. A full record consists of bibliographic information like author name, title, descriptors (subject headings), date, journal name, etc. An abstract is included with many records.
 
If the following statement appears on your screen: "FirstSearch indicates your library owns this item or magazine", look for the journal or book in Ely Library. Otherwise, to identify other libraries that have the item, click on the Libraries with Item button. The default display is Massachusetts, then the Northeast region..
 
It is possible to Request an Item (that we do not own) through Interlibrary Loan:

• Click on the Get/Display Item button.
• Click on the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) button:
• Click on "(See your librarian for price)" [There is no cost to you for this service] :
• Click the Continue button (left side, above "Method to Get Item").
• Fill out the information form. You must enter: Name, Address, Telephone #, and Status.
• When completed, click on the ILL Item button. The Record and information that you typed will be sent to the WSC InterLibrary Loan department.
• You will be contacted when the material arrives.

To tag up to twenty records listed in the search results and then view the records all at one time, do the following:

1. Do not use your browser buttons or commands, such as Back and Forward, while tagging records. Use only the FirstSearch buttons such as NextPage or PrevPage.
2. On a page of the Search Results, click on the Tag Record check box of each entry whose record you want to view. Then click on Save if it appears above the search results list; otherwise, go to step 2.
3. Click on NextPage or PrevPage to go to a page that has entries you want to tag. Remember to tag no more than twenty records total on all pages before you view or clear tags.
4. To view the tagged records, click Show. FirstSearch displays the tagged records.
5. To print or save the Tagged Records list, click on File (Netscape toolbar), then Print Preview or Save As.
6. To clear all tags so you can tag other entries, click on Clear. (FirstSearch automatically clears all tags when you enter a new search, redo the search with new limits, or choose another database.)

You can get more information about FirstSearch by reading the online help. It is structured so you can access help about the current FirstSearch Web screen. Other FirstSearch Web Online Help topics include unique information for individual databases.