Your library's users can connect to FirstSearch in the following ways:
Connecting to FirstSearch through the public Internet is usually a cost-effective method for libraries that have access to it. The most effective Internet access to FirstSearch is provided by standard Web browsers as described in recommended browsers. Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 or higher is needed with these browsers for viewing electronic journal articles and documents provided in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). If you use Netscape Navigator, install the Web browser plug-in included with Acrobat Reader to view PDF documents correctly and do not use Acrobat Reader as a helper application. Acrobat Reader is available here.
Note: To connect to the administrative module and customize FirstSearch for your users, you must use one of the recommended browsers. For more information about connecting to the administrative module, see Use the WorldCat Services Administrative Module.
A Z39.50-compatible local system can connect to FirstSearch so your library's users can search FirstSearch databases using the local system's procedures and commands. Implementation steps and effort vary by local system. If you choose to adapt your local system to operate as a Z39.50 client, you may incur costs related to software development.
For more information, see FirstSearch databases.
Libraries that do not have reliable Internet access should consider OCLC dedicated or dial-up TCP/IP. Dedicated TCP/IP is a direct connection through a networked workstation. It links a campus or Local Area Network (LAN) to OCLC for access to all OCLC services. If your library does not have Internet access and uses OCLC services more than 30 hours a month, you may want to consider dedicated TCP/IP. Otherwise, dial-up TCP/IP would probably be your most cost-effective method.
Dial-up TCP/IP is a dial-access connection at 56 Kbps (28.8 Kbps is the minimum recommended speed). It lets you dial into FirstSearch and other OCLC services through standard telephone lines using Point-to-Point Protocol.
OpenAthens is an access management software for online, subscription-based content that provides authentication for your off-site patrons. To gain access to FirstSearch using OpenAthens authentication, add the IP address of your OpenAthens proxy server to the IP address recognition section of the FirstSearch Administrative module.
For assistance, contact OCLC Support.
OCLC supports both manual logon and automatic logon, depending on the method ( web browser, Z39.50-compatible local system, or TCP/IP) used to connect to FirstSearch. Manual logon can be used with all methods. Each library that connects to FirstSearch through a Z39.50-compatible local system must provide its own logon method.
The following procedure describes how to log on to FirstSearch manually after having connected through a recommended browser. After logging on, users see the FirstSearch home screen, from which they begin their session.
You set up automatic logon for your users by using OCLC IP address recognition. You specify which IP addresses may use your FirstSearch accounts, then you add links to FirstSearch on your Web pages. The links work only for users with an IP address that you specified. For complete instructions, see About IP address recognition. When automatic login is in place, users click the links to FirstSearch, bypass the FirstSearch logon screen, and begin their session on the FirstSearch screen that you specified when you added the link.
When you add automatic logon links to your library's Web pages, you have a number of options, including:
Remote library users who access FirstSearch from outside the library at an IP address that you have not authorized cannot use IP address recognition. For example, users connecting to FirstSearch through an Internet Service Provider cannot use IP address recognition. Remote users must use manual logon or some other logon method provided by the library. If you have questions about remote access, contact OCLC Support.
The following is a summary of the steps to follow to request and set up IP address recognition:
Note: Each FirstSearch address, such as https://firstsearch.oclc.org, contains a domain name, such as firstsearch.oclc.org. Each of these domain names is associated with a numeric IP address. However, OCLC does not publish numeric IP addresses because they may change. OCLC asks libraries to use domain names unless they must use numeric IP addresses. If you must use numeric IP addresses, contact OCLC Support.
Your institution's network may include a firewall or proxy server. A firewall is hardware and/or software that prevents unauthorized access to or from the network. The firewall might also act as a proxy server. A proxy server might translate IP addresses used only within your network into addresses used on the Internet, or it might supply a requested Web page available in its cache (storage buffer) rather than send the request out over the Internet.
The useful services that firewalls and proxy servers provide sometimes disrupt communications between users and FirstSearch. If you suspect that a firewall or proxy server is affecting your FirstSearch users, ask your system administrator to contact OCLC Customer Support. Customer Support staff and the system administrator can discuss possible problems and solutions.
The following are two examples of possible problems and solutions:
During a FirstSearch session, options and buttons appear on each FirstSearch screen to show users their available choices. Encourage users to click those options and buttons to navigate FirstSearch rather than the browser's Back button and other buttons.
For example, using the browser's Back button may return the user to a screen that does not contain the latest information about the user's session. If a user performs two searches and clicks the Previous Searches option, the Previous Searches screen lists the two searches. If the user performs a third search and uses the browser's Back button to return to the Previous Searches screen, only the first two searches are listed. Clicking the browser's Refresh/Reload button redisplays the screen with the latest information.
OCLC works to support Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines that are supported by Web browsers. More information about WAI is available on the W3C website. The following are some HTML features that OCLC uses to support WAI guidelines. Your Web browser or screen reader software may or may not support these features: