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(Note from the Washington State Library: In order to participate in the Spring 2000 Washington State Databases Trial, each vendor was asked to address questions the Statewide Database Licensing Committee felt were most critical in order for library staff to evaluate products and vendors. Please contact the vendor's representative, listed below, for additional information on this product.)
1. Describe the database product and unique aspects of your interface. Include information on subject scope, percentage of full-text, dates of coverage, target audience (including age ranges), and how often the contents are updated.
CINAHL with headings
Gain access to informative health literature with CINAHL, the authoritative resource for nursing and allied health professionals, students, educators and researchers. Offering complete coverage of English-language nursing journals and publications from the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses' Association, this database covers nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines, and contains:
2. What are the hardware and software requirements for using all the features of the product?
EBSCOhost, the searchware through which CINAHL is accessed, offers flexible options for access. The proprietary search software used by EBSCOhost is designed to support users operating on a variety of computer platforms including Windows, ASCII terminal, Sun Solaris and the World Wide Web.
EBSCOhost via the World Wide Web will allow libraries to search EBSCO's databases with any PC, Mac or networked workstation operating a Web browser. EBSCOhost is supported by the following Web browsers: Netscape 3.X or higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.X or higher, and Lynx 2.5 or higher.
Minimum Requirements for User Interfaces:
For the Character Cell client, users will need to be able to Telnet from a dumb terminal or terminal emulator package running on a PC (emulating VT100) over the Internet or direct TCP/IP connection to an address located at EBSCO Publishing. Login and password provided by EBSCO.
For the Windows-based client, users will need any IBM or PC compatible with a 486 CPU or better with 8 MB RAM (16 MB recommended); 15 MB or 15,000,000 bytes of hard disk space; MS-Windows version 3.1, Windows 95 or Windows NT. (Note: if using Windows 3.1, station must be running in 386 Enhanced Mode).
For the World Wide Web client, users will be able to search EBSCO databases with any PC, Mac or networked workstation operating a web browser. EBSCOhost via the World Wide Web is supported by the following Web browsers: Netscape 3.X or higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.X or higher and Lynx 2.5 or higher
3. Is remote access included for the subscription price? If there are additional charges or requirements in order to offer remote access, please describe. What methods of remote access are supported?
Remote access is included in the subscription price. EBSCO offers remote access via a User ID/ Password enviorment.
4. Please discuss any methods or assistance you offer regarding remote access patron verification and authentication.
Libraries can choose one of EBSCO's five options to customize its user-authentication for access to EBSCOhost: EBSCO Controlled IP Address Method; EBSCO Controlled User ID Method; Customer Controlled Method; URL Referral Method and Custom Patron ID Filtering Method.
Custom Patron ID Filtering Method: Accommodates sites utilizing many patron IDs. Authentication is predicated upon the format of the IDs making large authentication tables unnecessary.
5. What end user delivery options, such as printing, emailing or faxing results, are available beyond just viewing results on the computer monitor?
EBSCOhost allows users the flexibility to select specific records for printing, downloading or e-mailing and send the output to a local printer, networked printers, an email address or save the information to a desired drive and path. Users can print, download, and/or email the whole article or only portion(s) of the article if desired.
Windows Printing:
With the Windows client, EBSCOhost users are able to print using any Windows-compatible printer which is attached to a local area network or directly connected to the workstation. As printing activities with EBSCOhost mimic those of other Windows applications, activities are managed by the Windows Print Manager.
Character Cell Printing:
Local and central printing is available with the Character Cell client version of EBSCOhost. Nearly all printers are supported. If you are able to print from other applications from the terminal, you will be able to print using EBSCOhost.
World Wide Web Printing:
Unlike EBSCO's other proprietary clients, printing and downloading of citations, abstracts and ASCII full text are not functions of EBSCO's Web site, but functions of the Web browser being used. EBSCO Publishing has limited control of how these functions perform because each browser performs and handles these functions differently.
6. What customer training is provided, and at what cost?
EBSCO Publishing will provide comprehensive training sessions for each site's staff members in the use of EBSCOhost. These training sessions not only show the library staff how to search the databases but also provide instruction on a wide range of EBSCOhost features, including local notes and holdings, exclusion of titles, setting default limiters, tailoring search screens, etc. Scheduled times for training may be arranged at key locations so that common training sessions can be held for all system administrators and general staff. There are no additional fees for these services.
Training Schedules
EBSCO Publishing has the ability to tailor training sessions to the specific needs of the audience. Sessions can range from large lecture-style presentations/demonstrations to small in-depth, hands on training sessions, depending on the desired level of expertise. Courses outlined below can be tailored to meet each library's specific needs, and the training schedule will be developed in conjunction with each library..
There are three types of EBSCOhost training sessions:
User Support Services
EBSCOhost customers will receive a detailed EBSCOhost Quick Start Guide which clearly explains how to get started, customize the system and navigate around the search screens. EBSCOhost Quick Start Guides will be forwarded to each library at no additional cost.
To assist the end-user in searching, EBSCO has created a User Support Program that offers a variety of quick reference pieces and training tools. Many of these materials can be tailored to the needs of an individual library. These materials are supplied at no additional cost.
EBSCO has also developed a new resource on the Web, designed to meet documentation and reference needs. The EBSCOhost Reference Center contains valuable information from our manuals and other training materials. The EBSCOhost Reference Center will provide all the necessary information for instructing end-users and library staff on all features of the EBSCOhost research system including graphical/text overviews of how to use EBSCOhost from keyword searching to search history and a glossary of EBSCOhost terms. The EBSCOhost Reference Center will be offered to participants at no additional cost.
In addition, EBSCO offers the EBSCO_web listserv which broadcasts breaking news about EBSCO Publishing products, product innovations and upcoming conference events. This listserv details the ways in which EBSCO Publishing products may be used in various libraries, explains how EBSCO's databases are tailored to a library's specific needs and provides librarians with the latest product developments.
And, for future reference, the informational Web site for EBSCOhost is http://www.epnet.com. The primary features of this site include:
7. What customer and technical support is provided, including hours of operation.
EBSCO Publishing's Technical Services Division provides support for our products via telephone, e-mail, fax and the World Wide Web. EBSCO utilizes state of the art software and a staff of talented individuals to assist in our effort to resolve technical issues as expediently as possible.
Libraries may contact Technical Support with any technical questions regarding access to the EBSCO databases via EBSCOhost. All of EBSCO's technical support representatives are fully trained in all aspects of EBSCOhost access and would be able to help libraries answer any questions both quickly and efficiently. Technical Support can be reached Monday - Friday from 7:00am to 7:00pm EST and on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm EST. Technical Support can be reached by calling 800-758-5995. E-mail can also be sent to Technical Support at [email protected]. There is no additional cost for Technical Support service.
EBSCO Publishing's Technical Services Division is continually changing and improving the way that EBSCO provides service to our customers. Some of the most recent changes include the implementation of an interactive knowledge base. With EBSCO Publishing's Technical Support Knowledge Base, participating libraries can access a Web page and get answers to their own questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some of the features of this service include a technical knowledge base containing interactive trouble shooting options; searching for support information by performing a "natural language" query; a session log recording current trouble shooting activity and a 24 hour e-mail contact system.
The purpose of this knowledge base is to provide EBSCO customers with a method to easily search for the solutions to common technical problems pertaining to EBSCO's software. The knowledge base currently contains over 100 of the most common problems/solutions presented in an easy to use interface. Customers can either choose one of the problems listed, follow the diagnostic questions, type in their problems using their own words or check the status of any unresolved problems. The customer will then be presented with solutions ranked by their relevancy. There is no additional cost for this service.
Customer Service Support is available for (name of site) for any questions regarding current subscription inquiries. Customer Service can be reached Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm EST by calling 800-653-2726. There is no additional cost for Customer Service help.
8. Describe the statistics you provide, and discuss whether your statistical reporting complies with guidelines developed by the International Coalition of Library Consortia which may be found at www.library.yale.edu/consortia/webstats.html .
EBSCOhost provides the ability to track usage and provide statistical reports on virtually any client/server communication. The library administrator will have the ability to access and control all user configurations and generate reports automatically on-site. Usage statistics can be used to measure how often titles and databases are searched. Title, database and session usage statistics can be collected for specific time periods (monthly or annually), limited to a specific data field (i.e. ISSN) and/or searched in a particular way (i.e. a database name or number of abstracts downloaded/printed).
9A. Describe your pricing structure for individual libraries.
As of March 17 the vendor had not yet provided price information. The Washington State Library will continue to work with this vendor to obtain an idea of their costs for CINAHL.
9B. Describe your pricing structure for a group purchase. Please explain the basis for your pricing for a group purchase. What conditions must be in place for a discount to occur?
10. Please clarify how you would treat existing library customers with regard to a group purchase.
Libraries may be eligible for a discount once there are multiple institutions involved. The discounted amount would be dependent upon the types of institutions, the number of institutions and the databases being considered. Existing EBSCO customers, that wish to participate in a group purchase, may be eligible for a pro-rated credit for the unused portion of their subscription. This credit can be used towards additional EBSCO products or services.
11. Please indicate whether libraries from Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and/or Hawaii would be eligible to participate in the group buying process.
Libraries from the Pacific Northwest states would be eligible to view the databases on trial and join any buying group that would be interested.
12. Please provide name and contact information (toll-free telephone number, e-mail address, hours, etc.) should libraries wish to make further inquires.
Christopher Ross
Account Executive
800-653-2726 x510
[email protected]
8:30- 5:00p EST
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