Instructions for Searching with FirstSearch

If you haven’t found a title you want through LTLS, FirstSearch is a great option. It does have its limitations though. When you place your request, it is actually sent to NRLD. Renee will choose five libraries from whom to request it and send off your request. She checks this file a couple of times a week, so if you urgently need the item you might call or e-mail her that you have submitted a request that you would like to see her attend to quickly.

Once the item is requested, each of the five libraries have five days to respond to it. The down side of this program is that if the item is in use, you are not put on a waiting list (like at LTLS); your request is passed on to the next library. It is possible that we would request the item from five libraries and then not be able to get it from any of them.

If it is not available from any of the five libraries, the librarian will request it from five more until all libraries that own it have received your request.

Our preferred libraries are in Illinois, because the books are delivered at no cost to us through the state delivery network via Lincoln Trails. This can take about a week of transit time.

If we request it from out-of-state, the item will be mailed to NRLD. We are then responsible for paying the return postage. All of these materials are sent library rate and usually take a week or more to arrive.

So how to find and use this expansive catalog. Follow these directions to FirstSearch.

On the library computers there is a link on the desk top to open FirstSearch. It will open on the WorldCat catalog search page. If you are using your computer at home you will need your library card bar code to access the site.

Go to NRLD’s webpage at www.newmanregionallibrary.org. You will have to sign in to have access to this part of our website, as it is only for library card holders. Once you have signed in, click on the “Links” tab. It will take you to this page. Click on the large blue statement at the top to go to our restricted links.

This will open a new window with a list of our subscription databases. Click on FirstSearch.

This will open another window for the WorldCat/FirstSearch website with two boxes asking for log in information. The authorization number and password are on our website where you clicked to open this window. You should copy and paste these numbers and words into the FirstSearch boxes and click start.

You have now reached the search page for the WorldCat catalog. Fill out the blanks for as much as you know about the item or subject you are looking for. Click on “search” when you have completed the blanks. (It is on this page that you can choose to limit your search to what is in NRLD’s collection. This would be good if you wanted to know all of the horror movies that we owned. But that is a whole separate article.)

When you click on the first title you will get a detailed screen that tells you more about the book and has several links. We are assuming that you have already looked for this item in Lincoln Trails’ catalog and did not find it. If you haven’t done that you can click on “Search the catalog at Lincoln Trails Library System” to do that. Here, for our purposes we will assume you need to order this on interlibrary loan from a library outside LTLS so you will click on “ILL” to begin your request.

This will open another screen with a form for you to fill out. You must fill in all of the starred blanks. Use your bar code for your patron id. Click submit to start this item on its journey to you.

This is a quick starter for this site, please explore it because there is so much more here, including other databases. Ask Renee for further help the next time you visit the library.