All About ERIC
How To Start an ERIC Resource Collection
Libraries and other resource centers
can make ERIC available on even a
modest budget. The ERIC database is
available on CD-ROM, online, and in
print indexes. Full-text copies of
most ERIC documents can be ordered in
three formats: paper, microfiche, and
electronically via the Internet.
Computer Searching
CD-ROM
CD-ROM versions of the ERIC database
are updated quarterly and are sold on
a set-fee subscription basis, which
makes them a cost-effective option
for libraries that offer open access.
Advances in networking technology allow
multiple users to access a single CD-ROM
database simultaneously; ask any vendor
about a multiuse license.
Several vendors currently produce ERIC
on CD-ROM for both PC and Macintosh
platforms. The CD-ROMs are designed to
be user friendly (requiring minimal
instruction), yet they offer powerful
search features. See CD-ROM vendors
(
http://www.eric.ed.gov/resources/allabout/appendix.html)
for a list of addresses and phone numbers.
Online Access Through Commercial Services
Online access to ERIC is available
through several commercial vendors.
Most of these vendors offer
sophisticated search capabilities,
the ability to access the entire ERIC
database (from 1966 to the present),
and access to a host of other
databases that may interest users.
However, the users must be trained
in the vendor's search language to
effectively use the most powerful
search capabilities; therefore, this
type of searching is usually performed
by librarians and other professionals.
Costs include a membership fee and
charges based on the number of minutes
that the user is connected to the
service and the number of citations
that are downloaded. See CD-ROM vendors
(
http://www.eric.ed.gov/resources/allabout/appendix.html)
for a list of addresses and phone numbers.
Locally Mounted Systems
Some institutions, especially
universities and state university
systems, mount ERIC data on their
mainframe computers for their users.
The host institutions bear the cost
of maintaining the database, select
the search software, and determine
their own access policies. In
some cases, the ERIC database is
linked to the library's online public
access catalog (OPAC) and is searched
with the same interface. To buy the
ERIC database tapes for programming
and mounting, contact the
ERIC Processing and Reference Facility at
1-800-799-ERIC for additional contact information.
Electronic Document Subcription Service
In response to the growing need that research institutions and their patrons have for immediate
access to ERIC materials, EDRS has created
E*Subscribe, an electronic document
subscription service. This service features access to the ERIC database via two levels of
searching, links to electronic document images for downloading in Adobe PDF format, and ordering
capability for documents not available electronically. For more information, call EDRS at
1-800-443-3742 or visit its Web site at http://www.edrs.com.
ERIC Microfiche
Approximately 92 percent of the
documents listed in the ERIC database
are available on microfiche from
the ERIC Document Reproduction
Service (EDRS). Nearly 1,000
organizations subscribe to the
complete ERIC microfiche collection,
and others subscribe to partial or
subject-specific collections.
Libraries and other resource centers
with substantial budgets will want to
invest in the entire ERIC microfiche
collection, but you can purchase
specialized collections that suit
your budget and your specific areas of
interest. Subject-specific collections
are available in each of the 16 areas
covered by the ERIC Clearinghouses.
For example, you can purchase a
microfiche collection on elementary
and early childhood education or on
reading and communication skills.
To learn more about ERIC microfiche
collections, contact
EDRS at 1-800-443-3742 for additional contact information.
Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors
An essential purchase for any site
that offers access to ERIC is the
Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors.
The Thesaurus is the master list of
ERIC's more than 10,000 subject
headings used in indexing and
searching. To get the best results
from an ERIC search, users should
start by converting their search
question to the most appropriate
ERIC descriptors. The Thesaurus
includes complete cross-reference
structures and rotated and
hierarchical displays.
To order the Thesaurus, contact
The
Oryx Press at 1-800-225-5800
for additional contact information.
Print Index Searching
Manual searching of the ERIC database
can be provided by subscribing to the
print indexes Resources in Education
(RIE) and Current Index to Journals
in Education (CIJE). RIE covers the
educational document literature and
contains five types of indexes: subject,
author, institution, publication type,
and Clearinghouse/ED number. RIE is
printed monthly and is available by
subscription from the United States
Government Printing Office (GPO).
To subscribe to RIE, contact
GPO at 202-512-1800 for additional contact information.
CIJE covers articles from more than
980 periodicals and has three indexes: author, subject, and
journal content. It is printed monthly
and is available by subscription
from The Oryx Press. To subscribe
to CIJE, contact The
Oryx Press at 1-800-793-2154
for additional contact information.
Additional ERIC Resources for Libraries and Information Centers
Libraries can obtain ERIC training
materials, directories, and products
that help users understand ERIC.
These include:
 All About ERIC
A Pocket Guide to ERIC
The ERIC Review
Directory of ERIC Resource Collections
ERIC Calendar of Education-Related Conferences
For more information on the resources
above, including how to access them on the Web,
call ACCESS ERIC at 1-800-LET-ERIC.
The
ERIC Processing and Reference
Facility offers a number of free
and low-cost publications that are
useful references for libraries and
information centers that provide
access to ERIC. These publications
include the ERIC Identifier Authority
List, and the Institutional Source Directory.
The Facility also produces a series
of free ERIC Ready References designed
to provide a maximum amount of
information on a single, well-defined
topic related to the ERIC database.
Current titles include "What Kinds of
Documents Are in the ERIC Database
(RIE)?" "Journals Currently Covered
by CIJE," "Field Labels/Tags in Use
by Online and CD-ROM System Vendors
for the ERIC Database," and "ERIC
Digests" (title list).
For pricing information and a complete
list of available indexes and search
aids, contact the
ERIC Processing and Reference Facility
at 1-800-799-ERIC for additional contact information.
ERIC Training
You can help others learn to use all the products and services available from ERIC by ordering
free bulk copies of All About ERIC and other publications described in this booklet.
You can also use the popular ERIC Slide Show to teach others about ERIC. This comprehensive,
online introduction to ERIC includes information on how to
search the ERIC database; obtain
ERIC documents, journal articles, and Digests; and access the popular
AskERIC Q&A Service,
ERIC listservs, and ERIC
Clearinghouse Web sites. The slide show can be downloaded on the ERIC
systemwide Web site (
http://www.eric.ed.gov/resources/eric_slides.html) in HTML and PowerPoint formats, making
it a great resource for teaching others about ERIC. Librarians, teacher educators, and others can
also order free, helpful handouts to enhance their presentations and workshops by calling ACCESS
ERIC at 1-800-LET-ERIC or by sending an e-mail request to
accesseric@accesseric.org.
ERIC staff are available to conduct training programs, seminars, and workshops. If you have a
group that could benefit from expert training on how to use ERIC, contact ACCESS ERIC at
1-800-LET-ERIC or call one of the subject-specific
ERIC Clearinghouses.
ERICNews
ERICNews is the Educational Resources Information Center's electronic newsletter, offering monthly updates about:
New ERIC document delivery services
New ERIC publications and products
ERIC Web site enhancements and updates
Systemwide administrative announcements
View the current issue of ERICNews
Visit the ERICNews archives
For more information about the ERICNews, call 1-800-LET-ERIC (538-3742).
 ERIC on the Internet
 Appendixes
This page was updated on Fri Nov 2 19:13:42 GMT 2001
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