Ligonier Valley Library EBSCOhost Instructions

Ligonier Valley Library
EBSCOhost Instructions

What is EBSCOhost? EBSCOhost is a large magazine and newspaper index called a database. It contains 13 smaller databases that can be searched for articles from newspapers, magazines and journals. Some are available in full-text, while others can be located in the library using the abstract, which contains the title, author, and the name of the magazine in which the article is located. If the library does not carry the magazine, etc., we can make other arrangements to find it for you.

How do I access EBSCOhost? You can access EBSCOhost from the Ligonier Valley Library Web page with your library card by using the following directions:

Click on the EBSCOhost link (which can be accessed from the Library's home page or by clicking here)
Enter your "Patron ID," which is located on the back of your Ligonier Valley Library card under the bar code and above your signature.
Click on "Login" or hit "Enter" on your keyboard.
Click on "EBSCOhost Web."
Next: for further instructions, go to "How to choose a database to search within EBSCOhost."

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How to select a database to search within EBSCOhost:

From the "Choose Databases" page:

To search just one database, click on the database name written in blue.
To search more than one database, click in the boxes next to the databases you want to search, then click "Continue."
For information on each database, read the short summary under each name.
For a list of magazine titles within a particular database, click on "complete title list" written in blue. (NOTE: a complete list for all titles within all of EBSCOhost is not available.)
For even more information than the summary provides, click on "more info."

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How to search for articles in EBSCOhost:

After you choose your databases and click "Continue," the search window will appear.
To search, type in the relevant words in the "Find" window, separated by the word "and." (It does not matter if you capitalize.) For tips on searching using "and, or, not," otherwise known as Boolean operators, click on "Search Tips" located under the "Find" box.
Click "Search." The results that appear will contain all the words you typed in the "Find" window. The results will appear in order of relevancy. In other words, the first result will have the most mentions of the words you typed in, and so on.

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How to search for an article in a specific magazine:

When you are at the search window (after you've filled in the "find" box), enter the name of the magazine in the box marked "Publication."

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How to search for a specific time period:

When you are at the search window (after you've filled in the "Find" box), use the pull down menus next to "Published Date."

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How to read an article on the computer:

When you are at the search window, click on the box next to the words "Full Text." This will retrieve only full text articles--those that you can read in their entirety on your computer screen.
After the results appear, click on the title of the article written in blue that you want to read. The summary of the article (author, title, etc.) will appear above the complete article.

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How to find an article you cannot read online:

If you do not click the box marked "Full Text," results containing only abstracts will also appear. (These are not marked full text.)
When you click on the article's title in blue, an abstract of the article will appear on the screen. This will give you a short summary of the article, plus tell you its author, title of the article, and title of the magazine in which it is located.
You can try to find the article on the Internet by going to a search engine (such as Google), typing the name of the article in quotes in the search box and hitting "Enter" on your keyboard.
If the article cannot be found this way, call the library at 724-238-6451 during regular business hours and ask if we can get the article for you. For library hours and information, click here.

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How to print an article:

At the top or bottom of the page containing the article you wish to print, click "Print." (If you are at the library, copies are 15 cents a page.)
Make sure the box next to "HTML Full Text (when available)" is checked, then click "Print."
If you are at the library, click "OK" on the print window, then ask a staff member at the circulation desk for your printouts.

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To save to a disk: (at home only)

At the top or bottom of the page containing the article you wish to save, click "Save."
Make sure the box next to "HTML Full Text (when available)" is checked, then click "Save."
On your browser's toolbar, click "File" then "Save as." (NOTE: you cannot save an article if you are at the library.)

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To e-mail an article:

At the top or bottom of the page containing the article you wish to e-mail, click "E-mail."
Type the e-mail address you wish to send the article to in the box marked "E-mail Address."
Type the subject of the article in the box marked "Subject."
Make sure the box next to "HTML Full Text (when available)" is checked, then click "Send."

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A brochure with instructions on how to use EBSOhost can be found in the Library at the Reference Desk, or you can ask any of the staff to help you.

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