help bar About Search Alerts & Personal Library Help

Searching the ESN

The ESN Search function allows users to search across the dispersed collections listed on the Search and Science Area Search pages. The ESN makes multiple databases searchable and viewable through a single interface. ESN Search utilizes the function of each individual database, but may not encompass each database's advanced capabilities. The heterogeneous nature of the data may provide a variety of results views from each database as well.

In addition to the ESN collections, users may search their own private Personal Library document folders, or any Personal Library folders owned by any user that are marked 'public'. See the 'Personal Library' documentation below.

Users may choose to enter search terms in the box on the main Search page, or they may select a Science Area from the drop down menu. If a particular Science Area is chosen, the user will be taken to the appropriate Science Area Search page. On the pages for each Science Area, any of the suggested search terms for that Science Area may be selected by checking the boxes beside each term indicating whether the "and" or "or" operator should apply. The user may also add terms of their own into the search boxes for the Science Area searches.

Follow these steps to search the ESN:

  1. Click 'ESN Search' to access the search page.
  2. Follow the directions for steps 1 through 3.
  3. Click 'Search' to search the selected collections or press 'Clear' to clear the form.
Using the Navigation Buttons

Clear Resets the search form and clears any previously selected databases.
Clear Marks Erases previously marked items; if marks are not cleared between searches, results from all searches will be compiled into one list.
Display Creates a single page which contains all the information for all marked records.
Save Saves selected documents into a Personal Library folder.
Help Displays the ESN Help page.
List Marks Shows the list of all the records that the user has marked.
Mark All Selects all results for further viewing.
Next Record Goes to the next full record.
Previous Record Goes to the previous full record.
Search Submits the search query. Results list if returned.
Up Returns to the previous level. If you are viewing a document, you are returned to the results list. If you are viewing the results list, you are returned to the search form.

Search and Retrieval Tips

Results are returned in the same manner utilized at the individual database sites and relevancy ranking should not be assumed as some sites may return results based on chronology or other factors. If not satisfied with the results, try choosing a larger number of records to be returned and browse through additional results.

While databases may employ different options, the following are generally true:

  • Limiting the number of databases searched at one time will return faster results
  • Single word or word phrases may be entered in the search boxes
  • Using precise word or word phrases will return the best results
  • The Boolean "and" and "or" operators are supported
  • The wildcard character * (asterisk) may be used
  • The search engine is not case sensitive
  • Full text is searched when available in the individual databases
  • Titles returned will be segmented by database
  • The result list is linked to the expanded information
  • No hits? Eliminate some terms from your search
  • Too many hits? Use more precise terms in the simple search or add terms to the pre-set searches

ESN Alerts & Personal Library

General Information

The ESN Alerts service allows registered users to create custom queries which are saved and executed on a weekly basis. Results of the weekly alert search (i.e. new documents identified since the last alert mail) are e-mailed to the user.

The Personal Library service allows users to organize documents located by searching the ESN network into folders. These folders can be private to their owner, or public to all users to search.

Please note that the ESN Alert and Personal Library functions work better when session-based cookies are enabled. All of the functionality is, however, available even if session-based cookies are disabled.

Registration

A single registration and a single user login provides access to both the ESN Alerts and the Personal Library services. Follow these steps to register:

  1. Click 'Alerts & Personal Library'
  2. Click 'Register New User'. If 'Register New User' doesn't appear as a choice then click 'Log Out', 'Alerts & Personal Library' and 'Register New User'.
  3. Provide a user name, comprised only of letters and digits.
  4. Enter a six to eight character password, and confirm it on the line below.
  5. Provide (optionally) an email address.
  6. Click 'Register' and your account will be created.

Login

A single login allows you access to both the ESN Alerts and the Personal Library services.

  1. Click 'Alerts & Personal Library'.
  2. Click 'Log In'. If 'Log In' doesn't appear as a choice then you or another user is already logged in. You can click 'Log Out' and then go through this log in procedure.
  3. Provide user name.
  4. Provide password.
  5. Click 'Go to Alerts' or 'Go to Library' depending on which service you want to use.

Logout

To logout:

  1. Click 'Alerts & Personal Library'.
  2. Click 'Log Out'. If 'Log Out' does not appear as a choice then either you are already logged out or else session-based cookies are not enabled and you don't need to logout.

Change Password

To change your password:

  1. Click 'Alerts & Personal Library'.
  2. Click 'Change your Password' and follow the instructions.

Change Email

To change your e-mail:

  1. Click 'Alerts & Personal Library'.
  2. Click 'Change your Email Address' and follow the instructions.
ESN Alerts

All ESN Alert commands are initiated from the ESN Alert Home Page which you get to by clicking 'Alerts & Personal Library' and clicking 'Go to your Alerts Home Page.'

Creating an Alert

  1. Click 'New Alert'.
  2. In the Alert Name box, provide the unique title of what you want your Alert to be called. You will need the alert name to change or delete the alert or to view the results.
  3. Enter an e-mail address to receive weekly alert results.
  4. Check the boxes of the environmental science databases that you want your alert run against weekly (please realize that we have no control of how often these servers are updated so you may get zero results back with some servers).
  5. Enter the search term(s) you want included in this alert. (You may wish to use the Search page to determine the best keywords and databases prior to creating your alert.)
  6. Select the number of records to retrieve from each collection. This can be 10, 25, 50, or 100.
  7. Click the Submit button. This will complete the alert setup and it will be run with the next weekly batch process.

Editing Alerts

  1. Click on the name of the Alert you wish to edit.
  2. You may modify the search terms, change the number of records to retrieve, or add/delete environmental science databases.
  3. When your changes are complete, click the Submit button. Your changes will go into effect with the next weekly batch process.
  4. To delete this Alert, simply hit the Delete button.

Other Alert Information

Each week you will get an email message telling you that your alert is ready. The email will contain a listing of the newest environmental science documents and the sources they are available from as well as a link to your personal alert page. The alert system will archive six weeks of search results on your personal alert page.

Personal Library

All Personal Library commands are initiated from the Personal Library Home Page which you get to by clicking 'Alerts & Personal Library' and clicking 'Go to your Personal Library Home Page.'

Creating a New Folder

  1. Click 'New Folder' .
  2. Enter a folder name.
  3. Click 'Public' if you want other Personal Library users to be able to search your folders, otherwise click 'Private'.
  4. Optionally, enter a description of the folder contents.
  5. Click 'Submit'.

Deleting a Folder

  1. Click on the name of the folder in the 'Folder Name' column of the folder table.
  2. Click 'Delete'.

Changing a Folder's Properties

Folder name and access can be updated.

  1. Click on the name of the folder in the 'Folder Name' column of the folder table.
  2. Click 'Public' or 'Private' to change folder access, if desired.
  3. Edit the text in the folder description text box if desired.
  4. Click 'Submit' to save your changes.
Adding Documents to a Folder
  1. Click 'ESN Search' and perform a search.
  2. Click the check boxes on the search results page that correspond to the documents you want to save.
  3. Click 'List Marks'.
  4. Check that the documents you want to save (and no others) have their check boxes clicked.
  5. Click 'Save'.
  6. Click the radio button pertaining to the folder in which you'd like to save your documents.
  7. Click 'Submit'.
Removing Documents From a Folder

  1. Click on the number in the 'Docs In Folder' column in the folder table that corresponds to the folder from which you'd like to remove documents.
  2. Click the check boxes corresponding to documents you want to remove from the folder.
  3. Click 'Delete'.

Searching a Folder

There are two ways to search documents in your personal library. One way is to click 'ESN Search', click 'My Private Folders' as a search collection, and follow the instructions for 'Search the ESN' above. The second way is from the Personal Library Home Page.

  1. Enter a search term.
  2. Click 'Search'