Re: Search Terms Help Elaine M. Lilly 962-6038 05 Feb 1997 17:39 EST

 Martha, you don't explain WHY you do all the searching for your
 faculty, but if desktop access to online resources is part of the
 problem, I can share my own solution for a startup office on a
 campus which had very limited web access when I arrived last year,
 but did have universal VAX access.  I believe that part of my job
 at a teaching institution, in this rapidly changing grants
 environment, is to help faculty learn to fish (metaphorically
 speaking).  They often "catch" more than just grant deadline
 information!

 I subscribed to IRIS, the only online database with an elegant
 (actually exciting) telnet interface in addition to a web
 interface.  I produced a paper "nutshell" version of the online
 help screens and distributed it widely (which I would be happy to
 share).  I make lots of office calls and work through whatever
 strategy works best in that faculty member's office, with their
 equipment.  Those who have been frustrated by their limited access
 to the web are uniformly delighted at being able to use this
 resource.  It's EASY.  This is often the only thing they have done
 online, other than read e-mail (I do lots of just-in-time
 training!).

 The IRIS subscription now includes, at no extra subscription
 charge, a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly update based on keywords
 the faculty member selects (and updates at will). No web access?
 We work together in my office or over the phone to get them
 subscribed, e.g., using the telnet keyword list at their end and
 the web site at my end.

 We also subscribe to InfoEd's SMARTS service.  SPIN offered the
 ONLY "Alert" service available to us last year; when the format
 changed to daily updates some subscribers moved to IRIS, usually
 choosing weekly updates.  I encourage those who don't mind getting
 more mail messages to combine a SMARTS subscription with IRIS
 searches.  All of this speeds up the "refined search" process in
 our minimally staffed office considerably.

 Finally, I would echo what has been said about AASCU's resources.
 If your institution is public and a member, talk to the Office of
 Federal Programs staff about ways of getting their information
 directly to your faculty.  Ask about EUREKA (or whatever has
 evolved since I subscribed!).

 Good luck!

 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

         Elaine M. Lilly, Ph.D. ** Faculty Grants Coordinator
         *** University of St. Thomas   ****   Mail #5045 ***
         ** 2115 Summit Avenue **** St. Paul MN 55105-1096 **
         (612) 962-6038 * FAX 962-5406 * xxxxxx@stthomas.edu
         WEB SITE: http://www.stthomas.edu/www/facgrant_http