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Library of the Future: A Basic Helpsheet

I. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND CONTENT:

The Library of the Future contains a searchable CD-ROM database of more than 3,500 literary works. You can search in a variety of categories, including word, phrase, subject, era, and category. You can also print and save texts. Some texts provide searchable video clips and illustrations. Texts may contain errors.

II. STARTING UP LIBRARY OF THE FUTURE:

  1. Insert the Library of the Future CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.

  2. From the Start menu at the bottom left corner of the screen, select:

    • Programs
    • World Library CD-ROMs
    • Library Of The Future
      •

  3. A screen with a globe should appear. Press any key to continue.

  4. Now you should see the main menu:

    5. [Startup Menu]

    Please ask a staff member for assistance if you have trouble starting the CD-ROM.

III. USING LIBRARY OF THE FUTURE:

Some options function consistently throughout the CD-ROM:

  • The Return option functions much like the "Back" button in Internet browsers; it returns you to the previous screen visited. You can also use the ESC key.
  • The Help option offers context-sensitive help. To access the full online help manual (a very useful option), see the instructions at the end of this section.
  • Print offers various print options, such as printing a list, the contents of a selection, or the contents of a list. You can also print to a file.
  • As you might guess, Description describes the selected work and/or author.
  • Summary lists your searches up to that point.
  • Read Text provides the full text of your selection. When you see the full text, you will also see this menu:

    [Read Text Menu]

    • AutoScroll automatically scrolls the text; you can stop it by clicking on the text with the mouse.
    • Bookmark places markers in the text (and notes, if you like), which you can access from the Go To Bookmark button on the Main Menu.
    • Hypertext allows you to search for a word or phrase.

Other Main Menu options are described below.

  • Titles: Search texts by title.

    [Title Button]

  • Authors: Search texts by author.

    [Author Button]

  • Words: Search texts by keyword.

    [Word Button]

  • Strategy: Limit your search to books written in certain eras, ages, or years; or limit books by category, country, or region.

    [Strategy Button]

    To select an item, click it once with the mouse. To deselect it, click it again (or click Clear All to deselect everything). When you have selected all your search criteria, click Begin Search. If any works fit into your combination of categories, you'll see a list of the results. All of your searches will now be limited to that list, until you click Clear Strategy on the Main Menu.

  • Begin Search: Go to the list of titles.

  • Illustrations: View selected illustrations of authors and texts. You can go directly to the list of illustrations from the Main Menu, or you can access this option from within a specific text. When an illustration appears on-screen, you can also view the text by clicking on the Go to Text button.

  • Multimedia: View a brief list of short video clips for selected texts.
    • Double-click on a listed item (or select it and then click on Play Highlighted Clip).
    • To pause and restart the clip, press the s key.
    • To stop the clip and return to the menu, press ESC.

  • Options: For an explanation of these options, click Help.

    [Help Menu]

  • Online Help:

    You can access context-sensitive help whenever you see the Help button. For more in-depth assistance, see the full manual online. This useful document is well worth a look; it explains all the procedures in detail and lists keyboard equivalents for the commands. Follow these steps to access the manual:

    Windows:

    1. From the Start menu at the bottom left corner of the screen, select:
      • Programs
      • World Library CD-ROMs
      • World Library GUIDE
    2. Follow the onscreen instructions to use the manual.
    3. Press ESC to exit the manual. If you'd prefer to keep it open, press ALT-TAB to toggle back to the CD-ROM, or click on the appropriate icon at the bottom of the screen. You can now switch back and forth between programs.

IV. EXITING LIBRARY OF THE FUTURE AND REMOVING THE CD-ROM:

Click the Return button or the ESC key until you see the Main Menu. Click the Exit button. Confirm that you'd like to exit. After you have exited the program, remove the CD-ROM from the CD-ROM drive.