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The World Shakespeare Bibliography on CD-ROM

I. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND CONTENT:

The World Shakespeare Bibliography CD-ROM includes coverage of more than 12,000 Shakespeare-related works published or produced from 1990-1993 (as well as several thousand additional reviews of books, productions, films, and audio recordings). The scope is international with coverage extending to more than eighty languages.

II. STARTING UP THE THE WORLD SHAKESPEARE BIBLIOGRAPHY:

To begin using the CD-ROM, place the disc in the computer's CD carrier by pressing the button below and to the right of it. Click and hold on Start, Programs, Cambridge University Press, and Cambridge Dyna Text Reader as the menus open for you. If you have any difficulties, please ask a staff member for assistance.

III. USING THE WORLD SHAKESPEARE BIBLIOGRAPHY:

The Index Outline: In the left frame of the two-frame window, you will see an index outline of the Bibliography, whose most general heading is The World Shakespeare Bibliography on CD-ROM 1990-1993. You can move through and get to information in the data base most efficiently by using this outline. (Currently the index outline's structure is not so apparent because its subtopics are still hidden, but they can be accessed by way of the small +/- box just to the left of each subject heading.)

How to use the index outline:

  • If you click on the +/- box just to the left of a subject heading in the index outline, a nested list of subtopics will be displayed beneath it. (Note: a + sign in the box next to any subject heading at any level in the outline indicates that another sublist is available; a - sign indicates that you are currently at the lowest nested level of a given section.) Clicking on a +/- box has no effect on the information displayed in the right frame.
  • If you click on the subject-heading text (for example, General Shakespeareana) in the index outline, you will be taken to that section of the data base, which will be displayed in the right frame. For example, click on Play Groups in the index outline (be sure to click on the text, not the +/- box) and the Play Groups secton of the data base will be displayed in the right frame.

The Bibliography: The Bibliography, which is displayed in the right frame, is the heart of the data base. It contains 12,038 numbered citations and a comprehensive index that lists authors, actors, dramatists and subjects.

When browsing the index--which you can locate by scrolling down to the bottom of the scroll bar, or by clicking on Indexes in the index outline--you will notice citation numbers in red type just after each listing. To get to the citation, click on the citation number that follows the subject. To return to the previous screen, double-click on the small icon in the upper-left corner, just to the left of the current screen's title.

Following are some of the program's viewing and search features:

  • The scroll bar: Each frame has its own scroll bar. It is possible (though inefficient if you're looking to be precise) to browse through the entire data base by using the scroll bar that runs vertically alongside the right edge of the frame. Notice, as you scroll up or down in the right frame, how the index outline in the left frame tracks the data that's being displayed by identifying its location in the data base. Likewise, clicking on the subject-heading text in the index outline in the left frame calls up that section of the data base in the right frame.

  • The red arrows: Notice the red arrows that appear to the left of some of the bibliographic citations. Double-clicking on one will take you to further references. To return to a previous screen, double click on the small icon in the upper-left corner, just to the left of the current screen's title. Note: Clicking on a red arrow will open up a new window, which will obscure the previous two-frame display. To continue browsing in the index outline, you will need to close that new window by clicking on the "x" in the upper right-hand corner.

  • The Find feature: Notice the Find box at the bottom of the screen. If you want to search for every occurrence of a particular word (or phrase of up to 10 words) in the Bibliography, type it in the Find box. (The search engine is not case sensitive.) The target word or phrase will be highlighted in the right frame. You can locate your various hits by clicking on the left (back) or right (forward) arrows on the button bar. Common words are not searchable. If you attempt to Find one, you will get a message telling you that the word is on the Stop List, which is a list of words not tracked by the search engine. As you locate your search word or frame in the right frame, the left frame's index outline will orient you by showing your exact position in the data base. (Note: If the Find box doesn't appear at the bottom of the screen, go to Book and then Search Panel on the menu bar. Highlight Search Panel to toggle Find on and off.)

More Information:

  • For more specific information about the Bibliography's goals, contents and contributors, double-click on the arrow just to the left of the line of red text on the introductory page in the right frame.

  • Reader Guide: On the menu bar, click on Help and then Reader Guide. Here you can learn more about the more sophisticated features of the software program: advanced search and browse, print, annotate, bookmark, etc.

IV. EXITING THE WORLD SHAKESPEARE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REMOVING THE CD-ROM:

When you are ready to exit the program, simply click on File and then Exit. Answer "Yes" to "Exit Dynatext?" Then remove the CD-ROM from the CD carrier by pressing the button below and to the right of the tray.