Developments in European information issues: Networks and relays – Services – Products, August 1999

ECLAS

In her presentation to the EUDUG meeting, Margarethe Braune highlighted a number of features of ECLAS, some of which have been reported in earlier columns. One very recent development is the new Internet Resources access button which is offered as an alternative to the basic ECLAS or ECLAS Pro search options on the database's home page. ECLAS is increasingly making efforts to catalogue Internet resources on the subject of European integration and provide hyperlinks, whether they are to web sites or to full text electronic documents. Although a search can still be limited to electronic resources through the selection of type of document on the main search screen, it is now also possible to search simply for Internet resources by clicking on the Internet Resources button on the ECLAS home page, giving access to some 2,000 records. A further feature is the Internet Pathfinder button to be found on the top menu bar. This offers access to sites which give lists of useful Internet links. Though currently still small in number these Pathfinders should prove a valuable development. Keeping track of changes in the Internet resources recorded in the database is no small feat - particularly in the light of the pending reorganisation discussed above - but regular verification is carried out by running a software programme. Issues such as how the database producers deal with the implications of the reforms remain to be addressed.

Users of ECLAS will find that there are useful help files which explain how to get the best out of searching the database and these are well worth exploring. One idiosyncrasy to which EUDUG's attention was drawn is the ëtitle from startí option from the pull down search menu in the expert search mode. This requires that for titles starting with 'a' or 'the', the definite or indefinite article must also - unusually - be entered. For example, if searching for a work entitled The Amsterdam Treaty, all three words must be entered if a result is to be found. What is actually being conducted is a string search, not a word search but it is hoped that it will be possible to modify this in the future.