EBSCO A-to-Z^SM now includes greater customization options through the new customer-controlled notes and icons feature and provides more flexibility through enhanced proxy server settings.

The notes and icons feature allows the administrator to completely customize notes for each library and to control where the notes display. Examples of local information to include as notes are indication of the physical location of print holdings within the library, access restrictions such as on-campus use only, indication that a resource is new to the list or notification that a particular resource is unavailable.

Some notes and messages are very specific to a given resource and need to be represented with actual text. Other information can be more effectively conveyed as a simple symbol or an icon, for example, a checkmark to indicate off-campus access availability.

In these cases, the icon conveys all the necessary information. The library can specify text that shows when the user places the mouse over the icon, and the icon can be clickable so the user is taken to a library-specified URL or so that a pop-up window displays with a library-provided note.

Using enhanced proxy server settings, customers are now able to customize proxy server settings per vendor, package (database) or title for managed titles. This enhancement allows A-to-Z customers to send links to consortium titles through the consortium's proxy server while sending links to other titles through the library's own proxy servers.

Customers may indicate if a specific proxy server is online or off-line and can designate a backup server for each proxy server. They may also designate a specific proxy server as the default proxy and set up vendors, packages or titles to use the default. This allows the library to quickly change the active proxy server, even for vendors, packages or titles that have custom proxy settings applied.

About EBSCO A-to-Z^SM
EBSCO A-to-Z provides library patrons with a single, comprehensive list of the electronic titles to which they have access. A library's print titles can also be included. With A-to-Z, users can quickly locate and link to journals of interest. Users can search for journals by keyword or browse an alphabetical list by title or subject. Built-in administrative tools allow customization of the list including extensive branding options that allow the list to match the colors and style of the library's other Web-based services. The master A-to-Z title database provides link and coverage information to more than 55,000 unique titles from more than 600 database and e-journal packages from approximately 100 different providers. All major database vendors and publishers are represented.

About EBSCO Information Services
EBSCO Subscription Services, EBSCO Publishing and EBSCO Book Services form the EBSCO Information Services group. EBSCO is a worldwide leader in providing information access and management solutions through print and electronic journal subscription services, research database development and production, online access to approximately 150 databases and thousands of e-journals, and online book purchasing. EBSCO has specialized products and services for academic, medical, government, public and school libraries as well as for corporations and other organizations. EBSCO maintains a comprehensive database of more than 282,000 serial titles and upholds active relationships with more than 60,000 publishers worldwide. 2004 marks EBSCO's 60th year of serving the library and business communities. For more information, visit www.ebsco.com.

Contact: Rebecca C. Walden Corporate Communications Office: (205) 980-6794 rwalden@ebsco.com

Release Date: Oct. 12, 2004