An assistant to walk you to the right database

STN International implements automated guides in STN on the Web that provide support with database selection and display of search results

London / Karlsruhe, December 2001 - STN International has upgraded its web service for professional users, STN on the Web, with new functionalities. This was announced by FIZ Karlsruhe, STN Europe, on the occasion of the Online Information 2001 exhibit in London (4 -- 6 December 2001).

Two new electronic assistants are the hightlights of STN on the Webs latest version. Upon entry of the query the Search Assistant provides a list containing the names of all databases where answers to the query can be found. The subsequent search is completely menu-guided. Search fields, search options, and Boolean operators are available in pull-down menus and check boxes. After the search, the Display Assistant can be automatically activated. The Display Assistant „knows all display formats available for each of the currently 217 online databases and walks users through the display of the search results.

The assistants are right on the entry site -- just a click away. Searchers can use them without knowing the STN command language. Its up to the searcher's preference to benefit from the two Search and Display Assistants or to choose using the powerful STN command language -- both ways will lead to effective results.

For further information on STN International's range of databases, visit us at Online Information 2001 on stand 266, ground floor.

A worldwide scientific institution, FIZ Karlsruhe produces, provides and markets scientific and technical information services in print and electronic form. In cooperation with national and international institutions, FIZ Karlsruhe produces databases in the fields of energy, nuclear research and technology, crystallography, plastics, mathematics, computer science and physics. FIZ Karlsruhe also provides a search service for R&D in corporations and institutions.

Furthermore, FIZ Karlsruhe operates STN International in Europe. STN International (The Scientific & Technical Information Network) is the worlds premier online service offering access to bibliographic, factual and full-text databases in science and technology. STNs product palette encompasses more than 210 databases with approx. 350 million documents from all fields of science and technology, among them the worlds largest and most important patent files as well as subject-related business files.

STN International is jointly operated by FIZ Karlsruhe, Germany; Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), Columbus OH, USA; and the Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST), Tokyo.

Web accesses:

http://stneasy.fiz-karlsruhe.de
Database access for occasional searchers

http://stnweb.fiz-karlsruhe.de
Database access for professional users

www.fiz-karlsruhe.de/autodoc
Access to FIZ AutoDoc, the automated document delivery broker service

Press contact:

Ruediger Mack
FIZ Karlsruhe
STN Europe
Tel: +49 (0) 7247/808-513
E-mail: rm@fiz-karlsruhe.de

For further details on Online Information:
see the web site at www.online-information.co.uk
Contact Rebekah Hart, Marketing Manager at Learned Information Europe Ltd
Telephone: +44 (0)1865 388000
e-mail: rebekah_hart@learned.co.uk.

This press release can also be found on our website

www.stn-international.de/archive/pressroom/pressrel.html