New Web interface for SciFinder Scholar

Exciting news for anyone who uses SciFinder Scholar! The database, which was previously accessed through a local client that required downloading and installation on users' computer(s), is making the switch to a Web-based interface. This means that you will be able to access SciFinder in your Web browser of choice and will be able to log in from any computer once you create your username and password. UPDATE 2/11/09: Technical difficulties are currently preventing off-campus access. We are working hard to resolve the problem and will keep you informed on the situation. NEW UPDATE 2/26/09: See end of this post.

What is SciFinder?
According to its website, SciFinder is "a research discovery tool that allows you to explore the CAS databases that contain literature from many scientific disciplines, including biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, materials science, agricultural science, and more." For help navigating the database, try the Support & Training pages or contact me (mawilliams@ulm.edu, 342-1065).

When?
From now until April 17, 2009, you will be able to access SciFinder either through the old downloaded client or through the new Web-based version. After April 17, the desktop client will cease to work and you will need to use the Web interface.

How do I register?
If you would like to register for the SciFinder Web version, I can supply you with ULM's registration URL. The terms of our license prevent me from posting it publicly here, but if you email me at mawilliams@ulm.edu I will send it promptly. All faculty and staff in the departments of Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Toxicology should shortly receive an email containing this URL from me (Maren Williams) . All ULM students, faculty, and staff are welcome to register if interested. Please note that you will need to (1) register from an on-campus computer and (2) use an @ulm.edu email address in your registration.

NEW UPDATE 2/26/09:

Thanks to Mike Magee, the Library’s Computer Services Technician, you should now be able to access the Web version of SciFinder off-campus. Mike has tirelessly negotiated between CAS’s very strict security and our state library network’s servers to make them play well together.

In order to use SciFinder off-campus, you will now need to pass through two authentications. When you try to navigate to http://scifinder.cas.org from off-campus, you will first be redirected to a LOUIS (state library network) database login page as shown here. Enter your CWID and PIN (birth month and year with two digits in each), select ULM from the drop-down box, and click Authenticate*. That should get you to the SciFinder login page, where you will enter the username and password that you chose when you registered.

*At this point you will probably get a pop-up warning mentioning an “untrusted certificate.” Your computer may not trust us, but you can—click “Ignore” to continue on to the database.

Once again, we are very sorry for this delay. If you have any more questions or continue to have problems logging in, please don’t hesitate to contact me.