After my original posting last year of the announcement about NAR Online,
we have had a substantial number of very helpful comments and feedback
from people who have visited the site.  As a result of some of the
comments, we have now decided to extend a more liberal institutional
access policy until the end of 1996. There will be an announcement about
this printed in Volume 24 Issue 6, but I thought SERIALST members might
like to see it in advance.

Here is the formal announcement:-

 "As a special introduction, anyone who is from an institution that
has a subscription to the 1996 print version of Nucleic Acids Research may
register free of charge for full access to NAR Online until December 1996.
If your organization has an institutional subscription, each person
wishing to use the service will need to register to obtain their own
username and password in order to gain maximum benefit from the services
available on this site.  To complete the registration process, they will
need to quote your institutional subscriber number."

I have also drafted the following mini-FAQ regarding NAR Online, which I hope
may be of some use.

WHAT SPECIAL FEATURES DOES NAR ONLINE OFFER?

* You can obtain articles online in advance of hard copy.

* You can browse current and forthcoming issues, as well as a three year
back file

* You can search all the issues, by author and keyword (in title,
abstract, or full text)

 * You can retrieve full text (and images) of articles either immediately
over the web while you wait, or you can order them by e-mail to be ftped
to your site

* You can choose the format in which you want your articles delivered:-
     HTML for quick and easy screen reading, as well as easy printability
     PDF for quick screen browsing and superb printing quality
     Postscript for superb printing quality without the need to view the
        article first
     Printerleaf if you want to use the same software as NAR on CD-ROM

* You can go directly from references to their Medline Abstracts

* You can go directly to genetic sequencing databases referred to in articles

* You can receive advance notice by e-mail of papers to be published.

HOW DO I ACCESS NAR ONLINE?

Simply go to http://www.oup.co.uk/nar/

For 1996, you can access the complete text of NAR Online  if:-

1. You have your own personal print subscription

Just visit the NAR Online web site to register. You'll need to have your
subscriber number ready (it's printed on your subscription address label
that comes with each issue).

2. Your institution has a library subscription

Ask your librarian for the library's subscription number, then register
yourself at the NAR Online web site. Remember to use your own name when
you register (not that of the library) and to create your own personal
password. Then we can send you advance table of contents information by
e-mail and also let you know immediately of any changes or enhancements to
the online access system.

[Note: this FAQ is addressed to end-users. As a librarian, if you would
like us to e-mail you with advance TOCs and any updates about system
enhancements, it would be worth while registering yourself as a user, even
if you are not actually going to be using NAR Online regularly yourself.]

WHAT IF NEITHER I NOR MY LIBRARY HAVE A CURRENT SUBSCRIPTION?

In 1996, you can still visit NAR Online and browse or search the titles
and abstracts as a visitor. But you won't be able to access the full text
of articles.

I'M THINKING OF SUBSCRIBING - CAN I SEE A SAMPLE ONLINE ISSUE FIRST?

Yes.  You'll find when you come to our site as a visitor that you can
access the full text of Volume 23, Issue 24 (the last issue of 1995)

-------------------------------------
I hope you find this information helpful. All questions, comments and
suggestions, etc. on NAR Online's quality, speed, ease of use, facilities,
and options will continue to be greatly welcomed.  We've already done a
lot to enhance NAR Online as a result of the feedback so far, and we look
forward to continuing to do so.

Best wishes,

===========================
Richard Gedye
Oxford University Press
Walton Street
Oxford
OX2 6DP
England

Tel:      +44 1865 267785 (direct)
Fax:     +44 1865 267835
E-mail:  gedyer@oup.co.uk
World Wide Web site: http://www.oup.co.uk/World Wide Web site:
http://www.oup.co.uk/
===========================