Grouping EBSCOhost Databases by Subject in EBSCOadmin Tutorial Grouping EBSCOhost Databases by Subject in EBSCOadmin support.ebsco.com

General research users—such as public library patrons, or students—do not always make the connection between a database name and the subject areas the database may cover. Grouping databases by subject area helps end users reach the databases that best suit their research needs. In this tutorial, we focus on enabling the default database groups, as well as creating your own custom groups using EBSCOadmin.

Begin by selecting the User Group and Profile that you would like to customize, from the Customize Services tab. On the Searching sub-tab, and below the Choose Databases/Subject Screen Settings heading, ensure that the Stop at Choose Database Screen option is set to Yes. This will allow your users to see the list of database groupings on the Choose Databases screen each time they log in to EBSCOhost.

Next, set the Default Database Groups to On, to use the database subject groups that have been created for you by EBSCO, and set Group Databases by Subject Header to On. Then click Submit at the bottom of the page.

If you would like to view the default database groups or add your own database groups to the profile, click the Modify link to the right of Customize Group Databases By Subject.

The database groups are displayed, showing the databases in your profile that are associated with each subject group. To default a database group to be automatically selected, set the Default to Selected option to On for the desired group. If you would like to add a customized database group, click the Add a Group link.

Name your customized group in the Group Caption field, and place a check in the box for each database in the profile that you would like added to the group. When finished, click Submit at the bottom of the page.

Your new group is displayed with the options to add more databases or remove databases from the group. When you are done editing your new group, click the Go Back button to return to the Customize Grouping Databases by Subject screen.

While databases in the Default Groups are not customizable, you can change the display order of the groups, as well as the group caption that will appear on the Choose Databases screen in EBSCOhost. Simply order the groups by number in the Order column, or enter your desired Group Captions in the fields provided. When you have finished with your changes, click Submit at the bottom of the page.

Returning to the Choose Databases/Subject Screen Settings, you also have the option to disable the Default Groups and display only the database groups you create. Change the Default Database Groups setting to Off, and click Submit at the bottom of the page. Then click Modify to add custom database groups, or edit the groups you have already created.

When Default Database Groups are off, only the groups you have created will appear. Add a new group, or click the Go link to edit the databases in a custom group.

At any time, click on the Help link to view the complete online help system.