Lexis-Nexis Universe (Web version of the traditional on-line database
service) is now available as a link on the Library's Databases page.

http://www.lexis-nexis.com/universe (direct URL)

Lexis-Nexis Universe is the Web version of the on-line Lexis-Nexis service.
It includes access to over 1 billion full-text documents covering a wide
variety of subjects.  Search for documents in these broad areas:  Top News,
General News Topics, Company News, Industry & Market News, Government &
Political News, Company Financial Information, Country Profiles, State
Profiles, Biographical Information, Reference & Directories, General
Medical & Health Topics, Medical Abstracts, Accounting & Auditing, Legal
News & Analysis, Federal Case Law, U.S. Code, Constitution, & Court Rules,
and State Legal Research.

Unlike earlier Lexis-Nexis contracts, all Virginia tech faculty, staff, and
students are eligible to use this service.  Access is controlled by IP
address.

Retrieved documents can be saved, printed, or emailed using your Web browser.

We are receiving a 50% discount as an existing Lexis-Nexis subscriber.  The
discount ends 30 July 1998, at which time we will have to determine whether
to subscribe at the higher rate.

Please address any questions about this service to Dave Beagle (beagle@vt.edu).


Step by step instructions to get started:

1.  Connect to Lexis-Nexis:  http://www.lexis-nexis.com/universe

2.  WAIT while you are connected.

3.  You see a menu with these choices:

    Top News                            Biographical Information
    General News Topics                 Reference & Directories
    Company News                        General Medical & Health Topics
    Industry & Market News              Medical Abstracts
    Government & Political News         Accounting & Auditing
    Company Financial Information       Legal News & Analysis
    Country Profiles                    Federal Case Law
    State Profiles                      U.S. Code, Constitution, & Court Rules
    State Legal Research


4.  Select one of the categories; e.g. "General News Topics."

5.  Select a category from the "Source Material" pull-down menu; e.g., "All
magazines."

6.  Pick the appropriate date range in the "Date From" pull-down menu;
e.g., "Previous six months."  * BE SURE YOU HAVE SELECTED THE PROPER DATE
RANGE BEFORE CONCLUDING THERE IS NOTHING ON YOUR TOPIC.

7.  Enter your search in the "Topic" dialog box..  See the "General Search
Tips" for help in formulating a search statement.  Example:  smart road or
smart highway.

8.  Click on the "Search" button.

9.  Your retrieval list is displayed.   Example:

=> 1.Engineering News-Record,  May 12, 1997,  NEWS IN BRIEF; Vol. 238, No.
19; Pg. 22,  140 words,  SMART HIGHWAYS TESTED

10. Click on the source title to display the full record.

11.  To run a new search, click on "Last Form" to return to the same
category or on "Main Menu" to return to the original menu of categories.