SciFinder Scholar Client Installation and Access

Intro | Web | Client | Client Off-Campus Access

NOTICE: Effective Feb. 2009, SciFinder Scholar 2006 has expired!
Users must upgrade to SciFinder Scholar 2007 (instructions below) to maintain access.

Use of the SciFinder Scholar Client is restricted to current OSU faculty, staff and students. Use is limited to 2 simultaneous users. Please remember to exit SciFinder Scholar after each session.

In-library patrons must log onto the library computer network with an ONID account to access SciFinder Scholar. Close or minimize all windows on your desktop and double-click the "Reference Databases on CD-Network" icon. From the menu, select SciFinder Scholar.

Patrons outside of The Valley Library must download and install SciFinder Scholar client software. Off-campus patrons must also download and install VPN client software.

Contents

Windows Installation

You must be current OSU faculty, staff or student to download SciFinder software.

  1. If you have any previous version of SciFinder Scholar on your computer, you must uninstall it. You should be prompted to overwrite the old version while following the instructions below. If not, you can use the "Uninstall" file in the SciFinder folder.
  2. Download the SciFinder software (12 MB).
  3. Once "sfs2007.zip" is finished downloading, unzip its contents (choose to extract all the files).
  4. Locate and open the "sfs2007" folder; run "sfs2007.exe", and follow the on-screen instructions in the "InstallShield Wizard" to complete the installation.
    • The system will ask if you want to install the SciFinder Scholar Toolbar on your browser. Do not install the toolbar! Because of the limited number of simultaneous users in the OSU license to SciFinder Scholar, the toolbar will reduce the availability of SciFinder Scholar for all users.
  5. You must also copy the "site.prf" file from the "sfs2007" folder to the program folder (C:\SFSCHLR); if you are upgrading or reinstalling SciFinder, just replace the old file with the new one.
  6. SciFinder Scholar has now been installed to your computer. To add a shortcut to your desktop, navigate to the folder where the SciFinder files were saved (C:\SFSCHLR is the default location), right-click and choose to create a shortcut on the "sfschlr.exe" file.
  7. Run it by double clicking the SciFinder Scholar icon on your desktop (if you created a shortcut), or by selecting it from the list of programs under the Windows Start menu.

Macintosh Installation

This download is an updated (May 2008) version of SciFinder Scholar 2007 that will run on Mac OS X Leopard (10.5) without using Rosetta. Mac OS X Leopard (10.5) users should upgrade if they installed the previous version of SciFinder 2007.

  1. First, download the SciFinder software (14 MB)
  2. Extract the SciFinder-Mac.zip file to your desktop or download folder on your OS X drive.
  3. Open the SciFinder folder and double-click "sfs2007a.dmg" to mount "SciFinder Scholar" (a Desktop Volume containing the SciFinder Scholar Application Package), if automount does not occur.
  4. Open the SciFinder Scholar Volume if it does not auto-open. (Select View "as icons", if needed, to display the volume.)
  5. Drag and Drop the SciFinder Scholar 2007a icon (the applications package) displayed in the square white "button" (43-44 MB) to your Applications folder.
  6. If this a new SciFinder installation, go back to the SciFinder folder and copy "site.prf" to the following location on your hardrive: /Users/[Username]/Library/Application Support/SciFinder Scholar/site.prf (you may need to create the "SciFinder Scholar" folder in Application Support).
  7. After installation, open the Applications folder and double click on SciFinder Scholar 2007 to start the program.

Installation Help

If you are unable to install the SciFinder Software, please read the following:

  • Does your computer meet the minimum requirements?
  • If you had problems with your download, you may need to download the software again.

Support

For users who have successfully installed SciFinder Scholar but are unable to access it:

  • Please make sure you have a connection to the Internet.
  • If you are receiving the error message "Login Failed: Too many concurrent sessions for this login id.", then the 2-user limit has been reached. Please try connecting again later.
  • The message "Scholar is not authorized for use from this network address" means you have tried to use SciFinder Scholar from an off-campus location. Please follow the instructions for off-campus access to SciFinder. For additional assistance, please contact Laurel Kristick at 737-7276 or