User manual

Online Library

INTER-AMERICAN CENTER OF TAX ADMINISTRATIONS

GENERAL INDEX

Introduction

I. How to use the On-line Library catalogue

Accessing the library

II. Searches and Visualization

A. Searches

Simple

Advanced

By terms or Descriptors

B. Visualization

Compressed and Decompressed

Ordering the result of a search

INTRODUCTION

CIAT On-line Library

Adequate management of information is of utmost importance to CIAT for assisting in research works, studies and answering inquiries. It offers an integrated catalog that will afford all its users more effective and precise bibliographical search.

Since the establishment of CIAT in 1967, our Library maintains an important compilation of documents consisting of studies, models, manuals, working documents, lectures and presentations made at the General Assemblies, Technical Conferences, Seminars and International Courses, Masters and Specialized Programs, Essay Contests, etc. Our bibliographical wealth also includes specialized tax documents and publications from other similar international organizations, individual researchers, experts and professors from prestigious universities throughout the world.

Advantages available for our users:

Quality library services; easy access to bibliographical inquiry services from a single Web interface, by title, author, descriptors, etc.

Three search levels: Simple, advanced and by descriptors, which allow for specifying the search.

Linking of bibliographical records with related resources in Internet, such as electronic versions of publications, images, connection to other Web pages, etc.

Downloading free of CIAT publications (To make use of this new service, it is only necessary to be registered in the “My CIAT” Tax Information Service.)

I. HOW TO USE THE ON-LINE LIBRARY CATALOGUE

Accessing the Library

1. Access to the CIAT Web Page: http://www.ciat.org/ 2. Register in the Information Service Tax "My CIAT". If you access the Library without having registered in the My CIAT Service, will be unable to download the CIAT publications. 3. If you are not registered in the MY CIAT Tax Information Service, you may do so by following the instructions given by said Service.

4. Click on the Products and Services option and after on the Library option

5. Click on on- line Library option.

Once you access the site, you may select the language in the left-hand box of the Library (Spanish or English).

II. SEARCHES AND VISUALIZATION A. SEARCHES: You may undertake 3 basic types of searches in the on-line library catalogue: simple, advanced and by terms or descriptors.

SIMPLE SEARCH:

You may search here by introducing one or more key words (title, author, editorial, descriptors, etc.). In the search, letters with accents and punctuation marks are ignored (é, è, à, ç, !, ', etc.).

The system allows you to restrict your search to your needs.

In the lower part you may mark first the corresponding box or boxes , then enter your search criterion or criterias and click on Search, for a more precise search.

Another way of specifying your search is by selecting the type of document: printed, electronic or multimedia.

Boolean operators may be used for combining search terms as needed.

ADVANCED SEARCH

The advanced search allows for combining different criteria to carry out a precise search.

You may select one or several search fields: title, author, personalized fields, etc.

To undertake an advanced search:

Select an initial field that will be the object of the search. For example : Author Click on Add to determine an initial search field.

Then Select a type of search for the selected field. For a title field you may choose between "Boolean operator ", "begin with", "end with" or "exactly as ". This type of search varies according to the selected field. For example, for Author “begin with”

Add as many fields as needed. Following the same example, you could add Title "exactly as "Tax Administration ".

Finally validate by clicking on Search.

In the authors field, if you wish to see an orderly list of names beginning with a specific letter, you may do the following in said field: enter the letter(s) followed by

an asterisk and then click on the open book icon. Example:

NOTE:

If you select a field and then decide not to search through it, click on the X which is at the end of the description of the field selected and the search will be eliminated.

If you select a field and then do not fill in the information required by said field, your search will be affected and the system will not show you any result even though you may have filled out other selected fields. In other words, the fields selected should not be left empty.

SEARCH BY TERMS OR DESCRIPTORS

The search by terms allows for navigating among the different subject matters of the works found in the library.

The descriptors are equivalent to a classification of the works created for the library with the help of words or expressions; for example: Examination, Tax Education, etc.

In this search begin by introducing one or several terms to be searched, for example: Examination.

By clicking on one of the links of the lower part, you will move from descriptor to descriptor.

To select a term or descriptor and for the corresponding works to appear, click on the

magnifying glass located at the beginning of the line.

If the magnifying class does not appear, this means that there are no works corresponding to that term or descriptor.

HELP

Each search option has support information for making the best use of it.

Click on the help icon.

Boolean Operators:

Boolean operators may be used in simple as well as advanced searches.

VISUALIZATION Once a search has been made, the bibliographical record or description of the document will be found. You may navigate within each record or description of the document through the links shown in blue. At the end of each description you may see an icon or several icons for downloading the electronic document. However, it must be pointed out that if a shopping cart icon is appears, this means that the document is restricted and it may be purchased in the CIAT On-line Shop. If the cart appears to a member of one of

the Tax Administrations members of CIAT, this means that he/she has not registered correctly.

In the case of documents that are a compilation of the work of different authors, either general assemblies, technical conferences or review, the main register shows the link to each work within the area of contents. Example:

Compress or decompress a list of titles

If your search criterion results in several records you may initially see the titles of the document in a list format. However, the system not only displays this information but also all the titles of the documents with the complete description of each one in vertical form. These visualization options may be selected in the upper left part of the first title with the

icons . The icon with the plus sign (+) indicates total display of the records while the minus (-) indicates compression of the records and only the title is seen, as shown in the image.

In turn, there are two additional options for seeing the information within the record of each document: ISBD Format and Public Format. ISBD Format: Presents the information in a compact manner without specifically showing the name of some fields. Public Format: Is the one showing within the box of results on the left side, the name of each of the fields.

Ordering the result of a search.

The system allows for ordering the information obtained from a search. This option is

found in the upper left side with the icon . There are several ways of organizing: by title, author, year of publication and type of document. Example: Search for Tax Review to

be ordered from the most recent to the oldest. Click on the icon with the letters and you will see the following screen:

Three fields are displayed and the final tab provides a list of options for ordering the information. In this example, the option chosen is the year of edition in descending order; that is, from the most recent to the oldest. Then click on record and apply this selection and the reviews will appear organized by year.

CIAT On-Line Library

Location of CIAT Headquarters

Ave. Ramón Arias Edificio CIAT

Nuevo Reparto El Carmen Panamá, Rep. de Panamá

Please address any correspondence to:

Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations

P.O. Box 0834-02129 Panama, Republic of Panama

Telephones: (507) 269-1270 / 265-2766

Fax: (507) 264-4926 Web Site: www.ciat.org

Electronic Mail: ciat@ciat.org

For additional information on the on-line library, contact: erodriguez@ciat.org

Head of Library