Using folders in ATLA/ATLAS (via EBSCO)
First step: make sure you've created your own personal user account within EBSCO. This is NOT your student ID! If you haven't done this, stop, go back to the 'Logging in' tab, and create that account, then return to this tab.
If you don't create a personal account, you cannot save any work between sessions in ATLA or other databases via EBSCO.
Why folders?
Folders are a way to save information you find during your searches, and, more importantly, organize it.
Even if you utilize bibliographic citation tools such as EndNote, Zotero, Evernote, etc. to 'grab' citation information, it is still a good practice to save search results to folders. Not all such software successfully retains all the correct information needed for your footnotes/bibliographies. You can export information from your folders into some software (instructions forthcoming...).
You can create folders for a class, for a particular assignment - pretty much however you wish to organize your information. You can even create sub-folders as needed.
How do I create folders?
Again, you first must be logged into your personal user account or none of this will remain between sessions.
You can create folders in 2 ways when using ATLA or other EBSCO databases:
(1) From the folder view or (2) on the fly while searching.
From the Folder View
Click on the Folder icon in the upper right of the screen.
This will take you to the Folder View. Until you create your own folders, the only one you will see is the default 'My Folder'.
To create your own folder(s), simply click on the 'New' icon and give the folder whatever name you wish.
You can create folders at any time as you need them. Once they are created, it is easy to add/move citations to them (see below under 'Managing Folders').
From the Search Results
If you have already done a search and are looking through the results list (don't just look at the first page of results either!!!), you can add references to any folder you wish.
To the right of each entry, there is a blue folder icon. If you want to add that particular item to a folder, click on that icon.
You will then see a pop-up box which will allow you to select from an existing folder to store that citation (you can't create a new folder from the pop-up window). Click on the folder you want, and the item is stored there!
If at any time in the process you wish to see what is in your existing folders or create a new one, simply click on the 'Go to: Folder view' link in the box on the right, and it will take you back to the main folders screen (as above). [NOTE: you can collapse the folder box from view if you wish.]
Managing Folders
Within your folders, you are able to move citations from one folder to another or even copy citations to multiple folders - basically move things wherever they are useful to you!
When you are viewing the contents of any folder (by simply clicking on that folder title), you can select some or all titles in that folder to copy or move - just choose the 'Select/deselect all' checkbox, or choose the checkboxes by the individual titles you want to move.
Once you have selected the items to manage, click on the 'Copy to' or 'Move to' bar, and you will see a pop-up list of your folders. Click on the folder name you want as the destination for those items. The items will be handled accordingly. This is also where you can delete items from folders as needed.
Items will remain in your folders for a long while - usually far longer than needed to complete an assignment. But backing up information is always a good idea if you wish.
SHARING FOLDERS - Note that you can also collaborate with others by sharing folders. The other person/people will also need to have an EBSCO account to do so. This option is found within the Folder View on the left, down toward the bottom.
HELP FILES with much more detail than we've listed here are found within EBSCO - use the 'Help' link in the far upper right of your screen.