Can't find an answer here?
Gecko is a gateway that allows you to link directly to specific databases and also to search across multiple databases and library catalogues at one time to find articles and books. Gecko allows you to create personalised settings in its "My Space" area, including a list of resources called "My Databases", a personalised list of e-journals and save, e-mail, and download search results.
Who can use Gecko and how do you sign in to Gecko?
What's the difference between the Curtin Library Catalogue and Gecko?
How can I find out which resources are included in Gecko?
How can I select resources to search in Gecko?
What is the best way to search resources in Gecko?
Why do I sometimes get different results searching Gecko vs searching directly on a database?
Why can't I search all of the resources at once?
When searching resources in Gecko, what does an ERROR message mean?
Once I've searched Gecko, how do I find the full-text of an article or locate a book?
What if I don't find what I need in Gecko, where should I look?
What is Find It?
How can I get help?
Where can I report problems with Gecko?
Can I access Gecko from off campus?
Why do I sometimes get kicked out of Gecko and have to sign-in again?
Why is it that sometimes when I do a search, the results seem to get stuck on a blank page?
Curtin University staff and students can sign in to Gecko with their Curtin ID and Password. This will allow you to access resources subscribed to by Curtin University Library.
The Curtin Library Catalogue contains details of material that is held by the library (books, journals, audio-visual material, reserve items, etc) and connects to some online full-text journals. You can search for a journal title on the Library Catalogue but you can't search for journal articles on a subject.
Gecko contains a number of resources including databases where you can search for journal articles and research papers on a subject. The Curtin Library Catalogue is included in Gecko along with other resources. The advantage is that when you use Gecko you can search the Curtin Library Catalogue and other resources at the same time.
To find the resources that are included in Gecko, click on "Find Database" in the top left hand corner of the screen. You can then browse by category by choosing a category, then choosing a subcategory and clicking on "Go". You can also search by title, by selecting the "Title" tab and either typing the title into the search box and clicking "Go", or by clicking a letter from the A-Z list to get a list of all the databases whose titles start with that letter.
If you would like to search more than one database at a time, click on the "MetaSearch" link in the top bar. In the section on the left of the screen, under "Select Search Type" you can choose "My Databases" to select from your personal list" or "Categories" to select from the category menus. Choose a category and subcategory from the drop down menus and a list of databases will display.
There are 2 ways you can search resources on Gecko. You can search one database at a time directly, or you can search several databases at a time using MetaSearch.
To search directly click on "Find Database" in the top left hand corner of the screen. You can then browse by category by choosing a category, then choosing a subcategory and clicking on "Go". You can also search by title, by selecting the "Title" tab and either typing the title into the search box and clicking "Go", or by clicking a letter from the A-Z list to get a list of all the databases whose titles start with that letter. You can link to a database by clicking on the title. This will open a new window taking you directly into the resource.
To search using MetaSearch, click on the "MetaSearch" link in the top bar. In the section on the left of the screen, under "Select Search Type" you can choose "My Databases" to select from your personal list" or "Categories" to select from the category menus. Choose a category and subcategory from the drop down menus and a list of databases will display. Click in the check box next to each database you want to search in, then type search terms in the search box and click on "Go". You can search up to 10 resources at a time using MetaSearch.
Please note, some databases cannot be searched via Metasearch. These databases will not have a checkbox next to them, but can still be searched directly by clicking on the title.
The Help button in Gecko includes tips on how to search. Use a ? or * for truncation. Example - Australia? will look for Australia, Australian and Australians. For those resources that are not searchable within Gecko, you must link to the databases directly in order to search them. Gecko searches across common fields found in most databases. It is recommended that if you are doing complex database searching that you link directly to the database that is most appropriate for your research in order to take advantage of its unique search techniques.
These two systems of searching are a bit different so sometimes a search will pick up keywords, for example, from more places depending on how you are searching. Sometimes also, databases have not provided support for particular types of searches and you will get an error message. It is recommended that if you are doing complex database searching that you link directly to the database that is most appropriate for your research in order to take advantage of its unique search techniques.
Only certain resources are able to be searched using the Gecko interface - these resources have a checkbox next to them on MetaSearch. Of those resources, the number that you can simultaneously search is limited to 10, so that searching is not significantly slowed down.
There can be a few reasons why you might get an error message when trying to search a database. One reason could be that the server for the database may be down. Another reason may be that the resource has not been set up correctly. In either case, please let us know about the problem and we will try and fix it as quickly as possible. Contact us through this form: http://support.library.curtin.edu.au/contact/. In the meantime you should try to link directly to the database and search it outside of Gecko.
When you get your Result List in Gecko, bring up the full record by clicking the "Full View" link. You will see a Find It icon at the top and bottom of the record. Click on the icon and check the further services offered. You may see an option to get the full-text from another database and you will also see the option to check the Curtin Library Catalogue to see if Curtin has the book or journal you need.
If you do not get the search results you want in Gecko, first you might try linking to individual databases. Because Gecko searches across common fields found in most databases, it is recommended that if you are doing complex searching that you link directly to the database in order to take advantage of any unique search options that may be offered. If you are not sure which database is best for your research check the subcategory for your school or department to find the most relevant resources. There is also a complete list of databases for each division which may contain useful resources. Alternatively, contact the Enquiries Desk on 9266 7166.
Find It links you from a citation to a menu that gives various options to access that citation. From your result list in Gecko, you will see the Find It logo when you look at either the brief or the full record. Click the Find It logo to see the Find It menu and choose the option to retrieve the full-text of an article. If that is not available check other options including the holdings in the Curtin Library Catalogue. For more information on Find It, see the Find It FAQ.
Gecko includes a Help screen that can be found by clicking on the Help icon on the top right hand side of the screen. You can also contact the library by email at http://support.library.curtin.edu.au/contact/, or phone 9266 7166.
Please let us know about any problems you have with Gecko. You can do this by contacting the library online at http://support.library.curtin.edu.au/contact/ or phone 9266 7166.
Yes, if you have access to the internet anywhere you can access Gecko.
For security reasons, Gecko is set to time-out after 30 minutes of inactivity. So if you don't use it for 30 minutes, you will be asked to sign-in again.
This can occasionally happen - if you do get stuck on a blank page hitting the "refresh" button should allow your results to appear on the screen.
Link to Gecko entry point
