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The Master Christian Library (Version 5)

I. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND CONTENT:

The Master Christian Library is an electronic database on CD-ROM of texts from the Western Christian tradition, spanning many centuries -- from Bibles to Patristic works to more modern writers such as John Wesley. All of these texts are stored on CD-ROM in the form of PDF (Portable Document Format) files. The user interface for viewing PDF files is Adobe Acrobat Reader, which allows the user not only to view (browse) the files but also to search the database for a word or phrase.

II. STARTING UP THE MASTER CHRISTIAN LIBRARY:

  1. Place the disc on the CD-ROM tray of the PC, and close the tray.
  2. Click the Start button (in the lower left-hand corner of the screen). Move to Programs, then to AGES Software, and click on Master Christian Library. If you do not see these menu options, please ask a staff member for assistance.
  3. The Acrobat Reader program will launch and open the first page of the database.

III. USING THE MASTER CHRISTIAN LIBRARY:

NOTE: Accompanying the CD-ROM are a Quick Start guide -- including a complete list of the authors and titles in the database -- and a more thorough printed manual. Please refer to these documents for additional information.

In Acrobat Reader, the left-hand side of the screen displays a table of contents, while the remainder of the screen displays the content of a particular page of the database. For more information on using Acrobat Reader, click on the blue circle with a question mark, which takes you to a general guide to using Acrobat Reader.

1. Browsing the database:

Initially you are presented with the "home" page of the database, which is a list of the database's organizational categories. The topics in this list act as hypertext links; clicking on a topic takes you to that area of the database. (When you move the pointer over one of these links, it changes to a hand with a pointing finger).

Near the left-hand side of the main window, there are some navigational buttons (blue circles):

  • The question mark takes you to a help document -- a general guide to the use of Acrobat Reader (not a guide to the content of the database).
  • The left arrow moves you backward in the database one page at a time.
  • The "HM" button returns you to the front or "home" page of the database.
  • The right arrow moves you forward in the database one page at a time.
  • The last button displays the current page (and is non-clickable).

Once you have opened a book, a bookmark window will appear on the left of your screen. When you click on a chapter title or subject reference in this window, the book will open to the appropriate page. You can open up a sub menu in the bookmark window by clicking on the carrot (a triangle turned on its side). Select "AGES Librarian" at the top of the bookmark window to return to the "home" page of the database.

You can also navigate within a work in the following ways:

  • The Scroll Bar on the far right of the screen. Placing your cursor on the moving block on the bar produces a small window containing a page number. Move the bar up and down and release the mouse button when you reach the desired page.
  • Type Control+5 and a Go To Window will appear. Type in the appropriate page number and hit Enter to reach the selected page.
  • Use the arrows on the toolbar (or press an arrow key on the keyboard) to go back or to go forward page by page.
  • Press Shift while pressing an arrow key on the keyboard to move line by line within a single page.
  • If you magnify a page (with the icon of the magnifying glass located in the top toolbar or at the bottom of the screen), you can navigate around this magnified image by clicking on the hand icon in the top toolbar. Click and hold the left mouse button as you use the hand symbol to drag the page to the desired spot. (You can magnify a page up to 800%.)
  • Pagemarks allow you to mark important pages, or to simply keep your place if you have to exit the program. Go to the "Window" menu and choose "AGES Pagemarks." To mark the current page, click the "New" button. To open a Pagemark in the list, double-click it. To delete a Pagemark, highlight it and click the "Delete" button.
  • If a digital book has footnotes, they usually appear at the end of a volume in a separate chapter or section. The superscripted number in the text is a hypertext link to the footnote. To access this link, simply place the cursor on the number and click. Use the navigation buttons in the top toolbar to get back to the page you just left.

2. Searching the database:

There are two ways to search the database:

  • Within a book, using the Find Tool: From the Tools menu, choose Find... ( or type Control + f) to open the Find window. Type in the text string you wish to search for, make any other appropriate selections in the window, and click the Find button or press the enter key. This feature will look for your text string in the currently open book only.
  • Within the part or all of the database, using the Search Tool: From the Tools menu, go to Search and choose Query... (or type Control + Shift + f) to open the Search window. This tool enables fast multi-book searching. Select "Indexes for Searching" first so that you can specify which texts will be included. When searching, you can use the Boolean OR operator or wild-card characters. (A question mark ? matches any one character and an asterisk * matches zero, one, or more characters.) Consult the printed manual for more detailed methods of expanding and limiting your searches. Once the search is completed, highlight the selection you want to view and click View to open the book to the appropriate page.

3. Viewing and printing documents:

The page icons on the top toolbar allow you to change the display of each individual page: (e.g., the icon on the far right will adjust the page so it fills the entire window). By selecting the far right icon on the bottom of the screen, you can alter the way pages are displayed. You have the choice of individual pages, continuous pages, or continuous facing pages.

You can select text or a graphic in a PDF document, copy it to the Clipboard, and paste it into a document in another application such as a word processor.

To print, go to the "File" menu, select "Print," and then be sure to select "Current Page" or specify the "Pages" you want. WARNING: The default is "All Pages," so to avoid wasting paper, take caution when executing this command!

Please Note: The Etext Center doesn't have the means to allow for public printing.

IV. EXITING THE MASTER CHRISTIAN LIBRARY AND REMOVING THE CD-ROM:

When you are finished working with The Master Christian Library:

  • Choose Exit from the File menu.
  • Eject the disc from the CD-ROM drive (by pressing the button of the CD-ROM tray). Please place the disc in its case and return it to an Etext Center assistant.