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SciFinder Scholar Download Page


IMPORTANT: Due to licensing restrictions, SciFinder will only work on a computer with a KU Internet address. If you want to use SciFinder from off-campus, you can use a new service, KU Anywhere, that enables KU faculty, staff, GTAs and GRAs to access servers and databases on the KU network from remote locations anywhere in the world. It is an extension of the KU VPN (Virtual Private Network) service and can be accessed by logging into the Kyou portal (http://staff.ku.edu) and clicking on the "KU Anywhere" link at the top right of the page.

Note: Please terminate your SciFinder session (logoff) once you have completed your searching.

SciFinder Scholar 2007 for Windows

SciFinder Scholar 2007 for Mac OS X (10.3, 10.4 and now 10.5)

SciFinder Scholar 2004 for Macintosh (7.61, 8.x, 9.x)

SciFinder Scholar 2007 for Windows:

  1. Note: There are TWO files that must be downloaded for the client to work-- first the exe file then the "site.prf" file, in step 4.    Please read the instructions through carefully.
  2. Download the SciFinder Scholar 2007 installation program for Windows (size: 12 MB). The file can be downloaded anywhere on your hard drive (c:\).
  3. Run the installation program (sfs2007.exe) by double-clicking. If you already have a previous version of SciFinder installed, install the new version in the same location as the old version.
  4. If you have not had a previous version of SciFinder on your computer, YOU MUST ALSO DOWNLOAD THE site.prf and COPY IT TO THE FOLDER WHERE YOU INSTALLED SciFinder. The folder to save to is c:\sfschlr.
  5. Once the installation program has started, when prompted choose the default installation option labeled typical.
  6. If prompted with the question "Do you have a disk labeled 'Custom site file?' click No.
  7. Click Yes if you want to install the SciFinder Scholar Toolbar for Internet Explorer. After installation to view new SciFinder Scholar toolbar in the IE browser, open a browser window, select View > Toolbars > SciFinder Scholar Bar to activate the SciFinder toolbar.
Add-On Software for Windows
This add-on software will create a search box in an Internet Explorer browser window (like the Google search) that will launch a SciFinder search. Searches for author, company, molecular formula, research topic and substance identifiers can be initiated via a dropdown menu. Information about this add-on is at http://www.cas.org/SCIFINDER/help/2004/SCH_Help/toolbar/schtoolbar4ie.htm.

SciFinder Scholar Toolbar for use with Microsoft® Internet Explorer (Windows 98/2000/XP/Me/NT4.0)

Quickly initiate Explore tasks for terms of interest using the SciFinder Scholar Toolbar within Internet Explorer.
  1. Download SciFinderScholarToolbar.exe and save it to a temporary folder. (~24 MB self-extracting executable.)
  2. Double-click the "SciFinderScholarToolbar.exe" icon to install the toolbar.
  3. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
After installation, open Internet Explorer and select View > Toolbars > SciFinder Scholar Bar to display the toolbar.

SciFinder Scholar 2007 for Mac OS X (10.3 and 10.4-- and now 10.5!)

  1. If you have a previous version of SciFinder Scholar installed, uninstall it first.
  2. Review these Installation Tips
  3. Download SciFinder Scholar sfs2007a.dmg (a Macintosh Disk Image File) to your desktop or a download folder on your OS X drive.
  4. Double-click "sfs2007.dmg" to mount SciFinder Scholar (a Desktop Volume containing the SciFinder Scholar Application Package) if it does not auto-mount.
  5. Open the SciFinder Scholar Volume if it does not auto-open.
  6. Drag and drop the SciFinder Scholar Application Package (the icon in the white box inside the SciFinder Scholar Volume window) to your Applications folder.
  7. Eject (Unmount) the desktop SciFinder Scholar Volume.
  8. (Optional) Create a "SciFinder Scholar" alias for your dock or desktop.
  9. If you have not had a previous version of SciFinder on your computer, you must also download the file site.prf.
    • For a single-user machine, put it in the following folder: Users:[User Name]:Library:Application Support:SciFinder Scholar. You will likely need to create the SciFinder Scholar folder within Application Support.
    • For a shared machine, someone with admin access should place the file in Applications:SciFinder Scholar:Contents:MacOS. Select SciFinder Scholar and "show package contents" to see the Contents folder.

SciFinder Scholar 2004 for Macintosh (OS 7.61, 8.x, 9.x)


As of Jan. 2, 2008 CAS will be discontinuing access to this version of SciFinder Scholar used for Macintosh (OS 7.61, 8.x, 9.x). Please use the SciFinder Scholar 2007 version for Macs, above.
For more information, see the SciFinder Scholar site at http://www.cas.org/SCIFINDER/SCHOLAR/index.html.

Please Ask a Librarian if you have any questions about downloading or installing the SciFinder Scholar Plugin.