UConn's libraries are making it easier to search for material by condensing the search process on their website, www.lib.uconn.edu. The system, "web scale discovery service," combines what used to be multiple searches, and acts as a library catalog, a journal locator, a database locator and a large, full-text article database.
UConn has the largest public research collection in Connecticut, according to a UConn Today press release.
This new search tool is made possible by a Serials Solutions, a business unit of ProQuest and is known as "Summon."
"The goal in implementing Summon is to enable our users to discover relevant information on any topic from the UConn Libraries collections and beyond more quickly and easily," said Brinley Franklin, Vice Provost for University Libraries in a UConn Today press release.
"Summon provides a broader capability as users begin their research, and then, if they wish, permits them to refine their search by targeting either scholarly journal and newspaper articles, books, videos, maps, manuscript collections, music scores and more. From the search results, it's one step to view the full text of electronic resources or to see if physical materials are available," she added.
This new search tool combines searching UConn's Homer online catalog, licensed e-journals and e-books, UConn's Institutional Repository, UConn's digital collections, library guide, streaming video, audio and digital materials in the public domain, according to a UConn Today press release.
In order to use this search engine, students should search on the library's main page search box, "Everything @ UConn" on either a computer or a smart phone. In the search box, students need only type the topic that they are interested in searching. Students can narrow the search by setting parameters like content type, subject or date, according to a UConn Today press release.
Students at UConn appear to be enjoying this simpler method of searching.
"It makes it a lot easier, especially if you don't know exactly what you're searching for to see all of the different results at once," said Kristina Barsczewski, a 4th-semester nursing major.
The original Homer Babbidge catalog is still available and a link is located on the library's homepage.
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