Library users will find searches faster and easier when a new system debuts this summer. The new integrated library system in the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries will allow for intuitive searches that will deliver more robust results.
“The new system is a prime example of embracing the latest education technologies to foster innovation in learning, teaching and discovery,” said University Librarian Valerie Hotchkiss. “Replacing the library’s online catalog is crucial if we wish to match the scholarly ambitions of our students and faculty and function as a 21st-century research library.”
Benefits will include a single, better interface with both intuitive and sophisticated searching capabilities; increased transparency among tools and resources; and a more intuitive system with features similar to other familiar search tools and easily interpreted results. Library staff have been working over the past several months to kick off the transition.
The new system, which was developed by the Israeli software company ExLibris, is used by such libraries as Harvard, Princeton, the British Library and Duke. These and many other research libraries around the world work together to continuously improve and evolve the research capabilities of the system. The new library catalog debuts on July 20.
Students, faculty and staff have been broadly invited to share their views through surveys, focus groups and presentations during the spring semester. The goal is to create an interface that best addresses the needs of the campus community, including search configuration, search fields, default searches and results sorting. Look for the new search capabilities on July 20.