PROVIDING COMPLEX SEARCH OPTIONS

INTUITIVELY ON A WEB SITE

David SternIllinois State University

October 18, 2013

Confounded by so many Options

• How to present the options?• Which options for which populations?• Providing guidance/assistance?• Real-time (shared screen) help?

Screen Considerations

• Aesthetics• Added-Value vs Noise• Obvious choices• Navigation options• Hidden operations• Automated assistance• Customized options• Personal assistance

Concerns• Overwhelming options• Understanding initial

domains/data sources• Comprehensive search or

only immediate access?• Navigation to expand• Facets to target/restrict• Discipline hedges?• Real-time help

Frameworks• Demonstrate various approaches• Describe tools and functions• Help choose best matches for

specific populations/needs• Consider possible R&D areas

• Uncover existing consortial and/or platform options and restrictions?

• Alphabetical lists1• Immediate Search Limits2• Post-search Limits/Facets3• Artificial Intelligence/Semantic

Analysis Guidance4

• Real-time Help5

Today’s Overview

Lists of OptionsLists of Catalogs

Local through Consortial to Worldwide• some platforms cover ebooks, gov docs, grey literature, media.• some catalogs also cover journal literature (classic confusion for users).• even with preliminary descriptions, some limiting may still be required.• “Clusters” of catalogs can be created to help if one has federated options.• Discovery creates the need to limit after the first search … maddening for some folks.

Process approach … consider your intentions before choosing starting point.• Immediate vs Comprehensive coverage• Fulltext (deep) searching vs MARC records• Search ALL published materials … requires ILL or PDA for access.• Scholarly Research Process libguide (books section)

Lists of OptionsComplexities within Lists of Book Catalogs

Ebook domains: immediate access vs discovery and later delivery ...

• fulltext (deep) searching of all published works could be the default (teasers without PDA)• fulltext search of all consortial (may include e-teaser titles, but paper can be delivered)• fulltext search of owned plus Hathi (only public domain titles versus all as default?)• fulltext search of owned as default (federation across multiple platforms or one-by-one)

• http://library.illinoisstate.edu/library-materials/find-materials/ebooks.php (description)

• MARC record searching of individual title metadata plus various aggregated set records

NOTE: Due to very expensive MARC records, many aggregated records at the title level are not in the catalog. However, they may be available through an (SFX) resolver, depending upon your loading policies and contracts. If the resolver is not searched in a federated or discovery index, users will only find these items through a separate and siloed “ebook Resources” search option.

Frameworks for Alternative Presentations

http://my.ilstu.edu/~hstern2/Booksearchingtalkingpoints.pdf

• Examples are for “Book searching”.• Some approaches are better for other types

of resources and searches.• Limitations may be imposed by platform

options and seamless integration (federation/discovery) capabilities.

Resources

• This slide deck and related resources are found on the Conference web site and at http://my.ilstu.edu/~hstern2/ProvidingBook.pptx

• Related articles about search effectiveness:

“Waiting for Weighted Navigation” Online Searcher 37 (2): 51-55 (March/April 2013).

"Virtual Reference and In-depth Assistance Using Shared Workspaces" Online Searcher 37 (1) : 22-26 (January/February 2013).

QUESTIONS?

HDAVID.STERN@GMAIL.COM