| University Libraries Offers New Online Catalog Search Method |
| Tuesday, June 08, 2010 | |
| Contact David Tisdale, 601.266.4499 | |
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A new online search tool employing state-of-the-art technology promises to make it easier and more engaging for patrons to find information in The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries. The new web-based search engine, Encore, reveals content such as media and e-books, suggestions of recently added items by area of interest, tags or reviews added by library users, faceted search results for easily modifying queries, and pathways to relevant websites and library databases. Library patrons can access all this from a single, “Google-like” search box. The new catalog search method is available on library workstations and remotely at http://encore.lib.usm.edu/. The new system is similar in look and feel to popular websites and helps make University Libraries a popular destination for the Southern Miss community’s information needs, said Carole Kiehl, dean of University Libraries. “It provides highly sophisticated search results presented in a very simple way,” Kiehl said. “Users can easily move beyond the traditional online library catalog to a richer online discovery experience, without having to be an advanced user of an online library catalog. “We believe it is extremely useful, whether in searching for one specific item or in-depth research materials.” Encore will return items that are clearly listed by relevance and can be effortlessly expanded or refined according to publication date, specific library, language or subject as presented in a Tag Cloud. The Tag Cloud, found on websites like the Flickr photo-sharing service, helps users by presenting a grouping of words related to their searches that they can click on to launch new queries. A more traditional catalog search method is still available at http://catalog.lib.usm.edu. The Encore discovery services platform was developed by Innovative Interfaces, a About The -30- |