[Sigia-l] multiple search index usability/conceptual model

[Tanya Rabourn]

jess at cognissa.com wrote:
> So a friend is redesigning an academic library web site, and I was
> wondering:

> How do we get people to understand the differences between the multitude
> of searches offered on a library site

Are there brief descriptions of each licensed database? If so, I've
often thought that search results from a single search box on an academic
library's site would work well if the search was sent to each search
"collection" and it revealed the first few hits for each. The
*description* of each licensed database would be one collection, the pages
that make up the library's web site would be another and then the
library's online catalog would be a third.

I know such post-coordination of the user's search would be difficult,
however, it seems that the terms I usually see in the regular site search
logs for Columbia and other libraries where the user mistakenly thought
they were using the online catalog or the user should have been using a
licensed database, are rather broad introductory sorts of concepts
indicating that the user doesn't know that much about the subject. Eg.
just "foreign policy" instead of "US foreign policy and Iraq and Reagan."

So, if the user sent that first phrase to the regular search engine, it
could show results like:

*Online catalog:
book one's title
book two's title
etc.
there are 1,056 titles in the online catalog that match your search.
Browse titles...

*licensed databases
WorldCat
PAIS
licensed databases title 3
etc.
There are five licensed databases that may index resources for your
search. See all five...

*library web pages
web page hit 1
web page hit 2
etc.
There are 11 library web pages that match your search. See the full
list...

Like you suggest, the radio buttons could be near the searchbox to let
them choose which collection to search assuming they understand the
difference. If not, search results like those above would be useful.

As for those users who already know that they need to use a licensed
database *and* already know the title or subject area that a title might
be in, you can offer a link to the list of licensed databases A-Z or by
subject.

-Tanya
___________________________________
Tanya Rabourn <rabourn at columbia.edu>
[User Services Consultant]
AcIS R & D <www.columbia.edu/acis/rad>
tel: 212.854.0295