Full-Text Search in the Resources of Polish Digital Libraries

Abstract

Purpose/Thesis: The article aims to analyze the conditions and possibilities of full-text search in Polish digital libraries (DL), taking into account the access to full-text search in individual DLs, the file formats and the software used, as well as the visibility of the DL resources in the Google search engine.
 Approach/Methods: Forty of the largest Polish DLs, whose resources primarily comprise digitized traditional library resources, were selected for the study. The study examined the type of the software used, the availability and efficiency of the full-text search, and the extent to which the resources were indexed as PDF files in Google and Google Scholar. Finally, the study compared the results of full-text search in ten DLs with those obtained from Google.
 Results and conclusions: All DLs selected for the study allow for full-text search. There are significant differences between specific interfaces. Each has advantages and disadvantages that require further development. The Google search engine is not currently a viable alternative to accessing content provided in DLs.
 Originality/Value: The issue of full-text search in DLs is rarely addressed, even though users consider it one of the most important functions of DLs. The result of the study present a picture of DL’s current capacity in this area.