Library Discovery Systems Research Articles

Tale of Two Tools

Consistent delivery of full-text content has been a challenge for libraries since the development of online databases. Library systems have attempted to meet this challenge, but link resolvers and early direct linking tools often fell short of patron expectations. In the last several years, a new generation of direct linking tools has appeared, two of which will be discussed in this article: Third Iron’s LibKey Discovery and Quicklinks by Ex Libris, a Clarivate company. Figure 1 shows the “Download PDF” link added by LibKey. Figure 2 shows the “Get PDF” link provided by Quicklinks. The way we configured our discovery interface, a resource cannot receive both the LibKey and Quicklinks PDF links. These two direct linking tools were chosen because they were both relatively new to the market in April 2021 when this analysis took place and they can both be integrated into Primo VE, the library discovery system of choice at the authors’ home institutions of SUNY College of Optometry and Ferris State University. Through analysis of the frequency of direct links, link success rate, and number of clicks, this study may help determine which product is most likely to meet your patrons’ needs.

Online public access catalogues and library discovery systems

Online public access catalogues and library discovery systems

Testing Two Discovery Systems: A Usability Study Comparing Student Perceptions of EDS and Primo

Library discovery systems are a primary tool for research and discovery of local collections in many academic libraries. Usability studies on these systems is an important practice to identify technical issues, determine local customization, and inform continuity in library instruction. Most usability studies, however, are completed on a single discovery system. This study is unique in that it compares EBSCO’s EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) with Ex Libris’s Primo discovery systems. To date, this is the only published usability study conducted on the two systems. Nineteen undergraduate and graduate participants were led through a series of nine usability tasks in both systems. The quantitative and qualitative results of the study indicate that discovery systems are powerful tools when managed consistently and holistically by addressing the discovery search needs of students and faculty through information literacy instruction and oversight by a discovery working group.

Speaking on the record: Combining interviews with search log analysis in user research

The use of mixed methods in library and information science research is more effective in generating insightful results when the methods are fully integrated with each other. A novel sequential mixed methods approach was developed to more holistically study user search behavior within a library discovery system. Customized semi-structured interview protocols, using the critical incident technique, were based on each participant's search logs. Findings from the interviews informed statistical log analysis, which identified features of search sessions that made accessing resources more likely. Individual interviews provide more precise data when protocols are created using the participants' logs. Similarly, statistical log analyses are enhanced with users' descriptions of their behaviors in library discovery systems. While prior studies have employed both interviews and log analysis, using the methods to inform one another reduces the limitations and enhances the benefits of each.

Integration of Open-Source Software (Koha, Greenstone and DSpace) with Library Discovery System (VuFind): A Future Library Solution

This paper demonstrates the design, workflow and integration methodology of open-source ILS (Koha), Digital library software (Greenstone), Institutional repository (DSpace) with open-source library discovery software (VuFind). A methodology of integration has been explained using available standards and technology. Main purpose of this research is to demonstrate single-window search interface, harvesting of metadata and full-text of resources. Integration of open-source library software with the discovery system (VuFind) can result significant cost reduction when compared with commercial discovery systems.

Library Carpentry: Towards a New Professional Dimension (Part II – Automatic Authority Control to Enhance Retrieval)

Authority control for bibliographic data management in Indian libraries is generally a neglected area and thereby library OPACs of the country (including OPAC of the National Library) supports only the finding function of a catalogue and not the collocating function. In this context, the part II of the three part series on library carpentry (part I has been published in April issue) is an attempt to apply library carpentry methods in building authority datasets from scratch. It deals with the methodologies for developing authority datasets by applying data wrangling techniques and subsequent transformations of these datasets into ready-to-import MARC 21 format (for authority data). Like the previous part of the series, this research study is also represented through a case study. The case study narrates development of geographic name authority datasets for - states and union territories (level I), districts of India (level II), sub-districts (level III) and community development blocks of India (level IV). It also demonstrates that how the merged geographic name authority file for India can be implemented in an open source ILS and can become instrumental in enhancing retrieval efficiency through geodetic search feature in an open source library discovery system. It concludes that the proposed mechanisms and methodology (supported with proofs of the concept) may lead to a new era of authority-controlled cataloguing in Indian libraries.

Finding Open Content in the Library Is Surprisingly Hard

While library discovery systems offer great promise for delivering open access materials, they often fall short. Discovery tools merge multiple records together, and in the process show a preference for linking options that are less likely to successfully deliver open access full text. Third party tools offer options for bringing users to missing content, but these tools are often not fully supported in library systems. Library systems are so focused on keeping unauthorized users out of restricted content that it compromises their ability to get users into content that is freely available.

Moving from OPAC to Discovery Systems: Nigerian Librarians’ Perceived Knowledge and Readiness

The recent trend of move from OPAC to discovery system has not been observed in Nigeria. Hence, this study examined Nigerian librarians’ perceived knowledge and readiness to move from OPAC to discovery system. The study adopts mixed method research approach. The study found that Nigerian librarians are not ready to move from OPAC to library discovery system in the nearest future. It was also shown that there is little or no knowledge of library discovery system among Nigerian librarians. The study concludes that Nigerian librarians are not ready nor have knowledge of moving from OPAC to library discovery system.

Matthew Reidsma. Masked by Trust: Bias in Library Discovery. Sacramento, CA: Library Juice Press, 2019. 194p. Paper, $28.00 (ISBN 978-1-63400-083-3). LCCN 2019010995.

In his book, Masked by Trust: Bias in Library Discovery, Reidsma addresses the increasing use and misplaced trust in search engines, and how library software developers have integrated Google-like elements into discovery systems. Since libraries license these systems, users believe that they are more reliable than web, or general purpose, search engines. However, the author asserts that, since library discovery systems are created by people with biases, they are not as neutral as vendors and libraries claim. Reidsma references several important researchers throughout the text, such as Safiya Umoja Noble, Cathy O’Neil, Carole Cadwalladr, and others, who have published works regarding algorithmic bias. These, in addition to his own research into algorithms in library systems, help support the author’s assertion that library systems are not immune from bias, thereby making the case that even library systems are not neutral.

Syndetics Unbound (ProQuest)

In this age of social media where interacting with others online and personalizing content are now second nature to almost every age group, regardless of context, ProQuest’s Syndetics Unbound brings all these elements together in an enrichment platform for library OPACs, ILS, and discovery systems. Syndetics Unbound creates a search environment where library users want to linger and continue to browse, discovering content that they may otherwise overlook, and potentially improving library circulation of such content.

A Comparative Study of Perceptions and Use of Google Scholar and Academic Library Discovery Systems

Google Scholar and academic library discovery systems are both popular resources among academic users for finding scholarly information. By conducting an online survey with 975 users from more than 20 public research universities across the United States, this study comparatively investigates how and why academic users use these two resources. Results show that the ways participants used both resources were similar, and both were perceived as highly accessible and useful . Academic library discovery systems’ perceived comprehensiveness , subjective norm , loyalty , and intended use were higher than Google Scholar, while Google Scholar’s perceived ease of use , system quality , and satisfaction were higher than that of academic library discovery systems.

From Integrated Library System (ILS) to Library Service Platform (LSP): Role of Library Discovery System (LDS)

This paper shows the evolution of the web-scale resource discovery services in libraries along with different discovery software available both in commercial and open source domain. The paper discusses several discovery tools and identifies several key parameters on the basis of which can compare the usability and accessibility of different discovery software. It will be identifies tools possibilities of applications of these interactive, collaborative and participative tools in enhancing existing library services and the feasibility of introducing next generation library services. Therefore, today all world look-over the newly made association which is library discovery system. Library discovery system make a software like 'VuFind' as open source software, digital library software to distributed across the globe.

Demonstrating the value of “library as place” with the MISO Survey

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold. It first examines cross-institutional benchmark data about “library as place” from 99 US schools in the Measuring Information Service Outcomes (MISO) Survey (www.misosurvey.org). The data demonstrate the value of “library as place” to students in particular. Second, the paper shares case studies of how two college libraries made MISO Survey “library as place” data actionable. Lafayette College (Easton, Pennsylvania) analyzed local MISO Survey data after a renovation to validate return on investment. Earlham College (Richmond, Indiana) analyzed MISO Survey data to help secure a science library renovation and to justify an architectural study for its main library.Design/methodology/approachThe paper begins with an analysis of “library as place” using aggregate benchmarks derived from US college and university respondents between 2012 and 2015. Specifically, the paper contrasts student and faculty perceptions of “library as place” via national benchmarks about: library services importance, satisfaction, and use (three benchmarks); hybrid online/“place-based” library services importance, satisfaction, and use (three benchmarks). Pivoting from higher education to individual, local perspectives, two case studies reveal how academic libraries used MISO Survey findings to demonstrate the value of “library as place” for renovation purposes.FindingsThe findings include that undergraduates make more frequent use than faculty of place-based services such as reference, equipment loans, and physical course reserves. Undergraduates also find most of these services more important than faculty do. Faculty makes generally more frequent use than undergraduates of online services such as library databases and the catalog. They find that these services to be more important than undergraduates do. Faculty and undergraduates use newer library discovery systems with equal frequency and find them to be equally important. Undergraduates find comfortable library spaces to be very important, and faculty considers them to be only a bit less important.Originality/valueThis is the first paper using MISO Survey data to focus on the importance and satisfaction of place-based library services involving cross-institutional comparisons for students and faculty. Previously published research using MISO Survey data have compared the use of place-based library services. This is also the first paper to offer case studies about how institutions use MISO Survey data to demonstrate the value of “library as place.”

“More than Meets the Eye” - Analyzing the Success of User Queries in Oria

Discovery systems allow academic library users to locate a wider range of resources than previous OPACs. However, actual usage of these systems may still be challenging. The main aim of this research is to get a better understanding of the hurdles users face while searching contemporary library systems.This study utilizes a transaction log analysis approach, using popular and zero result queries datasets gathered from the statistics module of a library discovery system. It explores what types of queries users perform, how successful the queries are, and examines underlying reasons for unsuccessful queries. To our knowledge, this is the first academic paper to use data originating from built-in transaction logs of the Oria library discovery system.The analysis shows that queries are often curriculum-related: we could pinpoint a relation with curriculum for 58% of the popular queries, and 28% for the zero result searches. A vast majority of popular queries refer to books, databases and journals, and over half of the queries used the title to locate a resource. 20% of the popular queries turned out to be unsuccessful. Zero result queries typically involve long queries, and in many cases consist of pasted reference citations.Our conclusion is that the examined discovery system is rather sensitive. Whilst this suggests the importance of increasing users' information search skills, it also points to the need for enhancing discovery systems and their underlying metadata. Furthermore, due to the prominence of curriculum-related queries, a better integration of curriculum materials ought to be achieved.

Beyond buttonology: Digital humanities, digital pedagogy, and the ACRL Framework

There is a danger with digital humanities instruction of falling into the trap of buttonology. By buttonology, we do not mean the study of buttons, nor do we intend the derision of August Strindberg, who, in his story “The Isle of the Blessed,” coined the word buttonology to mock scholarly pedantry.Buttonology is, in its simplest terms, software training that surveys different features of an interface in an introductory manner. In a library one-shot, teaching the library discovery system or showing how to perform an advanced search in a database would be buttonology. Knowing how to upload texts into a tool like Voyant does not help researchers think about what texts should be uploaded, how selecting data relates to a research question, or even what constitutes an effective research question. This type of teaching does not encourage critical thinking, yet digital humanities instruction, in our experience, is frequently focused on showing how to use software rather than reflect on the broader context.

Introducing our Publications and Editorial Board

Joanna Ball is Head of Library Content Delivery and Digital Strategy at the University of Sussex, where she provides strategic direction for the teams who acquire, license and deliver the Library’s print and digital resources. She is also responsible for technical innovation and the development of library systems, including the library services platform, discovery system and institutional repository. Additionally, she has driven the development of a research data management (RDM) policy and solution for the University.

News: Updates

Freedom to Read Foundation Report to Council: 2016 Midwinter Meeting, BostonALA Intellectual Freedom Committee Report to Council: 2016 Midwinter Meeting, BostonResolution for Restoring Civil Liberties and Opposing MAss SurveillanceUser Generated Content in Library Discovery Systems: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

Library Discovery Systems and their Users: a Case Study from Curtin University Library

AbstractDiscovery systems are now increasingly the dominant technology through which clients discover and access the information resources held by academic and research libraries. However, as yet, little work has been done to explore the use and impact of discovery systems on user behaviour. This article examines transactional logs from the Ex Libris Primo installation of Curtin University Library sampled between 2013 and 2015, together with the results of a user survey conducted in 2014, to investigate actual patterns of use and perceptions of value in the available discovery system functionality. The evidence collected supports the original contention of discovery system designers that the single-search box approach adopted by Google and other internet search engines is an appropriate form for library catalogue design. On the other hand, discovery system users clearly value functionality corresponding to traditional library tasks over attempts to locate the catalogue in the conceptual framework of socia...

Corrigendum

This article refers to:Library Discovery Systems and their Users: a Case Study from Curtin University Library

From Search to Discovery

In recent years, library users have shifted from searching in library catalogs and scholarly databases to searching in library discovery systems. This shift has introduced a fundamental change in the information-seeking process. Discovery systems provide access to a large, diverse information landscape of scholarly materials—regardless of where the materials are located, what format they are in, and whether the library owns them or subscribes to them. At the same time, these systems typically offer simple, Google-like searching as the default option, to accommodate the expectations of today’s users. With this type of searching, users do not spend much time formulating queries, and their queries often yield large result sets; therefore, discovery systems focus on relevance ranking and on tools that help users easily navigate and refine result sets. Librarians have welcomed the advances in discovery services for their users. However, this new reality poses challenges to the practices that librarians have developed over the years and, in some cases, is at odds with the systematic, controlled approach to searching endorsed by librarians. An examination of information-seeking and information-searching models together with a review of new technological capabilities of library discovery systems shows why such systems help today’s searchers and facilitate their research more than the traditional systems.