OneSearch

The Sawyer Library has recently contracted with EBSCO's Discovery Service, to offer a 'OneSearch' option to identify library resources. As described by EBSCO, the OneSearch function strives to provide:

• "A fast, single search of your [library's] collection
• Comprehensive content
• Highly-refined relevancy ranking
• Elaborate indexing (subject headings, etc.)
• The inclusion of high-end indexes
• Enhanced catalog treatment & handling of repositories
• A full-featured discovery layer user experience
• Instant access to full text (whenever available)."

Google has been the ultimate catalyst for libraries to re-visit their methods of presenting their resources. Traditionally, content has been organized by subject (business, literature, social sciences, etc.), and to a certain extent format (books vs. articles; print vs. online). A 'Google-like' single search interface, such as OneSearch, intermingles all of the above, and then displays a variety of limiters along the margin of the screen, to enable users to narrow down their results.

"OneSearch" is the default option in the center widget box of the Sawyer Library homepage. (The 'classic' online catalog, and the periodical databases are all still available as before.) Since there is a good deal of behind-the-scenes effort that must go into to making such a system function seamlessly, we currently have our OneSearch labeled as being in 'beta.' Afterall, Google, having been founded in 1998, has a 16 year headstart.