Experiences at Illinois State University in the first year of deployment Bruce Stoffel, Head, Liaison and Reference Services EBSCO Discovery Service

Timeline Deployed WebFeat Integrated Search, Fall 2006 Focus groups, Fall 2006 and Fall 2007 Availability of WebFeat ceased Spring 2010 Selected EBSCO Discovery through RFP, Summer 2010 Deployed EBSCO Discovery, July present

Library homepage, August 2010

Library homepage, January 2011

Search results display

Searches, * This figure is reported in EBSCO Discovery as the number of sessions. Academic YearVendorTypeSearches WebFeatIntegrated86, WebFeatIntegrated151, WebFeatIntegrated122, WebFeatIntegrated115, EBSCODiscovery, Integrated257,865

Website feedback The discovery service is more efficient than native database searching. It is much easier to search now. I don’t understand the discovery search. What does the search anything button mean? What am I searching? This feature makes searching more difficult when it was intended to make it easier. I don’t like searching so broadly. I’m just looking for books or articles. How can I do so without using Search Anything? Catalog and databases should be prominent instead. I don’t find the discovery search as efficient as native database searching. Too many results to review. Prefer advanced search that supports fielded searching. People should be expected to learn how to search catalogs and databases. Are we “dumbing down” research too much?

Working with patrons Many patrons do not immediately recognize the facets and how to use them. Once they do, they often seem pleased with their search results. Few understand the integrated search option. Few use it. Few understand what they are searching against. Few ask. Some facets are particularly confusing, including the multiple subject heading options. Patrons wanting a few good sources are satisfied. Patrons wanting depth... not as much.

Reactions from students Introductory English: Positive feedback Introductory Communication: Many choose Discovery although directed to native databases Sophomore English: 50% favor Discovery, 50% favor native databases Junior/Senior Psychology Research: Use Discovery to supplement native databases

Reactions from faculty Mixed. Concerns about precision. But this seems to vary by discipline. Concerns about the mix of publication types in search results. Concerns about student learning.

Reactions from librarians Mixed to negative. Discovery is considered an improvement over federated. Used in general education courses, but librarians teaching other courses tend to stress native databases. Not yet embedding subject-specific Discovery searches in guides. Changes in the way research concepts are taught, but the concepts remain unchanged. Inclusion in Discovery is considered now when selecting databases and interfaces.

The future Some meta search option is here to stay at our library for awhile. The primary question for us is not if we will have a meta search tool but how it will be configured and incorporated into our suite of resources. Discovery will be incorporated more into our instruction and reference services. Formal assessment is underway. More is needed. We will likely revisit our approach to meta search and native databases regularly as products change.

Thank you! Bruce Stoffel Head, Liaison and Reference Services Milner Library Illinois State University