Neuroscience
If you use any WilsonWeb databases -- what I have referred to as great content, yucky interface -- you might be pleased to know that Wilson has changed its interface for the better. A few of you saw the interface last month when the Wilson reps came to visit, but if you haven't already, I encourage you to look at the new interface.
They listened to users' comments and came up with something that is functional and easy to use. Here are some of the features that I believe are great improvements:
Yay WilsonWeb!
- Two Interesting Blog Posts
Two great posts yesterday: Dutch librarian Wouter Gerritsma posted about a Swedish usability research project comparing students' search behaviour for information with Google Scholar and Metalib on his blog (http://wowter.net/2007/11/14/students-expectation-of-databases/)....
- More Library Instruction Or Better Database Interfaces?
My librarian friend Emily Alling recently posted a question on Facebook asking if you were the head of a reference department: which should / would get more priority, more instruction on how to use library resources, or better interfaces for those resources?...
- Great Explanation Of Usability / Design
SFX / programmer / librarian whiz David Walker has created a simplified "SFX menu" (OpenURL resolver / thingie that gets you from citation to full-text) for Cal State. You can see the simplified menu (note that links aren't live) or ... watch David's...
- The Future Of Reference
A colleague (hi Terry!) asked me to speak on a panel in his class about the future of reference. I'm a poor prognosticator (tho' I like to say the word), but I have a few thoughts. Here's a bit of what I said in class: Even before I talk about...
- Searchchat
Just read about a new search engine called ChaCha on Stephen's Lighthouse. It does search (they say it's real-time) and there are ratings / collections from various human guides on the results page. What I really like about it is the live guide...
Neuroscience
Yay WilsonWeb!
If you use any WilsonWeb databases -- what I have referred to as great content, yucky interface -- you might be pleased to know that Wilson has changed its interface for the better. A few of you saw the interface last month when the Wilson reps came to visit, but if you haven't already, I encourage you to look at the new interface.
They listened to users' comments and came up with something that is functional and easy to use. Here are some of the features that I believe are great improvements:
- the "Smart search" default finally *is* smart & only seems to search basic keywords rather than all fields in the record (including full-text)
- it's quick -- no more spinning lighthouse!
- easy to change sort order on results page
- there are clear tabs for all results, full-text, and peer-reviewed results
- you can search within results from the results page
- the print/email/save & export options are improved (tho' still clunky)
- the search history page allows you to easily combine results
Yay WilsonWeb!
- Two Interesting Blog Posts
Two great posts yesterday: Dutch librarian Wouter Gerritsma posted about a Swedish usability research project comparing students' search behaviour for information with Google Scholar and Metalib on his blog (http://wowter.net/2007/11/14/students-expectation-of-databases/)....
- More Library Instruction Or Better Database Interfaces?
My librarian friend Emily Alling recently posted a question on Facebook asking if you were the head of a reference department: which should / would get more priority, more instruction on how to use library resources, or better interfaces for those resources?...
- Great Explanation Of Usability / Design
SFX / programmer / librarian whiz David Walker has created a simplified "SFX menu" (OpenURL resolver / thingie that gets you from citation to full-text) for Cal State. You can see the simplified menu (note that links aren't live) or ... watch David's...
- The Future Of Reference
A colleague (hi Terry!) asked me to speak on a panel in his class about the future of reference. I'm a poor prognosticator (tho' I like to say the word), but I have a few thoughts. Here's a bit of what I said in class: Even before I talk about...
- Searchchat
Just read about a new search engine called ChaCha on Stephen's Lighthouse. It does search (they say it's real-time) and there are ratings / collections from various human guides on the results page. What I really like about it is the live guide...