Improving e-book access via a library-developed full-text search tool

Purpose: This paper reports on the development of a tool for searching the contents of licensed full-text electronic book (e-book) collections. Setting: The Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) provides services to the University of Pittsburghʹs medical programs and large academic health system. Brief Description: The HSLS has developed an innovative tool for federated searching of its e-book collections. Built using the XML-based Vivlsimo development environment, the tool enables a user to perform a full-text search of over 2,500 titles from the libraryʹs seven most highly used e-book collections. From a single ʹʹGoogle-styleʹʹ query, results are returned as an integrated set of links pointing directly to relevant sections of the full text. Results/Evaluation: A heuristic evaluation demonstrated the usability of the tool and a web server log analysis indicated an acceptable level of usage. Based on its success, there are plans to increase the number of online book collections searched. Conclusion: This libraryʹs first foray into federated searching has produced an effective tool for searching across large collections of full-text e-books and has provided a good foundation for the development of other library-based federated searching products.