Library Blog

Library Website Updates

A new look to the library website is here for the Fall 2020 semester! While mostly a cosmetic update, the new user interface makes better use of white space, heading levels, and font sizes for enhanced readability and improved usability with screen readers. The "old" library homepage will still be available via a link on the "new" homepage for the Fall semester.

One noteworthy update to the homepage is the library search interface. Previously, available search tabs included: Everything, Books & Media, Journal Titles, Databases, and Course Reserves. The new interface aims to streamline library catalog searching by combining the Everything, Books & Media, and Journal Titles tabs into a single tab we're calling the 'SearchCat'. The name derives from the function of the search - it Searches the library Catalog. The fact that the name also calls out the Daemen Wildcat mascot and the vendor name of our library search system (WorldCat Discovery) helped solidify this name choice.

In functionality, the SearchCat is the same the old 'Everything' search. It will search physical items held at the library as well as electronic items available through our databases and other online resources. Users can use the options on the search results page to limit results by format type (e.g. articles, books, eBooks, etc.). A dedicated search for journal, magazine, and newspaper titles is still available via the 'Find' dropdown located in the navigation bar at the top of the website.

As you begin using the new search interface, you will notice that when you start typing within the 'SearchCat' searchbox, the box expands to suggest performing the search in Credo Reference (an excellent source for background information on a topic) as well as in Academic Search Complete (our broadest, most extensive multi-disciplinary article database). It is the hope of library staff that by offering these search outlets, in addition to the default catalog search, will get students to the resources most helpful for their research. It should also serve as a reminder that subject-specific databases are available and are often a better place to start when searching for scholarly, peer-reviewed articles, rather than simply searching the all encompassing library catalog search.

Let us know what you think! Send any comments and suggestions you have to jdise@daemen.edu.