Implementing web-scale discovery services: A practical guide for librarians

In the past few years, the Web-scale discovery (WSD) service has been gaining popularity amongst libraries whether be they academic, special or public. The demand has resulted in a multiplicity of such tools, each with its own complex nature, which makes it a vital decision to select one that is efficient and cost-effective. This book has been written to address that need.

The book includes 12 chapters, the first of which, The Evaluation of Web-Scale Discovery in Libraries, looks at how such systems provide an efficient, comprehensive and user-friendly one-search method, the base of which is “the combination of discovery-level functionality with a massive cloud-base centralized and normalized index of content” (p. 11). The second chapter, A Closer Look at Web-Scale Discovery Options, provides a profile of features of four WSD services currently available on the market, describes the hybrid systems that are being introduced and ends up with suggesting Encore Synergy or Enterprise as two innovative alternative products that use federated search and Web-services technology.

Chapter 3, Making the Best Content Match for Your Library, gives practical hints for selecting the WSD that best satisfies the needs of each library through a thorough content analysis. Chapter 4, Evaluating the Discovery Layer, defines the discovery layer of a WSD as a critical feature to the system’s effectiveness, providing not only options for refining retrieval only to the most relevant records but also tools for viewing, saving and sharing searches and retrievals.

Chapter 5, Other Important Web-Scale Discovery Service Features and Functions, looks at features and functions that need to be considered when purchasing a WSD service. These include features such as the presence and functionality of mobile platforms, support for consortia or multi-library environments, effectiveness of rights management, the extent of available statistics and usage reporting and the user-friendliness of the administrative interface.

Chapter 6, Selecting and Purchasing Web-Scale Discovery Service, describes the steps involved in selecting a WSD. These encompass assembling the right team to evaluate and select the tool, scheduling vendor demos, calling references, implementing trials for the WSD service selected and negotiating prices. Chapter 7, Configuring System Content Integration and Customization for Local Needs, considers how libraries may go through the labour-intensive and critical task of making the optimal content available for users. This local content can include local catalogue records, repository or archival records and records from locally created records.

Chapter 8, Configuring and Branding the Discovery Layer, suggests branding and cascading style sheets as two common ways to customise the appearance and functionality of a WSD service. Also, suggestions are given as to how menu bars, links and labels can be tailored, how search boxes and widgets can be constructed, how facets and filters can be customised, how retrieval display can be optimised and how specialised profiles can be created.

Chapter 9, Introducing the Service to Users, deals with the task of timing the launching of the WSD service and presenting it in a way that it can communicate what it is and what it can offer other than search and discovery tools in the library. The chapter also includes ideas for educating and instructing the staff to ensure they are comfortable with the service and have the necessary skills to troubleshoot issues.

Chapter 10, Usability Testing of Web-Scale Discovery Services, discusses the need for running a usability test and provides, in a step-by-step fashion, details for carrying out such a test to optimise the service for the library environment through helping to detect the problems with configuration and to identify those features of the search interface that need more refinement.

Chapter 11, Maintaining a Web-Scale Discovery Service, examines maintenance issues and provides hints on how to monitor system usage on a day-to-day basis, administer changes to the system and how to troubleshoot issues. Monitoring the impact of a WSD system on other database products and print collections and keeping up with a changing market are among other topics elaborated on in this chapter. The last chapter, The Function of Web-Scale Discovery, looks at some of the challenges that may be faced in the future, such as content wars among discovery vendors, necessitating some important initiatives to be implemented. Such initiatives may include customising individualised searches and moving towards standards for such systems and incorporating linked data and altmetrics for bringing more content in context to the searchers.

On the whole, going through the chapters, one can find a great collection of useful, practical and accessible content for all the libraries that intend to find, select, purchase and implement the best WSD system available in a market that is introducing increasing number of such devices, each with its own specific features.