MultiSearch Enhance your library research!

MultiSearch is a tool that can help you quickly find articles, books, and multimedia from several library research databases and the library catalog all at once. Currently MultiSearch is in a beta version. Try MultiSearch

Timeline

MultiSearch will be available in a beta version during 2008. The Library will be testing the usability of this software and improving it based on user feedback.

Limitations

MultiSearch does not search all of the Library research databases and you may find search results to be incomplete. Additionally, some database connections may not always be available so please keep trying if you encounter this problem.

Technical Notes

MultiSearch is a software program purchased from Serials Solutions which they call 360 Search. The LCC Library renamed this software program MultiSearch. MultiSearch connects to a variety of research databases, web resources, and the LCC library catalog system using Z39.50, XML, and HTTP connections.

How does MultiSearch work?

MultiSearch uses what's known as a federated search to search research databases from several different producers' sites at once (such as the library catalog and some research databases). It then merges the results and presents them to you in the MultiSearch interface. When you click on a title, you are linked back to the producer's site that contains the full text or record of that article.

Will a user be able to tell which links are to full-text content, and which are not?

Not without actually clicking on the links, but there is a filter users can enable to limit search results to full-text only. The filter is not 100% effective, but when turned on, it will return most of the full-text results.

How are duplicate results assigned?

The current logic compares the following fields in the title results: date, article title, ISSN, volume, issue, and publication title. If any of these fields are different, the record is not marked as a duplicate and will be displayed.

If there are duplicate results the result will show a full-text link. If there is not a result with a full-text link, MultiSearch logic will choose the result with a 360 Link (Article Linker) link. Lacking both, the result displayed is randomly selected.

Why do some MultiSearch searches return different results than when searching in a specific database title?

Not all databases support all search types. If the database doesn't support a particular type (such as Full-Text), then the search defaults to another field and produces different results, or it may not return any results. We work with vendors toward resolving issues like these.

How is  MultiSearch different from Google Scholar?

Google Scholar has made arrangements with various publishers of scholarly content to index their materials. However, Google Scholar does not index all of the LCC Library Research Database subscriptions. If you only search Google Scholar, you will miss many additional materials that the LCC Library subscribes to for students & employees.