Get ready for a new look to the EBSCO main library search!

Submitted by Victoria Hunter on Thu, 12/01/2022 - 16:58
EBSCO Discovery Service logo in green and blue

We’re pleased to share with you the details of our soon-to-be updated, streamlined main EBSCO library search, launching for the New Year!

The new interface has been designed in response to user feedback, providing a more modern, accessible look and feel, a more powerful search functionality, and a more effective way to manage resources for assignments and projects.

This new interface is part of a programme of improvements to the Library Portal space in the coming academic year, and you can familiarise yourself with the new look here.

Our new search interface has some fantastic key features that we think you’ll find really useful, including:

  • A new personalised dashboard, permanently available on the left-hand  of the search allows you to keep track of your items and resources in one easily accessible place.
     
  • An auto-complete feature that will show popular search terms for you to select from as you type into the search bar.
     
  • Limiters below the search bar to refine your search, while an Advanced Search with guided filters and limiters is also available.
     
  • Research Starters that appear in your search results list and help you to spark ideas for your search by including links to relevant articles and images.
     
  • New filters and facets to limit and refine your search results, all of which are available down the right-hand side when you click into the “filters” option underneath the search bar on your results page - these include filtering by source type, date, subject and more.
     
  • A new “Projects” area, where you can curate personalised lists of items relevant to your different assignments, topics or modules - when you want to add something from the search results to a projects folder, you simply look for the folder symbol and you can then add the item to an existing project folder or create a new one. You can also view all of your project folders by going to “Projects” in your new dashboard.
     
  • Saved searches and recently viewed, which allow you to re-run anything you want to look at again quickly and easily - simply choose either item from your dashboard menu on the right!
     
  • A new “Publications” search, allowing you to search by keyword, title, or by using the A-Z - in this area, you can also switch to the “Browse Databases” tab for all of the databases that Arden Library subscribe to, as well as view the Open Access collections available.
     
  • A fantastic new Concept Map, available at the bottom of your dashboard menu - this allows you to start your research in a more visual way, connecting different search terms by seeing how they link together thematically.

For a guided look at all these new EBSCO library search features, you can book onto one of these sessions running in the New Year:

Monday 9th January 12:00 - 13:00 

Wednesday 18th January 10:00 -12:00 

Tuesday 24th January 17:00 - 18:00  

Friday 3rd February 14:00 - 15:00  

To book one of these sessions click here, or you can find out more right away by watching our “sneak preview” workshop recording here.

We hope you enjoy this amazing update!

We'd love to hear what you think about the new search and the Library Portal in general so please share your views by completing this short survey. All students who provide feedback will be entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher!