15 september 2005

Aquabrowser : a search engine for Libraries

Which problems do we encounter?

• Increasing stream of information in digital form

• The catalogue is no longer able to handle all types of information resources

• Patrons get lost in the abundance of different user-interfaces

• Search engines as Google are extremely popular (in spite of clumsiness)

• To many students are “happy with a dead sparrow” (do not have a critical attitude towards ‘retrieved’ information)

What do we need?

• A search engine that is information rich • A search engine that is easily accessible like Google.• Selected content for educational purposes (domain and

level)• Recognizable signs of origin for further searches• Multilingual accessibility• Optimal selection facilities

Why AquaBrowser

• The engine is related to the well known library catalogue

• The inventors (Medialab) have a good feeling for the user needs and expectations

• Aquabrowser is used in many public libraries

Actual content in ABL

• Library catalog• National catalog (PICARTA)• EBSCO-research databases (Academic Search Premier

Business Source Elite, CINAHL, Sport Discus)• Newsportal (LexisNexis)• DAVINDI websites • Library portal (Intranet HH)

• Thesaurus• NED/ENG dictionary

Content to be added shortly

• Annual reports• Cochrane Library• Factomediabase• Finance&Control Base• Keesings Historisch archief• LISA• Marketing Data• OJ Online Plus• Elsevier Science Direct• Sport Discus

Look and Feel Aquabrowser Library

• SearchPresenting search results, drop down box: relevance, title, author, subject, year

• Discover (mind map)

legenda:suggestions (white)history trail (red)spelling variations (bleu)translations (yellow)thesaurus (green)

• Refine

Refine, with following tools:• Subject (shows maximum of 5 terms)

• Catalog (HHS-collection)

• Types of materialsbookthesiswebsitee-journalserial

• NewsLexisNexis magazinesLexisNexis news

• External resources

Haagse Hogeschoolwww.haagsehogeschool.nl

Meer informatie:J. (Jan) Companjen J.Companjen@hhs.nl (+31 70 4557880)M. (Maike) Timisela M.Timisela@hhs.nl (+31 70 4457877)