Publisher Description

Web scale discovery tools index a vast number of resources in a wide variety formats and allow users to search for content in a physical collection, print and electronic journal collections, and other resources from a single search box. Search results are displayed in a manner similar to internet searches, in a relevance-ranked list with links to online content.

Implementing Web-Scale Discovery Services: A Practical Guide for Librarians is a one-stop source for librarians seeking toevaluate, purchase, and implement a web-scale discovery service. The book breaks down each phase of the project into decision points and action plans which will help move the project forward in an orderly and focused manner.
After reading this guide, librarians will be able to:
identify the system with the best content match for their library;conduct informative product trials;negotiate for the best pricing options; and optimize customization of the selected systems to meet local needs.
Implementing Web-Scale Discovery Services: A Practical Guide for Librarians guides librarians on configuring search boxes, integrating local content sources, and making full-text easily accessible. This text presents the information in check lists, decision trees, and quotes from early adopters, and includes information on how to customize these systems to meet each library's specific needs.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: The Evolution of Web-Scale Discovery in Libraries
Chapter 2: A Closer Look at Web-Scale Discovery Options
Chapter 3: Making the Best Content Match for Your Library
Chapter 4: Evaluating the Discovery Layer
Chapter 5: Other Important Web-Scale Discovery Service Features and Functions
Chapter 6: Selecting and Purchasing a Web-Scale Discovery Service
Chapter 7: Configuring System Content Integration and Customization for Local Needs
Chapter 8: Configuring and Branding the Discovery Layer
Chapter 9: Introducing the Service to Users
Chapter 10: Usability Testing of Web-Scale Discovery Services
Chapter 11: Maintaining a Web-Scale Discovery Service
Chapter 12: The Future of Web-Scale Discovery
Glossary
Index
About the Author

Review

Thompson provides a 'how to do it' manual for librarians on identifying, evaluating, selecting, configuring, customizing, implementing, and maintaining a web-scale discovery service that will provide access to a wide range of resources from one interface. She begins by profiling the four commercial contenders in this arena: EBSCO Discovery Service, Ex Libris' Primo, ProQuest's Summon, and OCLC's WorldCat Discovery Service; this comparative evaluation is an outstanding feature of the text and can serve as a springboard before contacting vendors. . . .The text will be useful to any library faced with the dilemma of deciding which system best suits its needs; fortunately the small universe and the step-by-step considerations of this text make that task somewhat easy. * American Reference Books Annual *
[T]his book...[is] a useful guide to implementing web-scale discovery services. It is worth reading by any librarian thinking about purchasing such a service. * Australian Library Journal *
Implementing Web-Scale Discovery Services is a great overview of the concepts, current products, and what you need to know to get started. This book answers the question of "where do I start, and what do I need to know going in?" -- Michael Sauers, Technology Innovation Librarian for the Nebraska Library Commission and blogger at The Travelin' Librarian

Long Description

Web scale discovery tools index a vast number of resources in a wide variety formats and allow users to search for content in a physical collection, print and electronic journal collections, and other resources from a single search box. Search results are displayed in a manner similar to internet searches, in a relevance-ranked list with links to online content. Implementing Web-Scale Discovery Services: A Practical Guide for Librarians is a one-stop source for librarians seeking to evaluate, purchase, and implement a web-scale discovery service. The book breaks down each phase of the project into decision points and action plans which will help move the project forward in an orderly and focused manner. After reading this guide, librarians will be able to: *identify the system with the best content match for their library; *conduct informative product trials; *negotiate for the best pricing options; *and optimize customization of the selected systems to meet local needs. Implementing Web-Scale Discovery Services: A Practical Guide for Librarians guides librarians on configuring search boxes, integrating local content sources, and making full-text easily accessible. This text presents the information in check lists, decision trees, and quotes from early adopters, and includes information on how to customize these systems to meet each library's specific needs.

Review Quote

Implementing Web-Scale Discovery Services is a great overview of the concepts, current products, and what you need to know to get started. This book answers the question of "where do I start, and what do I need to know going in?"

Description for Reader

Implementing Web-Scale Discovery Services: A Practical Guide for Librarians is a one-stop source for librarians seeking to evaluating, purchasing, and implementing a web-scale discovery service. The book breaks down each phase of the project into decision points and action plans which will help move the project forward in an orderly and focused manner. After reading this guide, librarians will be able to identify the system with the best content match for their library, conduct informative product trials, negotiate for the best pricing options, and optimize customization of the selected systems to meet local needs.

Details