Discovery Policy
Scope
This policy outlines the principles required to ensure effective discovery across the University’s Library collections and resources; and utilises the following discovery tools -
- Library Catalogue (books, DVDs and journals titles)
- CALM (Archives and Special Collections)
- Summon (books, DVDs, journal titles, and free text search within online article and book chapters)
- ResourceBank (zines, artists books, dissertations)
- Journals A-Z (journal titles)
- Databases A-Z (databases)
- UCARO (research outputs)
Successful Discovery
Attributes of a successful discovery landscape include the following -
- Interface – interfaces need to be designed to facilitate effective discovery. All library and discovery tools will be subject to usability testing to ensure they are effective.
- Search – methodologies should, where possible, include a basic and advanced search and provide appropriate user tools to enable granulated searching.
- Integration into single discovery layer - existing and new search tools should be capable of search result integration into other systems by means of an OAI export, API or other export functionality.
- Metadata – standard metadata should be used across all systems or the system should provide data export functionality so that data could be converted into a standard metadata format.
- Authentication – into licensed resources needs to be as unobtrusive as possible to facilitate retrieval. Resources will utilise single sign-on for off campus authentication and ezproxy on campus.
- Analytics – the library will monitor search tool analytics to help improve discovery and search functionality.
- User centric – discovery needs to be where the user is and so utilise the publication of search results to Google and Google Scholar.
Principles
- Discovery systems should cater for both known item searching and serendipitous browsing.
- Discovery should be seamless.
- Discovery should be responsive and accessible regardless of location, place and time.
- Discovery should enable further discovery by linking to other sources of information for example, citing or cited by, recommendation services and related resources.
Responsibilities
Provision of the discovery layer, its integration and function, rests with the Discovery Services Manager; provision of content for discovery with the Digital Curation Manager and Archivist; and supply and standard of metadata to facilitate content with the Metadata Librarian.
Review
The Library will review this Policy every year and any significant changes will be considered and approved by the Director of Student Services.
January 2024
Review: January 2025
