Presenters:
Eddie Neuwirth, Sr. Product Manager, Discovery Services, ProQuest Workflow Solutions
Bonnie Imler, Library Director, Penn State University (Altoona)
Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian, University of Pittsburgh
Discovery services for libraries, whether vendor supplied or free tools such as Google Scholar, have proliferated. Users can easily get millions of results returned from a single search with little effort, but little has been done to improve linking to content once discovered. For users, linking remains the single biggest point of failure in the research process as libraries are largely reliant on OpenURL linking technologies which are notoriously error prone when getting to the desired items. This panel discussion features several e-resource librarians discussing how linking is really the most critical aspect of the discovery process for libraries, but it is often the most overlooked and taken for granted. In an era where discovery of content is relatively easy, libraries need to be aware that linking—the process of fulfillment and delivery of desired content—is still hard. When links fail, users think the library has failed and go elsewhere. This panel discusses the latest advances in linking technology, strategies that have improved their library’s access to discovered content, and new technologies being introduced to improve linking. They share experiences with usability tests, real world feedback centered around linking to content as well as results of adopting specific technologies/strategies.
Presenter Bios
Eddie Neuwirth is a Senior Product Manager, Discovery Services for ProQuest Workflow Solutions where he has been a lead team member in developing the groundbreaking Summon service and is responsible for the next generation 360 Link link resolver. After earning an MFA degree from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, he has worked at several digital media and technology start-ups including one that pioneered federated search technology for libraries (WebFeat) which eventually brought him to ProQuest. He has over ten years of experience in delivering innovative discovery products for libraries, and in his current role, works closely with clients to optimize the academic research experience and to understand the impacts of new technologies on discovery. Image:
Bonnie Imler is the Library Director at Penn State Altoona and the Web Usability and Assessment Coordinator for Penn State University Libraries. Her research focus is on User Experience (UX) and specifically actual student usage of library electronic resources. She has conducted studies on student use of full-text articles, databases, link resolvers, and ebooks. She has published articles on her usability study results and the use of screen capture video as a means to capture and analyze human-computer interaction.
Jeff Wisniewski received his MLS from the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences. He is the Web Services Librarian for the University Library System at the University of Pittsburgh, where he maintains the Library System's public website, staff intranet, coordinates technical support for Pitt's University-wide ETD program, and project manages new technology initiatives . He has served as a Visiting Lecturer in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, has published in such journals as IRSQ, Online, and Computers in Libraries. has taught numerous technology workshops, and is a frequent presenter at web and Internet conferences.
Sponsored by ProQuest.
