The library catalog will undergo a significant transformation this July when the UCR Library deploys an enhanced search tool with a modern, mobile-responsive visual display.

Designed by Ex Libris, the search tool will provide a streamlined user experience (UX) with improved access to library materials and intuitive ways for students, faculty and researchers to discover new content.

The added value to users will include:

• Combined access to both print materials and online licensed e-resources
• Easy-to-tailor search results using active content filters in the sidebar
• Book and journal cover image previews
• Table of contents previews
• Full text access to digital items when searching through the on-campus network or VPN

In addition to user benefits, the new back-end software will give library staff a set of robust, cutting-edge tools to manage collection inventory, track user analytics, and guide future acquisition efforts. This gives staff a way to manage the life cycle of resources, so the library has a better understanding of how patrons use resources, to allow us to allocate our funding more strategically.

Prior to selection, a library-wide task force reviewed proposals from several companies and concluded that the Ex Libris software suite was the best “next generation” system for the library.

UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis have already adopted the Ex Libris suite, while UC Santa Cruz and UC Irvine will go live this summer, along with UC Riverside and almost 50 other university libraries around the globe.

“Moving to this vendor will give us the best UX and the strongest set of tools to move forward,” explained Associate University Librarian for the Digital Library Diane Bisom. “It’s cloud-hosted instead of living on our own servers, with no additional cost as new updates are released. It’s something we can grow on as the library incorporates more and more e-resources into our collections, while enhancing access to our print collection.”