07 October 2013

mySearch - what is it and why do I need it?


What is mySearch?

mySearch is an online research tool that “pulls together” many of the LRC resources so that they can be explored using a single search box. In other words, rather than searching the Library Catalogue for books and a database for journal articles, you can go to mySearch and get results which include books, e-books, and journal articles in one list. In fact, you could think of mySearch as the Library’s version of Google.

The link can be found on the LRC E-Resources page (you will need to login to Moodle for access) or here on the blog (see links on the right).

It works like this...

Technically-speaking, mySearch provides an integrated index for many of our resources. Although it is an EBSCO product, your search results will also include non-EBSCO resources such as:
  • Heritage, the Library Catalogue
  • BioOne
  • Britannica
Not only does it search most of our resources with one search box, it returns your results quickly and ranks them according to relevancy. It’s powerful and should be of help finding resources for your research. Just keep in mind that, like Google, it may return a large number of results and you will need to use judgment when assessing their value.

I'm having trouble using mySearch...

Well, it’s a new tool for you and for us! So, it may not be obvious how to do some of the things you have grown accustomed doing with the other databases. So we would like to encourage you to explore this resource along with us and give us feedback on your success and frustration with it.

Remember the LRC staff are happy to help if you are having trouble or want some help with searching for information.

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