TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– The purpose of this article is to describe a new use of technology to improve users' access to electronic resources.Design/methodology/approach– Describes the use of guided searches in a library gateway to shorten the pathway to information for library users.Findings– Guided search forms can be constructed for both databases and catalogs using HTML and JavaScript. They are a useful alternative to vendor‐provided search interfaces, especially for inexperienced users.Research limitations/implications– This paper focuses on the technical issues involved in creating guided searches. It does not address usability testing and a detailed comparison of effectiveness with vendor‐provided interfaces.Practical implications– Working with tools already in hand libraries can improve the accessibility of electronic resources by crafting simpler user interfaces.Originality/value– The paper shows libraries how they can leverage their investment in databases and the catalog not only to make them more useful to their user communities, but to bring them more in tune with the expectations of users who have grown up with the web.
VL  - 24
IS  - 1
SN  - 0737-8831
DO  - 10.1108/07378830510636391
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830510636391
AU  - Caswell Jerry V.
ED  - Scott P. Muir
ED  - Mark Leggott
PY  - 2006
Y1  - 2006/01/01
TI  - Leveraging resources in a library gateway
T2  - Library Hi Tech
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 142
EP  - 152
Y2  - 2024/04/26
ER  -