Moving to the patron's beat

Abstract

Purpose

This article aims to examine how next‐generation library catalogs and discovery platforms have the potential to transform the challenges inherent in finding music materials in library collections.

Design/methodology/approach

The article discusses the characteristics of discovery platforms, the challenges of searching for music materials, and how discovery tools help users meet those challenges in new ways.

Findings

Discovery tools are particularly well suited to searching for music materials. They empower the user by providing effective tools such as facets and tags to manipulate the large, varied search results users encounter when searching for music materials.

Originality/value

The article views the features of discovery tools through the eyes of the end user searching for music materials.

Citation

Majors, R. and Mantz, S.L. (2011), "Moving to the patron's beat", OCLC Systems & Services: International digital library perspectives, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 275-283. https://doi.org/10.1108/10650751111182588