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Dear colleagues,

In November I wrote to ask if and how others who are using Ebsco's Discovery service (EDS) are working to resolve two issues: 1. art-specific databases which don't interface completely and  2. image database searching. The majority of responses I received said an integrated search product was being considered but not yet implemented and to share responses to my query. Below are two instances where an integrated search is being used along with  a summary of our experience at RISD.

Harrington College of Design Library (Leigh Gates) is using EDS through a library consortial agreement. She notes some of the Oxford content is not available through EDS. They do not have subscriptions to DAAI, ABM, or Arts Search. They are not including Artstor or any other image databases.

Brown Libraries (Karen Bouchard) uses SUMMON along with Vufind for its integrated search. Brown does not subscribe to DAAI, ABM, or Arts Search. They do subscribe to Artstor but it's not included in their SUMMON search. Brown's own Digital image collection is included and images can be discovered by using the Format or Location filter. Brown's SUMMON search is open to guest searching, library.brown.edu

Fleet Library @ RISD 

I've attached a screenshot of the results screen to give a sense of how the Proquest and Arts Search databases reside within the search screen-they are all clustered along the right pane and need to be selected to be activated. Our interface is open to search as a guest. Please feel free to it out at library.risd.edu. We've branded it Fleet SEARCH-access it through the search box on the left side of the page.

Initially (Jan 2013) all subscription image databases that could be integrated were included in Fleet SEARCH. These are: Artstor, Bridgeman Art, Art Museum Image Gallery, and Cinema Image Gallery.

After actively promoting, using and teaching Fleet SEARCH during the Fall 2013 semester many problems with retrieving the image files were discovered and tested.

• The only way to limit to Images is to limit by Source Types. There is currently no Source Type for Images. Images can be found under the heading "Non-Print Resources", a category that also includes AV.
  
  
• When selecting images for inclusion in a folder, they appear in the Articles Folder rather than the Images folder.
  
  
• We tested Artstor searches for two months prior to the fall semester. Search results varied considerably between Artstor's native interface and Fleet SEARCH. The same level of comparison on the other image databases was not performed.
  
  In Dec 2013/Jan 2014 the librarians met and agreed to remove all image databases from Fleet SEARCH due to the unresolved problems listed above. We were also working to create new instruction strategies for a required art history assignment using Fleet SEARCH to find text and images. As a solution we created a link on the Fleet SEARCH toolbar to our Image Databases page.
  
  In February an EBSCO user experience representative met with the director to discuss image searching, folders, and source type solutions.
  
  For those considering EDS, I recommend reading this conference paper. It gives a good sense of the planning, technical knowledge and ongoing shared staff work needed to successfully implement EDS. "Discover EDS: Tales Of Implementation And Use." (2013): OAIster.

Best Regards,

Ellen

Ellen Petraits
Research & Instruction Librarian
Coordinator of Graduate Library Instruction
Fleet Library at RISD
Rhode Island School of Design
library.risd.edu
(401)709-5905

Dear colleagues,

At RISD Ebsco's discovery service (EDS) has been implemented and we are actively using it for reference and learning how to teach with it. I'm interested in hearing others' experiences with integrated search products, in particular:

1) whether your integrated search includes image databases (artstor, bridgeman, art museum image gallery, cinema image gallery, others)

2) how your institution is dealing with databases that don't quite interface with EDS - Proquest's Design and Applied Arts Index and Artbibliographies Modern, Arts:Search's Art + Architecture ProFILES, Design Abstracts Retrospective, and ReView.

I'd be interested in hearing from those who have gone with Serial Solution's Summon discovery system as well as from EDS users.

Kind regards,
Ellen