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Library's New Online System Provides Enhanced Access to Electronic Resources The Library has implemented a new online system for managing its extensive collection of electronic journals and databases. “Online Research Resources” or ORR, which became available in June 2004, provides immediate access to thousands of electronic resources through its user-friendly search engine. ORR replaces the previous Electronic Resource Registry, which provided access to only a small portion of e-journals purchased each year—at its highest levels, approximately 7,000 e-journals and hundreds of databases. Now for the first time, library users can access all electronic resources offered by the Library. These resources currently total more than 27,000 e-journals and over 300 databases. “In developing the new system, our first priority was to include all resources purchased by the Library,” says Karen Schmidt, associate university librarian for collections. “ORR accomplishes this in a way not previously available to us, and it also provides access to a number of free titles.” The locally-developed ORR system was designed to merge information about the Library’s online resources from a number of external data sources, improving currency and completeness. Currently, the Library’s largest data sources are a database about e-journals licensed from TDNet, followed by Illinet Online, and EBSCO (the primary serials vendor). While other academic libraries use TDNet, the University Library is the first to license only their data and incorporate it into its own software. This allows the Library to optimize the system to meet the needs of faculty and students. “We have customized the database provided by TDNet to create basically a small catalog of the Library’s electronic holdings,” explains Michael Norman, head of serials cataloging. “Our users now have access to a complete A-to-Z list of e-journals and databases; a simplified search engine that allows keyword, start of title, and abbreviated title searching; and a feature that allows one to sort journals and databases by subject categories.” The Library continues to enhance ORR and encourages users to provide feedback. To use the new system and submit comments, visit http://www.library.uiuc.edu/orr/. |
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