Implementing Federated Search at the UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

THE ALLURE of federated searching is potent in academic libraries. Students and faculty want to streamline their searching across web-based search engines, library collections, and the bibliographic databases to which the library subscribes. Librarians want to see maximum usage of relevant resources. Federated search potentially answers these wishes.

The University of Wyoming Libraries began the process of implementing Central Search, a federated search tool marketed by Serials Solutions, a ProQuest company, in the fall of 2006. Since renamed to 360 Search, the search tool complements the company's suite of serials and e- resource management tools. We formed a task force of three reference librarians to take on the project from beginning to completion, working with other library faculty and staff members as appropriate. We rolled out the final product in January 2007. Thus far, 360 Search has required only minor refinements. Although we have not done a systematic user study, we have gained some impressions of the ways patrons are using the tool.