Preference vs. Authority: A Comparison of Student Searching in a Subject-Specific Indexing and Abstracting Database and a Customized Discovery Layer

• Published in: College & research libraries Vol. 78; no. 7; pp. 878 - 897
• Main Authors: Dahlen, Sarah, Hanson, Kathlene
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago Association of College and Research Libraries 01.11.2017; American Library Association
• Subjects: Abstracting; Accuracy; Bibliographies; College Libraries; College Students; Database Design; Database Management Systems; Electronic Libraries; Grade Point Average; Indexes; Indexing; Information Retrieval; Information Sources; Interfaces; Interrater Reliability; Library Instruction; Library resources; Online Searching; Preferences; Research Tools; Search Strategies; Searches; Student Satisfaction; Taxonomy; Usability; User Needs (Information); User Satisfaction (Information)

Discovery layers provide a simplified interface for searching library resources. Libraries with limited finances make decisions about retaining indexing and abstracting databases when similar information is available in discovery layers. These decisions should be informed by student success at findi...