OneSearch and the EBSCOhost platform for individual databases get a major upgrade August 19.
Key features to look for:
- The browser address bar URL is now persistent! That means for both searches and individual records (result items), you can bookmark them and open multiple records in new tabs. There are no more "permalinks" needed. The URL for the search itself will also include all limiters/filters that you have applied to the search. You can freely share all URLs with others at UPEI and they will work for them too.
- Full text links are now under a pulldown labeled "Access options" with each record. The choices that have a little square with arrow will open in a new tab, and the others will open in the same tab.
- Limiters and filters have moved from the far left edge to the top above the search results. A few common ones are pre-listed and the "All time" one offers some popular publication-date range options (eg last 5 years). To get to the rest, click on "All filters" and the selection tool will open at the far right.
- Abstracts can now be opened in full directly in the results list by clicking on the "Show more" link at the end of the first two lines already displayed, when an abstract is available for that record.
- Long lists of author names and subject tags are now shortened with "+1 more" (number varies) that when clicked will fully expand the list.
- Results will be displayed 10 at a time with a "Show more results" button at the bottom to retrieve the next 10.
- The library's AskUs chat service is now a little blue and white icon that will follow you at the bottom right.
- The "My EBSCOhost" folder system has been replaced with "My Dashboard" on the left. Use the little bookmark icon (replaces the folder icon on each record) to save individual records.
- The "cite" functionality (including exporting records to RefWorks, Zotero, etc.) is now under the 3 vertical dots ("Tools") at the right of each record. You can also do batch uploads after you save individual records, using the export icon (gray page with arrow pointing right) at the top of your Saved list.
- Clicking on either the record title or the "View details" link next to the "Access options" pulldown will take you to the detailed record. You can use your browser back button to get back to the result list.
- We still use the "Advanced" search boxes display, but after doing a search, your search terms are collapsed into a single box at the top. But if you want to modify your search terms, first click on the "Advanced search" link right below that to return to the multiple boxes display with your previous terms intact. If you directly edit the search in the collapsed box, it will work but your search will then be collapsed into the first box if you go back to the Advanced search. You can use "Searches" under "My dashboard" to re-run any previous searches from this same session.
- We are expecting to offer again the "Books only" filter sometime in October. In the meantime, the filter option "Available (print)" helps limit to print books in Robertson Library.
- Previously saved "permalinks" will automatically redirect to the same content in the new platform.
There are many more new features and there are more yet to come in the next months and into 2025.
If you have used the "My EBSCOhost" folder/saved searches system, what you saved there has not yet been migrated, so please talk to library staff about how you can still access what you saved. In 2025 there will be the option to merge old saved folders/searches with the new My Dashboard.
Please talk to library staff if you have any questions.
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