Single search box. Rather than presenting a complicated set of advanced search options on the initial search page, discovery interfaces generally begin with a simple search box. This approach produces a broad set of results that can be narrowed as needed to guide the user to a useful result set. This contrasts with the operation of the traditional online catalog, which prompts the user to specify qualifications at the beginning of the search process.

Discovery System Functions

Relevancy-ranked results. Ordering search results for library collections has proven to be one of the most difficult challenges for discovery interfaces. Identifying in an objective way the best results that match a patron’s query requires more than applying keyword-based algorithms. In a library discovery environment, many other factors may also need to be considered to rank results in a way that will provide the best items from the library’s collection in response to a query. Result candi- dates may be identified by keywords, but ranking may also need to consider indicators that reflect scholarly value, disciplinary focus, popular inter- est, or other factors. As discovery products have matured, the methods for calculating relevancy have become more sophisticated.