Discussion of the Summon Discovery Service with John Law at ALIA 2013.

1. Leading Users to
Better Research Outcomes
ALIA Online 2013

2. The problem we’re trying to solve
The reality is user expectations have evolved and library
systems have not kept up. The problem is your users are
going elsewhere. So the library must do a better job of
showing it’s value.

3. In 2009 we delivered a real solution
Live at ALA Midwinter, January 2009

4. The only discovery service built to purpose
Architecture of the system matters!
Having the critical core of the library’s collection represented in
a single, unified index is the key to making it all work
This impacts everything related to discovery
Unified Results Set
Unified Index
speed, ease of use, relevancy, customizability, research integrity,
stability/reliability, and more
Having the critical core of the library’s collection represented in a
single, unified index is the key to making it all work
This impacts everything related to discovery
speed, ease of use, relevancy, customizability, research integrity, system
reliability, and more

5. A real digital front door for the library

6. Summon Suggestions
• Database
recommender
• Best Bets
suggestions
• Related
Searches
• Integrated
Reference Chat
• Custom text
editor
• LibGuides
integration

7. Indexed LibGuides

8. Widget and Search Box Builder

9. Discipline scoped search boxes

10. Discipline scoped search widgets

11. Database recommender

12. Locally controlled database recommendations

13. Best Bets recommendations

14. Related Searches

15. Reference chat integration

16. JUST ANNOUNCED!

17. Image Spotlighting
17

18. LOOKING FORWARD

19. User expectations change rapidly
World wide web (1990 or 1993?)
Amazon (1995)
Google (1998)
Wikipedia (2001)
Facebook (2004)
YouTube (2005) Interview with Jon Wiley
Twitter (2006) http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671
425/how-googles-designers-are-
Amazon Kindle (2006/2007) quietly-overhauling-search#1
iPhone (2007)
iPad (2010)

20. User expectations

21. Operations

22. Relevancy

23. WELCOME
TO THE
DREAM

24. Increases resource usage and improves ROI
Unlike other discovery services, Summon is proven to increase
usage of resources across the full breadth of a library’s collection
without bias to publisher, vendor or content type.

26. THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS?
John Law, Vice President
john.law@proquest.com
Serials Solutions, a business of ProQuest