Serials Solutions, a ProQuest business, has announced that the MnPALS consortium of libraries recently selected the Summon discovery service to offer users a more satisfying search experience. In support of MnPALS vision to provide user-focused information services, incorporating innovative technology and effective use of resources, the organisation will also use the consortium edition of 360 Resource Manager. Holdings information for individual libraries across the consortium will be managed more efficiently, and with 360 Link, users will have quick access to full text.
The Summon API enables consortia and libraries, regardless of size, to build completely custom interfaces, integrate with open source interfaces and create custom landing pages. Using the Summon API, the consortium integrated Summon search results into MnPALS Plus, a customised implementation of VuFind, addressing the difficulties users experience when searching the OPAC. MnPALS will be able to centralise and simplify e-resource management for member libraries by using 360 Resource Manager Consortium Edition.
Metropolitan State University, a MnPALS member, has reported significant increases in database usage since the Summon service was implemented in October 2012. Comparing usage reports pre- and post-implementation, the library has data which illustrates an increase in successful full-text article requests by library users. An overall increase of 385 percent indicates students and faculty are discovering items previously not found.
Used by more than 600 libraries in more than 40 countries, the Summon service is the first and only discovery service based on a single, unified index of content, containing more than 1.1 billion items in which the vast majority of article and book content is full-text searchable.
With the introduction of Summon 2.0 – groundbreaking features and a new, modern interface – the Summon discovery service continues to deliver a user experience that resonates with users familiar with open web search engines. Streamlined navigation and contextual guidance features significantly advance the research experience and provide greater opportunities for librarians to deliver value and scale their services to connect with more users.
