I'm glass half full on this one. It's certainly way way better than before.

Doesn't seem to work with Zotero either. :-(

see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKvR0OC4nYc for an amusing commentary on library websites in general.

That said, providing access to potentially multiple copies of metadata resources and content resources and providing the links between them, when neither set of resources is under local control, and may be available under different technical and policy conditions, does impose barriers.

Google does attempt to provide access into licensed library resources. See the configuration options at

http://scholar.google.com/scholar_setprefs

where you can add the OU resolver under the library links. As I am not an authorised OU user I can't see this working.

I think it is interesting though that Scholar recognizes the issue of getting a user to licensed resources they are authorized to use. This is not something they try on the main Google site.

"That said, providing access to potentially multiple copies of metadata resources and content resources and providing the links between them, when neither set of resources is under local control, and may be available under different technical and policy conditions, does impose barriers."

Yes - agreed (though I haven't posted on the usability of the new one stop search itself yet.. I think I maybe better the library folks calm down first ;-)

The point was more about web design in general. Even if i was logged in, the search box wouldn't be on the front page.

After logging in, do I need to be told I'm now logged in and authorised to use the service. Does anyone really expect me to read that stuff...?

The off domain URL is another issue along with the disappearing 'logged in user' toolbar (if i was paranoid, I could imagine that I was now being duped...)

PS loved the movie ;-)

PPS I just noticed something else about the One Stop Search page... where would you expect the 'Home' toolbar link to click thru to... I'd guess the OU library... oh well, http://cg5kr7dt8u.cs.serialssolutions.com/ is maybe near enough... eg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/2298212112_ae1ccb3d8f_o.png

Note that the sub-subdomain is, I think, uniquely generated and I'm guessing time limited? In the login path described in the post, the preceding page states: "Please note: future access to one stop search should be via this page. You will not be able to access the next page via a bookmark."

So how friendly is that - even if i'm logged in, i havenlt got a single bookmark click to take me to the search page...

....ah, I get it now: "one stop" - there is at least a single stop point along the path to the search box... What percentage of users do you lose at each click?

The current solution is the best we can make it for now. We are committed to working with the vendor to continually improve it. The benefit of the system is that users can get to articles within online collections without having to know which databases to search. So, as Doug says, it is better than before.

As Lorcan mentioned, we do indeed have a link resolver that links to articles held in the OU Library from search results in Google Scholar (Find it at OU), which is a real step forward, but we are reliant upon publishers and database providers opening up their records to Google.

The Library is aware of the issues and limitations of this system. We took advice on licensing and authentication issues and have to take those into account. Lorcan has explained the situation very clearly regarding linking to external resources that are on the 'invisible web' in his response.

You may also have noticed that one-stop search doesn't do ranking either because the search is conducted in real time and you would need to get all the results back in advance to apply effective ranking.

Search and the presentation of search is a problem that all libraries are grappling with, and I gave a presentation at the Association of Subscription Agents Conference recently, highlighting exactly this and pleading for collaboration between Libraries, systems vendors and publishers to help improve the situation.