OneSearch Interface Enhancements Coming Jan. 4

The latest version of the OneSearch catalog at Western Libraries is scheduled to be released on January 4, 2019. As announced during spring 2018, this latest version will replace the existing OneSearch interface and offers some improvements to how information is displayed within the library catalog. Additionally, changes to the appearance of various navigation options should improve patrons’ experience using the catalog.

OneSearch is a shared catalog that searches library holdings at Western Washington University and at 37 neighboring Orbis Cascade Alliance-member libraries throughout the Pacific Northwest. Students, staff, and faculty affiliated with any of these institutions have access to materials from all member libraries, and having a shared catalog makes this access possible.

A beta version of the latest OneSearch catalog has been available to the university community at Western since the beginning of spring quarter 2018. Since that time, Western Libraries has been gathering and incorporating feedback about the new interface and has shared the results of this user testing in several reports.

In all testing efforts, participants who used the new interface reported that the new catalog was more attractive and more user-friendly than the existing version. The test results also showed that users were better able to complete basic tasks (such as conducting a keyword search and navigating search results) in the new catalog.

The OneSearch upgrade will not compromise existing functionality and will not change the capabilities that currently exist. In other words, everything library users are used to doing should still be available, and it might even be easier than before!

Once the new interface is live on January 4th, the Libraries will make sure to communicate via the Libraries’ website any service interruptions, should they occur. Additionally, all systems will be tested to ensure that library operations can continue uninterrupted.

If you have feedback, questions, or information you would like to share, you can email onesearch@wwu.edu, call (360) 650-4493, or submit a feedback form online here.