About GIL-Find Project
USG Libraries are testing a discovery tool, GIL-Find, which can help improve the user experience in searching the catalog and in some ways takes more advantage of the subject headings of the traditional catalog. GIL-Find sits on top of the Voyager software. It is not a replacement for the catalog. Indeed, many users will want to continue to use Classic WebVoyage.
GIL-Find is based on VuFind, an open-source software project started at Villanova University to improve searching of library catalogs and other Web-based resources. Villanova was awarded a Mellon Award for Technology Collaboration for the development of VuFind. Its success and continued functionality depends on feedback and additional development from the library community.
VuFind is based on:
Apache Lucene: a database and indexing engine
Solr: a search engine for Lucene (provides faceted analysis of search results)
PHP: a programming language for Web development
AJAX: techniques used to display data asynchronously (facets, location, status, etc.)
Features
Faceted search (by location, format, topic, language, etc.)
Similar items
Text information to a cell phone.
Export items to citation managers (EndNote, RefWorks)
Repeat search or find additional information in other systems (GIL Universal Catalog, WorldCat, other catalogs, booksellers, etc.)
Persistent URLs
SFX and Google Book Links
RSS feeds of searches
Login to add to favorites or to add tags and comments
Possible Future Features
Add records from other sources (metadata from webpages, institutional repositories, article databases, etc.)
Spelling suggestions (“Did you mean ...?”)
Advanced search function and screen with pre-search limiting options
Additional facets
Additional My Account features (saved searches, etc.)
Integrate tags, ratings, reviews and comments from external sources
Link to author biographies
Link to bookmarking and sharing services (Delicious, Facebook, etc.)
Integrate course reserves
Plans
Current plans are to test the software at the following pilot sites: Georgia College and State University, Georgia Southern University, Georgia State
University, Medical College of Georgia, South Georgia College, University of Georgia, and Valdosta State University. If the testing is successful, the
testing would extend to the other USG libraries. Georgia Institute of Technology has a VuFind interface in production.
Beta Pilot Sites -
Production Site -
