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About GIL-Find

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:

Features

Possible future features

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 -

GIL-Find@GCSU ... http://gilfind.gcsu.edu

GIL-Find@GaSouthern ... http://gilfind.georgiasouthern.edu

GIL-Find@GaState ... http://gilfind.gsu.edu

GIL-Find@MCG ... http://gilfind.mcg.edu

GIL-Find@SGC ... http://gilfind.sgc.edu

GIL-Find@UGA ... http://gilfind.uga.edu

GIL-Find@VSU ... http://gilfind.valdosta.edu

Production site -

GIL-Find@GaTech ... http://finder.library.gatech.edu

What's the difference between the GIL-Find interface and Classic GIL Interface?

GIL-Find (VuFind software)

  1. GIL-Find is new in look, feel, and functionality, but it is experimental. It is based on a young open source software product, but it is rapidly evolving.
  2. GIL-Find provides only keyword and phrase searching, but it broadens search results with functionality like "Stem" searching to find variations on a search term. GIL-Find's searching can interface with some spell checker software. We are working to identify effective software that can add this function.
  3. GIL-Find's searching is more inclusive. It is a good tool for "discovery" and for narrowing large result sets.
  4. GIL-Find includes facets (limit fields for a specific result set). Facets allow you to refine search results by topic, call number area, format, author, language, location, and more.
  5. Records added to Classic GIL are loaded into GIL-Find each night, so they do not become part of the indexing and available there until the next day.
  6. Location and item status info is updated in real time and immediately available.
  7. GIL-Find currently assigns only one format type to each record (such as Journal or Microform). We're working on changing this.
  8. GIL-Find offers Web 2.0 and social software features.
    • users can login to mark favorites and add comments and tagging to records
    • users can set up RSS feeds to receive updates to important searches
    • users can text call# and location info for a title to their cell phones
    • ability to export records to Endnote or RefWorks bibliography software
    • title record displays frequently include a list of 'Similar Items'
  9. GIL-Find includes frequent links to related data and systems.
    • link to additional info or functions for a specific title (Amazon reviews, previews at Google Books, book jackets, additional info in Classic GIL, request forms, etc.)
    • link to other search systems (WorldCat, Amazon, Article databases, etc.)
  10. GIL-Find's alphabetical sort for titles does not know how to identify the lead articles (a, an, the, etc.), so it sequences on the lead article as the first word in the title.

Classic GIL (WebVoyage software)

  1. Classic GIL is based on a mature software product that has evolved over a significant period.
  2. Classic GIL provides basic keyword and phase searching, and it also provides left-anchored and browse searching for titles, author headings, subject headings, and call numbers.
    • left-anchored searching can locate titles and other fields that begin with specific words or phases
    • browse searching can put you in a sequenced list of author headings, subject headings, or call numbers at a specific starting point and let you scan the list for appropriate or related items
    • left-anchored or browse searching can easily locate single word titles (like the journal title 'Science')
  3. Classic GIL's searching is more precise. It is a better tool for known-item searching. It allows more sophisticated, library-savvy searching.
  4. Classic GIL provides the ability to easily select a number of pre-search limits. This capability on an Advanced Search screen is being developed for GIL-Find.
  5. New records are added using the processing functions of Classic GIL, so they are available for access through the indexing almost immediately.
  6. Location and item status info is updated in real time and immediately available.
  7. Classic GIL can assign multiple format types to a record (such as Journal and Microform). Searching or limiting by format is more flexible.
  8. Classic GIL handles a broad range of Unicode and special character functions including the ability to search by Chinese and other character sets.
  9. Classic GIL includes formatted display of all pertinent data from the bibliographic record. GIL-Find is more streamlined but can be missing important descriptive data. We are working to identify and correct those cases.
  10. Classic GIL's alphabetical sort for titles knows to ignore lead articles (a, an, the, etc.) and to sequence on the first important word.

Additional VuFind Info and List of Implementers

For additional information on the open source VuFind development project including a list of implementers, go to http://www.vufind.org/about.php.

Help us improve GIL-Find

Please provide comments. Let us know what you think: