University of Michigan Library System

The University of Michigan Library system consists of 19 libraries on campus. These 19 libraries are served by the University's MIRLYN catalog, which also includes catalogs for the Bentley Historical Lirary, William L. Clements LIbrary, and Frances Wilson Thompson Library located in Flint, MI.

The main library page includes a comprehensive amount of information which tends to make the site appear a little cluttered. That being said, the OPAC search box is easy to distinguish and allows users to search the catalog, find a database or e-journal, or search library web pages. The OPAC is also accessible via the main page's Resources section, which include links to articles and databases search tools, e-journals and newspapers, research guides, information on managing citations and bibliographies, and more. Also available on the main page is a "find articles" drop down box listing ten categories and a keyword search box, from which users can search for articles.

Other main page features include: a Campus Quicklinks dropdown box, allowing users the ability to navigate quickly navigate to other ares of the University; general library information and services (hours, locations, circulation policies, ILL, course reserves, workshops, etc.), and; information for undergraduates, graduates, faculty and staff, alumni, retired faculty and staff, persons with disabilities, library colleagues, and visitors. I found it incredibly useful to include on the main page a link to the library's subject specialists, along with the links in the the "I Need to Find" section, which, among other library service found elsewhere on the page, offers basic assistance on how to find books and articles, how to use and search databases, and how to search for newly cataloged items in all University libraries. Newly cataloged items include items cataloged in the last four weeks, and users may limit their search by library, subject category, or call number. Another useful feature is the MLibrary Labs, which showcases unique and useful library tools for users. These include RSS feeds, iGoogle Gadget, Interactive Maps to UM Libraries, New and Updated Facebook Applications, Search Plug-Ins for Firefox and Internet Explorer, Mirlyn Search for Facebook, LibX Toolbar, and WorldCat Search.

The library employs an "Ask Us (Ask a Librarian)" feature along with Searchpath, a self-paced tutorial "designed as an introduction to research at the University Library." Both are accessed through the main page. Ask Us provides reference services via email, instant messaging, telephone, and in person. Searchpath includes tutorials for all manner of research needs, including topic selection, finding books and articles, using and evaluating the, citing sources, and researching subjects. RSS feeds are available for Library News and Events and Exhibits, both of which are featured on the main page, the the MLibrary Labs page, recently tagged items, and items tagged "library."

Searching through MIRLYN was fairly straightforward (title, author, subject, medical subject, journal/series, call number), though it also included a "begins with" option for most search fields. Advanced search options included keyword search throughout an entire record or by subject, title, author, medical subject, journal/serial, series, conference, publisher, and URL/web address. Otions for language, format, collection, location, and date range allowed for further refinement of results. I did a basic search for "faceted classification," which yielded 13 results. The default sorting option was by title, but I had the option to resort my results by author, format, and year. Icons indicated if a resource included a digital version or was found elsewhere on the web (usually via Google Books), and the catalog record for those items included links to both versions.

Each catalog record included a "tag this page" option via the University's MTagger tagging application. Clicking on the MTagger icon opens a popup window, in which users can tag the item with as many tags as they wants. Other users' tags will also be displayed in the window, and users can enter a personal description and/or title for the item for future user. Tag clouds appear in the footer of most MLibrary pages. Additionally, the library has enabled MTagger to tag pages from anywhere on the internet, and has made available an MTagger Browswer Bookmark.

The Electronic Journals & Newspapers List includes currently cataloged online (electronic) journals and newspapers, and is alphabetized by title and grouped by subject. A keyword search is available, and journals have also been cataloged in MIRLYN. The Search Tools: Articles & Databases section offers searching by keyword, but users must also choose one of eleven search sets (general interest, arts, business & economics, etc.). More in-depth research options are available, incorporating the full range of search features, databases, and subject categories.

Overall, I found the site easy to navigate and interesting to browse. Assistance is widely available throughout the site, and the tools and resources provided seem like they do a good job of serving user needs. The site offered a wealth of information to students, staff, researchers, and visitors, included a wide array of searching options, and incorporated some basic Web 2.0 features.