The University Library is introducing a new search engine technology. Users will have access to more than 50 million data records - and will no longer have to search various databases.
It sounds like science fiction, and to some extent it is. ORBISplus is the name of the new search engine technology introduced by the University Library, the libraries of the Jade University of Applied Sciences and the Oldenburg State Library. The new feature: ORBISplus simplifies the search by providing a centralised access point for searching for electronic and printed literature, similar to the Google search engine.
While ORBIS, the previous catalogue, offered searches in 1.7 million data records, users can now access over 50 million data records with ORBISplus. And: ORBIS - the acronym stands for the "Oldenburg Regional Library and Information System" - contained the available literature holdings of the three institutions in Oldenburg, but did not include the articles in the printed and electronic journals.
This will now change. "ORBISplus turns three catalogues into one and conveniently multiplies the information available. Previously, the articles in the university library's almost 31,000 electronic journals could only be searched in different databases. Now they are all contained in ORBISplus," explains Hans-Joachim Wätjen, Director of the University Library, who was in charge of organising the introduction of the new search engine technology.
"With the introduction of ORBISplus, our libraries are among the most innovative in Germany," adds Corinna Roeder, Director of the State Library. "Only a few have replaced their online catalogue with a search engine so far. The diversity and wealth of current media as well as historical and regional documents in the region are now visible for the first time with just one click." ORBISplus will also integrate the three previously separate library catalogues at Jade University, emphasises Walburgis Fehners, Head of Libraries at Jade University.
