Authority Files

AquaBrowser gets the most out of your authority control files by applying them for the users’ benefit. Rather than forcing users into controlled keywords before starting a search, the AquaBrowser interface smoothly integrates your authority data into the entire user experience, from the results display to the suggestions for query refinement. The rich authority file metadata is used to assist your users, not to constrain them with a specific authority browse application.

The catalog has a better term for this

During a search, the user’s query is matched against the authority control file. The search is immediately expanded with the SEE reference, so that the results contain either the terms that the user searched for or the controlled term. This approach presents your patrons with everything cataloged using the controlled term that they might not know. However, it also returns the results that contain the terms they actually entered. Clear feedback is given that the search has been expanded, offering users the ability to zoom in on the controlled term if so desired.

Related subjects or SEE ALSO references are picked out of the authority file and shown as suggestions in the discover word cloud. This enriches the terms that are shown to the user as possible stepping stones in their information search.

Browse headings

Navigation options are available for every query alternative. At any time, users can change the word cloud view into a heading browser. Author headings that match the current query are shown in a browsing list to allow easy selection of a specific author. Users aren’t required to choose an author heading browser at the start of the search, but can switch to it whenever they want during the search process.