University students at all academic levels are confronted with numerous access points within the library that are non-intuitive, esoteric or just plain confusing. To compound the problem, the number and type of library resources are growing and the library?s current search tools do not reflect user expectations of a Google-like unified search experience. The fractured search experience is problematic also for technologists who must support these disparate systems and attempt to create a uniform experience for library researchers.

This talk will explore the issues related to academic search and discovery, the results of our research into what makes and breaks a quality research experience, and the challenges of providing the highest quality search experiences to a new generation of academic researchers. This talk will also examine solutions that will enable library technology personnel to provide and support a quality search experience for academic researchers on campus.