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Zoom! FAQ
What
is Zoom!?
Zoom! is an online library search engine that allows you to simultaneously
search any combination of the databases, electronic journals, PITTCat, and other
online resources offered by the University Library System (ULS).
What are the advantages
of using Zoom!?
Zoom! addresses two fundamental hurdles:
- Knowing
which database(s) to use. We
offer hundreds of different databases
and tens of thousands of different
ejournals. Do you know which of these
are the best for research on your
topic?
- Duplication
of effort. Even if
you know which databases to search,
you still have to perform that same
search over and over again in every
database that's relevant to your
topic.
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How
does Zoom! make research easier?
Zoom! offers a quick
find feature that allows you to enter a search from the library's
homepage, without having to select any database at all. This search defaults
to searching five large
and broad databases. You can also elect to include a search
of PITTCat in this search. In most cases, you will get items relevant
to your topic.
If you find everything you need via the quick find feature then
great! If not, you can link off to either of the search options
described below, or link directly into a specific database to continue
searching.
Didn't find what you need with the quick find feature? Try the subject
specific search pages.
These pages each have a search box that will
default to searching those databases that the library has identified
as the most relevant for that topic.
So if you're unsure
which databases to use for research for
a history paper, for example, access
the Databases by Subject > Art
& Architectural History page
and simultaneously search the best databases
for history research.
The third way we are offering Zoom! is via an alphabetic Databases
A-Z list. The list looks just like it always has, but now allows
you to select/deselect and simultaneously
search any combination of databases you wish.
I'm a faculty member or graduate student. How can Zoom! help me?
If you know which databases and ejournals are the most relevant
to your area of research or scholarship,
Zoom! will enable you to select
those databases and
search them all simultaneously, saving
you time and effort.
Can I still
access databases directly?
Yes, Zoom! does not replace direct access to databases in any way. You
can still access the database
A-Z page and link directly into a specific database.
In addition, from your Zoom! results screen, you can link directly into
the native database.
Can I search
every single database you have at the same time?
Yes, Zoom! has a Select All feature. However, simultaneously
searching several hundred databases will take some time to execute, and,
as not every database has information on every topic, many of the searches
it performs will return zero results. So yes, you can search every database
we have at the same time, but you probably wouldn't want to.
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Is an advanced search
available?
Yes, advanced
search is
available. Advanced search enables you to search the following fields:
Keyword
Title
Author
Abstract
Subject
....and allows for limiting you results to a specific date range.
Are there any disadvantages
to using Zoom! versus the databases' native interface?
Zoom! is designed to search those
fields that are common to most information sources: title, author,
keyword, publication date, etc.
Some databases offer unique, proprietary search functions, uncommon
to most databases, that cannot be accessed
via Zoom!. An example is a chemistry
database's ability to combine components
and search for chemical reactions, or a
psychology
database's use of a specialized
vocabulary for search terms.
That's why Zoom!
offers you the ability, from the
Zoom! search results screen, to link
directly into the databases' native
interface, so that you can perform
proprietary searching not supported via
Zoom!.
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What does a Zoom! results screen look like?
The Zoom! results page has a "scoreboard" at the top, showing which
databases were searched, and how many
results were found in each.
How do I get to the full text of articles from the Zoom! results
screen?
Simply follow the links....if there's a "text", "full text", "view
document", "PDF" link, or something similar
(exact wording may vary), follow that.
If not, click the "Check Article Availability"
link.
If you're unsure if the full text of something is available online,
or you think that it is but can't seem
to find it, ask us!
What if I have additional questions
you haven't addressed here?
Feel free to use our Ask-a-Librarian service
if you have any additional questions.
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