Enhanced Search Results - The Details

This story provides more detail to the enhanced search results posted in the last two posts.

Cover Image: The large cover image we used originally was requested by some patrons, but in the context of search results, it took up too much room. The cover image was made smaller to accommodate more information about each search result in a smaller space.

Publication Date: The publication date is now available. For items with more than one date, the first date is shown.

Format: The format was previously available in two places – as an image and as text. The format information is now only an image placed to the right side of the other information. The format image contains a word or words to describe the format. For some newer items, or items with brief bib records, the format may not be available.

Add to Cart: The “Add to Cart” button now has the cart icon on it, is smaller, and is placed to the right of the other information, instead of below the image.

Check Availability: There is now a “Check Availability” button below the “Add to Cart” button. It pulls availability information and holds (if any) directly from the III server. This is the same information available to users of the classic catalog, but is more complete for titles with many items, and requires fewer clicks. This allows patrons to view availability without moving away from the search results.

Shortened description: The description needed to be shortened to shrink the overall size of the search results.

Close link: The “Close” link on the pop-up box won’t wipe out search results any more!

Note: because the search uses the classic catalog to produce results, the number of items per page remains the same, even though the space used by each search result is smaller. You will also see the new format when browsing the “facets” on the Books, Movies and Music pages. The facets are produced by a III product called Feedbuilder, so the information available for new items is somewhat different than the information provided by search results. The newest items may have very little information available, but can still be added to the cart. You will see these changes for the “Coming Soon” lists in the near future.

Enhanced Search Results Live!

When you conduct a search, you will now see the new search results as mentioned earlier this week........

You will see this same presentation when you click on any of the searches in the Browse boxes in Books, Movies and Music!

Enhancing Search Results

We're keeping tabs of the input and comments from y'all and will be shortly releasing our enhanced search results for you.

Among changes being made include decreased white space in search results, smaller covers, linking to item availability, adding the publication date and making the format type more obvious.

We hope these changes will be as appealing to you as they were to us as we worked on revisions! Stay tuned! A special post will be released when these changes are live!

Update for the week

Greetings and Happy Monday to all!

This weekend I witnessed my poppy plant going a'bloom! From one bloom to ten, it was like a birthday present! I hope the wind does not blow them to smithereens before the rest of the pods can open up........

Work on the website for the week included:

• presenting the staff names in an organized fashion for findability and reading/viewing/listening recommendations! In the Books, Movies and Music carousels you can now find Staff Picks listed. When you click on this link, you are presented with a list of names on the left. On the right you will find select staff with a mini-bio and their specialty areas. We hope you find this useful and will bookmark your favorite recommenders!
• search results are being worked on to present more information, upon your request. We will add a link in search results to "check availability" and present the format in a clearly defined manner. We are shortening the descriptive information here. Look for these results soon!

Update Work

The more things change, the more things stay the same. Who said that? And how in the world can that apply to the website work?

We have been steadily receiving responses in regards to the new website. Your comments are much appreciated and continue to help us as we work on improvements.

Changes in the works include:

• modifying the search results presentation. Comments heard include that the search results take up a lot of room and being able to present availability would be nice. Look for changes to search results.
• more coming soon lists and titles! We realize that you love our coming soon lists! We'll be working on presenting more and better.
• staff picks. Besides finding staff picks in the bottom carousels, access to any staff person's picks was not the easiest thing to find. We are building a list of staff pick names so that you have easier access to locating your favorite staff's recommends!

And ~ because things change all the time ~ hats off to all high school graduates in Littleton schools! May your futures be blessed with opportunities!

New Changes!

If you have not yet seen the changes to the website, then look now! After hearing that our Coming Soon lists were so popular, we have recreated them on the new website. The top carousels of the Books, Movies and Music pages are titled Coming Soon and feature just that. There are now links next to Coming Soon which take you to the lists of more Coming Soons and bestsellers, too!

Thanks for your great input and feedback to the website. It has been much appreciated.

We're Listening

to your input ~ thx for the input received as we round the corner to week 2 of the new website. Many of you have commented that you miss our Coming Soon lists. We have responded that the Recently Ordered is another version of the list. The difference is that Recently Ordered provides everything that has been ~ well ~ recently ordered. The Coming Soon lists were hand picked titles and more select presentations.

With lots of backroom conversations, we have come up with a presentation of Coming Soon lists. As this blog is being written, work is being done to enhance the website with such lists. Look for it yet this week, barring extreme technical difficulties.

Some have commented in not finding the search box - it is placed in the upper right corner.

Thanks to those who have replied regarding what they want to see in Recently Ordered lists - how they might want them ordered or further sorted.

All of this leads to an appreciation for our public. In rolling with the changes, in providing input and ~ gratifyingly ~ letting us know they love our libraries and our services. Thank You!