Unless you want the search box front and center, which would make it look like a federated search, you could do what we do [1] and use placement to make its purpose clear.

[1] http://www.wcu.edu/1602.asp

Joel

-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sarah Weeks
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 8:22 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [CODE4LIB] usability question: searching for a database (not in a database)

Long time lurker, first time poster.
I have a little usability question I was hoping someone could give me advice
on.
I'm updating the databases page on our website and we'd like to add a search
box that would search certain fields we have set up for our databases
(title, vendor, etc...) so that even if someone doesn't remember the first
word in the title, they can quickly find the database they're looking
through without having to scroll through the whole A-Z list.
My question is: if we add a search box to our main database page, how can we
make it clear that it's for searching FOR a database and not IN a database?
Some of the choices we've considered are:
Seach for a database:
Search this list:
Don't remember the name of the database? Search here:

I'm not feeling convinced by any of them. I'm afraid when people see a
search box they're not going to bother reading the text but will just assume
it's a federated search tool.

Any advice?

-Sarah Beth

--
Sarah Beth Weeks
Interim Head Librarian of Technical Services and Systems
St Olaf College Rolvaag Memorial Library
1510 St. Olaf Avenue
Northfield, MN 55057
507-786-3453 (office)
717-504-0182 (cell)


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