For the past year, UM’s nine libraries have been collaborating on a merger and migration to a new library management platform and catalog/discovery tool in order to streamline access to the University’s millions of library holdings. The new catalog, known as uSearch, went live May 19, uniting three separate catalogs from across the Coral Gables, Miller School of Medicine, and Rosenstiel campuses.
The library-wide effort was first announced to the University community in February. “Faculty and students on all campuses will be very pleased to discover that, with one search, resources from across the University’s libraries will be displayed on their screen,” said Professor of Law Sally Wise, chair of the Faculty Senate Library & Information Resources Committee and director of the Law Library.
Library users can explore uSearch from an interdisciplinary access point or focus their searches through the uSearch portals of Medical and Law libraries, which have been customized with additional search settings specific to those subject areas.
What does this mean for library users?
- One catalog: All resources from Law, Medical (Calder, Ophthalmology, and UMH Libraries), Interdisciplinary (Richter), and the subject specialty libraries (Architecture, Business, Marine & Atmospheric Science, and Music) will be available in one catalog.
- One search: Users will now be able to search all locally digitized/created resources from a single search field. This search includes digitized content from our distinctive collections, institutional repositories, and UM electronic theses and dissertations.
- One login: Users will have a single means of authentication for most library resources (CaneID).*
Additionally users can look forward to enhanced communications on borrowed materials, including courtesy notices in advance of an item’s due date and loan and check-in receipts.
What do users get by logging in to the system?
While anyone may browse the catalog as a guest, signing in to the system provides users with access to a suite of services that includes:
- the ability to request and/or place a hold on library materials
- customize search preferences
- save customized searches
- save articles and catalog entries
- add notes
- create folders
- export information to bibliographic software
- receive alerts when new items are added that fit one’s search parameters, topics of interest, etc.
NOTE: Due to publisher licensing restrictions, results from some databases (e.g., Web of Science) only display if users are logged in.
Need help?
Find search tips and guidance on the use of specific uSearch features for interdisciplinary, Medical, and Law libraries:
Feedback and questions
We welcome your feedback and are grateful for your patience during this implementation process.
*Interlibrary Loan services of the Law and Medical libraries will remain independently operated by their respective departments.
