New and Updated Features
The updated interfaces will offer access to the same content, but they will feature several new enhancements, including:
- Look and Feel — A simpler, more intuitive, and modern design.
- Dashboard — A new and improved user dashboard for saving articles, searches, alerts, etc.
- Permalinks — Easily create permalinks by copying the URL from your browser’s address bar.
- Filters — New "sticky" filters will remain applied throughout your search session until you choose to clear them.
- Accessibility — Enhanced accessibility features include text-to-speech for HTML and PDF articles, video transcripts, and improved navigation with screen reader support.
Look and Feel
The new interfaces feature a more straightforward and user-friendly design, making it easier to navigate. It also introduces a contemporary look that enhances the overall user experience.
Dashboard
My Dashboard, located in the column on the left side in the new interfaces, replaces My Folder in the classic interfaces. In My Dashboard you will find your projects, saved items, searches, and items you've viewed. Projects enable you to collect and organize items you find in Fusion or any other EBSCO database. For example, if you were working on multiple research projects, you could create a project for each one to store articles on your different topics.
Click on the arrow next to My Dashboard to open your dashboard.
To learn more, see Using the Dashboard in the New EBSCO Interfaces and Creating Projects in the New EBSCO Interfaces.
Filters
Filters — also known as "limiters" — help to refine searches before they are run and after your results are displayed.
Select your desired limiters from below the search box and click the Magnifying Glass to run your search.
In Fusion, the "Available in Library Collection" limiter is enabled by default to return search results where the full-text is available or content is physically available in the library. To retrieve all results, including results you will need to request via InterLibrary Loan, deselect the “Available in Library Collection” limiter.
After running your initial search, you can apply filters to further refine your results.
On the results list page, the All filters button indicates with a blue dot if filters have been applied to your search. Click the All filters button to add or remove filters.
After clicking the All filters button, the Filters panel is displayed on the right side of the screen and shows the search mode used, active filters, and expanders selected.
- Use the arrows to expand facets and display the available filters for each one. Click the arrow again to collapse it.
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Available facets may include:
- Subject
- Publication
- Publisher
- Language
- Geography
- Location
- Source Type
- Content Provider
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A locked icon indicates that filters are "sticky" and remain applied for your updated searches until you either through deselection or clicking on the lock icon to manually clear all filters.
When you are done modifying the applied filters, click the Apply button to refresh your results.
Permalinks
A permalink is a stable or permanent link to a resource, such as an article, ebook, or search result, that you can access later.
In the new EBSCO interfaces, there are a couple of ways to get a permalink for your search or the item you want to share. Please note: The links you share will only be accessible to users who are authenticated into EBSCO resources through the library.
Highlight the URL in the address bar and copy the address and paste it wherever you would like to share it. This works for articles, ebooks, searches, and other content types in Fusion and EBSCOhost databases.
When viewing a journal article, eBook, report, etc. on the new EBSCO user interfaces, you can copy a link to that content that can be shared via email, in Canvas, etc.:
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Navigate to the search results or details page, or full text of an article, eBook, etc.
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Select Share in the tools menu.
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Click Create link in the Share menu and then click the Copy to clipboard link.
For more information, see Sharing Articles and eBooks in the New EBSCO Interfaces.
Accessibility
According to the Accessibility Statement for EBSCO New UI, the new interface is designed to meet industry-standard accessibility guidelines with the aim of providing equal access to all users. Some notable features include text-to-speech on HTML and PDF full-text articles including MP3 download, transcripts for videos, and enhanced screen reader support.
The new EBSCO interface is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies:
- Chrome with JAWS on Windows
- Firefox with NVDA on Windows
- Safari with VoiceOver on MacOS
- Safari with VoiceOver on iOS
- Chrome with Talkback on Android
The new EBSCO interface may not be fully compatible with:
- Browsers older than 2 major versions.
- Mobile operating systems older than 2 major versions.
Accessibility of the new EBSCO interface relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer:
- HTML
- WAI-ARIA
- CSS
- JavaScript
These technologies are relied upon for conformance with the accessibility standards used.
- Text-to-speech feature on HTML and PDF full-text articles, including MP3 download for multi-modal learning and portability
- Transcripts for videos
- Headings and landmarks for screen reader navigation
- Descriptive text for images and non-text elements
- Accessible full-text formats such as HTML, EPUB and articles free of Digital Rights Management (DRM-free)
- Responsive user interfaces for access on different sized devices
- Auto Suggest and Auto Correct functionality
- Simplified design to reduce cognitive load
- Quick filters for a more accessible experience
- Concept Map grid view