Learning Objectives

• Learn what ISearch Mobile is, its role in the library, and how to access it.
• Explore the ISearch Mobile interface.

What is ISearch Mobile?

ISearch Mobile is the ISearch we all know and love, with a streamlined look and feel. ISearch Mobile does everything ISearch does, including placing holds. The simple, uncluttered interface of ISearch Mobile allows students of any age to search for the content they need without distraction.

Finding ISearch Mobile

There are three main ways to access ISearch Mobile:

1. If you are on a mobile device, you will be taken straight to the ISearch Mobile page for your library.
2. If you are on a desktop machine, you can click the accessibility icon at the top of the ISearch page to change your view.
3. You also have the ability to link directly to your school’s ISearch Mobile page by linking or embedding your unique link.

To determine your ISearch Mobile link, you will need to locate your school library's unique ISearch URL and add ?ic=true to the end of the URL.

For example:

https://isearch9.infohio.org/client/acce_aust_afes/?ic=true

For detailed instructions on how to find your school library's unique ISearch URL, please see the Linking to Your ISearch Landing Page lesson found in this course. Once you have located your URL, add ?ic=true to the end and you are ready to use the link as needed to direct your users to the ISearch Mobile online catalog.

ISearch Mobile Accessibility View

ISearch Mobile has an accessibility view that will display a small banner at the top and bottom of your ISearch Mobile screen.  The banner contains links to the top of the screen, your search results, and the bottom of the screen.

On a mobile device, you can turn accessibility view on and off by going to the ISearch Mobile menu and selecting Enable (or Disable) Accessibility Mode.

On a standard device, accessibility view is turned on automatically when you use ISearch Mobile.

ISearch Mobile Basics

The ISearch Mobile Landing Page or Homepage

Whether you reach ISearch Mobile from a mobile device, through a direct link, or by clicking the Accessibility icon, you will land on the ISearch Mobile landing page or homepage.

ISearch Mobile Desktop View

ISearch Mobile Device View

Here are the main components of the Mobile landing page:

1. School or district name displays at the top.
2. Menu Options such as My Account, My Lists, and the ability to Exit Mobile Mode are found here.
3. Search Bar
4. Search Options link allows you to specify which collection to search and the field (All Fields, Title, Author, Subject). Clicking the Search Options also gives you access to Advanced Search.

The ISearch Mobile Results Screen

After initiating a search, you will land on the ISearch Mobile results screen. This initial search is a library only search.

These are the main components of the ISearch Mobile results screen:

1. The My Library drop-down allows you to switch to other searches. This would be the tabbed searches found in ISearch. Choose from Encyclopedias, Basic and Advanced Sources, STEAM, and Open Access searches.
2. Filter Results
3. Brief information about the title
4. Book cover image or generic icon; click to see a detailed view
5. Place Hold button (if Holds are enabled)
6. Page Navigation (at the bottom of the screen or page)

Customizations

Those looking to customize the appearance of ISearch Mobile can choose from the following options:

• Color
  • ISearch Mobile will follow the color scheme set for ISearch. If any changes need to be made to the colors, please contact your INFOhio Provider. 

• Name
  • The name of the library at the top of the page follows what has been set up for ISearch. If this name needs to be adjusted or changed, please contact your INFOhio Provider.

Exit Mobile Mode for Desktop Computers

To exit Mobile mode on a desktop, click the hamburger menu, and click Disable Accessibility Mode. This will take you back to ISearch. To access mobile mode in ISearch from a desktop, click on the accessibility icon. This will take you to ISearch Mobile's accessibility view. Also, please remember that if you are on a device or tablet, your default view of ISearch will be mobile mode.