World domination bid

Just one Gateway website this week. Down in the world of searchable databases, something very strange is happening – strange, that is, in a good way.

Looking over the fence

When the provider of one of our Exclusive Resources claims to have revolutionised their search engine, we adopt a suitably sceptical facial expression and give it a go.

What is usually on offer is an improvement in the way you can drill down into the content of the database concerned. When Credo Reference told us they were proposing to let us search other companies’ products, we gulped and tried to look extra mean and cynical. We were wrong to scoff.

When you select Credo Reference from the Gateway, firstly you get one of our own pages describing what Credo consists of (it’s a lot); click the logo to reach the super search engine. Enter a search terms (I always use "sausages" – I’m just like that). Back come 328 hits, with an analysis by type or date on the left, and the search term in context on the right.
So far so normal. It’s just a list of source titles, but the point is that these are as likely to be in Oxford Reference or Gale Virtual Reference as they are in Credo itself. It's searching, Jim, but not as we know it.

Of course, if you find that Credo’s way of presenting other people’s stuff is not to your taste, you can always search the other sources directly; they are, of course, all Exclusive Resources available to Westminster Libraries cardholders. But it’s got to be worth trying a single search first.

So far, Credo have announced no plans to invade Poland, but it can only be a question of time.

(From the Gateway to websites, select "Dictionaries & encyclopaedias" from "Quick reference" at the top. Here you will find Credo Reference.)