Discovery service

How users discover content using the Hub.

EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS)

The user front-end of the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub is powered by EDS. 

It includes a powerful, semantic search plus advanced and PICO search options. 

A search of the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub will retrieve results from EBSCO’s Knowledge Base which has been tailored to meet the needs of NHS staff and learners. 

The default setting is for Guest searching but users are directed to sign in using their NHS Open Athens account. 

Logged in users will:

• have full access to licenced content, folders for saving results to and export options
• if they receive a full library service, be able to request documents and, if it’s set up locally, use Ask-a-Librarian

Search the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub. Log on using your NHS OpenAthens account for access to full text content and local knowledge and library services.

If you have any comments or feedback, send them to the Knowledge for Healthcare team on [email protected].

Will the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub be single-sign-on?

Yes, NHS OpenAthens is the primary authentication method.

HEE is working with NICE, JISC and suppliers to improve the authentication and platform account experience for all interfaces, including the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub.

What resources will be searchable through the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub? 

All nationally-funded subscription resources (including National Core Content databases and journal collections, BMJ Best Practice, Oxford Medical Textbooks and Handbooks, BNF and the Cochrane Library). 

Selected open access and repository collections.

All locally-funded subscription journals.

How do all the components link up?

EBSCO holdings link manager (HLM) connects to the Full Text finder, EBSCO's link resolver and to LibKey Link and LibKey Nomad. 

Wolters Kluwer's link resolver, currently used for My Journals and HDAS will be retired at the end of March 2022.

Can I change the widgets to include content we buy locally? 

All instances will get the national widgets.

Widgets for other commonly used resources will also be added as part of the set up.  See the full list. 

What if users are overwhelmed by the number of results? Won’t this end up being a glorified Google?

No. The system is designed to reproduce the ease and intuitiveness of Google-style searching because we know that staff and learners what the service to match Google’s convenience.

But the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub searches carefully selected sources in EBSCO’s Knowledge Base designed tailored to the needs of NHS staff and leaners.

The NHS Knowledge and Library Hub also allows the user to filter results in ways that Google doesn’t.

How will document requesting work? 

If a digital version of an item is not available, the user will see a Request button instead.

Clicking request will open an email, pre-populated with the item’s citation details and your library’s document supply request email address.

Your library will receive the request by email to be processed in the normal way.

Will users think that the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub replaces expert searches? 

We know from libraries that already use Discovery that the bulk of users will be self-sufficient in their day-to-day, basic searches.

This should free up time for knowledge specialists to deliver expert search services.

Expert searches will still be required for patient care, guideline and service development, research and systematic review.

The NHS Knowledge and Library Hub will link users to their library services for additional support through the “Ask a librarian” link.

How will I train my end-users to use the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub? 

Librarians who have a Discovery system tell us that many users are self-sufficient with basic searching on Discovery.

They may demonstrate the system, for example at induction, or give pointers at the enquiry desk.  Little formal training is necessary.

This frees up time for library staff to offer more tailored support for those doing  expert, more complex searches that aren’t well suited to Discovery or to provide expert evidence search services.

As part of the roll-out of the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub, HEE will provide marketing and communication support to help you engage with your end-users.