According to the University of Georgia, discovery tools are a type of search engine. The following was taken from their website describing discovery tools.
WHAT ARE DISCOVERY TOOLS?
The library software and electronic content markets have been offering “Discovery “ tools for several years. These products are designed to provide a “Google”-like single-search experience of the world of library electronic resources, including the library online catalog, databases, ejournals, digital collections, and more.
Common Features of Discovery Tools Include:
- Single search box
- Consolidated index of bibliographic metadata from many sources
- Fast, single set of results tailored to a library’s collections
- Facets for easy search refinement by subject, author, type of material, and more
- Recommendations
- Bibliographic tools (folders, citations, persistent links)
Examples of Discovery Tool Brand Names and Vendors Include:
- EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS)
- Summon from Serials Solutions / ProQuest
- Primo from Ex Libris
- WorldCat Local from OCLC
- Encore from Innovative Interfaces
