Meaning based search unlocks hidden book collections
04 Apr 2012
MIMAS has hit the headlines across the globe with its latest project, an online archive of more than 360,000 academic books with a meaning based search engine.
The nationally designated data centre, based at The University of Manchester, has teamed up with software firm Autonomy to provide a new search and discovery platform called JISC Historic books.
Part of the JISC eCollections service, the new platform brings together digitized collections of historical books which were previously distributed on different publisher platforms or not otherwise available. It gives UK researchers access to at least 300,000 books published in Britain before 1800, and a further 65,000 from the 19th century.
Its search engine provides results based on meaning, rather than by looking at keywords, and gives researchers new ways of discovering related materials that traditional keyword searching wouldn't find.
For more information about the project, see: