ANN ARBOR, Mich., January 10, 2008 - ProQuest has launched a free search widget for products on its ProQuest® platform. Available now, the ProQuest Search Widget - a portable search box - allows instant searching of most ProQuest platform databases on any page of a library or university web site. This furthers ProQuest's efforts to help libraries market their collections - increasing exposure and facilitating access - by enabling them to add the search feature right into users' workflow.

"ProQuest is consistently looking for ways to help libraries go where their users are, with simple search options that meet specific research needs," said John Law, ProQuest director of platform development.   "The search widget means no more hunting for the library's online databases - they can be right at the fingertips of patrons."

The ProQuest Search Widget allows anybody to create a simple customized search box that supports keyword-search-and-go research.  It includes a ProQuest logo -- so that users know what they're searching -- and can be placed on any and every web page where libraries want to provide direct access to ProQuest platform databases, such as course pages, subject pages, email announcements, newsletters, etc.  Its flexible "plug and play" design lets libraries set their own search parameters, varying them with the context. 

For example, a college department web page could include a discipline-specific search that's limited to relevant databases and search criteria or terms.   A search widget on the Teen page of a public library might have pre-set search terms that match coursework at the local schools.  The ProQuest Search Widget is part of ProQuest's larger strategy to provide libraries with tools that make their resources more discoverable and useful to their patrons.  The company recently introduced an academic library marketing kit in the U.S. that provides tools and tips to help college and university libraries build awareness of their services.   A U.S. public library tool kit was published earlier this year.

To generate a ProQuest Search Widget and for information on for the simple installation and customization visit http://widgets.proquest.com