EBSCOhost Idea Exchange by

Thesaurus no longer allows banking of terms

2025-10-20 13:05:25 UTC

You used to be able to check subject headings on multiple pages and have them all carry over until you sent them to the search box. Not anymore!

Recent activity is hidden in drop-down My Dashboard

2025-10-20 13:06:45 UTC

The open/closed status of My Dashboard is a setting that can be changed. Your institution's EBSCOhost admin can set it to open.

Recent activity: searches have to be deleted one by one

2025-10-20 13:29:27 UTC

Need a bulk delete option like in the old UI

Recent activity searches return to original database/s searched

hilarykraus1 — 2025-10-21 13:38:54 UTC

Case: 1. Run search (a) across all databases. 2. Switch to Database X. 3. Run a new search (b) in Database X. 4. Go to recent activity and click on search a to rerun it.

Effect: Instead of remaining in Database X and running the old search in that environment, EBSCOhost returns you to all databases to run the search as exactly as it originated.

Problem: That may not be what you wanted to do! Also, because the Recent Activity page doesn't display database searched, you may not even notice the change in where you're searching.

Export work around: create a project

mcginnismichele — 2025-10-22 20:59:46 UTC

To export a custom selection of records, first create a project, then select records from your search results that you wish to add to that project, then navigate to your project and export.

Is there a way to go from one record to the next without returning to the results list first?

2025-10-23 15:12:56 UTC

Is there a way to display the results differently (e.g., full record, brief record) like in the old UI?

2025-10-23 15:13:28 UTC

CINAHL headings search bug

mcginnismichele — 2025-10-23 16:52:33 UTC

When searching CINAHL Headings, you must click the small "back" arrow above the resulting term before searching for a new term or the previous term's tree view will reload.

Export emails

2025-10-23 18:38:08 UTC

Export emails do not list the database name you're exporting from. This is particularly frustrating when you're searching multiple EBSCO databases, back to back, and the emails are delayed coming in.

N5 proximity

2025-10-23 19:23:12 UTC

Seems to apply to my search even when I phrase search with "quotation marks". Any way to get around this for individual searches?

Search modes

2025-10-23 19:25:49 UTC

EBSCO now offers 5 search modes: proximity, find all my search terms, find any of my search terms, SmartText searching, and Natural language search. Experiences with these? Any way of finding how EBSCO parses the search in Boolean terms?

XB not the same as AB/TI

2025-10-23 19:39:17 UTC

I have not played around with this yet but my colleague has noticed issues with XB not actually searching both the title and abstract.

Download and Export Functions allow different file formats

2025-10-23 19:52:26 UTC

The export feature allows export to RIS, but the download option does not allow RIS metadata downloads.

Broken Phrase Searching

2025-10-23 19:53:22 UTC

I think this is actually about apply additional subjects, but I've seen it attributed to proximity mode. Regardless, something is breaking phrase searching.

Stickiness of Apply Equivalent Subjects

2025-10-23 19:54:53 UTC

Apply Equivalent Subjects cannot be turned off (or if it can I can't figure out how) when combining searches in Recent Activity.

Evidence Synthesis

2025-10-23 20:08:14 UTC

When the Texas State Library and Archives Commission dropped EBSCO for the TEXSHARE package, the UT system added EBSCO to keep those resources available. On our campus that was largely about the utility of EBSCO for evidence synthesis searching. The new UX seems to have been designed with no concern for systematic searching or for the ability to reproduce or update searches from older reviews. Why should we keep EBSCO over GALE when we can't use it for SR anymore.

Search limiters

2025-10-23 20:23:06 UTC

I did find the old interface where the limiters were clearly visible in the left hand column much more user friendly, especially when teaching it to undergrads. "All filters" gets lost at the top of the page.

URL too long - in recent activity

2025-10-24 11:27:23 UTC

If you have a long search and try to pull it up in Recent Activity, you get a message that the URL is too long!

MyEBSCO account sign in issues

2025-10-24 12:34:04 UTC

Yesterday I signed in, created and saved searches. Today I can't even get into my account. Using "Forgot your password" (which I didn't) to reset and getting a confirmation of the reset doesn't fix the problem. This is soooo frustrating and a waste of my time.

Recent activity should be viewable in the search interface

2025-10-24 13:05:18 UTC

As far as I can tell, recent activity must be viewed in a separate tab from the search. When constructing systematic searches, calling up searches by ID (e.g., S1 AND (S2 OR S3)) is important. Inability to view the search history in the same page produces a very poor user experience for those doing evidence synthesis work. There is a reason why search interfaces preferred for this work, like Ovid, Scopus, Web of Science, all allow search history to be viewed in the search interface.

Provide Complete Field Code Documentation

2025-10-24 13:12:24 UTC

Each EBSCOhost database has its own controlled vocabulary, and often multiple. PsycInfo, for example, has MeSH, APA Thesaurus, and Author Keywords. The available field codes may search one, all, or a combination of these; they may search those vocabularies with word or phrase indexing; they might even separate out 'major' terms. It is incumbent on me when doing a systematic search as an evidence synthesis librarian to know exactly how I'm searching, but EBSCO provides insufficient documentation to help unscramble the available field codes. I resort to checking the complete list of field codes for all EBSCO databases, because not all of the available codes in a given database are displayed in the dropdown. I then make a spreadsheet with all of those and test them against each other with NOT statements and look at the abstracts to get a reasonable guess on how they work. I'm recording this in my own spreadsheet and basically creating the documentation myself. It would be greatly appreciated if EBSCO would tell us exactly what each field code means in each database, especially since the field codes are not used consistently between databases as far as I can tell.

Combining set numbers

2025-10-24 19:31:40 UTC

When I go to "recent activity" and want to search for S4 NOT S3, I have to check the boxes next to S4 and S3, choose either AND or OR to combine them, and then fix the search statement so I can get the database to search for S4 NOT S3. If instead I clear the search box and type S4 NOT S3, the search results look for the terms S4 and S3 in the references themselves! The search statements look identical and do completely different things.

Can you add a search link

2025-10-24 19:51:54 UTC

Any would be great, but I would appreciate not having to have to log in. I work with my students and I would love to be able to send them the link of the searches we've ran.

Is there an easier way to run my pubmed searches in CINAHL?

2025-10-24 19:53:00 UTC

Some of the subject heading are the same in both PubMed and CINAHL, but surely some smart person could figure something out?

labeling recent searches

2025-10-24 19:56:55 UTC

S1 AND S2 AND S3 has no meaning when I am trying to share a search, and no way to share the whole history. Please allow me to both download and share my history.

Suggestion/strategy

2025-10-24 20:16:02 UTC

If you go to Advanced - look at Search options for how it is set

Exporting fulltext PDF

2025-10-24 20:53:38 UTC

In the old interface you could select articles to export as a list AND also select to receive a PDF copy, if available, via email. This saved having to go into each article citation to download/save. Wish that was in the new UI

Indexes (aside from subject authority) are no longer available in databases like APA PsycInfo

2025-10-27 13:49:30 UTC

Pretty sure this is in all databases with additional indexes. In this case, for example, to find the age groups, you have to go to the database documentation PDF on EBSCO Connect to see the exact options. It also lists AE as the phrase indexed field and AG as word indexed, but AE isn't listed in the drop-down (although it does work).

The following searches yield identical results:

Word indexed:

AG ("Childhood (birth-12 yrs)")

AG (Childhood (birth-12 yrs))

Phrase indexed:

AE ("Childhood (birth-12 yrs)")

But Phrase indexed: AE (Childhood (birth-12 yrs)) yields zero results

Allow bulk deletion of previous run search lines

2025-10-27 17:34:55 UTC

Currently only one search line can be deleted at once instead of multiple or all previous searches in the same session being deleted. If a search that is dozens of lines long needs to be re-run differently, each line has to be deleted beforehand.

Choose fields to download

2025-10-28 15:41:29 UTC

I often need to send patrons citations in a reader-friendly Word document. The current download of Word "metadata" is too long and unwieldy, includes undesired fields and does not include our full-text finder link. I'd like to be able to choose the fields to download, as well as be able to view the citations in a more concise format.

Select multiple citations to add to project

2025-10-28 15:44:28 UTC

I would like to be able to multi-select citations to add to a project, rather than select and send each individually.

How are folks handling SR search updates (eg CINAHL) when original search used old interface?

ebrody1 — 2025-10-28 15:57:40 UTC

Email citations

2025-10-28 15:58:00 UTC

Is there a way to make it more than 50 citations on a page? Is there a way to email more than 50 citations?

Displaying more results on project records

2025-10-28 17:24:58 UTC

I'd like to see more results on the page rather than 10 at a time and then keep clicking "more results" to display the next 10. Need an option for "number to display" just like on the search results page.

2025-10-29 14:42:57 UTC

Where is the search history?

Do I have to log in to see it? I don't see how to combine previous search lines.

Filtermenu (right hand side)

blumenkiste — 2025-10-29 14:49:42 UTC

There are some Filters, that I can not include in the filter menu. The only way to apply them is to apply them before I start a search, but not after I did the search to reduce the number of records found

Is there an easy or bulk way to delete saved citations?

2025-10-29 15:43:27 UTC

Linking to full text & share EBP

2025-10-29 19:39:17 UTC

Not able to easily link to subscribed full text articles in new interface, despite working with LibKey & EBSCO to make this work. Also, is there a way for RNs working in a group to share their lit search results with group-mates while working on the same topic? And use to create a presentation?

Visibility among RNs

2025-10-29 19:40:38 UTC

Could there be further collaboration with other nonEBSCO resources like Lippincott? I keep having to educate our RNs that Lippincott Nursing Solutions is NOT the sole solution and does not provide all content; CINAHL is too valuable to overlook when researching. How promote this within our Nursing Education department and educators who think Lippincott is the panacea? May we have a link to CINAHL in there as well?

Full text on detailed record page

2025-10-30 13:45:34 UTC

I wish the full text was not included at the bottom of the detailed record page. It is not necessary since the links to view or download it are right there at the top of the page, and (more importantly) it broke the Zotero functionality where it would download the full text of the article when it added the metadata to Zotero. Now the full text has to be downloaded separately and linked to the Zotero record, which is an unnecessary extra step. Our patrons liked being able to add both the metadata and the full text with one click.

CINAHL: View search strategy on results page

2025-10-30 14:29:41 UTC

It would be very helpful to be able to see and edit the search strategy I have run while browsing the results. Is this possible?

viewing/exporting abstracts

2025-10-30 14:32:52 UTC

I routinely have to screen long result lists in ebsco (Medline and Cinahl). More often than not, when I try to view more of the abstract in the result list only conflict of interest statements display. If I try to export these articles to refworks (which I routinely have to do), I NEVER get the abstract, only the conflict of interest statement. If you MUST include that, put it AFTER or separate from the abstract. This is blocking my ability to screen articles and costs me a lot of time, frustration, and extra searching to find the abstracts I actually need to send to patrons.

deduplicating results

2025-10-30 14:37:02 UTC

I routinely search Cinahl alone, but often need to combine the search with Medline. I don't think I've ever done a search--weather it's just cinahl, or cinahl combined with Medline--in which I don't get duplicate and sometimes triplicate results. Other databases do much better with this than ebsco. Why can't/won't they?

RSS Feeds for Alerts

2025-11-03 13:30:44 UTC

We need RSS for alerts. We manage multiple RSS aggregator for scientific teams. It is the easiest way for them to receive their alerts in only one place and sort the results only once.

Bring back the LibChat floating widget

2025-11-07 15:48:09 UTC

The LibChat floating chat widget is no longer an option and now opens in a new tab. This is confusing for those seeing assistance. Bring back the option to install the floating chat. It is currently an enhancement request - 3034575.

0 Results Using 'All Fields'

2025-11-11 00:23:09 UTC

In CINAHL, why is it that I can get 0 results with the default 'All Fields' yet get results by switching to 'TW', which is a field and, far as I know, included in 'All Fields'?

Download search history for documentation in an syst.rev,

2025-11-12 11:02:32 UTC

We need to download the complete search history in a compact way for documentation of systematic searches. This means line by line with the search number, search terms and fields, and filters. AND in several formats. By now there is one A4-sheet per search line. We need all searches on one sheet, as in the classic version, and like all other database vendors can offer.

Improve the thesaurus-advanced search workflow

2025-11-12 11:41:18 UTC

In the Classic UI it was possible to access the subject index from the advanced search box, see the taxonomy, select subject headings and add them to the search. The headings now sit in in a separate section in the left-hand menu, adding additional steps to the workflow and a much less intuitive navigation. EBSCO says they will 'consider improvements if there is enough feedback' but this issue has been raised consistently by UK health librarians from the beginning of the new UI design.

Logistics?

pattimccalljunkin — 2025-11-13 12:55:12 UTC

Is anyone doing any searches logistics (or has done) related? Doing SRs outside the medical field is new to me.

'Select all records' function does not work

2025-11-13 15:33:11 UTC

I used to be able to download and email my results but now it is more work. Example - project page shows first 10 records but 40 records total. If you click on the select all it will only select the records on that 'page' i.e. first 10 NOT all of the records. For the new UI if there is a "show more project records" message at the bottom of the 'page' it will only select the records shown not all of the records. It may not seem like much but if you have 200 records that is a lot of clicks on show more project records just to select all.

ILL issue - journal page numbers out of order

2025-11-13 15:48:42 UTC

This is a small but annoying issue. If a library requests an article from a journal in CINAHL it is now harder to find because the pages are not in order.

I have so many complaints....

sleslie28 — 2025-11-18 16:24:08 UTC

I started compiling my issues back in August. This is a document I created with screenshots of the old UI vs the new UI, and other assorted issues. I'll try to incorporate these into the comments already made here. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/14fEiCPI6ZCaVLnGZyFwo0xqy_ZoV_Y-B38H8eLIYz3I/edit?usp=sharing

Moving between Recent Activity and search results

2025-11-19 17:20:21 UTC

When I rerun a saved search, and then move to Recent Activity to look at something, I can't then go back to the search results except by clicking the last line of the search (e.g. S4 AND S3) but doing that reruns that line and makes a new (duplicate) line in my Recent Activity. It's infuriating!

Allow more lines for a search strategy. None of my saved searches run anymore because they are so long.

2025-11-19 18:10:35 UTC

Searching saved searches

2025-11-19 18:24:27 UTC

I have a lot of saved searches. I used to be able to search the saved searches. This no longer seems to be possible. It only shows some of the saved searches and you need to prompt it to move down the list. But I can't do a control-f to find what I am looking for because it doesn't show all saved searches at once.

Change to how CINAHL Complete presents access to browsing/Evidence-Based Care Sheets?

2025-11-19 18:29:15 UTC

Possibly too niche of an issue for this meeting, but if anyone else has feedback -- multiple resources seem to confirm that CINAHL Complete no longer has the function available to simply brose all EBC Care Sheets, without searching for keywords first? However, EBSCO Connect's FAQ on this resource still reflects the "reality" of a browse function, and it was updated as of November 6th.

Confusion with authentication for clients in EBSCO Discovery

2025-11-19 18:31:37 UTC

Our clients think they have to login to EBSCO instead of authenticating themselves through the OpenAthens login at the top of the page and use the MyEBSCO sign in link in the upper right hand corner of the page in Discovery. Is it possible to move the MyEBSCO sign in icon to a different location or hide completely?

Searching across multiple databases

2025-11-19 18:35:23 UTC

There should be a label that lets the user know that they can add or change databases. "Searching: [name of database]" is not intuitive enough to know to click on the name to make those changes.

Editing the search brings up an interface where "Search Name" is the first field, and does NOT update the query.

2025-11-19 18:40:39 UTC

With thanks to the person who articulated WHY editing what appears to be the search doesn't work!

Clicking "Edit Search Details" brings up a screen with an editable text field that contains the query, but this search field is labelled "Search name" and has NO IMPACT on the query itself. This is PROFOUNDLY misleading and puzzling.

In order to actually edit the search query, two boxes down there is a static, un-editable box labelled "Query" with a link to "edit search," which directs to a separate page where the query can be edited and implemented. Note that this option is NOT available for line combination searches (e.g. a line that reads (S1 and S2) shows the query of the combined lines ("patellar tendon tear*" and (rehab* or surgery or repair)) and does NOT offer an edit option.

sharing projects

2025-11-19 18:45:53 UTC

I haven't been able to share EBSCO projects with others, and I would like to.

Sort Saved Searches

2025-11-19 18:48:36 UTC

Provide the ability to sort saved searches by name and not just Newest/Oldest (anyone know if this is already an Enhancement Request?)

Connectors / Operators

tiffanychavis1 — 2025-11-19 18:58:46 UTC

When text is auto populated in the search boxes the connectors / operators are not capitalized. Is there a way to have them auto populated in caps?

EBSCO Clipboard - export out

2025-11-19 19:27:17 UTC

When saving articles into any of the EBSCO (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.) databases, it only shows 10 at a time. If you want to export from your clipboard, and have more than 10, you have to scroll and show all the pages BEFORE you can export all results (I can do 10 at a time, but boo). I want to export the entire list at once. In the previous version, you could do this. I use the clipboard now and then when I'm doing a general lit search for folks. All the clicks is annoying and a time waster.

Can't tell when signed in

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:35:33 UTC

Looks the same either way.

Saved Items

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:36:27 UTC

Folder doesn't show that there are items in it

Why are the Saved citations not numbered?

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:38:17 UTC

Filter order

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:39:40 UTC

whyyy

Exported results

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:40:56 UTC

why do they have to be emailed? why are the files received unidentifiable?

Headers disappear

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:42:42 UTC

eBook findability

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:45:32 UTC

Where on the page is it? Please use your words to make it apparent.

Saved folder

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:47:25 UTC

No viewing options, no sorting options, how to delete?

Hidden options

sleslie28 — 2025-11-26 18:50:31 UTC

Collapsed arrow vs. plus/minus sign. Which is more intuitive?