My RensSearch

Rensselaer Research Libraries are now beta testing a new user-driven, customizable information service. By telling us a bit about yourself, My RensSearch will allow you to create a portable web page listing information resources available from the Libraries. After you've read the information below, login here and begin receiving a new level of online library service.

What is My RensSearch?

My RensSearch is a dynamic Web page allowing you to define what is displayed. It is:

Content rich - The database supporting My RensSearch contains links to information-rich content. It represents the sort of content necessary to do real research in an academic environment. Types of information include full-text databases, data sets, bibliographic databases, electronic texts of all kinds, ready reference materials, and most importantly, direct access to librarians.

Portable - Since you create for yourself a My RensSearch username and password you can login to My RensSearch just about anywhere there is Web browser.

Customizable - By selecting the customizable options, you choose just what items you want displayed, or, more importantly, what items are not displayed.

Dynamic - Global messages, as well as discipline-specific messages, help keep My RensSearch fresh. Because My RensSearch is easy for us to maintain, My RensSearch content is continually kept up-to-date.

Pro-active - Because the networked environment is constantly changing, My RensSearch allows librarians to send you messages or information (like lists of recently received books) on a regular basis. Of course, you will only be contacted in this way only if you turn these features on. Focused - Most of the time, My RensSearch allows you to list only the information you want listed. Consequently, you do not have to be bombarded with "noise". At the same time, you are not limited to the number of items you have on your page.

Platform independent - To use My RensSearch all you need is a Web browser. The browser must support cookies and it must be configured to not look in its cache for its content. If you access My RensSearch from a non Rensselaer domain, then your browser must support a protocol called Secure Socket Layer (SSL) for security purposes. For more information, see the page listing end-user computer requirements.

Private - The configurations you make to My RensSearch are held in the strictest of confidence. Just like the doctor-patient and lawyer-client relationships, there exists a librarian-patron relationship that is held in the strictest of confidence. For more information, see our Privacy Statement.

My RensSearch Computer Requirements

To use My RensSearch all you need is a Web browser. The browser must support cookies and it must be configured to not look in its cache for its content. For more information, see the page listing end-user computer requirements.

This service is in the beta testing phase, so please contact us with your questions and concerns.