It's August (where did the summer go?) and school supplies are back in the stores. It's a good time to look at EBSCO Explora - the search interface that is designed for students and teachers (and public libraries, too). There are three versions of Explora: Explora for Elementary Schools, Explora for Middle & High Schools, and Explora for Everyone.
Let's start with Explora for Elementary Schools. As you can see by the screenshot, this is a very visual experience and designed with young people in mind. Students can enter keywords in the search bar or browse through the topics. The panel at the top includes a variety of topics to explore. When you click on Learn More, you'll get many articles, photos, and, in some cases, videos on the topic. As with other EBSCO resources, once you have a list of results, you can limit them by a variety of factors including Lexile Range.
Next, let's look at Explora for Middle & High Schools. You'll notice some similarities with the Explora for 
Elementary Schools. The interface is very visual and easy to use. There is the search bar at the top for entering keywords. The rotating bar at the top has a variety of topics—a little more advanced than the ones shown in the Elementary School version. Students also have the option to browse a variety of topics. Notice that the images are smaller and there is more text on the screen. While offering a similar experience, the Middle & High School version is definitely geared towards older students.
Last, but not least, is Explora for Everyone. At first glance, this interface looks a lot like the Middle & High School version. There are some subtle differences, though. There's still the search bar and ability to browse through topics. The rotating panel of topics cover issues that are more geared to the general public or college students. Also notice that the the categories are slightly different, too. In the Middle & High School version, the topic is Business & Government while in the Everyone version it's Business & Careers and the Current Issues topic is now Current Events.
EBSCO has created a consistent patron experience across all three of these versions of Explora which 
encourages students and patrons to move easily between them as their needs change. Another consistency among the three Explora versions is the toolbar. Educators can use the Curriculum Standards and the For Educators section to better utilize Explora in their classrooms. And, if students or patrons have an account in another EBSCO resource, the same login works here. They can add items to their folder, create saved searches and alerts, and more.
No quiz this week—I encourage you to take a few minutes and browse through a highlighted topic of interest to you.
What You Need to Know
Explora for Elementary Schools, Middle & High Schools, and Everyone are available to all Wisconsin residents through BadgerLink. If accessing BadgerLink resources outside of your library, you may be asked to log in with your library card.
Training Resources
- Videos
- EBSCO training materials
- Explora User Guide - the links on this page cover the basics of using the Explora interface including how to search and browse Explora, as well as how to use the result list to limit your results and read the full text of articles.
- EBSCO Explora Help Sheets - these help sheets cover how to use a variety of Explora features.
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