Satisficing Digital Library Users

ABSTRACT Given the endless volume of information available today, searchers are forced to satisfice when searching. The first satisfactory alternative is chosen over the best. Digital library search services, however, do not support satisficing users. There is no single, simple, comprehensive search service available to end-users to meet their need to gather information on alternatives from all information repositories accessible through a digital library. Federated search services bridge the gap between satisficing searchers and today's digital libraries.