IEEE Launches New Features for IEEE Xplore® Digital Library

New authentication options, new subscription products and user-focused enhancements highlight latest update

PISCATAWAY, N.J., July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association for the advancement of technology, has launched several new enhancements to the IEEE Xplore® digital library (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org). Highlights of this update include support for Athens and Shibboleth authentication, the IEEE Foundations for Smart Grid Standards subscription package, and availability of the National Electrical Safety Code® (NESC®) on mobile devices.

This new update builds on a major platform upgrade earlier this year. In February 2010, IEEE launched a completely redesigned IEEE Xplore, based on extensive input and feedback from users, librarians, professionals and IEEE members across the globe. The goal was to dramatically improve the user interface and search capabilities, while adding new personalization tools, to make exploring IEEE Xplore's more than two million documents faster and more productive.  

"Our successful launch of the redesigned IEEE Xplore earlier this year was both exciting and rewarding to everyone who contributed to this important milestone in the evolution of the IEEE Xplore platform," said Prakash Bellur, Director, Online Platform Services. "This latest update not only further enhances the value of IEEE Xplore, but makes IEEE's wealth of technical resources easier to find and use by professionals and organizations around the world."

The latest updates to IEEE Xplore include the following:

Support for Athens and Shibboleth authentication provides convenient and secure access for remote users to their institution's IEEE Xplore subscription. In conjunction with other available authentication methods, the new Athens/Shibboleth capability allows universities, corporations, and government agencies to serve remote users as effectively as their on-site users.  IEEE is partnering with several identity management federations such as The UK Access Management Federation, InCommon in the United States, and others around the world to bring this additional authentication option to its global subscribers.

IEEE Foundations for Smart Grid Standards is a new offering available as a stand-alone subscription or as part of an all-inclusive subscription package. IEEE's leadership role in defining technical standards makes this offering one of the most authoritative collections of Smart Grid technical standards.  Included in the Smart Grid package (as of May 2010) are 54 active standards, 6 active current drafts, 35 archival editions of active standards, and 66 archival drafts.

National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) is published exclusively by IEEE. The NESC sets the ground rules for safeguarding of persons during the installation, operation or maintenance of electric supply and communication lines and associated equipment. The NESC is now available for use on mobile devices as a single purchase item from IEEE mobile publications. More information on the NESC for mobile devices can be found at http://standards.ieee.org/prod-serv/mobile.html.

Also in the new IEEE Xplore update:  

• IEEE Conference Library Plus subscription product for mid-size corporations
• Free trial edition of the IEEE-Wiley eBooks Library
• Various user interface refinements

To register for a guided training session on all the capabilities and features of the redesigned IEEE Xplore Digital Library, visit www.ieee.org/go/ieeexplore_training. For subscription options visit www.ieee.org/digitalsubscriptions

About IEEE

IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.  Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics.  Learn more at http://www.ieee.org.

SOURCE IEEE