This expands the resources available to students significantly. Students can access the materials without entering a library Because it is a web-based service, a teacher can have students do the most critical and time consuming parts of their research right in the classroom or in a computer lab. Students can even search at home while doing homework. This saves considerable time and overcrowding in a library, essentially making every computer in the district a part of the library's search system. Parents can become more involved in the process The Union Catalog means that parents can become involved in the search process.
Research indicates that parental involvement is an important feature in successful schools.
When a search is conducted, the results include links to related materials. In time, these will include web sites that have been selected because of their relation to curriculum. Many users will not be familiar with keyword searches, and that is where the greatest lead for training lies. While it will be easy to train staff members in the appropriate use of keyword searches, the untrained public will almost certainly make errors that can lead to misunderstandings. It is therefore important to understand the nature of keyword searches in order to be able to make an appropriate response.