The goal of the Reading Tools is to improve the online reading environment so as to further engage the readers at the user interface level. This is achieved by making use of existing resources online and by providing functionality to enhance the readers' interaction with these resources.

How the Reading Tools work. The Reading Tools are designed to provide a context for the specific text they accompany. The Tools open in a frame in the user's browser to the right of the abstract or the article being read. First, the Tools provide Readers with access to the item's indexing metadata, print version, and author biographical information. The Tools enable Readers to look up words in the item (by double clicking on any word in the HTML version of the item) and to email the author or another reader. The Tools are also designed to take the item's keywords and feed them into the search engines of open access databases and other resources grouped into categories such as Author's Work, Related Studies, etc., depending on the set of Tools selected. Readers are also able to access background information on each of the selected resources. In each category, the Tools provide multiple choices or databases to consult, while allowing the Reader to learn more about each database by providing a link to an About page for the resource. (The Conference Manager is able to edit or delete existing resources and add new ones as well.)

For further information, see Reading Tools.