1. An automated method in a computing system for facilitating searches for publications, comprising: generating a search snapshot object corresponding to a designated iteration of a search for publications, wherein the search iteratively produces a plurality of keywords, categories, names, and/or identifications of publications as different types of search outputs, at least two of the plurality of search outputs from each of at least two different types of search outputs, from a set of one or more of keywords, categories, names, and/or identifications of publications as search inputs, wherein the search snapshot object is linked, through a stored forward reference and/or through a backward reference, to other search snapshot objects that comprise a search history of search iterations associated with the search, wherein the search snapshot object stores identification information and sufficient search state data to automatically restore the designated iteration of the search in direct response to and upon later receiving an indication of selection of the generated search snapshot object from a presentation of a search snapshot history and an indication to load the selected search snapshot object from the search snapshot history, wherein the stored search state data includes the search inputs, the search outputs, and a current state of the search snapshot history, and wherein the designated iteration of the search, upon restoration in direct response to the indication of the selection and the indication to load the generated search snapshot object, indicates and presents the search inputs, the search outputs, and the current state of the search snapshot history as of when the designated iteration of the search was previously performed; and automatically persistently storing the generated search snapshot object as part of a search snapshot history data structure that stores the other search snapshot objects.
24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: distributing the search snapshot history, including one or more persistently stored search snapshot objects that are part of the search snapshot history, to a plurality of individuals for group or team based searching.