Recently, I got a requirement to limit the search result pages to show data from a specific document library only. Prior to SharePoint 2013, it was handled/achieved by configuring the Search Scope. However, in SharePoint 2013, we can achieve it using Result Sources. You can find more details about the result source here.
Please follow the below steps to achieve the functionality (“Limit search result for specific Library”).
Step 1 - To check/Test we need Search box web part and Search Result Web part
Create a Page.
Add Search Box and Search Results web parts.
Got to Categories - Search - Select “Search Box ” Web Part, then “Search Results” Web Part.
Step 2 - Create a Result Source
Go to Central Admin - General Application Settings - Search.
Under “Queries and Results” Select - Result Source.
The "Manage Result Source" page will get open. Now, click on the "New Result source” button.
Name your result source. Leave the "Protocol" radio button set to “Local SharePoint” as we’re searching local content.
Set the "Type" radio button to “SharePoint Search Results”.
Next step is to create a search term. Click on the "Launch Query Builder" button to configure the query.
In a Query text, add the path with {SearchTerms} and full path of the specific document library.
Example
{{searchTerms} Path:”https://siteUrl/SearchDocumentsLibrary/” }
Click ok for Query Builder
Click save Button
Step 3 - Next step is to configure Search Results web part
Go to your search result page
Edit the page >> Edit Search Results web part
Now, in "Properties" for Search Result, click on the "Change query" button. A "build your query" pop up will open.
Select the “Basics” tab.
Now here, in "select a query" dropdown, we can select the newly created custom result source.
Click OK.
Publish your Search page.
Type any keyword in the search box and hit Enter.
Closely observe that the search result is only showing the documents which belong to the specific library.