The Metasearch Infrastructure Project

1
The Metasearch Infrastructure Project

• Ellen Meltzer
• June 2004

2
The Problem

• Most users do not care where the information they
  need comes from, or who provides itnor should
  they have to
• But our systems presently require them to know
• How to select one or more databases
• How to get to them
• How to use the unique search options for each
• How can we create systems that minimize what the
  user needs to know to get what they want?

3
Metasearching at UC A Brief History

• 1997, UC San Diego creates Database Advisor
• 1999, CDL decides to create a metasearch tool
  based on DBA (upon recommendation from TSWG)
• 2000, SearchLight is launched
• 2002-3, CDL looks beyond the limitations of SL
• 2002-3, Commercial products become viable some
  campuses implement local solutions
• 2003, CDL Metasearch Infrastructure Project
  formally launched

4
A Few Lessons from SearchLight

• Metasearching is worth doing (its what many
  users want)
• For a large research library, metasearching
  should be targeted at particular needs or subject
  areas
• Services should be placed as close to the user as
  possible (i.e., at the campus level)

5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
Where We Are Now

• MetaLib from ExLibris purchased
• Needs assessment underway
• User interface work progressing
• Gaining experience with metadata harvesting
• Planning four prototypes 1) core collection,
  2) discipline specific (UCLA), 3) American West
  grant, 4) NSDL grant

16
What Happens Next

• Application installed at CDL in mid-July
• CDL staff trained in late July
• Development of first prototype portal (core
  collection) as test case to help us to
• Create procedures, instructions, templates and
  scripts to make deployment easy
• Setup centrally-licensed UC resources for
  searching
• Create training/rollout materials

17
CDL Metasearch Infrastructure Project

• Web site