Federated Searching at Boston College

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Federated Searchingat Boston College

• Ed Tallent Bob Gerrity
• Head of Reference Instructional Services Head
  of Systems
• ONeill Library ONeill Library
• Boston College Boston College
• tallent_at_bc.edu gerrityr_at_bc.edu

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Federated Searching

• Definition (from DEDCC website)
• The ability to search simultaneously multiple
  electronic resources, e.g. index/abstract, OPAC,
  web, etc., through one uniform interface and
  search mechanism.

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Federated Searching

• Challenges in building and implementing a
  federated search system
• identifying/implementing a common protocol for
  searching disparate systems
• determining the characteristics of each search
  site
• selecting sites to search
• mapping between search options
• overcoming language/terminology differences
• dealing with results sets (merging, de-duping)
• integrating results ranked in different ways
• handling response delays
• distributing the workload (client/server issues)

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Boston College Environment

• User Population
• 9,000 undergraduates
• 4,600 graduate students
• 600 faculty
• BC Library Facts
• 1.8 million volumes
• 6.5 million acquisitions budget
• 1 million (electronic resources)
• Recent ARL member
• Staff 200 FTEs
• Electronic Resources
• 300 databases
• 25,000 e-journals

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Existing Access Points for E-resources

• Quest
• ALEPH Web OPAC, version 14.2
• Includes 12,000 cataloged electronic resources
  (databases, e-journals, websites)
• Web pages
• Online Databases (A-Z Subject Lists)
• Electronic Journals List (A-Z)
• Research Guides by Subject
• Electronic Books List

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Why another interface?

• Rapid growth of e-collections
• Huge investment, probably underutilized
• Can be confusing to users (and staff)
• Warranted re-examination of access and delivery
  mechanisms
• Need to make collections more accessible
• Need to tie resources together
• Need to incorporate librarian input and expertise
  into the organization and delivery of electronic
  resources to users
• Expressed user demand

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Too many choices!
BC subscribes to approx. 300 web-accessible
databases.
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Why we chose MetaLib

• Existing, positive relationship with Ex Libris
• Part of Libraries mission is to be a technology
  leader on campus
• Saw opportunity and willing to experiment
• Creation of Digital Resources position in
  Reference

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MetaLib What is it?

• Gateway Search Engine
• Allows simultaneous searching of multiple
  databases (currently up to 8 simultaneously)
• Based on Z39.50 and other protocols
• Customizable by user, to a certain degree
• Includes SFX

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MetaLib, Conceptually
OpenURL Aware
Query
AI DBs
MetaLib Server
Results
Library Catalogs
SFX Request
Full-text DBs
Metadata
Menu of Related Services

-full text -library holdings -ILL
request -document delivery -Web search
SFX Server
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Geeky Stuff

• Server Sun e450
• 4x480MHz processors
• 4GB RAM
• 4x36GB UltraSCSI disks
• Database
• Oracle 8.1.7 for MetaLib
• MySQL for SFX

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Implementation Process

• How the work was done
• Working groups (9 people, including public
  services, systems, branch libraries)
• Cataloging resources
• Configuring resources
• Customization
• Testing, user feedback

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Cataloging Resources
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Cataloging Resources
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Cataloging Resources
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Resource Configuration
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Resource Description
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Resource Description
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Resource Configuration
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Resource Configuration
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Implementation Timeline
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Sample Search
link
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User Reactions

• Mixed reactions
• Great for quick searches, saves time
• Customization is limited
• Search and display options limited
• Should be more Google-like

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Staff Reactions

• Hesitancy because of limited search options
• Great tool for discovery (exposes students to
  resources they might otherwise never use)
• The challenge of integration
• Management interface needs development

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Future Developments

• Connect to additional local resources
• New local ALEPH libraries
• Other, non-library databases on campus
• Add non-database resources (e.g., research
  guides)
• Incorporate other electronic services (e.g.,
  virtual reference
• Better integration with SFX

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Our Plans

• MetaLib version 2 in test mode
• New interface to match redesigned OPAC
• Investigate e-journal access through MetaLib