Peter Cliff

1
Peter Cliff

• MetaWhaa?
• An Introduction to Metasearching and MetaLib
• UCR_at_UWE
• 14th June 2006

2
Overview

• The Why and What of Metasearching
• What is MetaLib?
• MetaLib and the Users
• Implementation Issues
• Problems with Metasearching
• The End of the Catalogue?

3
The Why Or It Was Bad In the Old Days
resources
unknown resource
search
collate
results
4
The Old Days Were Bad Honest!

• Multiple resources means
• Many Interfaces to learn
• Difficulty identifying appropriate resources
• Manual result set management
• Multiple user accounts/passwords
• The appropriate copy problem
• User experience is involved and time consuming

5
The What Or Basic Metasearching
resources
collated results
MetaSearch Engine
6
The What Or Metasearching
resources
collated results
MetaSearch Engine
saved results
collection data
7
The What Or Metasearching Extras
resources
collated results
MetaSearch Engine
saved results
collection data
User space
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Metasearching Tool Required

• A Metasearch tool
• Single interface to multiple resources
• Manages result sets
• Manages resources
• Manages user accounts
• In theory, makes life easier for the user

9
What is MetaLib?

• One of those tools!
• The MetaLib library portal from Ex Libris
  enables users to access their institution's
  e-collections, obtain relevant services, and work
  in a personalized environment.
• a set of resource/result set management tools
  coupled with a MetaSearch engine.

10
This Is MetaLib
http//metalib.rhul.ac.uk/
http//metalib.bris.ac.uk/
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MetaLib and the Users

• ...some users have commented on how complicated
  it is using MetaLib. No doubt they have been
  lulled into a 'false' sense of security by
  Google. The metasearch (cross-search) page is
  what confuses the most. Hopefully, the MetaLib
  interface will be made more user friendly and
  intuitive in time.
• Julian Hill, Subject Librarian and member of the
  Customisation Group

12
MetaLib and the Users

• I think some users find it difficult to get
  their heads around what MetaLib is, and the
  concept of metasearch. Some students are saying
  'xxx found on MetaLib' as if MetaLib is the
  database itself. It is helpful to promote the
  gateway aspects of MetaLib as well as the
  metasearch capabilities.
• Julian Hill, Subject Librarian and member of the
  Customisation Group

13
MetaLib and the Users

• ...one of the challenges ahead is to make the
  metasearching more consistent across
  resources...
• Julian Hill, Subject Librarian and member of the
  Customisation Group

14
MetaLib and the Users

• ...I think MetaLib is a good tool for managing
  an increasingly large number of resources, i.e..,
  somewhere to put things, categorise, and make
  them available to users. ...
• David Boyd, Assistant Librarian and MetaLib/SFX
  Resource Management

15
MetaLib and the Users

• I've always had reservations about the
  cross-search element of MetaLib (even though
  users may be largely unaware of the
  inconsistencies). In some regard ... that Ex
  Libris highlight cross-search as its chief
  selling point may have distracted from its
  usefulness in other ways. Some staff in the
  library may have tended to focus on the
  shortcomings of cross-search because this element
  of the product was hyped from the outset.
• David Boyd, Assistant Librarian and MetaLib/SFX
  Resource Management

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The Troubles With Metasearching

• Many Standards
• Common standards too broad?
• Different defaults AND vs. OR Keyword vs. Phrase
• Limited to slowest resource response time
• Cataloguing guidelines vary
• Some resources cannot be metasearched
• MetaLib makes attempts to resolve these issues

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Implementing MetaLib

• Some things to consider
• Metasearching is flawed
• Can confuse users
• Can frustrate users I just want the OPAC!!
• Requires patient and careful training
• Try not to sell it as a one stop metasearch shop
• Will you replace your OPAC with it?
• When a library operates both a metasearch
  service and a catalogue it is ... highly
  confusing to users to have two competing
  interfaces to the collection Judith Pearce - NLA

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Implementing MetaLib (2)

• Some more things to consider
• Authentication system grey user management
• How will it integrate with your other systems?
• Resource
• CKB management is an ongoing task
• System administration
• System development / Customisation
• Who will do these things?

19
MetaLib and the Institution
MetaLib
SFX
Authentication
Other Resources
OPAC
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MetaLib and the Institution (2)
MetaLib
SFX
Portal
VLE
Authentication
Other Resources
OPAC
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MetaLib and the Institution (3)
SFX
Portal
VLE
Authentication
MetaLib
Other Resources
OPAC
22
Federated Searching

• For example
• Google Scholar
• Microsoft Windows Live Academic
• Non-commercial federated resources
• Primo
• Not exclusive of metasearching

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Federated Searching (2)
resources
Harvester
federated resource
Search Interface
Metasearch Engine
Post Processor
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The End (of the Catalogue) ?

• MetaLib offers metasearching and a single search
  box
• Metasearching on its own will not be the end of
  the catalogue
• Hides details required for meaningful results
• Complexity confuses users
• The problems of metasearching have not been
  addressed
• People still like the bad old days me for
  example
• More general portals, federated searching,
  profiles and intelligent agents are more likely
  to supersede the catalogue
• Always has to be a catalogue of some form!

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Summary

• We have covered
• The Why and What of MetaSearching
• What is MetaLib?
• MetaLib and the Users
• Implementation Issues
• Problems with MetaSearching
• The End of the Catalogue?

26
Acknowledgements

• With thanks to
• David Boyd
• Julian Hill
• The UoB MetaLib Team
• Ex Libris
• You Folks
• People that Eat Space Raiders

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Further Reading

• SFX/MetaLib User Group http//www.smugnet.org/
  http//www.igelu.org/sfxmetalib/
• Lorcan Dempseys Blog start at
  http//orweblog.oclc.org/archives/001034.html and
  read the related links too.
• Judith Pearces paper to Standards New
  Zealand/Australia IT-19 seminar
  http//www.nla.gov.au/nla/staffpaper/2005/pearce1.
  html on why the catalogue may go.
• NISO MetaSearch initiative http//www.niso.org/co
  mmittees/MS_initiative.html
• MetaLib http//www.exlibrisgroup.com/metalib/
• Metasearch Building a Shared, Metadata-driven
  Knowledge Base System, Terry Reese
  http//www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue47/reese/
• How to Make Your E-Resources Earn Their Keep,
  Ruth Stubbings, Yvonne Hamblin, Serials 17(1),
  March 2004
• Space Raiders http//www.taquitos.net/snacks.php?
  snack_code746 Read From the Package

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Questions?
29
MetaWhaa?An Introduction to Metasearching and
MetaLib

• Peter Cliff
• Library Systems Analyst / Developer
• Arts Social Sciences Library
• University of Bristol
• Tyndall Avenue
• Bristol BS8 1TJ
• 0117 928 8968
• p.d.cliff_at_bristol.ac.uk
• http//eis.bris.ac.uk/ecpdc/presentations/ucrmeta
  lib/