Find It! @ UWM Libraries

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Find It! _at_ UWM Libraries

• A guide to full text linking via SFX and a
  preview of MetaLib at UWM Libraries
• Andy Ritter and Kathy Bowes
• September 21, 2004

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The dizzying array of web based resources

• Library catalogs
• Abstract and index databases
• Full text databases
• Online journals and newspapers
• Encyclopedias
• Subject gateways
• Web search engines
• Local collections
• Etc.

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Bottom Line We know our users

• Google

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CUWL 2001-03 Strategic Direction

• Provide a variety of research and searching
  tools to allow online catalog or web access to
  the breadth of digital information and
  identification of the broad array of locally
  owned paper and multimedia resources.

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What is required?

• Categorize and describe the many electronic
  resources for our users.
• Help users discover resources and take advantage
  of expensive scholarly material.
• Provide a google like single search box for
  retrieval.
• Allow users to search relevant resources without
  always having to learn native interface or
  language yet retain powerful advance search
  functions.
• Directly link users to electronic full text,
  local print or Interlibrary loan when necessary.

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CUWL Electronic Resource Management Task Force

• Charged to evaluate and make recommendations on
  current marketplace for search retrieval software
  that was capable of fulfilling CUWL Strategic
  Direction.
• 2003 Task Force followed through RFP process.
• January 2004 Contracted with ExLibris for MetaLib
  and SFX software.

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The Product

• MetaLib and SFX software hosted on a UW shared
  server located at UW-Madison.
• Separate instances of the software is maintained
  for each UW Library and Colleges allowing each to
  maintain a local look and feel.

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SFX Find It!

• Based on the OpenURL standard adopted by an ever
  growing vendor base.
• SFX software is a link resolver that accepts
  metadata (standardized data that identifies a
  resource) and builds a link directly to that
  resource in any external OpenURL enabled database
  or library system.
• Central Knowledge base running behind the scenes
  contains library e-journal and subscription
  information as well as a set of rules that
  controls linking between resources.
• Citatation Linker allows users to search Library
  e-journal subscriptions.

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A new way of search retrieval

• Old Way
• Search for a research article
• Check an index or holdings in local catalog
• Navigate to the resource and search again
• New Way
• Search for a research article
• FindIt!

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SFX FindIt! Linking
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Two ways of accessing FindIt!

• Search an OpenURL enabled resource and click the
  FindIt! button.
• Search for e-journal holdings through Citation
  Linker.

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Not a perfect system yet

• Not all databases support the Open URL
  technology.
• Full text link leads to an error.
• Missing data in Knowledge base.
• Browser windows hiding behind one another.
• ERIC documents with ED number are not reflected
  in the Find It! menu.
• No Rush ILL services available via FindIt! menu.

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But things are getting better

• More vendors adopting the Open URL standard.
• Problem reports are going out to vendors and are
  being addressed in a timely manner.
• Local batch imports into the Knowledge base will
  make citation linker and e-journal list more
  accurate over time.
• Working closely with Atlas to get ILLIAD to work
  with Find It!
• We need your help.

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FindIt! Information at UWM Libraries

• Citation Linker
• http//www.uwm.edu/Libraries/ris/ejournals/
• FindIt! Help Library Guides
• http//www.uwm.edu/Libraries/ris/guides/findit/
• FindIt! Reported Problems
• http//www.uwm.edu/Libraries/ris/guides/findit/re
  portproblems.html

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MetaLib

• Meta searching
• Broadcast searching
• Federated searching
• Integrated searching
• Google like interface to search across any or all
  of our electronic resources in one click.

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MetaLib

• Provides standardized user interface while
  searching multiple resources.
• Allows library to group a wide variety of
  resources into categories relevant to user base.
• Users can save searches and save links to
  resources for later use.
• Future inform a redesign of library web pages.
• Target date 04/05 Winter Staff testing, 05
  Spring for Public

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Thank Yousfxteam_at_uwm.edu

• Thanks to Valerie Malzacher and Todd Digby for
  use of their presentation ExLibris Library
  Portal and Linking Software
• September 13, 2004