January 24, 2006 1

LAU CASE STUDYLAU CASE STUDY

By

Cendrella HabreSystems LibrarianLebanese American University

chabre@lau.edu.lb

January 24, 2006 2

Outline

Terminology Definitions Major developers and available

systems Brief overview of LAU’s ZPortal Looking @ other ZPortal examples Advantages & disadvantages

January 24, 2006 3

TerminologyNote: This technology started in 1999/2000

Library Portals Federated Search Engines Library Portlets Protocols/Standards/Set of rules:

Z39.50 OpenURLs (Z2Web)

Link Resolvers (OL2)

January 24, 2006 4

Definition (1) Portal is a web-based search tool Portal concept is often ambiguous and confusing

Portal is a “buzzword” – inappropriately used

Other terms used in the information community: Metasearch Metadata search Parallel search Broadcast search Cross-database search Search portal

January 24, 2006 5

Definition (2)

“A library portal or a federated search engine is a discovery tool (a software actually) that enables a user to search using a single-search interface across certain websites, library catalogs, and databases of information resources to retrieve and integrate the results in a single presentation”

January 24, 2006 6

Library Portals vs. Federated Search Engines

Library Portals It is certain that all Library Portals can search

Z39.50 databases Yet not all Library Portals can search currently

available licensed databases. (Authentication problem for remote users)

Federated Search Engines can search all Z39.50 and currently available licensed databases for both walk-in and remote users.

January 24, 2006 7

Library Portlet

The Library Portlet is a small search window found on any web page of a university, organization, institution, company, etc., which allows direct access to the online catalog and other resources available.

This is a powerful and convenient library resources tool.

January 24, 2006 8

Z39.50 A protocol that allows a computer to search collections of

information on a remote system, create sets of results for further manipulation, and retrieve information; mainly used for bibliographic information.www.cs.cornell.edu/wya/DigLib/MS1999/glossary.html

A set of rules governing the formats and procedures used by two

computers to interact with one another. www.esls.lib.wi.us/glossary.html

A standard that defines how computers search in library catalogues. The Library of Congress is the Maintenance Agency and Registration Authority for this standard, see http://www.loc.gov/z3950/agency/www.lib.monash.edu.au/vl/glossind.htm

January 24, 2006 9

OpenURL A standard developed by NISO (National

Information Standards Organization) It provides a uniform way for users to link

directly from bibliographic citations (in non Z39.50 compliant databases) to fulltext articles available in online resources, websites, and other services for which a URL can be constructed

It facilitates links

January 24, 2006 10

Link Resolver A link resolver uses the OpenURL standard to

create links to content, such as E-journals, library catalogs, Internet search engines, some ILL systems, bookshops, etc.

In other words, when a patron finds a citation or reference to a specific article, this link resolver supplies the best available path to the content, anywhere in the library collection.

January 24, 2006 11

Developers?

Small Vendors Library Systems Vendors Database Aggregators

January 24, 2006 12

AGent (Auto-Graphics) MetaStar (Blue Angel Technologies) MuseGlobal (MuseGlobal, Inc.) WebFeat (WebFeat) ZPortal (FDI)

For more informationFor more information

http://www.loc.gov/catdir/lcpaig/portalproducts.html

Federated Search Engines:

January 24, 2006 13

Automated Library Systems: EnCompass (Endeavor) iPAC (Epixtech – Dynix/Horizon) ILINK (Sirsi) MetaLib (Ex-Libris) Polaris (Gaylord) MAP or Millennium Access Plus (Innovative Interfaces,

Inc.) iPortal (VTLS) YouSeeMore (TLC)

For more informationFor more information

http://www.loc.gov/catdir/lcpaig/portalproducts.html

January 24, 2006 14

Database Aggregators: MultiSearch (CSA) OVID Technologies and MuseGlobal (Dec. 1, 2004 announced

delivery of a metasearch engine) More to come______________________________________________________

_

Few aggregators have integrating metasearching into their resources, e.g.: ScienceDirect JSTOR GALE EBSCOhost WilsonWeb Etc.

January 24, 2006 15

Hosting

Note

All the above mentioned companies provide hosting services at their own sites to potential clients.

January 24, 2006 16

@ LAU LAU is the first academic institution in Lebanon to

implement the ZPortal system. Why ZPortal was selected?

3. Professional/Academic

4. Rigid

5. Flexible

6. Familiar with interface (OLIB)

7. Widely used

8. Pricing/Services

January 24, 2006 17

Why do we need it?Search database Retrieve useful

recordsPrint or save to disc

Check the OPA C

L ocate the journal on the shelves

Or go to the e-journal

F ind the volume and

issue

Go to the artic le

Do you have access to the full-

text?Other Resources (such as DDS )

January 24, 2006 18

Collections and Search Profiles

SearchEngines

End User

OPAC

Fulltext services

Overview

A&I services

Other resources

Z39.50

Link to non-searchable resourceshttp local or web

January 24, 2006 19

The search result contains metadata - Journal title: Journal of management studiesISSN: 0022-2380Date/volume and issue data: Jul2002/Vol39/Issue 5Pagination: p.619

The user must be authenticated to use OpenLinking. The user runs a search.

The OpenLinking Resolver asks the following questions:1. Can I match on ISSN?2. What services are available to this user?3. How will I build the URL to go to each available service?

When these questions are answered successfully, the links are built and displayed to the user

The user clicks on the link and it is opened in another browser window

How does it work?

January 24, 2006 20

@ LAU

LAU site: http://libwserv.lau.edu.lb:43002/zportal/

Other sites:

http://www.k4h.northbristol.nhs.uk

http://www.library.nhs.uk/

January 24, 2006 21

Advantages: Less time in searching: Several resources are

searched at once Single one-stop web page Single interface (results) Tremendous increase in the usage of online

resources, thus cost-effective Excellent tool for ILL/DDS Portal vs. Google Searching techniques are applied, e.g., Boolean

operators

January 24, 2006 22

Disadvantages:

No Arabic support Security: It involves the opening of some ports

outside the university firewalls End-user overwhelmed with # of hits Continuous maintenance and update Unable to cover all licensed databases

January 24, 2006 23

Library Portals or Federated Search Engines enable you to search a

world of information

Conclusion