Once and Future Metasearching Roy Tennant California Digital Library Roy Tennant California Digital Library

The Problem Most users want to find everything useful with one search But our systems 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? Most users want to find everything useful with one search But our systems 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?

The Metasearch Solution Just-in-time searching of multiple sources Also called cross-database searching Federated searching: just-in-case Metasearching is far from perfect It is only one tool among many It does not replace searching individual databases for some users and purposes Just-in-time searching of multiple sources Also called cross-database searching Federated searching: just-in-case Metasearching is far from perfect It is only one tool among many It does not replace searching individual databases for some users and purposes

Content Discovery Principles* Only librarians like to search, everyone else prefers to find One place to search is better than two or more “Good enough” is just that What is not searched is as important as what is If you can’t centralize metadata, centralize searching Only librarians like to search, everyone else prefers to find One place to search is better than two or more “Good enough” is just that What is not searched is as important as what is If you can’t centralize metadata, centralize searching * First hit of Google search: “digital library integration principles”

The State of Metasearch: Overview Many database vendors still do not support a search protocol Software still in early stages Market still in upheaval Most libraries still learning from early implementations Google, Microsoft now big players Many database vendors still do not support a search protocol Software still in early stages Market still in upheaval Most libraries still learning from early implementations Google, Microsoft now big players

The State of Metasearch: The Landscape Publishers Portal Providers Indexers/Aggregators Software Vendors Libraries Users Elsevier California Digital Library Google

The State of Metasearch: The Tyranny of Numbers Number of resources being searched Number of results being returned by each resource Number of simultaneous users Number of resources being searched Number of results being returned by each resource Number of simultaneous users X * Y * Z = potential disaster!

First Generation Out-of-the-box interface with minimal customization “One-stop-shopping” model “Shotgun” searching No added-value services for specific clientele or purposes (e.g., UMNs Assignment Calculator) Out-of-the-box interface with minimal customization “One-stop-shopping” model “Shotgun” searching No added-value services for specific clientele or purposes (e.g., UMNs Assignment Calculator)

/V interface

2nd Generation Using the metasearch application as a service, not a destination Creating search tools tailored to specific audiences and/or purposes Highly tailored interface Better integration with other systems and services Using the metasearch application as a service, not a destination Creating search tools tailored to specific audiences and/or purposes Highly tailored interface Better integration with other systems and services

Your Application Metalib Databases XML http * Slide courtesy of David Walker, CSU San Marcos

Third Generation As many resources locally integrated as possible More resources available via API One-stop shopping — system organizes itself around user’s query Useful ranking Post-search clustering and enhanced browsing As many resources locally integrated as possible More resources available via API One-stop shopping — system organizes itself around user’s query Useful ranking Post-search clustering and enhanced browsing

Windows Live Academic

Google Scholar

$30 from SpringerLink $40 from Ingenta Not available except by person account or site license FREE

A Brief History of Finding Info 30 years ago: only print, very difficult and time consuming 20 years ago: arcane, mediated online searching of many commercial DBs, CD- ROMs 10 years ago: unmediated online searching of many commercial DBs 1 year ago: easy, unmediated online searching of one free source Tomorrow? 30 years ago: only print, very difficult and time consuming 20 years ago: arcane, mediated online searching of many commercial DBs, CD- ROMs 10 years ago: unmediated online searching of many commercial DBs 1 year ago: easy, unmediated online searching of one free source Tomorrow?

In Summary Metasearching (both library and commercial) still primitive But… quickly improving Soon (if not already) databases will be irrelevant from the user’s perspective We no longer control access to information (there are huge players in this space) Either we get good in the finding game, or we get gone Metasearching (both library and commercial) still primitive But… quickly improving Soon (if not already) databases will be irrelevant from the user’s perspective We no longer control access to information (there are huge players in this space) Either we get good in the finding game, or we get gone

Implications for Instruction We live in an age where even idiots can find good stuff! So on what should we focus? We live in an age where even idiots can find good stuff! So on what should we focus?

Implications for Instruction Stop teaching mechanics and databases as soon as possible Work on building systems and tools that don’t require instruction to use Focus on fostering critical information skills Craft key messages and deliver them consistently and ubiquitously across the library Stop teaching mechanics and databases as soon as possible Work on building systems and tools that don’t require instruction to use Focus on fostering critical information skills Craft key messages and deliver them consistently and ubiquitously across the library