Atlantic Scholarly Information Network Portal Slavko Manojlovich Memorial University of Newfoundland (ASIN Portal Project Manager) and Memorial University of Newfoundland (ASIN Portal Project Manager) and Stephen Sloan University of New Brunswick (ASIN Portal Content Manager) University of New Brunswick (ASIN Portal Content Manager) Access Conference October 2006 ISSN:

Project Recap Consortium of 17 Atlantic academic libraries Consortium of 17 Atlantic academic libraries Range in size from 300 to 18,000+ students Range in size from 300 to 18,000+ students Both comprehensive and subject niche institutions Both comprehensive and subject niche institutions 2 unilingual francophone sites 2 unilingual francophone sites 3 ILSs: SirsiDynix, Ex Libris and BiblioMondo 3 ILSs: SirsiDynix, Ex Libris and BiblioMondo Range of service expectations from: we’ll do it all ourselves to you do it all for us Range of service expectations from: we’ll do it all ourselves to you do it all for us Goals were to make it easier for our students – particularly inexperienced students – to use our collective library resources Goals were to make it easier for our students – particularly inexperienced students – to use our collective library resources To give them a better experience than Google To give them a better experience than Google To recognize, celebrate, and use the differences in our institutions (resources and expertise) for the benefit of all To recognize, celebrate, and use the differences in our institutions (resources and expertise) for the benefit of all

Why our users hate us We force them to choose format over subject We force them to choose format over subject We make it necessary to learn multiple database interfaces We make it necessary to learn multiple database interfaces We present citations in confusing formats We present citations in confusing formats We don’t always link to full-text We don’t always link to full-text For items we don’t own, we make ILL difficult to find, time consuming, and confusing For items we don’t own, we make ILL difficult to find, time consuming, and confusing Any of these will cause some users to flee unto the tender mercies of internet search engines Any of these will cause some users to flee unto the tender mercies of internet search engines

Addressing the problems Centralized set of hosted services comprised of: Centralized set of hosted services comprised of: –A la carte user authentication –EZproxy –SingleSearch federated search tool (400+ resources including 100+ open access) –1Cate OpenURL resolvers –Relais ILL –NCIP servers for user authorization –RefWorks/RefShare

Principles of addressing user needs Clicking, not typing Clicking, not typing When you have it, show it When you have it, show it When you don’t have it, make it EASY to get When you don’t have it, make it EASY to get Focus on appropriate links rather than click counts Focus on appropriate links rather than click counts Let the user determine the appropriate copy from the available formats (Yes, print may be more appropriate than electronic, especially for monographs) Let the user determine the appropriate copy from the available formats (Yes, print may be more appropriate than electronic, especially for monographs) IE is the predominant browser in our region IE is the predominant browser in our region

Federated Searching helps…

Results

Using an openURL Resolver to link search results to full text helps a LOT … but linking to ILL also helps.

Relais linking

Clicking ILL link brings up local authentication/authorization….

Top of ILL screen

Missing ingredient Subject choice for the users instead of format Subject choice for the users instead of format ASIN working with SirsiDynix on a new (consortium) version of EPS Rooms content management system ASIN working with SirsiDynix on a new (consortium) version of EPS Rooms content management system Pre-production version of EPS Rooms used to: Pre-production version of EPS Rooms used to: –create sharable content modules –design Rooms templates –create a set of best practices for the creation of content in a consortium environment –conduct usability studies Production version available in 1 st quarter of Production version available in 1 st quarter of 2007.

Here’s what we can do so far…

Outstanding Challenges Federated search connectors based on screen- scraping will break Federated search connectors based on screen- scraping will break Citations from certain resources cannot be linked to Resolver Citations from certain resources cannot be linked to Resolver Educate our information providers in the creation of valid OpenURLs Educate our information providers in the creation of valid OpenURLs Cookie pushing in a public environment Cookie pushing in a public environment Successful implementations generate greater expectations from our librarians Successful implementations generate greater expectations from our librarians Implementation of the NISO Metasearch standard by our information providers Implementation of the NISO Metasearch standard by our information providers

Recognizing Our Differences Local customization of interfaces Local customization of interfaces Emulating local default search options Emulating local default search options Local expertise used for the benefit of all Local expertise used for the benefit of all And, speaking of different…. And, speaking of different….

Welcome back, Mark!