1. Federated Searching Feedback: Walking the Talk?
Jill Hurst-Wahl
Hurst Associates, Ltd.
Oct. 29, 2007

3. Why Care? Users are intolerant F.S. is seen as a cure-all
F.S. does what DB vendors won’t do
Will we always need separate s/w?
It can easily be “disappointing”

4. Federated Search Benefits
One-stop “shopping”
Less DB training
One portal for all library content
And library & non-library content
Enhanced information discovery

5. Shortcomings Harder to delve deeper Cannot access adv. search features
Complete de-duping is difficult
Broken connectors
New connectors  time & money
$$$

6. Advice For Libraries Identify your largest target group
Needs assessment
Learn, ask Q’s, trial
Evaluate your option
Understand the add-ons
Don’t “follow the leader”
Consider any broader impacts
Make an informed decision
Document your experience (publish)

7. Advice For Federated Search Companies
Talk to people about your products
Use language we understand
Provide screenshots & explanations
Be more transparent
Talk openly about pricing (how)
Help us compare “apples to apples”
Realize our growing sophistication

8. Trends Clustering Visualization
Incl. OPAC & Internet sources as a norm
Open source
dbWiz (Simon Frasier Univ. Lib.)
Keystone DLS (Index Data)
LibraryFind (Oregon St. Univ. Lib.)
OpenSite Search
More installations
Built-in, not separate s/w

9. AIM: jillNYS / Skype: jill.hurst.wahl
AIM: jillNYS / Skype: jill.hurst.wahl