1. …bringing wider access to digital libraries and electronic information
MetaSearch
…bringing wider access to digital libraries and electronic information
Dr Peter Noerr
CTO, MuseGlobal, Inc.
Here you discuss and draw the audience into agreement that the vast array of resources available today has left the librarian and the user in a difficult position.
Point out that this is what we do. It’s not a side line used to sell them something else. This puts us in a position to deal with any other vendor in a way that we likely could not if we were an ILS producer doing this as a sideline.

2. Outline Overview of Metasearch Benefits Possible applications
Definitions
Functions and capabilities
Benefits
Possible applications
Providing wider access
Message: 1) We have a brief corporate history but this is not new ground for us. We are familiar with and familiar to this the library market.
They are not going to have to educate us on their needs or constraints.
I always like to use the example of the Title 3111 de-duplication scheme. People new to the field or less experienced in the field typically don’t know about this identification scheme from OCLC because it’s not widely used today. I first looked at that and thought it was a typo. This is what applied experience gets for the customer.

3. Overview - functionality
Simultaneous searching
Combined results
Search mapping
Record formatting
Post-search Processing
Portals and customisation
Message:
“Broadcast Searching” has been around for a long time. Most people think of it mainly in the context of Z39.50 library catalogs. I listen for what term the customer uses—Super Searching, Meta-Search, Federated Search, Portal Searching, etc., and use that term when you can establish that it is what we mean. This way you link what they want with what we have.
Warn customers that other companies (e.g. Ex Libris) will represent their products as “multi-protocol” too, In fact though they can only accommodate two or three—and one of those is for their own ILS product. If that is the standard to apply then MuseSearch is an any-protocol solution.
Presumably the point to searching is to obtain a set of desirable records. In order to do that users typically need to refine and manipulate the set of records to fit their criteria. In view of that, the more record and search processing options that are available, the more likely it is that searchers will be successful. MuseSearch offers the widest array of de-duplicating, sorting, filtering, ranking, display, etc., options available anywhere. All options are available either prior to executing the search or after results come back. Furthermore, the same set of options is available to use on saved result sets in the MuseSearch Workroom.

4. I only use this with trained technical people
I only use this with trained technical people. This shows everything we need to explain the multi-protocol and native searching capabilities of MuseSearch.

5. MetaSearch is standards based
Search protocols: http, Z39.50, SIPII, NCIP, OpenURL, SQL, XML, SOAP, etc.
record formats: MARC, Dublin Core, XML, HTML, UNICODE
profiles: Bath, Z-Texas, US National, etc.
Transactions: LDAP, Telnet, etc.
Message: MuseSearch runs on the Information Connection Engine.
Multiple formats supported: MARC, ASN-1, bib-1, -2, XML-DTD, -schema, RFP, UDDI, Dublin Core, Q.DC, EAD, etc.
Interoperability standards are in-built in Muse (Profiles: Bath, Z-Texas; Description; TREC, etc)

6. Metasearch benefits Single user interface
Vastly improved subject coverage
Reduced time and workload
Accepted by Content Provider partners
Integrates with existing systems
Low computer requirements
Judge you audience here. Some feel patronized with something this blunt. I use it more often than not and often see people taking notes when the slide goes up.

7. Possibilities and Opportunities
Regulatory - Patent, regulation ,standard , best practice
Education - Textbook, e-journal, courseware, reference
Corporate - Report, , product info, business data
Research - Literature, report, patent, databank
Medical - Patient record, drug data, best practice, terminology

8. Wider access Ease of use One interface to learn
Consistent result format
Standardised functionality operation
Multi-lingual search and results
Multi-lingual interface

9. Wider access Broadcast search No changing targets
Single seach language
Single authentication
Simultaneous searching

10. Wider access Data Transmission One search page, one results page
Server handles heavy traffic
Low bandwidth to user is possible
Agreements with Content Providers for special efficient searching

11. Wider access Reduced search time (typically 50%)
Makes better use of scarce computers
Heavy traffic on server
Can use low bandwidth (dial-up) locally
Single interface
Ease of use for novice users
Customised interface
Adapted to local population and users

12. Thank You www.museglobal.com pnoerr@museglobal.com +1 (801) 208 1882
Use this just to list any useful information (day’s agenda, etc.) and close the presentation.