1. Extending Access To Information Resource Discovery Service William E. Moen, Ph.D. Kathleen R. Murray, Ph.D. School of Library and Information Sciences Texas Center for Digital Knowledge University of North Texas Presentation to University of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 2003

2. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20032 The problem

3. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20033 A solution

4. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20034 Finding / exposing Finding: Users can find only what’s been exposed Exposing: How content is exposed determines how and if user can find it Goal: Allow easy discovery of and access to many information resources Strategy: Implement a single search interface to support resource discovery Tactic: Use standards and develop agreements for exposing and finding leading to interoperable systems and data

5. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20035 Resource discovery Discovering, identifying, and selecting useful resources Extends the reach and range of user access: Organizational, collections, and format boundaries Search and retrieval are core –Single database searching –Broadcast searching across similar databases –Broadcast searching across different databases

6. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20036 Resource discovery

7. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20037 Exposing / finding #1

8. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20038 Exposing / finding #2

9. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 20039 Exposing / finding #3

10. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200310 Exposing / finding #4

11. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200311 Library of Texas A Virtual Library Reaching Across Boundaries to Extend Access to A Range of Information Resources Collection Boundaries Organizational Boundaries Format Boundaries

12. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200312 ZLOT project Z Implementation Component of the Library of Texas (ZLOT) Develop standards-based approach for the virtual library Project Focus Identify requirements for resource discovery across library catalogs and online databases Demonstrate feasibility and utility of resource discovery tools Phase 1 – 2002: Design and specifications Phase 2 – 2003: Initial implementation

13. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200313 Virtual library facets Collections of resources – local and distributed Collaborative services and activities –Services for users –Services for librarians Tools that assist users in networked information resource discovery and access A management structure that allocates resources, determines policies, agrees on standards, etc.

14. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200314 Characterizing the VL An environment for provision of –Services –Resources Not a digital library –Not all resources available are in digital/electronic form An evolving product that responds to –Users’ needs –Available resources –Current and emerging technologies

15. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200315 Service-centric virtual library User Groups Resources Technology Management SERVICES

16. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200316 Services Layer Standard Information Interchange Among Services FinancialAuthorization Resource Sharing Patron Account Library Information Education Resource Discovery ReferencePersonalization

17. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200317 Functional requirements for LOT Resource Discovery Service Key Players –Advisory Group –Focus Groups Requirements –Search and Retrieval Interface –Search Interface –Retrieval Interface –Virtual Catalog –TexShare Databases Resource Discovery Service Virtual Catalog Search & Retrieval Interface TexShare Data bases

18. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200318 Resource Discovery: Functional View 1.TexShare Databases 2.Electronic Archive of Government Information 3.Statewide Virtual Catalog Content or Resource Collections Middleware LOT Search & Retrieval Interface 1.Broadcast Searching a.Similar Resources b.Dissimilar Resources 2.Common Retrieval Display 1.Translates Searches 2.Formats Retrievals 3.Interacts with Multiple IR Systems Information Retrieval Systems

19. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200319 Resource Discovery: Operational View Content OAI Repository Standards-based Search & Retrieval Protocols Proprietary or Non-standard Search & Retrieval Protocols Content Gateway Common Interface

20. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200320 Ease of searching: –Common interface for simple and advanced searching –Training needs are reduced Local library is present –Customizable interface to include local library Tools to help users –Select resources based on location, type, etc. –Indications of availability and “how to get” Utilization of valuable resources –Increased use of TexShare databases –Easier access to Texas libraries’ resources Benefits of LOT Resource Discovery Service

21. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200321 Z39.50 and resource discovery Information Retrieval (Z39.50): Application Service Definition and Protocol Specification Allows –Searching of databases on one or more systems –Retrieval of records from those system –Without user having detailed knowledge of each system Provides –Search and retrieval of bibliographic and non- bibliographic resources –Technical foundation for information access and resource sharing

22. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200322 Z39.50 model of information retrieval

23. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200323 How is Z39.50 being used? To provide a common way to interact with databases –Serving up bibliographic records from online catalogs –Serving up records from commercial databases –Using a single interface to search databases Information environments –Libraries –Commercial database providers –Government information locators (e.g., TRAIL) Applications –Bibliographic citation software (e.g., Procite, EndNote) –Portals –Virtual libraries Colorado, Illinois, Texas

24. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200324

25. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200325

26. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200326

27. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200327 Z39.50 client use in Texas libraries Source: ZLOT Technology Inventory and Assessment Survey, 2002

28. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200328 Z39.50 servers in Texas N=24

29. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200329 Z39.50 and virtual catalogs

30. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200330 Exposing / finding #2

31. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200331 OCLC’s WorldCat or virtual catalog Motivation –Focus group questions –Understanding of alternatives for resource disc. Activities –Determine public library holdings data academic library holdings data Texas holdings represented in OCLC’s WorldCat –Analyze and compare

32. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200332 Academic library holdings Academic library holdings: 33,458,040 (164 libraries) Holdings represented in WorldCat: 27,377,445 (81.8%)

33. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200333 Public library holdings Public library holdings: 27,466,347 (552 libraries) Holdings represented in WorldCat: 7,030,485 (25.6%)

34. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200334 Are there alternatives to Z39.50? It depends… what application/service do you want? And there are tradeoffs… what costs are incurred? Possible alternatives –Have users search individual databases through native interfaces – web interfaces make this a bit easier –Build large repositories of metadata (e.g., OAI) –Use customized translators and scripts (e.g. WebFeat) –Wait for new protocols and technologies (e.g., XML standards such as XML Query, XPath, etc.)

35. MoenUniversity of Texas at Arlington Library Staff, May 30, 200335 LOT RDS opportunities for UTA Participate as search target for RDS –Pilot Uplift Program –Express interest at: http://zeda.lis.unt.edu/zlot_wa5/client.php http://zeda.lis.unt.edu/zlot_wa5/client.php Participate as pilot for RDS application –Provide your users custom single search interface to: Texas library catalogs TexShare databases Locally licensed databases Others