Metasearch Unbound: Corporate Library Perspectives

•Utilizing Unbundled Software•Probing Pros & Cons•Canvassing Capabilities•Reserving Resources •Customizing Code•Understanding Users & Usability

Utilizing Unbundled Software

• Who? Library staff; peers; partners; clientele ( admin, marketing, production, R&D, etc. )

• What? Databases, ILMS, e-bks, e-jrnls

• Where? Extranet or intranet hosting

• When? Development and budget cycles

• How? Personnel, hardware & software

• Why? Establishing need

Probing Pros & Cons

• Customization: Flexibility; look & feel; gadgets; statistics

• Equipment & Maintenance: Hosting – internal/external; networks; vendors; IT

• Coordination: Hardware & software; resource vendors, partners & IT; quality controls & application upgrades

• Security: Internet; intranet; dial-up

Canvassing Capabilities

• Vendor:– Project management experience– Technological prowess ( applications

hosting; programming staff )– Application features, depth and flexibility

• Library:– Needs assessment– Budgetary reserves– Technological support

Reserving Resources

• Equipment: Communications; servers; networks

• Software: Translators; operating systems; communications; networking; statistical analyzers

• Budget: Hardware & software; vendors & IT support; quality control & maintenance

• Staff: Project mgmt.; IT expertise; user training

Customizing Code

• Look & feel: Library branding• Queries: Meeting partners needs; increasing

usability• Help texts: Utilizing existing resource info• Translators: Determining field maps and

default search operators; quality control• Post-processing: Value-added tweaks to

retrieved resource links• Security: Proprietary and commercial

resource access control

Understanding Users & Usability

• Feedback: Ease of access

• Focus Groups: Composition & guidance

• Partners: Resource sharing; design input; reciprocal site linking

• Peers: Cooperation vs. competition

• User Surveys: Optional or required responses; frequency & timing

• Reality check: Budgeting for upgrades