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Federated Search Engines – the Unified Search Environment: The Western Health Library Experience
| This paper seeks to provide the ‘low-down’ and ‘hands-on’ experience in terms of processes involved, in the implementation of a Federated Search Engine, in a Health Sciences Library setting.
While the experience here is peculiar to our Health Sciences Library, the principles and applications far exceed these limitations, and are applicable in other Libraries.
Libraries in this ‘cyber age’ provide access to a variety of databases in a variety of disciplines. Federated search engines have emerged in order to provide a far - reaching service to our end users viz ‘unifying’ and providing ‘cross searching’ of databases and information. This saves valuable time by bridging the gap between ‘searching’ and ‘acquiring’ relevant information in a timely fashion.
It highlights the following:
What is Federated Searching?
What are the basic functionalities of the Unified Search Environment as used in NSW, VIC, ACT, NT, and WA state-wide public health information portals.
From chaos to cohesion - providing a single point of entry (a portal) allowing access to a myriad of on-line databases provided by a variety of vendors.
Using the “GO DIRECT” menu to log in and out of individual databases.
Basic Searching using the federated search.
The importance of the thesaurus.
Dealing with the vendor, in an effort to provide a constantly evolving and enhanced on-line access service to Users of the Organisation.
Why Federated Search is an aid, and not a replacement, for a librarian.
Pitfalls to look out for in the entire process.
In conclusion - is Federated Searching a good investment?
Looking to the future of Federated Searching including.
Automated Journal and Textbook authentication and linking.
Handing back control to the Librarian using Content Management Systems. |
| Series Title: |
LIANZA Conference 2006 Papers |
| Author: |
Vanessa Craven |
| Copyright: |
2006 |
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