Central Search / “Multi-Search” Federated Searching at Portland State University

Adriene Lim, 2007 OLA Annual Conference

Overview

• Why Central Search? • Implementation issues• System functionality, features • Integration of system • Assessment efforts to date • Next steps in 2008/2009?

Why Central Search?

• Metafind, MetaLib, and Central Search examined, quotes obtained– Interface preference– Support model compelling – Vivisimo results clustering– Touted high number of readily available

connections • Bundled purchase: Central Search, Article

Finder, A-Z MARC serials records• Customer and user feedback very

positive• Quick implementation timeline

Some Implementation Issues• Not everyone convinced about the

value of federated searching• First step: agree on why and for whom

we were building the system • Second step: agree on design,

defaults, search categories, databases, Library catalog and Google Scholar placement

• Beta-tested the system with users first, getting feedback, suggestions

System functionality, features

• Hosted support model• Purchased 100-resources tier• Fast integration with Serials Solutions

coverage data, OpenURL resolver, RefWorks, etc.

• Flexible templates for design• Clustering by Topic, Date, Journal,

Author• Access to XML-based Application

Programming Interface (API)

Alternative Homepage Toolbar to be tested soon with users

Assessment EffortsWeb Survey / User feedback – Examples: • Student: “Just started using this and I already think its

a major improvement. Love the clustered results.“ • Staff Comment:  "This seems like a good service since I

typically search multiple databases one at a time.” • Student: "Wonderful, helpful, great, fantastic.”• Anonymous:  "I like this new feature to search across

multiple databases at the same time. But the accuracy of the results has not been very good."

• Student:  "Forward & back buttons or arrows instead of just clicking page numbers would be good."

• Anonymous: "I like it, but it'll take practice to utilize. Glad Google Scholar is in there too!“

• Faculty: "Hey, just a brief note to tell you that I love this! Just used it for a reference question and it works pretty well."

Assessment EffortsFeedback from subject librarians – examples: • “I usually introduce it now in my discipline specific

upper division classes and graduate classes. Students seem to like it. I usually discuss how it is useful as a 'discovery tool', and that it is only able to search using a keyword strategy so to be aware of the tremendous pitfalls associated with only using the strategy if one is trying to do an extensive survey of the available literature on a topic.”

• “I use it…as an exploratory tool…I showed them how to use it to find some new subject databases worth exploring for their topic - where they could switch to do more sophisticated searches.”

Next Steps in late 2008/2009

• License expires in mid-2009 • Issues to explore in late 2008:

– Continue with Central Search and other packaged purchases?

– Open source alternatives (Portland State Library readiness for this?)

– Developments in field - e.g. WorldCat Local Pilot, Google Scholar, others?

Thank you!

Adriene LimSystems LibrarianLeader of Library TechnologiesPortland State University Library

E-mail: alim@pdx.eduPhone: 503.348.0883