Federated Searching

Computers in Libraries 2007

The Concept• One search interface

– Will search across any online resource you include– Everything will be searched simultaneously– Search hits will be compiled on a single screen

• Discovery tool– Patrons will find and use new online resources– Each online service will have its chance to “shine”

Set-up• Select a vendor

– WebFeat (broadest array of target databases)?– Central Search (nice clustering)?– Smaller fry (Metalib, etc.)?

• Make sure all your targets are recognized– You may pay one-time fee to have target included– Determine which targets you actually need

• Aggregate databases may be your best friend• Individual journal titles may be unnecessary as targets

Set-up (Continued)• Experiment with targets

– Which work the way you want?– Which don’t—will the vendor tweak its approach?

• Determine your search categories– By format?– By subject?– Mix of both?

Recommended Balance• Reference works & encyclopedias

• Journals

• Online books

• Databases

• In-house content

Persnickety Question• Include Google or Wikipedia?

– Bill it as “one-stop shopping”– Make it all-inclusive– Wean researchers away from the open Internet and

toward more authoritative sources, without sacrificing their loyalty to Google

• Exclude Google or Wikipedia?– Bill it as Library-approved search tool– Bill it as authoritative sources only

What To Expect• No database discoveries!

– Researchers will stick with what they know– No “shining stars” will exhibit themselves

• Upsetting usage statistics!– Search phrases used will make librarians cringe– Previously popular databases will remain popular;

researchers won’t be weaned from favorites– Very little “culture change” – old habits die hard

Contact Information

Bradley E. Gernand

Library Manager

Institute for Defense Analyses

bgernand@ida.org

703-845-2405