lists, catalogs and portals: models and tools for e- resource access karen calhoun, associate...

Lists, Catalogs and Portals: Models and Tools for E-Resource Access

Karen Calhoun, Associate University Librarian for Technical Services, Cornell University LibraryLLNE Spring MeetingApril 30, 2004

30 Apr 2004 Calhoun, LLNE 2

What’s the Problem? What does the library “hold”? Multiple places to look Confusing Poor leverage of investment in

aggregations High labor costs Less than optimal service


What Do Users Want?

•Faculty and students do more work and study away from campus

•Loyal to the library, but library is only one element in complex information structure

•Print still important, but almost half of undergraduates say they rely exclusively or almost exclusively on electronic materials

•Seamless linking from one information object to another is expected

Do you use electronic sources all of the time, most of the time, some of the time, or none of the

time?

0%

10%20%

30%

40%50%

60%

All of thetime/most of

the time

Some of thetime

None of thetime

Responses

Per

cen

t

Faculty/Graduate

Undergrad


Toward a New Library Information Space

Methods and tools Web-accessible lists New role for catalogs Portals Reference linking

(OpenURL) E-resource

management systems

Objectives

Unite print, digital and e-collections

Integrate access to all library resources

Simplify digital and e-resource management (lower costs AND improve service)


What’s An Aggregation? Collection of publications in

electronic form Differ in size, content “Vanilla” “Tutti fruitti surprise”


Types of Aggregators Hosting service for publishers

Databases of full text (and citations/abstracts)

Gateways

Business Source Premier


Why Are They Here To Stay? One selection, one contract, many

titles Same scripting and security

requirements One interface, many titles Library users WANT THEM


Levels of Access Web-accessible lists

Browsing Searching Both

Online catalog Portals Reference linking

Web-accessible Lists: Homegrown, Serials Solutions+ example


Another Web-accessible list: Database-driven, Serials Solutions+ example


Another Web-accessible list: Serials Solutions straight up

Online Catalog Access: Single Record Technique


Online Catalog Access: Separate Record Technique


What’s a Portal? A tool for “organized knowledge

discovery” LCPAIG:

http://www.loc.gov/catdir/lcpaig/PortalFunctionalitiesList4PublicComment1st7-22-03.html#portalsfunctionalities




The Dream: A Unifying System Model

Other LibrariesCatalogs

Local Library Catalog

DigitalCollections

LicensedDatabases

Other(e.g.,DSpace)

Many diverse, separate interfaces

Portal: an Integrating System

Authentication layer

Unified Web Interface (“Google-like”)


What’s a Portal (Continued) Help users easily discover what resources

are available Help users discover what resources are

most useful for their topics Provide parallel searching of multiple

resources at the same time Integrate and manage search results Link search results to full text Authenticate and authorize or block user

access


Cornell’s Portal Implementation: Part Migration, Part New Functionality

EXISTING: “FIND DATABASES” & “FIND E-JOURNALS”

Search e-Reference metadata

Go to database from search results

Browse by subject Authenticate users for

restricted resources Search for e-journal titles

PLUS: “FIND ARTICLES”

Search at article level Simultaneous search

across multiple databases

Reference linking


Article Level Federated Searching - 1


Reference Linking Major domain for innovation Users expect fully linked information

environment Partnerships between content

providers, database producers, and library system vendors

Catalog represents one element of the interlinked environment


Reference Linking - 1


OpenURL

<URL>http://128.84.158.87:8888/lfp/LinkFinderPlus/Display?

&aulast=Przyblyski&atitle=Revolution+at+a+Standstill

%3A+Photography+and+the+Paris+Commune+of+1871&title=Yale+French+Stud

ies&volume=101&issn=0044-0078&spage=54&date=2001&pages=54-

78&stitle=YFS</URL>


Open Linking & Link Resolvers

A link resolver accepts metadata (an OpenURL) from a source and presents links based on logic and business rules administered locally

It knows what the user has access to Relies on “knowledge base”

Open Linking & Link Resolvers

Source Link Resolver

MetadataOPAC

Link

Full Text

ILL

Link

Link

Open linking introduces a “resolver” into the linking process

OpenURL standardizesthis part of the communication


Federated search: what’s missing Response time comparatively slow Practical limits to number of databases that can be:

Configured for searching Searched at once

Incomplete search results (also due to practical limits) Lack of control over what is returned in search result sets Order of search results displays not as useful as they

should be Other limitations on what can (or can’t) be displayed


Limitations of Reference Linking No link resolver and library doesn’t have access to full text

of journal Have link resolver, but knowledge base is incorrect or out of

date Inconsistent metadata within a database and across

databases Bad metadata Varied application of citation standards; non-use of citation

standards Library has full text for journal but not the volume/issue the

user wants Full text availability lags behind citation availability No alternative to “get full text” presented And on and on

Summary: Pros and Cons of 4 Levels of Access

Method/Tool Pros Cons

Web-accessible lists Many ways to produce oneAmenable to in-house solutionsCan use services like SerialsSolutions, TdnetUsers like them, some say users prefer them

Often incompleteHave to look in multiple places for holdings infoCan require dual maintenanceStatic lists can be hard to maintainAccess to journal only (not direct to articles)

Catalog access (via single or separate record technique)

One place to look (provided all are cataloged)Many ways to find (title, keyword, subject)

Can be incomplete (if not all cataloged)Can be expensive and slowAccess to journals only (not direct to articles)Some users find catalog searching/records complex

Portal Unified access to many discrete resources via one interfaceFederated search saves timeGood for discoveryAccess at article levelCan link search results to full textThis is how users want to work

Response time comparatively slowLimits on number of databases that can be searched at onceLimits of number of hits returned (searches not comprehensive)Same searches return different results from different databasesOrder of search results displays not as useful as they should be

Reference linking This is how users want to work, with fully interlinked info environmentSaves staff and user timeEasy and convenientCan provide other services as well as full text linkingCan make print collection more visible

To maximize usefulness, need link resolver and knowledge baseOpenURLs don’t always work (see list in presentation)


What Do We Need to Do? Figure it out together: collaborate with

selectors, acquisitions staff, reference staff, information technology staff

Share the work with other libraries and other organizations

Seek creative solutions; be nimble Libraries and librarians cannot win if they

do not play


Riding the Strawberry RoanHe says this here's one pony that's never been rode,And the man that gets on him is bound to get throwed.I got all het up and I asked what he'd payTo ride this old nag for a couple of days.Well, he offered me ten, and I says, "I'm your man,For the bronc isn't living that I couldn't fan."He says, "Get your saddle, I'll give you the chance."So we hopped in his buckboard and rode to his ranch.

Bibliography Blake, Miriam and Frances Knudson.

2002. Metadata and reference linking. LCATS 26 (3): 219-230.

Breeding, Marshall. 2004. The many facets of managing electronic resources. Computers in libraries 24 (1): 25-

Calhoun, Karen and Bill Kara. 2000. Aggregation or aggravation? Optimizing access to full text journals. ALCTS Newsletter Online 11 (1).

Calhoun, Karen. 2004. E-journal access using the catalog, federated search, and reference linking systems. Background paper for CONSER Summit. http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/catalog-fedsearch-openURL.html

Coombs, Karen A. 2004. Reaching the CROSSROADS of two lists for periodical holdings. Computers in libraries 24 (1): 14-

Degon, John and Liz Maisey. 2003. Linking to full text: using Serials Solutions. Conference presentation. http://www.nelinet.net/edserv/conf/cataloging/serials/assumpt.ppt

Friedlander, Amy. 2002. Dimensions and use of the scholarly information environment: introduction to a data set assembled by the Digital Library Federation and Outsell Inc. http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub110/contents.html

Meagher, Elizabeth S. and Christopher Brown. 2004. Gold Rush: integrated access to aggregated journal text through the OPAC. LRTS 48 (1): 69-76.

http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/catalog-fedsearch-openURL.html

http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/catalog-fedsearch-openURL.html

http://www.nelinet.net/edserv/conf/cataloging/serials/assumpt.ppt

http://www.nelinet.net/edserv/conf/cataloging/serials/assumpt.ppt

http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub110/contents.html

http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub110/contents.html

lists, catalogs and portals: models and tools for e- resource access karen calhoun, associate...

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