project lefty more bang for the search buck
DESCRIPTION
Project Lefty is a proposed search system that, at a minimum, adds a layer on top of traditional federated search tools that will make the wait for results more worthwhile for researchers.TRANSCRIPT
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PROJECT LEFTY
Ken Varnum
University of Michigan Library12 April 2010
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Agenda
1. Project Lefty as submitted to Deep Web Technologies Federated Search contest
2. Working prototype based on the concept
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RIGHT Database
• Based on query• Select appropriate targets to search
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RIGHT Query
• Depending on target• Pick the right query to use
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RIGHT Academic Level
• We can know a lot about our patrons• Registrar’s data• Previous searching history• Academic status
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PROJECT LEFTY
WHY?
Because three rights make a left
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But Seriously
Started 18 months ago• Before age of ‘web scale discovery’• Make wait for results more worthwhileCuriosity• Does one size fit all?• Do personalized results get the patron
anywhere?
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Prototype
Worked with 6 subject specialistsDeveloped a prototype that• Knows courses you’ve taken or
taught• Intuits subject domains to search in• Focuses query to suit
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Results
“You get fewer results, but they’re better”
- Music subject specialist
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Sample Searches
Search for ‘depression’ as- Undergrad history major- Teaching Assistant in economics- Graduate student in psychology
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Undeclared Undergraduate
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Graduate Student in Economics
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Graduate Student in Psychology
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How
• Prototype as shown uses the Summon API• Seeded with lists of journals– Novice– Advanced
• Searching, but not custom results, works on Metalib’s X-Server
• Next steps -- mapping query to subject domains
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Credits
Beau Case Paul Grochowski Jennifer Nason Davis
Marisa Conte Pam Mackintosh Scott Martin
• Judy Yu (Developer)• Albert Bertram (Lead Developer)• John Law & Andrew Nagy at Summon• Library Subject Specialists
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Thank You
Ken VarnumWeb Systems ManagerUniv. of Michigan Library
Email [email protected] @varnumBlog www.rss4lib.com
Library Sitehttp://www.lib.umich.edu
MLibrary Technology Bloghttp://mblog.lib.umich.edu/blt