Oct
The Axiell blog published an article: Data well - the kiss of death? Here’s the first paragraph:
When Federated Search software failed to deliver “One search to find them all” in a reasonable and comfortable way alternatives were brought to the table. Winning concepts for the time being are “Federated indexes” or “Data Wells”. What are these creatures? They could be described as containers of metadata. Such containers are commercial alternatives like Ebsco Discovery and Serial Solutions Summon and publicly funded like Summa from Århus University Library.
The article makes a key point that is often overlooked:
If the “Well” is constructed as a Web Service the local library webs can choose how they want to present the metadata and it will then be a part of the local service image. It will serve the local library web platform interactivity.
The point here is that a library needs to add value to information it makes available to its patrons otherwise the value of the library can come into question. With a web service interface to data wells the library can combine offerings from different wells and build services their users need.
The Axiell article provides a number of excellent questions to consider about how to make metadata available to patrons:
- What metadata wants the library to present
- How does the library want to present the local metadata
- What local services does the library want to couple (mash up) with external metadata
- What external services does the library want to couple with the local metadata
- What metadata should be coupled to searches in the libraries web site
- What metadata does the library want to couple to external or local Social Media functionality
- What metadata should be available in the libraries mobile phone solutions
- What metadata does the library want to stream to services in the local civil society
- What metadata should be searchable together with metadata from other cultural institutions in the local community
- What metadata can be used by the library patrons
- What metadata is available to partners
- What metadata should be presented in which order, which form? Physical media, own digital collection, chosen electronic media, externally available media, national collections etc… In one, two or three steps?
Read the whole Axiell article here.
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Tags: federated search
