Ray Denenberg Ralph LeVan Workshop 20 March 25, 2006; Washington Metasearch - the NISO Initiative.

Ray Ray DenenbergDenenberg

Ralph LeVanRalph LeVan

Workshop 20Workshop 20

March 25, 2006; WashingtonMarch 25, 2006; Washington

Metasearch - the NISO Initiative

Metasearch

…. Also known as

parallel search

federated search

broadcast search

cross-database search

NISO: Definition, Problem, Challenge

NISO Definition “search and retrieval spanning multiple databases,

sources, platforms, protocols, and vendors at one time.”

the Problem ..... Current systems require users to know how to select,

access and search specific databases.

and the corresponding Challenge ..... To create an environment that helps users find what

they are seeking while minimizing what they need to know

NISO: “Why Bother?”

Because most patrons do not care where information is or who packaged it.

Because Google cannot do it all.

NISO Metasearch Initiative: Goals

metasearch service providers offer more effective and responsive services

content providers deliver enhanced content protect their intellectual property

libraries deliver services that distinguish them from

Google and other free web services.

ClientClientMeta-Meta-

searchersearcher DatabaseDatabase

Metasearch Topological Entities

ClientClientMeta-Meta-

searchersearcher

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabase

Metasearch Topological Model

Recall Goals:

metasearch service providers to offer more effective and responsive services

content providers to deliver enhanced content and protect their intellectual property

libraries to deliver services that distinguish them from Google and other free web services.

Entities

Topological

ClientMetasearcher

Database

NISO Defined:

LibraryMetasearch

ProviderContent

Provider

ClientClientMeta-Meta-

searchersearcher DatabaseDatabase

Service provider

ContentproviderLibrary

offer more effective and responsive services deliver enhanced content;

protect intellectual property

deliver “distinguished”

services

ClientClientMeta-Meta-

searchersearcher

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabaseProtocolProtocolProtocolProtocol

Protocol Model

ClientClientMeta-Meta-

searchersearcher

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabaseProtocolProtocolProtocolProtocol

Metasearch Protocol Model

Meta-Meta-searchersearcher

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabase

DatabaseDatabaseProtocolProtocol

Metasearch Protocol

NISO Metasearch Initiative

Metasearch Initiative Committee Charge

identifying/developing standards/ best practices to improve interoperability between metasearch engines, and content providers

identifying a simple search/retrieve protocol to help database providers more effectively interoperate with metasearching applications.

Metasearch Initiative Committee Charge - Boiling it Down

interoperability between metasearch engines and content

providers.

protocol Identifying one - for interoperability between

metasearch engines and content providers.

Task Groups

TG 1: Access Management

TG2: Collection Description

TG 3: Search/Retrieve

TG 1: Access Management

Authentication

Authorization

Potential Authentication Technologies.

Proprietary APIsNCIP. SIP2.LDAPShibbolethKerberosAthens (UK) .PAPITequila

Non-authenticated identificationIP recognitionProxy ServersReferring URLEmbedded data in URLVendor provided JavascriptCookiesShouting

TG1 Recommendations

Now IP authentication Username / Password

Potential for the future Shibboleth

TG2: Collection Description

Service Description: used by applications to determine how to access remote services.

Collection Description: used by humans or applications to select collections from those made available by a metasearch service.

TG 3: Search/Retrieve

Describe current practice….. vocabulary ….. template …… Inventory …… Citation level data elements Investigate Result Set and

Record level metadate Review SRW/SRU and recommend

modifications

TG 3: Search/Retrieve

Citation level data elements

Investigate Result Set and Record level metadata

Review SRW/SRU and recommend modifications

Citation Level Data Elements

http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/MI-Citation_Elements_v1.pdf

Result Set and Record level metadata

Result Set metadataBranding ClusteringDatabase nameDiagnostic messagesList of termsPostings, count by termRecord countResources used Result statusSort order

Record Level metadataApplication URICharacter SetConstraintsCost InfoDates (creation, last modified, reviewed)LanguagePosition in result setProcessing instructionsRankScoreSize

Review SRW/SRU and recommend modifications

(None.)

And Along Comes ......

Metasearch XML Gateway

“MXG”