[WEB4LIB] "value added" engines

Paul H. Gray phgray at tcjc.cc.tx.us
Mon Sep 28 10:50:43 EDT 1998


At 06:28 AM 9/28/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Web4lib--
>The Northern Light search engine has a component that locates searchers'
>keyword input from a "special collection" (this amounts to a
>bibliographic database of magazine and journal articles). . .

Unless the vendor is careful to have touched all the necessary bases -- 
It also amounts to wandering dangerously close to copyright infringement

There is a case on this very point involving Northern Light in particular
that is currently still in litigation (as far as I know- if it has been
settled someone tell me where I can find the specifics).

>Is anyone aware of any other search engines that offer this service,
>namely, to do a parallel search in a database of traditional print
>publications?

I am sure you are aware of commercial services like ProQuest Direct and
EbscoHost - unfortunately they search only their databases - and not the web. 
NOTE to the folks at UMI - have you thought of adding web searching feature?

I don't know - but I would suspect until a clear settlement has been
reached and some simple way of dealing with all the legal pitfalls has been
developed - developers of Web search engines are going to be a bit leary of
venturing into collecting printed materials.

BTW -
Lest I be misunderstood -- I think this is a great idea --  if someone
knows of someone who has dealt with all these issues successfully - I too
would love to try their product.

{All standard disclaimers apply}
Paul H. Gray, Learning Resources Manager	Phone:  (817)515-6623               
TCJC Northeast LRC				Fax:    (817)515-6275
828 Harwood Road				E-Mail: phgray at tcjc.cc.tx.us
Hurst, Texas 76054


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