Meta-search engines

[Fritzi Batchelor]

As is the case with many of you, the University of Connecticut is reviewing
our local diverse database structures where we reflect holdings either
physical or virtual/licensed.  We have:   OPAC; Cold-Fusion-delivered
databases (with records to access electronic journals, commercial databases
and aggregated contents from commercial providers);  "maverick" databases
for small, specialized collections; finding aids, and now local digital
collections databases.

The greatest strength of our databases and structures is that they it suits
either the source content or specific user needs.  There is not a common
taxonomy, record standard or subject thesaurus across our database sources.
Authentication and rights management are further challenges.  The greatest
drawback is that we must direct users to search each database serially and
the users must be aware of the search peculiarities for each database.

Although we use Z39.50 connections/links, there clearly limits to the extent
it can provide the meta-search capabilities we seek.

We are aware of several ILS vendor-provided meta-search software products:
EnCompass -- from Endeavor
SFX -- from ExLibris
? -- from OCLC (sorry, I forgot the name, it was on this list earlier last
month).

We want to be able to simultaneously search MARC, Dublin Core, XML, TEI, EAD
at least, while taking advantage of the unique filter/limit ability of those
formats.  We want a lot of control over how searches work and what is
retrieved -- layered granularity (e.g., all resources, all journals, just
e-journals from a specific aggregator, etc.)  We would love to be able to
search straight through to our commercial vendors' databases, directly to
the full text sources (without intermediate pages).  We would also like
fairly sophisticated single authentication as part of the meta-search.

The inherent challenge with a "one search fits all" strategy is that usually
some functionality is sacrificed and the search/retrieval falls to the
lowest common denominator that applies to all of the target databases.

So....  If any of you find the perfect product that meets our desires above,
drop me a note.

Thanks

Fritzi Batchelor
Head, Information Technology Services
University of Connecticut Libraries
369 Fairfield Rd, U-5SY
Storrs, CT.  06269-1005
Phone:  (860) 486-5397   Fax:  (860) 486-3593
Email:  fritzi.batchelor at uconn.edu
Web:  http://www.lib.uconn.edu/~fbatchelor