Which database to search? Database of Library (subject) Databases

[Mark Allan]

Colleagues,

This posting is going out to both libref-l and web4lib.

In my library we are looking at updating both our website as well as 
creating portal channels for our new University Wide Portal.  In order to 
make students aware of the electronic databases that we have available, our 
electronic resources librarian has proposed a searchable "database of 
databases" (or possibly utilizing the online catalog), so if a student is 
interested in business, they'd type in "business", and a list of databases 
meeting this description would be revealed.  I have a number of questions 
related to this topic:

1. Do any of your libraries do this?  If so, can you give me a URL pointing 
to the pertinent URL that I can look at?
2. What software does you library use to accomplish this purpose, or is it 
home-grown java?
3.  Is your OPAC configured to provide this service?  If yes, is there an 
accessible URL?
4. What keywords describing the databases are used and indexed, and how do 
you arrive at the pertinent words and import them into the database?

I appreciate your help!


Mark

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Mark Allan
Head, Reference Unit
Porter Henderson Library
Angelo State University
ASU Station #11013
San Angelo, Texas 76909-1013
(325) 942-2511
(325) 942-2198 (FAX)
mark.allan at angelo.edu
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I love the smell of book dust in the morning.  It smells like...... knowledge.
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Any opinions given above do not necessarily reflect those of the Porter
Henderson Library, Angelo State University, the Texas State University
System, the state of Texas...