[WEB4LIB] Which database to search? Database of Library (subject)

[Bret Parker]

I gave the database approach a lot of thought when we wanted to make our electronic databases more visible to customers.

After examining some articles written at the time and the number of databases we had (less than 30), it did not seem right for us. Given recent discussion on WEB4LIB, which you might want to review (under the subject line "Library web presence" or "In defense of stupid..."), I am wondering how much your end user's experience would be enhanced or not by 'yet another' database to find library resources.

Not the Google approach, but aiming at user friendliness, we created a directory type structure. Since our 1-ton gorilla database was InfoTrac OneFile (at the time, we had "General Reference Center Gold" -- a practically meaningless title to patrons and without any branding power), we wanted users to discover that a "general" tool would help them on  a subject-specific topic.

So, rather than drop that database into the easily overlooked category of "General" or "Reference," we placed that and other similar multidisciplinary databases (e.g., Biography Resource Center, NewsBank, etc.) all over the pages leading people to databases, under labels that would trigger "want that" responses closer to the scent of the search at hand.

By comparing directory driven portals of the day (circa 2002, I think), I came up with about 31 some-odd broad topic headings that all the databases would hang from, plus some media-type or language-specific headings (magazines online, newspapers online, and espanol). We sprinkled web resources, with the databases, so the user experience was one-stop shopping. (I say, "we" but this was largely a solo production in its early stages. So, what you don't like, please don't blame on the committee!)

The end result is, of course, a lot of coding because the general-purpose databases will be repeated on many pages. The method of implementation, however, was XML, XSLT, done on a publishing workstation built largely of open-source tools (text editor and InstantSaxon at the core.)  Then the static pages are uploaded to the server. 

I am still wedded to the described concept, though the implementation is morphing for various reasons. Its complete reincarnation is not yet ready for showtime, but what has been created, followed similar methods (and involved the work of many, unlike the first production).

The biggest downside is the need to "republish" *all* the pages that are touched by title changes/description changes when one wants to update or delete a cancelled subscription. The process is greatly sped up by the XML, XSLT manner of publishing. That said, there is a learning curve for learning to use this Swiss-army knife of web publishing. URL changes are easier to maintain as all URLs in the html are persistent. All links to a database point to a redirection script. If and when the URL changes, only the script file needs to be updated (and the proxy server config, if the resource is available to remote users). The scores of pointers to the resource go unchanged, in the event of a URL change.

At our web site http://www.stockton.lib.ca.us , to get an idea of what I am talking about, follow the link to "Find:  ... Databases" (just under the photos of the Kids), and choose the option in the upper right navigation bar "Databases, by subject." And that shows you the old screen with the 35 plus categories. 

Another approach that seems useful and attracts the user by "topic" and thereby appeals to the **browser** in every customer is implemented further down the main page of our web site (right side) under  "Hot Topics." Follow just about any topic, and we tell the customer about InfoTrac OneFile, Ancestry, NewsBank (or whatever database is most pertinent to the topic) AND the Library Online Catalog--with canned subject searches into our iBistro pac, encoded into the page, under less dyspeptic headings, than LCSH offers. See the Genealogy pages  for example, http://www.stockton.lib.ca.us/subjects/geneal/ , and you see a link in the right navigation bar, "Genealogy--Getting Started" that hides an iBistro subject keyword search which attempts the equivalent of this LCSH subject search: "United States--Genealogy--Handbooks, manuals, etc."  (granted, with Unicorn it is not quite precise, but good enough for the shotgun approach). 

Don't know if this is useful for the audience in your setting or for the resources you have, but it is a similar activity, public or academic. Our project was possible largely because my supervisor gave me the time to develop it and it was reasonable to do with the few databases we had. For the in development pages, that have a richer selection of web links, a team of librarians coded the XML records describing each web link (The genealogy example.) Given their other responsibilities, that was a considerable resource commitment, as will be the maintenance of all those links they picked.

Bret Parker
Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library
Stockton, CA
  http://www.stockton.lib.ca.us 

>>> Mark Allan <mark.allan at angelo.edu> 05/06/05 12:24 PM >>>
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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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...