[Web4lib] Federated Search versus Crawler or Spider

[McIntyre, Ruth]

Dear Colleagues

 

I manage the Livestock Library, http://www.livestocklibrary.com.au/
<http://www.livestocklibrary.com.au/> , an online database of links to over
22,000 journal articles and conference papers about livestock production
developed for the benefit of all participants in Australia's livestock
industries.

 

We wish to also provide access to information that has been written for
producers (farmers); however producer information changes frequently, so it
is important to access current information from its publishers' sites.  We
are having a debate as to whether a federated search or a spider/crawler is
the best way to access this information.  There are probably about 20 - 30
target sites, most of which are freely available to the public and do not
require authentication. 

 

We have trialled a federated search and are reasonably confident it will
work with the target sites, though it is preferable for target sites to have
advanced search screens, which is not always the case.

 

I would be interested to know the opinion of list members.

 

Kind regards

 

Ruth McIntyre

 

 

Ruth McIntyre

Manager, Livestock Library

c/- Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 

3 Baron Hay Court

South Perth  WA  6151

 

Tel:  61 8 9368 3611

Mob:  0409 688 546

Fax:  61 8 9368 4051

e-mail:  rmcintyre at agric.wa.gov.au <mailto:rmcintyre at agric.wa.gov.au> 

 

www.livestocklibrary.com.au <http://www.livestocklibrary.com.au> 

The leading Australian site for credible beef and sheep industry
publications.

 

I work part-time, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

 

 



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