exposing library content with the niso metasearch xml gateway protocol
DESCRIPTION
The University of Illinois uses a locally developed metasearch service, "Easy Search". We have recently added the ability to query the metasearch program as RESTful web service, allowing library content to be promoted to external web pages such as departmental web presences or courseware.TRANSCRIPT
Exposing Library Content with the NISO Metasearch XML Gateway ProtocolElizabeth German, Josh Bishoff, William MischoGrainger Engineering LibraryUniversity of Illinois
Electronic Resources & LibrariesFebruary 2, 2010Austin, Texas
Introduction
• Beth, [email protected] , @eligerman• Josh, [email protected], @josh4lib
• #nisomxg
• Project is funded by:– Institute for Museum and Library Services;– National Science Foundation National Science
Digital Library (NSDL)
Summary
• Problems and solutions• Easy Search• NISO MXG Overview• Examples of our implementation• The future and beyond
Metasearch
• As a solution• Problems still• Easy Search at Illinois
DLF 2008 Fall Forum
Need for malleability• Libraries need to be able integrate their content
into the workflow of their users. • Must promote content to a diverse set of
environments/platforms.– Incorporation into…
• Digital collections• Courseware• OPAC• Class/Research websites• Subject guides• Personal portals
NISO Metasearch XML Gateway
• “low-barrier-to-entry method to expose content to metasearch services and more effectively interoperate with metasearching applications.”
• Based on well-understood and widely adopted information standards: XML, SRU
From NISO Metasearch Initiative, Metasearch XML Gateway Implementers Guide, Version 1.0
The Importance of Middleware
• The Easy Search Web Service:– Parses queries to optimize for each resource– Serves as a knowledge base of disparate vendor IR
functionality– Represents disparate responses coherently– Offers links to the user to the resource at the point
of completed search
Easy Search XML Gateway
• http://search.grainger.uiuc.edu/searchaid3/saresultsug.asp?version=1.1&db=scopus&query=gaas
• Parameter “version” denotes the SRU version• “db” is our in-house database codes• “query” is the string to be searched
XML Response
What you can do with this• Embed custom search interfaces into – Departmental Web Pages– Courseware– “widget” providers• iGoogle, Windows web Gadgets• Google & Windows Sidebar
• Meet library users where they work• Provide real functionality, not just links
Examples
• American History Online (DLF Aquifer)• IMLS Digital Content Creation project– Connecting secondary resources with primary
• NSDL• The Widget Package– Embedding Library resources with courseware,
Google gadgets, university portals, etc.
Website IntegrationNSDLhttp://search.grainger.illinois.edu/searchaid3/proxythruJB.asp?url=http://nsdl.org/search/?
q=clock&verb=Search&s=0&n=10&audience=3
American History Onlinehttp://www.dlfaquifer.org/IMLS DCC
http://imlsdcc.grainger.uiuc.edu/history/
From http://www.dlfaquifer.org
iGoogle, CMS examples
iGooglehttp://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=hades.grainger.uiuc.edu%2Fjosh%2F2010projects%2Fgadgets%2Fhealthsci.x
openCMShttp://cms.library.illinois.edu/cms/liblabs/easy.html
Problems and the Future• NISO MXG– Some vendors releasing APIs– Little standard adoption among vendors
• Easy Search XML– Further integration in services– Promoting to other libraries, departments
Selected source code,Implementation Documents,
Contact Information
• …Forthcoming at presentation.• Josh Bishoff– [email protected]
• Beth German– [email protected]
Additional Reading
• NISO Metasearch Initiative Metasearch XML Gateway Implementers Guide, Version 1.0, http://www.niso.org/publications/rp/RP-2006-02.pdf
• SRU: Search/Retrieval via URL: http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/
11/18/2009 NSDL Annual Meeting