The Future of the OCLC SiteSearch Suite Brenda Bailey

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The Future of the OCLC SiteSearch SuiteBrenda
Bailey
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OCLC SiteSearch Update

• Introduction - Brenda Bailey
• User Support Update - Vicki Mueller
• SiteSearch 4.1 Overview - Becky Babyak
• SiteSearch 4.1 Demo - Lisa Cox
• Y2K and Beyond - Pat Stevens
• Enhancement Suggestions (from Breakout Sessions)
• User Meeting Feedback

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OCLC SiteSearch User Support and Custom
ServicesUpdateVicki Mueller
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Topics

• Expanded Staff
• Integrated support web site in training and
  documentation site
• Demonstration of the site

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OCLC SiteSearch Support Update

• Expanded Staff
• Added 2 support staff since December
• Changed first line support contact
• Integrated support web site in training and
  documentation site - Help Zone
• Known Bug List Updates
• Frequently Asked Questions
• SiteSearch listserv archives
• Problem Report Form

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Demonstrationhttp//purl.oclc.org/sitesearch/
helpUsername sitesearchPassword jassi
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OCLC SiteSearch 4.1 OverviewBecky Babyak
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OCLC SiteSearch 4.1 Highlights

• Integrate Information Resources
• New Merged Results and De-duplication
• Access that meets user needs
• New Vocabulary Assisted Searching
• Build local information resources
• New Record Builder component
• Available July 1999

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OCLC SiteSearch WebZ Enhancements

• Merged Result Sets
• Duplicate Record Detection
• Vocabulary Assisted Searching
• Enhanced remote Z39.50 access
• - Configuration for all six bib-1 attribute types
• - Query customized for the target database

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Merged Result Sets

• Modified cross database record navigation
• Sorts merge records from all databases
• Database name displayed in record

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Duplicate Record Detection

• Z39.50 Duplicate Detection Service
• Duplicate records are available for display
• Defined at the database level
• System Administrator can configure
• Fields in the record which make up the dedup key
• Dedup threshold (maximum number of records)
• Must have merged result sets for dedup

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Vocabulary Assisted Searching

• Helps end users
• Find subject terms related to their query
• Determine the best terms for their query
• Provides thesaurus support when available
• Target database has associated thesaurus
• Results in approved terms from thesaurus entries
• Related term list when no thesaurus

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OCLC SiteSearch Database Builder Enhancements

• Batch online update
• Users can search database
• while its being updated
• New Record Builder component

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OCLC SiteSearch Record Builder Component

• Build local information resources
• Create metadata records via the Web
• Add records to a database in real time
• Edit and modify records
• Links to external digital objects
• Current database builder licensees receive as an
  update

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OCLC SiteSearch 4.1 DemoLisa Cox
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Y2K and BeyondPat Stevens
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Libraries and Information Access

• Know information
• Know their patrons
• Know how their patrons use information
• Best suited to be information gateways
• Best suited to organize local information
• Cant do it all alone

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How Can SiteSearch Help

• Look at product history
• Look at near term plans
• Hear your ideas

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SiteSearch 1.0

• One product
• Batch database building
• Z39.50 server
• TTY Z39.50 client
• very limited customization
• FirstSearch at your library

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SiteSearch 3.0

• Web-based Z39.50 client
• Proprietary HTTP server
• Proprietary customization
• Format Control Language
• WebZ Entity Language (Ralph)
• Obi as starter interface
• Same Z39.50 and Database Building
• Proprietary Imaging Support

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SiteSearch 4.0

• Java based
• Standard HTTP and open architecture
• Enhanced Z39.50 architecture
• Virtual database capabilities
• Even for non Z39.50
• Same Database Building

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SiteSearch 4.1 Emphasis

• Improve Database Building
• Creating Metadata
• Online Update
• RDF and XML framework
• open architecture
• Continued enhancements to WebZ

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Next Pears -- Better Databases

• Simpler databases -- 1 database file
• Java-based Database Build Utilities
• Open architecture
• Customized normalization and indexing
• Unicode
• Indexing support for loosely structured text like
  EAD

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Easier to Use Than Newton

• Fewer Files
• Files Grow Automatically
• Fewer Programs

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Automatic File Growth

• Newton files are preconfigured for size. (IBM
  Mainframe file model)
• Pears databases grow automatically. (Standard
  UNIX file model)

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Five Files Become One
Newton
PDB
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Become One Pears Program
Bartlett
Pears
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More Functionality

• Unicode
• User Customizable Indexing
• Relevance Ranking
• Online Update
• Embeddability

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More Reliability

• Java environment catches many errors
• Methods throw exceptions which must be handled
  somewhere
• Updates fail safely

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New File Architecture Lets Updates Fail Safely

• Changes to the database are written to a separate
  file and not committed until all changes have
  completed successfully.
• Changes at the end of the file are committed
  first.

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Enhancements over Newton

• Unlimited Number of Indexes
• Index Nodes Binary-Searchable
• Short Postings Lists in Index
• Postings List Maps arbitrarily large
• Variable Length Integers

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Conversion Programs Gone!

• Use RecordHandlers Instead!
• Can already read USMARC, SGML/XML, BER, .DB and
  .PDB
• Support user defined filters
• RecordHandler class still usable as conversion
  program

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DBDESC Language Gone!

• Use dbdesc.ini Instead!
• DB
• blocksize16384
• InputRecordTypeSGML
• Nameddc21
• RecordHandler
• TagsFileddc21.tags

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DBDESC (cont.)
BasicIndex index1 tagpath25/1 tagpath28/1 r
outineORG.oclc.pears.Bartlett.SmartWords Occurenc
eRoutineORG.oclc.pears.Bartlett.wordfield stopwor
dable ...
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Breakout Session Feedback from You
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Formatting Classes Group

• More Documentation/instructions/ JavaDoc for
  formatting classes
• Formatting classes with simpler setup
• Quick easy classes that fully implement MARC
• FCL-like tool
• Optimize response time
• Will .ini files affect this

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Non-Z39.50 Access Group

• Web-based configuration and admin
• Add Obi Topics to user profile
• Define Record structure outside formatting
  classes
• i.e., Formatting configuration files

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Access Component Group

• Better documentation
• General solutions that work across vendors
• Enhanced Access Servers

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Interface Design Group

• Better reference materials (object interaction
  diagrams)
• Examples of other users implementations
• Ability to export citations into local citation
  management software (e.g., Endnote, ProCite)

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Database Builder Group

• Friendly dynamic updates for 4.1
• Formatting for databases defined in the
  configuration files
• Web interface to the configuration files
• Endnote to query SiteSearch

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Resource Sharing Group

• Easy Authentication
• Opportunities for shared discussion
• Models that work
• Archive for sharing opportunities
• How tos in the documentation
• Easier to find documentation