Federated to Library Service Platforms Nikesh Narayanan discusses the transition from individual library databases to integrated search platforms. He covers why integrated search is important, options like federated search and web-scale discovery, parameters for evaluating these systems, and recent advances like linked data and integration with knowledge graphs. Library service platforms are emerging as all-in-one solutions that manage collections, discovery, resource management and more. Major commercial providers and the open source FOLIO project are outlined.

1. Federated to Library Service Platforms
Facilitating integrated search to library resources
Nikesh Narayanan
Asst. Prof &IT Librarian, Zayed University, Dubai

2. Topics
Why Integrated search?
What are the options
&evaluation parameters
Recent trends

3. Why integrated search is
essential ?

4. Academic Library resources
• Focus more on e-resources ( born digital and gone digital)
• E-book
• E-journals
• Databases
• Institutional repositories
• Special digital collections
• Less emphasis on print resources
• Print books
• Other physical materials

5. Can you go and search each individual databases ?

6. Disjoint Sources of Information
• Books: Library OPAC (ILS module)
• Articles from Individual e-Journals
• Various e-Book collections
• Different e-journal publisher portal
• Aggregated : Full text and Bibliographic
Databases
• Abstract and Indexes (WoS, Scopus etc.)
• Subject indexes (Psychinfo,Inspec)
• Local Digital Collections (IRs)
Where to Start?

7. Adverse
consequences
• Dissatisfied users
• Under utilized resources
• Loss of money time and efforts
• Unable to provide relevant information to
users at right time
• Inefficient mark on Library system ?
• Ultimate loss to institution & nation

8. A Simple Solution
A single point entry to all the content and services offered by
the library…..
Search e-Journals, books, catalogue, IR’s etc.
….as well as providing an enjoyable search experience
Search

9. • Federated Search Software
• Web-Scale Discovery tools
Single search technologies

10. Federated Search
• Started in late 1990s
• Simultaneous Search through
connectors- wait- compile- organize
results
• In theory federated search was a
good solution, in practice these
systems were (and still are) often
slow and the relevance ranking
limited and incomplete.
Discovery systems, layers and tools, and the role of the
electronic resources librarian
ScienceDirect -(2012)

11. Google custom search
• You can customize Google search by including your choices. For example, in the context of a
library search, you can select (Example https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=009250080112770812892:ce2egffkgay)
• ScienceDirect
• Springer
• Emerald etc.
• Drawback
• You cannot limit to your subscribed content only ( For example, it searches entire
ScienceDirect and you cannot filter your content only.
https://support.google.com/customsearch/answer/4513751?hl=en&ref_topic=4513742

12. Web-scale Discovery Services
• Started in 2009-10
• Similar to Google
Search
• Pre-harvested
• Unified index
• Can include library
local collections

13. Discovery Service Federated Search Engines
Search is very fast as retrieval is done in pre-
harvested index
Slow (longer time for search completion) –
Federated searching is performing the meta
search on the fly from different resources
Standardized unified Index Many indexes: Individual indexes and different
database structures of various publishers makes
it difficult for metadata retrieval.
Robust Relevancy Ranking as retrieval is from
Unified index
Testing has proven that relevancy ranking is a
major issue in retrieval of quality data.
Metadata Enhancement is possible Metadata enhancement is not possible
Comprehensive results Shallow results -and eventually users will miss
much relevant content.
Performance quality is very high Many times important information from
relevant resources are missed out due to
connection error.
Subject filtering of result set is based on the
segmentation ( pre-defined controlled
vocabularies)
Subject filtering is through automatic clustering
and noise of non- standardized vocabularies
may mislead the users.
Discovery Vs Federated Search Engine

14. Web-scale
Discovery
Services
components
• Central Index
• Knowledge Base
Content
• Harvester ( Eg: OAI/PMH)
• Automated transfer routines, load tables
• Metadata mapping
• Indexing technology
• De-duplication Algorithms
• Link Resolvers
• Relevancy Algorithms
• Interface technologies
Technology

15. Parameters of
discovery
evaluation
Coverage
Coverage of subscribed content
Subject index coverage
Quality of results
Relevance, accuracy, precision
Thicker Metadata
Result list refinement facets
Interface technologies
Integrations and interoperability
Reputation: surveys / usability studies
Customer Support

16. Content coverage
Knoledge Base
• A to Z list of titles which allows libraries
to manage their full-text holdings
• Look up database for link resolvers to
connect to the full-text
Central Index
• Is the indexed content a good fit?
• Inclusion of your journals titles and
holdings
• Inclusion of your subscribed databases
• Richness of metadata (TOC vs Thick vs
Subject Indexes)
• Ability to incorporate desired content
not available in central Index through
widgets, federation etc..

17. No Discovery Service is 100% complete
Need to check alternative options like
widgets to include non-indexed
resources

18. Relevance ranking
• Understand about relevance ranking of various providers
For example
EDS : https://connect.ebsco.com/s/article/How-is-relevance-ranking-determined-in-
EBSCO-Discovery-Service-EDS?language=en_US
SUMMON: https://www.exlibrisgroup.com/products/summon-library-
discovery/relevance-ranking/
WMS:
https://help.oclc.org/Librarian_Toolbox/OCLC_Service_Configuration/WorldCat_Disc
overy_and_WorldCat_Local/020Relevancy_and_Scoping

19. Linking
Link resolvers
Custom linking

20. Web-scale Discovery Service – Major players

21. Open source
discovery layers
• VuFind from
Villanova University
• Blacklight from
University of
Virginia

22. Open source
discovery
layers
You can integrate
• Catalog Records
• Digital Library Items
• Institutional Repository
• Institutional Bibliography
• Other Library Collections and Resources
You need to have API of discovery
service providers to integrate article
metadata

23. WSD
Integration
options
Library catalog (real time availability chekcing)
Institutional repository
LMS system ( Moodle, Blackboard ) etc.
Google Scholar ( Link resolver)
Remote access system
ERM system ( Knowledge base integration)

24. Integration
with Google
Scholar
Library links
• Library links are article-level links to
subscription full text for patrons affiliated
with a library.
• This program works best for electronic
resources, such as journal and conference
articles.
• To sign up, library needs an OpenURL-
compatible link resolver, such as 360 Link
from Serials Solutions, Full-text finder from
from EBSCO
• Contact the vendor of your link resolver to
get included in Google Scholar.

25. • Go to Google Scholar click the three horizontal bars in the corner to
view the menu. Click on that.
• Click on settings
• Click on Library Links
• Search for Your University
• Check the box " Zayed University Library – “Full-Text@ZU”
How can I connect Google Scholar to the library's resources?

26. Library links on Google Scholar result page

27. Integration
with
Electronic
Resources
Management
System (ERM) Essential Components of an ERM System
Knowledge
Base
Ordering Licensing
Content
Analysis
Usage
statistics
Electronic resource management (ERM) is the
practices and techniques used by libraries to track the
selection, acquisition, licensing, access, maintenance,
usage, evaluation, retention, and de-selection of a
library's electronic information resources.

28. Example:
CORAL-
Open-source
ERM
software
If you have EBSCO Knowledgebase (Holding IQ), you can integrate it
with CORAL which enables your library to search the EBSCO KB for
titles, packages, and vendors within CORAL, as well as import titles
and packages directly into CORAL.
The drawbacks of CORAL
Doesn’t have have a
knowledgebase
Doesn’t have content
analysis tool
Open Source- ERM with reosurces, licensing and Usage statistics
Modules

29. Recent advancements in
Web-Scale Discovery services

30. Recent advancements-
Linked Data
In Semantic Web terminology,
Linked Data is the term used to
describe a method of exposing
and connecting data on
the Web from different sources
BEFORE AFTER
B is for Burglar basic title page
enriched title
page
Diary of a
Wimpy Kid
basic title page
enriched title
page
JK Rowling
basic author
page
enriched
author page
Kinsey
Millhone
mysteries
basic series
page
enriched series
page

31. Integration with
Google Knowledge
Panel
When a search is performed for a book, Google presents links to libraries
located near the user

32. Concept map
• Concept Map provides a more visual and interactive approach to
learning and exploring topics with Artificial Intelligence
• push results back into linear lists.
• Video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RNKMiPG7RY&feature=you
tu.be

33. All-in-one solution
Library Service Platforms

34. From
(integrated Library Systems)
To
(Library Services Platforms)
ILS to LSP
34
Some big shifts, in the library software industry is
happening. Currently library software industry is talking
more about LSP and ILS systems are gradually fading out.
The ILSs of yesteryear were designed and developed to
enhance the findability of print resources located within a
brick-and-mortar establishment.
Library services platforms (LSPs), is an all-in-one solution
,offered as SaaS
Manages variety of collection types, includes all Modules
such as Discovery, ERM, Bibliographic Service, Learning
Management, Print collection Management, API access to
vendors

35. LSP
functionalities
Acquisitions with Vendor APIs
Circulation
Collection Management
Discovery
License Management
Record Management
Metadata Management
Reports & Analytics
Resource Sharing

36. Commercial LSP providers

37. WMS

38. WMS Discovery
interface
• Example : https://zu.on.worldcat.org/

39. FOLIO
https://www.folio.org/
Open Source solution- freely downloadable
Started early implementations – Some modules are still
in development
EBSCO supports FOLIO with funding, developers and
project management.
EBSCO also provides hosting services and advanced
software support, as well as a variety of data integration
services for libraries adopting the FOLIO LSP.

40. FOLIO latest release
• FOLIO Launches Fameflower Release (May
19, 2020)
• The FOLIO Fameflower Release is the sixth
in a series of named releases that define the
features and functionality of the open-ource
LSP and represents a significant list of
workflow features for library staff.
• FOLIO Wiki : https://wiki.folio.org/
• Cornell University FOLIO :
https://vimeo.com/418175592

41. Concerns
• Discovery index coverage
• Content gap between publisher platform and discovery index
• Lack of gap analysis tools
• Coverage of Abstracting and indexing resources
• Relevancy ranking
• Limited flexibility to tweak
• Linking technology
• Link resolver fails 10% of times
• Non open URL compatible resources
• Less options for personalization
• Pre-limiting search to desired set of resources
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3139357
Improving Web Scale Discovery Services
Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 64, December 2017, pp. 276-279

42. Single Search solutions : recap
• Ask to the provider about
• The technology ( Federated or Discovery)
• Coverage (Knowledge base and central
index)
• Relevance ranking
• Integration options
• Interface technologies
• Go for a trial and test ( at least 3 months trial)

43. Thank you
Questions?

44. You can
download the
presentation
from
https://www.slideshare.net/nikeshn
Email :nikeshn@gmail.com