From Web Indexing To Hybrid Libraries, With Thanks to eLib Brian Kelly UK Web Focus UKOLN University of Bath Bath, BA2 7AY URL: UKOLN is funded by the Library and Information Commission, the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding Councils, as well as by project funding from the JISC and the European Union. UKOLN also receives support from the University of Bath where it is based. Aims of Talk: Review approaches taken by UK HE community to indexing web sites Discussion of findings Describe future developments Aims of Talk: Review approaches taken by UK HE community to indexing web sites Discussion of findings Describe future developments

2 Which To Choose? Alkaline (Vestris) AltaVista - Search Intranet ASTAWare SearchKey atomz Search (remote) BooleanSearch BBDBot BRS/Search (Dataware) Compass Server (Netscape) Cybotics DataWare BRS/Search DocFather (formerly SiteSearch) dtSearch Web Excalibur RetrievalWare EWS (Excite) Excerpt (Obsolete) Extense FAST Search Server Findex (code library) Folio siteDirector FreeFind (remote) Fulcrum Glimpse Harvest ht://Dig ICE iHound (ICATT) Index Search (Xavatoria) Index Server (Microsoft) IndexMySite (remote) Infoseek - Ultraseek Intermediate Search intraSearch (remote) I-Search Isearch ITMS Isys:web Java Applets JHLSearch JObjects QuestAgent Lycos / InMagic Magnifi Enterprise Server Matt's SimpleSearch Microsoft Index Server Microsoft Site Server MiniSearch (remote) MondoSearch Muscat NetResults (now SearchKey Plus) Netscape - Compass Server OpenText - LiveLink Perl Scripts Perlfect Search Phantom (Maxum) PicoSearch (remote) Etc. Indexing software from Which to choose? What software may be obsolete? What does remote mean? Indexing software from Which to choose? What software may be obsolete? What does remote mean? Can choose by reading reviews, web sites, etc. or by looking at usage in community

3 Findings: UK HE Web Sites Main findings of 2 surveys: SoftwareNos. (Jul) ht://Dig eXcite Microsoft Harvest Ultraseek Other None Nos. (Mar)      —  Totals Article published in Ariadne issue 21 - Results (including update on survey) available from: Article published in Ariadne issue 21 - Results (including update on survey) available from:

4 Popular Products: ht://Dig ht://Dig Now used at 32 (up from 25) UK HEIs Freely available New version released in December 1999 Own domain with well- designed web site Robot to index multiple servers See Oxford Case Study 131 servers 438,500 resources Indexes MS Office, PDF, etc. files (external parser) Oxford Case Study 131 servers 438,500 resources Indexes MS Office, PDF, etc. files (external parser) Case Studies produced by Helen Sargan (Cambridge)

5 Popular Products: Ultraseek Ultraseek: Used at 9 (up from 7) UK HEIs Powerful but expensive See Cambridge Case Study 232 servers 188,000 resources Weightings given to meta tags Useful logs and reports Cambridge Case Study 232 servers 188,000 resources Weightings given to meta tags Useful logs and reports

6 Popular Products: Harvest Harvest: Now used at 6 UK HEIs (down from 8) For IR research use? See Issue: Pay for software Pay for programming support to implement free software Issue: Pay for software Pay for programming support to implement free software

7 Use of Third Party Services Small usage of third parties to provide indexes: FreeFind (Used at 2 HEIs) and AltaVista (Used at 1 HEI) Why not more use by 50 institutions with no search facility? Benefits from services provided by popular large- scale search engine Low cost (free?)  Incomplete coverage?  Document fluctuation  Loss of control, advertising, … Benefits from services provided by popular large- scale search engine Low cost (free?)  Incomplete coverage?  Document fluctuation  Loss of control, advertising, …

8 Try Them For Yourself Interfaces to UK University search engines are available, providing a single location for evaluation The page also provides a link to organisational search pages The resources are grouped in alphabetical order and by search engine What functionality do libraries using Domino provide? What does Aberdeen's search facility provide? See

9 Other Developments What else is happening to indexing of these communities? National search engines Local initiatives eLib Hybrid Libraries

10 National Search Engines ACDC (Academic Directory) (Unfunded) pilot of index of ac.uk domain based on distributed approach using Harvest Set up in March 1996 Lack of development effort resulted in degraded service (e.g. indexer not aware of JavaScript code) No longer being developed

11 Institutional Developments Maestro robot (Dundee): Indexes Scottish resources Volunteer effort Maestro robot (Dundee): Indexes Scottish resources Volunteer effort North East Universities (UNIS4NE): Appearance of cross-searching Actually interface to HotBot / AltaVista North East Universities (UNIS4NE): Appearance of cross-searching Actually interface to HotBot / AltaVista

12 eLib Hybrid Libraries eLib Phase 3 includes "Hybrid Library" projects: Help users find electronic (web, OPAC, etc.) and "real world" resources Includes regional and subject-specific approaches MusicOnline search of Music Catalogues BUILDER search of eLib Phase 3 web sites

13 Other Possibilities What other developments may we expect: Increased indexing in institutions of other web sites (opposition / friends) Leave it to commercial sector Development of a HE (or public sector?) national search engine New developments (XML / RDF / etc.)

14 Indexing Remote Sites May see increased indexing of remote sites within institutions:  Examples provided by Dundee and BUILDER (eLib) Feeling of ownership Easily done Can develop enhancements locally  Increased server load locally  Increased server load remotely  Increased network load  Not scalable  Unnecessary duplication

15 Commercial Solutions Could leave searching to commercial world: No costs to institution / HE community  Not integrated with non-Web services  Results too broad  Distracting interface  Little scope for tailoring

16 What About Metadata? Metadata can: Improve search results Provide structured information (for automated processing) which can provide richer services: –Fielded searches –Limit searches (e.g. only Library pages on Council web site) –Web site administration –Alternative browsing interfaces Tools, standards, etc. becoming available Expected growth area

17 Example Exploit Interactive web magazine ( ) is using metadata to provide enhanced searching: Search for foo in: Issue 2 or in issue 2 and 4 (this is possible using directory structure) Feature Articles (needs metadata) Articles about EU- funded projects Etc. Combinations of above Also provides alternative browsing structures

18 JISC Developments DNER (Distributed National Electronic Resource): Seamless access to national resources What about local resources? Need for "institutional portals" RDN Resource Discovery Network Builds on work of eLib subject gateways Based on standards (Dublin Core, Z39.50, whois++, LDAP, RSS, Dublin Core,etc.)

19 Conclusions To conclude: No clear "best buy" for indexing software Probably some to avoid In 2 years time are you likely to still be using same software? Have changed software / architecture? If changes likely, need to think about change migration strategies, interoperability issues, etc. Library community has much to offer Need for user studies (not covered) Useful Resources Useful Resources Questions welcome