| Editor's note: "Carey
{Hatch} reviewed ideas for the future of SLiCAT that were discussed in a SAC subcommittee
meeting. ...This [committee's] charge would focus on the selection of free online
resources such as e-journals and institutional repositories/archives and the tools
necessary to manage and harvest these types of resources. Carey said that MetaLib is worth
exploring and will be scheduling a demonstration at a future SAC meeting." [SUNYConnect
Advisory Council meeting minutes, September 24, 2003. The demonstration is scheduled for
December 17, 2003] What is MetaLib?
With MetaLib, the Ex
Libris library portal, users enjoy easier access to libraries' e-collections, to services
where and when they need them, and are able to personalize their environment for more
effective and productive research. MetaLib provides access to a wide range of information
resources, be they local or remote, freely available or licensed. Such resources include
library catalogs, reference databases, e-journals, digital repositories and subject-based
Web gateways.
MetaLib for Students
Students seem drawn to search tools such as Google that they can immediately use-without
too much instruction and without replicating their search in different places. Using
MetaLib's MetaSearch (TM), or cross-database search capability, students can
simultaneously search selected electronic resources using a single interface and can
retrieve a unified set of results.
MetaLib's QuickSearch option involves a pre-selection of databases for searching
tailored by the librarian for specific user groups. This offers students the simplicity of
Google but provides quality results from the library-licensed resources.
MetaLib for Researchers
In addition to its powerful cross-database search capabilities, MetaLib's research
environment provides a comprehensive gateway to the library's resources, helping
researchers find and navigate to resources of interest. MetaLib ensures that the expert
user can easily access the resource's native interface and resource-specific features.
MetaLib also enables individual users to create powerful personalized approaches to
research and discovery. Personalized services include the ability to save search
histories, create information alerts, save results in an "e-shelf," and
configure personalized lists of databases and e-journals.
MetaLib for the Library Staff
MetaLib helps library staff organize and present resources to their users. For example,
library staff determine how to describe and categorize the resources they present to the
users. The comprehensive KnowledgeBase provided with MetaLib contains details on many of
the commonly available databases - including a brief description of the database and the
configuration rules needed by MetaLib to search the particular database. Library staff
customizes the KnowledgeBase by specifying which of the available resources to present to
their users and provide connectivity details for the database such as the institution's ID
and password.
MetaLib includes built-in support for various search syntaxes, character sets, record
schemas (such as MARC and Dublin Core), data formats (such as XML and HTML) and
interfacing protocols (such as Z39.50 and HTTP). Using a Web interface, library staff can
- Customize the comprehensive MetaLib KnowledgeBase to fit local needs;
- Configure and maintain library-specific resources;
- Track collection-management statistics and create reports.
 What
about SFX? How do MetaLib and SFX work together?
SFX is the Ex Libris OpenURL-compliant link server now in use at many SUNY libraries. The
SFX software is included as part of the Metalib system. MetaLib and SFX together help
library staff manage and provide greater access to electronic resources.
Those SUNY sites that have already implemented SFX will be familiar with SFX working in
coordination with their library catalog and other resources as SFX sources. With MetaLib
as another SFX source, users have increased access to the "appropriate copy"
offered from the library's various resources.
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MetaLib: Searching Across the Spectrum![[Image: Bobby Approved Logo]](approved.gif){kind=small}