Metasearch and the Public Portal
Brenda Bailey-Hainer
Colorado State Library
PreConference on Usability Issues in Metasearch Interface Design
ALA Annual 2004

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Portal – guided information gateway for the public
Success of portals critical for libraries
Illustrates value of librarians in making sense of information, the Web
Metasearch essential to public portals

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Where do public portals come from?
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Public libraries
Library consortia
State library agencies

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What tools are used
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Portal interface/searching software
Integrated library system software
Resource sharing system software

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Resources
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Library catalogs
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Online databases – commercial & locally created
Full text from journals, books, newspapers
Digitized materials from local collections
Selected websites
GIS maps
Community information
Government information
Knowledge databases

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Interactive services
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Virtual reference services
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Online homework help
Online classes
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State and local government services
Circulation systems
Interlibrary loan requesting
Purchasing options

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General population
Adults
Young adults
Children
Students
K12 educators
Lifelong learners
Professionals
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Business community
Academic community
Voters
Legislators
Genealogists
English language learners
Multiple cultures

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Front end user
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Joe and Josephine Citizen
Back end user
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Systems administrator
Interface designer
Librarian/content manager

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Easy to use, intuitive
Fast
Links to full text transparent to end user
Reliable, consistent
Everything delivered right now!
Personalizable at user level
Aggregates information in understandable groupings

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Flexible
Easily customizable
Adaptable to institution, group, state level
Easy to maintain at institution, group, state level
Recognizes different types of authorization/authentication
Recognizes users in different roles
Gathers statistics for evaluation
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Outputs
Outcomes

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In the beginning, there were…
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OPACs – alone
OPACs – in packs
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Online databases – segregated
Marriage of OPACs and online databases
Extended family – digitized materials, websites
Password required to join the party authentication/authorization
More services, more resources

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Speed
Inconsistent implementation of standards
Aggregating/presenting results from disparate resource types
New - cultural heritage institution resources
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Different standards, software, & record structures
Maintaining interoperability
Subject headings, thesauri, terminology
Integrating multiple software packages
Linkages and bread trails

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Think beyond current resource targets
Seamless integration of searching and services
Integration with digital government
New interface viewpoints
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GIS
Temporal spatial access
Tempo-dynamic research
Multiple user role viewpoints

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Single search box, but— multiple windows with multiple simultaneous activities
Immediate gratification – full text, complete object
24/7 online chat with librarian for assistance
Resource targets
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Websites
Video clips
Audio clips
Animation
Games
Online classes
Last resort – books, magazine articles

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Single search box
Date limit
Geographic limit – place name and lat/long codes
Personal name as subject and/or author
Resource targets
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Newspaper full text
Magazine article full text
Manuscripts, diaries
Public records – birth, death, property
Cemetery records
Digital objects – photos, oral histories, video clips
Temporal spatial view
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Layers of photographs of same physical location over time

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Single search box
Returns selected “best” results – not comprehensive
Grade level and reading level limits
Linked to state education standards
Resource targets
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Websites
Full text books, articles
Primary source material
Digital objects – photos, audio, video
Educational objects
Lesson plans

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Comments submitted via website
Informal discussions
Review of other public portals
Focus groups with target audiences
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Teens, Spanish speakers, adults
Cultivated reviewers
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Your Perceptions approach
Formal usability testing

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Lots of opportunities
Lots of challenges
Exciting future potential
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Brenda Bailey-Hainer
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Bailey_b@cde.state.co.us