CISTI Source & SiteSearchOCLC User Meeting 2001

Danielle Langlois &

Carol Serroul

May 9, 2001

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What Is CISTI Source?

• Integrated current awareness and document delivery service

• 3 main components:• CISTI Source Articles database• Article Alert• Journal Contents Alert

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New CISTI Source offers

• better integration of CISTI’s current awareness services• an enhanced search interface• additional content• more customization options• a better document ordering service

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Why SiteSearch?

• Cross-database searching• Stateful system with search history• Bookmarking of records• Ability to email records• Z39.50 compatibility

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CISTI Source Content

• CISTI Source Articles• 15,000,000 articles• 350,000 abstracts• URL links to publisher sites

• CISTI Source Journals• 17,000 titles

• CISTI Catalogue

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CISTI Source User Interface

• Created using SiteSearch API• Easy to use and understand• Fully bilingual interface (French and English)• Customizable• Combines various CISTI services in one location

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CISTI Source User Profiles

• 6 tables included with SiteSearch• 40 additional tables to allow for:

• Saved Searches• Alerts• Customization• Full Text Links• Updating• Billing

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CISTI Source User Profiles

• Database structure allows• flexibility to add new services with a minimal amount of modification• ability to easily accommodate new customizations• allows for dynamic interface based on user’s services and roles

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CISTI Source Demo

http://source.cisti.nrc.ca

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Development Process• Started in 1999• Market studies• Prototyping• Focus groups• Specifications• Database redesign• User interface design• SiteSearch programming

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SiteSearch Programming Required

• Over 100 new gadgets• 30 additional verbs• 25 additional formatting classes• CistiUser object in UserStateObject contains the user’s profile information• Two Java packages to allow access to Basis databases (non-Z39.50)

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Added Features - Saved Searches

• allows user to save query from session to session• new verb (savesearch.java) takes information from ZUserData and stores it

in “SavedSearches” table• “SavedSearches” gadget displays saved search profiles and allows user to

execute them

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Added Features - Saved Searches (2)

Saved Searches Fields

Field Description

OID unique identifierautho account numbername user's name for the queryquery the actual query (e.g. kw: smith)creation the date search was createdrevision date last revisedlastUsed date search was last useddbname SiteSearch dbnamedbgroup SiteSearch dbgroup

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Added Features - Article Alert

• Article Alert• new subject profiles• runs weekly on CS Articles database• results/notifications sent by email to users• results can also be viewed on the Web• articles can be ordered from results

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Added Features - Journal Contents Alert

• Journal Contents Alert• replaces former Select tables of contents service• more intuitive interface• new system to keep track of title changes• can reactivate titles at any time• tables of contents/notifications sent by email to users

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System Architecture

External Data Sources (TOCs, abstracts)

CISTI Source Databases

JDBC Z39.50

SiteSearchsystem

CISTI Catalogue

User profiledatabase

CRS Database

Run JCA/AAAlerts

Order documents

Deliver results/notifications

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Platform

• Installed on Linux cluster - 6 PCs running RedHat 6.1• Allows for greater scalability (we add more PCs as we get more users)• OpServe, Access and ZBases reside on one machine and the JASSIs are

distributed across the cluster• Uses MySQL for authentication

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Customization options

• Institutional logo• Help files and information pages• Home page• Database selection menu• Local holdings• Document delivery• Order form

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Document ordering options

• Multiple document ordering• Customized order forms• Improved local holdings block• New list order features• Links to full-text articles and electronic journals

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Registration options

• New registration form that allows users to view and modify their account information

• Instant registration form for large institutions

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Subscription options• CISTI Source service

• Single• Group• Site• Consortium

• Alert services• Article Alert• Journal Contents Alert

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Schedule

• Alpha testing - December 2000• Beta testing - January-February 2001• First release - March 1st 2001• Conversion of existing customizations - March-June 2001• Termination of existing system - Fall 2001

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Future enhancements

• Account management• Shopping cart• New print formats (alerts & results)• Document ordering from the CISTI Catalogue• Domain-specific database subsets• Additional content

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CISTI Source

• Questions?