Virtual Union Catalogues Research Articles

Mixed approach in creating a university union catalogue

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the software architecture of the university’s union catalogue in Novi Sad, Serbia. The university’s union catalogue would comprise the collections of 14 academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach – The basis of this paper is a case study of developing a software solution for the union catalogue of the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. The solution principles of object-oriented modelling are applied to describe the software architecture. Specifically, the unified modeling language (UML) component and sequence diagrams are used. The database model is described by using a physical data model. Findings – Through the research of related papers and, taking into consideration the problem of creating a university union catalogue, it is concluded that the best approach is to combine the idea of a virtual and a physical union catalogue. Records are stored in one physical union catalogue, while the holdings data are stored in the local library management systems (LMSs) organized in the form of virtual union catalogues. Because academic libraries often use LMSs from different vendors, interoperable communication between those LMSs and the union catalogue is provided through the usage of standard library protocols for information retrieval (Search and Retrieve URL [SRU], SRU Record Update and NISO Circulation Interchange Protocol [NCIP]). Research limitations/implications – The development of a union catalogue for the University of Novi Sad is in its test phase, and, at this moment, only a software solution supporting the functionalities of a union catalogue has been created. Practical implications – By introducing a university union catalogue, students would be able to search the collections of all the university libraries by using a single portal. Their results would indicate whether a book is available and from which library it is available to borrow. Originality/value – Originality of this software architecture lies in the usage of standard library protocols. The described architecture enables the addition of new members to the university union catalogue, regardless of which LMS the library uses.

Users and union catalogues

Union catalogues have had an important place in libraries for many years. Their use has been little investigated. Recent interest in the relative merits of physical and virtual union catalogues and a recent collaborative project between a physical and several virtual union catalogues in the United Kingdom led to the opportunity to study how users use and view union catalogues and to consider the views of librarians towards union catalogues. The research reported here used a mix of recorded searches, interviews and focus groups to understand user behaviour and views of union catalogues. The findings revealed a diversity of search approaches, the influence of the Web on user expectations and an almost complete lack of awareness of union catalogues on the part of potential users.

Incorporating a virtual union catalogue into the wider information environment through the application of middleware

PurposeTo explore the use of middleware to provide access to a virtual catalogue via Z39.50, allowing its integration with other services. To consider issues arising from the cross‐database search process and the problem of interoperability between systems.Design/methodology/approachMiddleware was used to establish a Z39.50 server for an existing virtual union catalogue, InforM25. The Copac physical union catalogue was used to carry out cross‐database search tests, investigating the value of query transformation by the middleware and illustrating many of the issues associated with interoperability in cross‐database searching.FindingsThe test results demonstrate the viability and benefits of using middleware to allow the integration of virtual catalogues with other services. The results also illustrate the range of issues affecting the performance of the virtual catalogue, with supporting evidence from the use of the Copac physical union catalogue for cross‐database searching via Z39.50. In particular the discussion highlights the issue of semantic interoperability, as well as emphasising the value of centralised virtual catalogue support.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was limited to work on a specific virtual union catalogue, that is InforM25, but the results highlight issues with general relevance in the development of any virtual catalogue. The need for more work on response times in the virtual union catalogue is apparent, along with the related issue of result set post processing.Originality/valueThis paper provides a practical demonstration of the issues important to those involved in making their local catalogue accessible to services, and individuals, outside their own institution, as well as those working on virtual union catalogue development.

Review of the proposed interoperation of InforM25 and AIM25

PurposeThis paper seeks to document the initial attempt to effect interoperation between a virtual (distributed) union catalogue of bibliographical records and a centralised catalogue of archival collection descriptions. Its specific purpose is to discuss the proposed technical solution and the anticipated usage and usability of the resultant service.Design/methodology/approachThe paper's research subjects were the M25 Consortium's InforM25 union catalogue and the Archives in London and the M25 Area's dual AIM25 databases. The architectural model to effect their interoperation utilised the Z39.50 (information‐retrieval protocol) functionality of the two services plus the latter's separate web application database.FindingsTwo core findings are reported. First, that technical interoperability between the Z39.50 elements of the nascent system was successfully achieved. Second, however, that semantic interoperability was significantly impaired by inconsistencies in the interpretation and processing of search types by the two AIM25 databases.Research limitations/implicationsThis exploratory research project was concluded in 2003. Since then, what might be termed the next‐generation Z39.50 protocol, Search & Retrieve Web Service (SRW), has been developed. The paper would suggest that the interoperation of InforM25 and AIM25 forms a test‐bed application scenario for SRW.Practical implicationsRegardless of which information‐retrieval protocol is used, a model for controlling semantic interoperability will be an essential requirement. It is recommended that this model be derived from the ISO‐registered Bath Profile.Originality/valueThis paper reiterates the central importance of the need to achieve semantic interoperability in distributed search environments, and should therefore be of interest to those concerned with the funding and creation of any such regional, national or international initiatives.

MAI: MetaOPAC Azalai Italiano

MetaOPAC Azalai Italiano (MAI) is a virtual union catalogue of Italian libraries developed through co‐operation between the Italian Library Association and the Consorzio Interuniversitario Lombardo per l'Elaborazione Automatica. This paper presents the components of MetaOPAC Azalai Italiano and the organisational, management, planning and implementation tools developed by the team since 1999. MAI provides access to Italian OPACs, offering a directory and metasearch functionality. The search engine, Azalai, performs metasearching. The architecture of the system, the search engine and converter, is based on a database of Italian OPACs. Three different interfaces, designed for specific types of users, provide access to the system. Members of the MAI Editorial Board are responsible for keeping the database updated and this automatically generates the Directory of Italian Online Catalogues. MAI is divided into five distinct sections, integrated with a range of tools and services intended for different categories of user.

Clumps and collection description in the information environment in the UK with particular reference to Scotland

The role, potential and interaction of networked catalogues and collection‐level description have recently been given emphasis in order that efficient resource discovery mechanisms, and the effective organisation of such resources, be facilitated within the UK's developing JISC information environment (IE). This article describes the work of CC‐interop, a JISC project, and related projects that inform the development of the IE and its ability to instantiate the functional model of online resource discovery to which JISC aspires. The article reviews the evolution of Z39.50 virtual union catalogue services and collection description services that preceded CC‐interop. The paper also discusses how such work is informing regional information environments, with particular reference to Scotland, and reveals how such local arrangements will benefit the wider JISC IE.

Aiming at quality and coverage combined: blending physical and virtual union catalogues

This article discusses the deficiencies of search engines and the importance of metadata before examining three models of metadata retrieval: distributed; distributed data with a centralised index; and centralised union catalogue. In listing the advantages and disadvantages of the distributed model, the Z39.50 protocol is used as an example. The OAI harvest protocol is the example of the second model. Virtual union catalogues are compared with a real one. A pan‐European model is discussed as a way to combine the best of all three models, with EUCAT as its base.

The UNIverse Project

This paper covers the UNIverse Project, one of the leading projects currently being funded under the European Commission's Telematics for Libraries 4th Framework Programme. The paper will describe the technical background of the project and will outline the way in which we have built on the concept of the virtual union catalogue to overcome the problems traditionally associated with distributed catalogue searching. It will also explore the way in which the virtual union catalogue plays a fundamental role in integrating key library services to provide a sophisticated software solution for users in today's networked information environment.

From cards to clumps: a look at developments in the world of union catalogues

With shrinking local library resources and the growth of resource sharing, union catalogues, in one form or another, are an important feature in today’s library world. This article takes a look at some of the developments in union catalogue production, from card catalogue to virtual union catalogues or clumps, and discusses their use for document access and supply. The IFLA World Directory of National Union Catalogues, a kind of union catalogue of union catalogues, is also described.

Virtual OPACs versus union database: two models of union catalogue provision

Z39.50 is often put forward as a means of providing a virtual union catalogue without the need for a physical union database. This paper considers some of the major technical and organisational issues involved in virtual catalogue production, contrasting them with the traditional union catalogue approach exemplified by COPAC. A way of integrating these two models of the union catalogue is suggested, which would allow effective service provision in the immediate future.

The eLib Collection Description Scheme

The eLib ‘clump’ projects are utilising the Z39.50 bibliographic retrieval protocol to build gateways to library OPACs in the UK, creating virtual union catalogues of university, national and public libraries. In order to facilitate large scale resource discovery, some of the projects are creating databases containing metadata for their libraries' collections. The creation and development of a standard scheme for cataloguing collections, as opposed to cataloguing individual items, is described here.

Music Libraries Online ‐ a virtual union catalogue for music

Music Libraries Online is an eLib project to create a virtual union catalogue for music in the UK, based on the nine conservatoire libraries, using the Z39.50 protocol for information retrieval. The project has particularly tackled issues of common bibliographical standards which have a significant impact on the quality of results.

Clumping in the UK: towards virtual union catalogues

Following the initial success of the eLib Programme for Higher Education libraries in the UK, the most recent phase of funding has been directed at hybrid library and clump projects. A clump is an aggregation of catalogues which may be physical ‐ a traditional union catalogue ‐ or virtual, being created at the time of searching. The most common protocol in use in clumps is Z39.50 which offers opportunities for creating gateways to a range of catalogues, thus allowing simultaneous parallel searching. Four clump projects have been approved by eLib and started work in January 1998: CAIRNS ‐ Co‐operative Academic Information Retrieval Network for Scotland; M25 Link: Access to London Libraries; Music Libraries Online (a geographically split subject clump); RIDING: Z39.50 Gateway to Yorkshire Libraries.