Transcript metalib-4-userguide

MetaLib 4
User Guide
MetaLib 4
• Access MetaLib at:
– http://metalib.sdln.net/V
• MetaLib may be used at two different levels – guest
users and logged on users. Guest users have limited
access to the databases as well as minimal
personalization privileges. Services not available to
guest users either do not appear as options on the
screen, or appear with a locked icon . At any time
during a session if the user logs on, all current work is
retained and can then be saved.
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This is the MetaLib homepage as viewed by a guest user.
Note the term “guest” in the upper right, as well as the
padlocks for various quicksets.
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Logging on
To log on, click the logon icon on the top right corner of
the screen. A logon screen is displayed, where the user
barcode, password and library are entered.
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Logging on
Once logged on, the username will appear at the top right
corner. Note that the padlocks have also disappeared from
the quicksets. Additionally, after logging on, the user is
entitled to personalized services (such as saving records).
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MetaLib Five Primary Tabs
• QuickSearch: provides a complete searching workflow for novice
users
• Find Database: provides tools to locate databases of interest and
several options for use
• Find e-Journal: provides tools to locate e-journals. including A to Z
lists
• MetaSearch: provides full research workflow with maximum
flexibility and user control
• My Space: provides personal services and environment settings to
authenticated users
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QUICKSEARCH
• The QuickSearch component is designed to help novice
users conduct searches in library databases. It is
comprised of QuickSets, which are lists of databases
preconfigured by SDLN, tailored for specific user groups.
• The screen is divided into two parts: the search form,
which includes both simple and advanced options, and
the QuickSets.
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• Users can see which databases are included in the
Quickset by clicking on the name of the Quickset.
– Information about a particular database is displayed when
clicking the information (“i”) icon to the left of the database name.
– Note that a database name always serves as a link to the Web
site of that database. This feature is consistent whenever a
database name appears on the screen.
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Searching using QuickSearch
• Select an “unlocked” quickset, and enter a query, using
the Simple search option.
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Searching using QuickSearch
• The progress of the search is then shown on the screen,
along with the number of the results found and retrieved
from each database. MetaLib retrieves the first records
from each database: the default size of the initial set is
30.
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Searching using QuickSearch
• Click “View retrieved”, and the first hits are the displayed
on the screen in one, merged list, sorted by rank.
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Managing QuickSearch results
• Sorting is available by relevance ranking (default);
author; title; year; and database.
• The results screen offers three views:
– Table View (default), including author, title, year, and database
information
– Brief View, including citation information in addition to the above
– Full View, including the full record details.
• In the Table View or Brief View, note the action buttons:
Add to basket and SFX .
• In the Full View, note the highlighted query words and
the actions buttons: SFX
, add to basket , save
and send .
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Managing QuickSearch results
• Note that duplicate records are detected.
• Records may be added to the user’s basket by clicking
the add to basket icon . The default basket is the
eShelf folder in the My Space tab (discussed later). If a
user is logged on, the eShelf is emptied when the user
deletes the items. If a user is not logged on (guest) the
eShelf is emptied when the browser is closed.
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Extending the retrieved result set
• MetaLib retrieves the first 30 records from each
database. If you wish to extend this initial set, click
“retrieve more” on the tool bar.
• The system fetches another bulk of records, resorts the
extended sets, and displays them on the screen.
– Note that new records are indicated with bold text, similar to the
Outlook Inbox paradigm.
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Clusters & Facets
New to MetaLib 4.0 is the clustering and facet feature. This
feature provides the user with new options for viewing the
merged search results and navigating within the search
results and navigating within the set.
The topic clusters are presented in a hierarchical display
that indicates the number of search result records included
in each topic, and provides hyperlinks to navigate to topic
cluster result sets.
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Clusters & Facets
MetaLib’s faceting functionality extracts specified fields of
information from the search results records, and then
organizes the records into informational facets for display.
The facets created in MetaLib 4.0x are Dates, Authors,
Journal Titles, Databases, and Subjects.
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Transition to MetaSearch
• Additional functionality is available -- such as refining
query, viewing results by database, or managing
previous searches -- by clicking MetaSearch.
MetaSearching is discussed later in this presentation.
– Note that the context is saved though the interface changes to
the MetaSearch interface, enabling you the required functionality.
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Find Database
• The Find Database tab can be used to locate databases
of interest
– Databases can be used individually, on the spot by either
following the linked database title and searching via the native
interface, or by searching via the MetaLib interface
– Databases can be added to the user’s personal database
clipboard and used for metasearching.
• Personal database lists can be created by copying the
databases from the clipboard to lists, as appropriate,
using the My Databases option in the My Space tab.
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Find a database by title
To find a particular database, click on a letter to retrieve a browse
list of databases, or enter search criteria.
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Find a database by title
A list of all databases matching the search criteria are displayed
on the screen.
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Find a database by title
• Click the name of the database to go to the native
interface.
• Click the information button to obtain information
regarding the database.
• This information is controlled by the library.
• Click the magnifying glass to search the database
using MetaLib search.
• Click the plus icon to add the database to the user’s
database clipboard.
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Find Database using Locate
The Locate function allows the user to search for
databases by specifying values for title, vendor, or any
word. Category and file type options also exist.
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Find Database using Categories
MetaLib enables the library to define a two-level hierarchy
of categories (category and subcategory). Databases can
be found by selecting a category and subcategory.
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Find e-Journal
Selecting this feature takes the user to the SFX A-Z list for
all SDLN libraries. Searches can be performed for all
E-journals within the statewide databases.
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MetaSearch
• The MetaSearch component enables the user to have
full control over the search process:
– define a list of databases, and further select databases within
that list before launching a search
– extended functions to manage the result list
– return to previous searches
– save searches for future sessions.
• The MetaSearch screen, aimed at advanced users,
includes three parts:
– options to locate databases (left)
– search box (top)
– list of databases (bottom).
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MetaSearch Page
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My Space
• This component enables a user to define certain aspects
of MetaLib. It includes the following options:
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eShelf, where users store the records they found interesting
My Databases, where users can create personal database lists
My e-Journals, where users save e-journals of choice
History, including saved queries and automatic searches
(Alerts)
– Preferences, including the user preferences regarding
language, default views, and more.
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eShelf
The eShelf enables user to store records they have found
and place them in folders. The default folder is the basket,
which is a persistent folder for authenticated users. Users
may decide to create folders and copy records from the
basket to these folders, as appropriate.
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• All record options are available within the eShelf,
including the various record views, services (save and
send), and SFX.
• In addition, users can select one or more records (or all
at once, but clicking the checkbox at the top of the list)
and perform group actions by clicking the Selected link.
• Advanced users can switch to the dual pane mode by
clicking the Advanced option.
– They can create new folders; rename folders; save folders under
different names; and empty folders.
– Note that the entire basket can be saved (on the right) under
another name (Save as) thus creating a new folder. Otherwise
you can select records in the basket and copy them to the folder
open on the left.
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My Databases
The databases selected using the Find Database tab are
kept on the database clipboard that is seen on the right
side of the screen. Users can create new database lists,
copy databases to them, and assign names to them.
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History
History includes queries that were explicitly saved during
previous searches. Queries can be reactivated by:
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clicking the query
see the databases that were searched
define the query as an Alert
or remove the query from the list.
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Preferences
The user can set search preferences which will be saved
from session to session. Preferences that can be defined
include:
– Default views for database lists, e-journal lists, and result lists
– Number of results per page
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Preferences
Any preferences the user sets while they are working, such
as changing the results view from table to brief view are
retained only during the current session. Unless
preferences are changed in the My Space tab, they will
not carry over between sessions.
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Questions?
• Patrick Weber
– [email protected]
• Linda Allbee
– [email protected]
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