Z39.50 broadcast searching and Z‐server response times

Macgregor, George

doi:10.1108/14684520510583963

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Various meta‐search technologies with their implications in the academic library environment are examined in (Marshall et al , 2006). In the context of the Z39.50 protocol, “most z‐servers responded rapidly,” at the same time as problems arising from network connections and the local system use are not found to influence Z‐server performance significantly (Macgregor, 2005). The best foundation for meta‐search development is the widespread use of Z39.50/SRU protocols and rich metadata consistently encoded according to Dorman's findings (Dorman, 2008).…”

Section: Discussion and On Going Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eliminating query failures in a work‐centric library meta‐search environment

Sfakakis

Kapidakis

2009

Library Hi Tech

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PurposeThis paper aims to describe how approaches such as semantic based query rewritings and FRBR work entities composition could solve existing problems and improve the overall behavior of a mediated based meta‐search environment. Moreover, it aims to present meta‐Composer, which is a meta‐search engine without query failures that composes work level entities for display, as well as an autonomous open service for discovering substitutions of unsupported access points, in the context of the Z39.50 environment.Design/methodology/approachSemantic Access Point Network (SAPN) engine, which is a system for substitution of unsupported access points by exploiting semantic access point information from an RDFS description, was extended as a query rewriting system taking into account user preferences for recall and precision. Additionally, the Library of Congress FRBR display tool was extended to create, in the first place, MARC21, UNIMARC and MODS wrappers for the production of work‐expression‐manifestation identifiers, and, secondly, the composition of work clusters. Finally, pazpar2, the open source meta‐search engine was used as both the middleware and the client platform for the integration of all the above components and the development of meta‐Composer.FindingsConsistent extension of the meta‐search search functionality is possible from the lowest common denominator of the supported access points through semantic based query rewritings. Furthermore, enabling query specificity, which restricts the resulting records, could really improve the overall performance of the system and allow for more space for other extensions. Work centric result presentation gives a more compact and coherent view to the user compared to the typical record‐based de‐duplicated display.Research limitations/implicationsThe technical limitation for retrieving all the results from all sources, especially for large result sets, indicates the need for further research for the development of heuristics in order to find the best sources for enriching the results by unique work clusters. The absence of tools, such as authority files, limits the accuracy of the FRBRization process and the discovery of correlations between related works.Practical implicationsConsistent meta‐search services require widespread use of international metadata standards and communication protocols.Originality/valueThe SAPN technology enforces implicitly the semantic interoperability in the context of the Z39.50 protocol. meta‐Composer is an open service which offers meta‐search within valuable sources world wide and it also provides the potential to evaluate new services. The SAPN open service gives the ability to any other mediator or client, to extend and improve consistently its search functionality, in the same context and by using web services technology.

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Section: Discussion and On Going Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eliminating query failures in a work‐centric library meta‐search environment

Sfakakis

Kapidakis

2009

Library Hi Tech

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“…Whilst ZING promises greater functionality, and although developers are beginning to incorporate SRW/SRU facilities within standard Z39.50 software (Index Data, 2004), developments remain tentative and some would argue that it will be some time before it becomes as widely accepted as Z39.50. Many libraries have recently invested significant resources to become Z39.50 compliant and it is only now that Z39.50 compliance has truly reached the "critical mass" to which the UK's Electronic Libraries (eLib) programme originally aspired in 1998 (Macgregor, 2005).…”

Section: Improved Performance and Interoperability 227mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This focus has sharpened yet further as it becomes clear that those technologies expected to eventually supersede Z39.50 entirely, Web Services Technologies (WST), still harbour various protocol limitations and often suffer from reliability, security and transaction time difficulties (Yu & Chen, 2003 (Index Data, 2004), developments remain tentative and some would argue that it will be some time before it becomes as widely accepted as Z39.50. Many libraries have recently invested significant resources to become Z39.50 compliant and it is only now that Z39.50 compliance has truly reached the 'critical mass' to which the UK's Electronic Libraries programme originally aspired in 1998 (Macgregor, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards improved performance and interoperability in distributed and physical union catalogues

Macgregor

Nicolaides

2005

Program

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Structured AbstractPurpose of this paper: This paper details research undertaken to determine the key differences in the performance of certain centralised (physical) and distributed (virtual) bibliographic catalogue services, and to suggest strategies for improving interoperability and performance in, and between, physical and virtual models.Design/methodology/approach: Methodically defined searches of a centralised catalogue service and selected distributed catalogues were conducted using the Z39.50 information retrieval protocol, allowing search types to be semantically defined. The methodology also entailed the use of two workshops comprising systems librarians and cataloguers to inform suggested strategies for improving performance and interoperability within both environments. Findings:Technical interoperability was permitted easily between centralised and distributed models, however the various individual configurations permitted only limited semantic interoperability.Significant prescription in cataloguing and indexing guidelines, greater participation in the Program for Collaborative Cataloging (PCC), consideration of future 'FRBR' migration, and greater disclosure to end users are some of the suggested strategies to improve performance and semantic interoperability. Practical implications:This paper informs the LIS research community and union catalogue administrators, but also has numerous practical implications for those establishing distributed systems based on Z39.50 and SRW, as well as those establishing centralised systems.What is original/value of the paper?: The paper moves the discussion of Z39.50 based systems away from anecdotal evidence and provides recommendations based on testing and is intimately informed by the UK cataloguing and systems librarian community. 1This paper is published in 'Program: electronic library and information systems ', Vol.39, No.3, 2005, pp.227-247. IntroductionUnion catalogues are by no means a new phenomenon. As Cannel and Guy (2001) As with most technical service models, each has numerous advantages and disadvantages. Some of these have been widely documented in the literature for some time (Cousins, 1999;Nicholson, 2000;Stubley et al, 2001;Gatenby, 2002;Friesen, 2002;Taylor, 2003) or examined (Moen, 2001a; 2 This paper is published in 'Program: electronic library and information systems ', Vol.39, No.3, 2005, pp.227-247. Still, although Z39.50 has a long history, it is far from outmoded. As Taylor (2003) notes and predicts, Z39.50 may have peculiar problems but it remains capable of adapting to new environments and will experience wider deployment within the LIS sector and beyond for many years. Such predictions are certainly manifest in wider LIS deployment. As in many information rich countries, the UK is experiencing an increasing deployment of Z39.50 applications. While this is most marked in academic and research libraries, it is extending also to Further Education (FE) Colleges, public libraries and lifelong learning institutions. For example, t...

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Z39.50 broadcast searching and Z‐server response times

Cited by 2 publications

References 15 publications

Eliminating query failures in a work‐centric library meta‐search environment

Eliminating query failures in a work‐centric library meta‐search environment

Towards improved performance and interoperability in distributed and physical union catalogues

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