Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 16:45:00 -0500
From: NISO Headquarters <nisohq@niso.org>
Subject: metasearch press release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact:
Patricia Harris
Executive Director
NISO
(301) 654-2512
Email: pharris@niso.org
NISO Launches Initiative on Metasearching Standards and Guidelines
Bethesda, Md., USA (April 2, 2003) - The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) announces an initiative to develop guidelines and standards for the metasearching environment. The initiative is an outgrowth of a session held at the American Library Association midwinter meeting in Philadelphia in January 2003. Attendees from a cross section of content providers agreed that metasearching - also referred to as cross database searching, parallel searching, broadcast searching, and federated searching - is a high growth area with many unresolved issues. This NISO Initiative will identify and address metasearch issues while implementations are still in their early stages. Details on the Initiative are featured on the NISO website: http://www.niso.org/committees/MetaSearch-info.html
Specific topics to be examined include:
… Authentication/certification mechanisms and the impact on search target(s)
… Sorting, ranking, and ordering of search results from multiple sources and multiple protocols
… Display of complete content including branding information and copyright notices
… Statistics and use measurement.
The Metasearch Initiative planning committee is co-chaired by Oliver Pesch of Ebsco Information Services and Pat Stevens of OCLC, Inc. Members of the committee include Paul Cope (AutoGraphics, Inc.), Brenda Bailey-Hainer (Colorado State Library), Oren Beit-Arie (ExLibris USA), Brad Buckley (Gale Group), Laurie Davidson (Innovative Interfaces, Inc.), Todd Fegan (ProQuest Information and Learning), Matt Goldner (Fretwell-Downing Informatics), Betsy Graham (Innovative Interfaces, Inc.), Sandra Hurd (Innovative Interfaces, Inc.). Ted Koppel (The Library Corporation), Marc Krellenstein (Elsevier Science, Inc.), Peter Noerr (MuseGlobal, Inc.), Ted Pastorious (Gale Group), Sara Randall (Endeavor Information Systems, Inc.), Ed Riding (Dynix Corp.), and Jenny Walker (ExLibris USA).
Individuals and organizations, from both the user and provider communities, interested in participating in this initiative to develop metasearch standards and guidelines are encouraged to contact Pat Harris, Executive Director of NISO. (Phone: 301-654-2512; Email: pharris@niso.org)
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NISO develops technical standards that enable libraries, publishers, content providers, and their business partners to maximize the value of their content. All NISO standards are available to the public without charge from the NISO website. Accredited by the American National Standards Institute, NISO is a nonprofit organization supported by over seventy members representing the leadership in the global information community. NISO Standards, information about NISO's activities, and membership information are featured on the NISO website http://www.niso.org; or call 301-654-2512.
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Pat Harris
Executive Director
National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
T: 301-654-2512 ** Mobile: 202-258-3296
Fax: 301-654-1721
Email: pharris@niso.org
url: http://www.niso.org
Attachment:
PRMetasearch.doc
Description: MS-Word document