Overview of the Open SiteSearch Suite

Contents

What is the Open SiteSearch Suite?
What Can You Do with the Open SiteSearch Suite?
What's Included in the Open SiteSearch Suite?
Open SiteSearch WebZ software
Open SiteSearch Database Builder software
Open SiteSearch Record Builder application

What is the Open SiteSearch Suite?

The Open SiteSearch suite of software provides a comprehensive solution for managing distributed library information resources in a World Wide Web environment. It offers tools that integrate electronic resources under one Web interface, control access to resources, and build text and image databases locally.

What Can You Do with the Open SiteSearch Suite?

• Integrate library resources for easy user access. Open SiteSearch creates a virtual electronic library by linking your local catalog, locally mounted databases, remote catalogs, Internet resources, the OCLC FirstSearch service and other online services seamlessly for easy one-stop access by users.
• Build new electronic resources. The virtual library starts with you. Your library can create Web-accessible electronic collections from difficult-to-use resources, such as special collections and reserve room materials, brining these resources out of the back room and to the user.
• Bring local and remote resources together. Based on user demand, network capacity, and license fees, you choose which databases to load locally and which ones to access remotely, providing seamless access to your users.
• Apply local insight. You will appreciate the flexibility of Open SiteSearch. You decide indexing rules and record formats when building databases as well as how best to customize an interface to meet your users' needs.

What's Included in the Open SiteSearch Suite?

The Open SiteSearch suite includes the following software packages:

• OCLC SiteSearch WebZ software
• OCLC SiteSearch Database Builder software
• OCLC SiteSearch Record Builder application

Open SiteSearch WebZ software

WebZ provides a web-accessible interface to your library's electronic resources, and integrates the access to local and remote information. WebZ also provides the primary infrastructure for the Database Builder and Record Builder applications. In addition, the WebZ software provides the following features and advantages:

• Customizable Interface. Provide your users with a customized, common user interface to all your resources, eliminating user confusion with multiple resource interfaces, commands, and locations.
• Multi-database Searching. Create topic areas and virtual catalogs that allow your users to search multiple library catalogs simultaneously for fast, comprehensive retieval.
• Access Control. Gives you flexible access and authorization control supporting your licensing arrangements and presenting users with sets of resources tailored to their needs.
• Powerful Searching. Provide a fully functional interface that includes search history, record bookmarking, export, and browse.
• Resource Delivery. Gives your users direct access to resources they need through unmediated standards-based interlibrary loan, document delivery, and online full-text display.

The following resources provide additional information about the WebZ software:

• Introduction to WebZ. Provides a system-level description of the components that make up the WebZ software.
• WebZ System Administration. Provides links to all topics relating to the operation and configuration of the WebZ software.

Open SiteSearch Database Builder software

The Database Builder software is a complete set of software for building and maintaining information resources locally. Database Builder provides the following features and advantages:

• Database Indexing. You control the indexes and access points that make sense to your users and your data.
• Host Databases Locally. Host all types of data locally, including full text, abstracts, indexes, and images.
• Powerful Searching. Provide a full range of searching capabilities, including keyword and phrase searching, Boolean operators, truncation, wildcards, etc.
• Powerful Searching. Provide a fully functional interface that includes search history, record bookmarking, export, and browse.

The following resources provide additional information about the Database Builder software:

• OCLC SiteSearch Database Builder. Provides links to topics on how to plan, build, and maintain SiteSearch databases.

Open SiteSearch Record Builder Application

Record Builder is an end-user application built on WebZ technology that harnesses Database Builder's administrative utilities to allow the creation, modification, and maintenance of Newton searchable databases for local collections of such things as images, sound files, web sites, and data. Through its own pre-built web interface, Record Builder offers an alternative to batch updating by providing cataloguers a way to add, modify, and delete single records online using a variety of predefined templates and workforms.