Managing Federated Search Targets

Polaris PowerPAC features integrated federated searching, which enables users to simultaneously search local and remote databases, and retrieve merged search results. Libraries can offer federated searching of Z39.50 databases only, a feature included in Polaris at no additional cost. These search targets are remote databases or Web search engines that can be searched simultaneously with the Polaris database using the Z39.50 search protocol. If your library allows patrons to place interlibrary loan requests from PAC, you will likely provide Z39.50 search targets that patrons can choose using the Select Databases feature in Polaris PowerPAC. You can filter Z39.50 search target results to show only those materials that patrons can actually request. See Filter Remote Z39.50 Target Search Results in PowerPAC.

Note:
Vital is Innovative's digital asset management solution for describing, indexing, and making available electronic content, such as photographs, slides, digital video, sound clips, and electronic documents. Polaris PowerPAC users can search for Vital digital resources along with other types of material in the library catalog. You set up Vital for searching as you would other remote databases. See Searching Vital Digital Resources in PowerPAC - Overview.

Tip:
Your library can also offer remote databases that are searched separately in PowerPAC. See Configure remote database usage settings.

In addition, Polaris offers separately-activated federated searching in partnership with MuseGlobal, a leading supplier of content integration, aggregation and transformation solutions. This partnership extends federated search capabilities to other protocols in addition to Z39.50, such as: HTTP sources; free text databases; SQL or ODBC databases; and proprietary protocol sources. MuseGlobal offers over 6,500 potential targets and provides search access, connectors, and appropriate URLs for the target resources covered by your subscription. For more information about MuseGlobal, see http://www.museglobal.com

Note:
For specific information about setting up federated searching with MuseGlobal, see Polaris PowerPAC and MuseGlobal Federated Search - Overview.

To set up remote resources as federated search targets, you set up server records for the remote resources in Polaris Administration. See Registering Remote Resource Servers for more information. Then, using the procedures outlined here, you organize them in the way that is most convenient for your patrons, using the PowerPAC profile Remote databases: Categorization of target databases. You can set usage conditions on individual databases, and set a limit on the number of targets that can be searched at one time.