Toledo-Lucas County Public Library Adapts a Successful Model for Federated Search

WebFeat solution to also help optimize library database subscriptions

Old Brookville, N.Y., September 15, 2003 - Margaret Danziger, Deputy Director of Toledo-Lucas County Public Library (http://www.toledolibrary.org) doesn't want to be too leading edge. "At one time, I was part of a consortium that attempted to design an online system. It was a painful experience; patrons were not well served, staff got discouraged. My method now is to look for a good working model and adapt it for Toledo." Practicing this philosophy led Danziger to implement WebFeat when the library needed federated search capability.

Danziger implemented federated searching because there are too many databases for library patrons to deal with. "A federated search engine will let them find information from a variety of sources with a single request. This is what our public wants. Patrons don't care whether the information is in a book, periodical or government document, they simply want to know what the library has on a topic, and a federated search delivers that. Our various databases have information that a patron may not find without federated search."

The library has implemented WebFeat for federated searching, and it has been available to library patrons since August 11th, 2003. There are currently 48 databases accessible through the librarys WebFeat federated search system, and the WebFeat Usage Tracker will provide the library a way to assess their usage. "WebFeat will help us evaluate which databases are being used," stated Danziger. "Now we will know which databases are being searched. Those subscriptions with little use will be reevaluated. We will use WebFeat to help us optimize the database subscriptions the library has."

Following a smooth implementation, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library is having a very positive experience with WebFeat, achieving Danziger's goal of getting the right technology on the first try. "We were careful to watch and see what was working, and adopt an approach that was appropriate for us." For this reason, she carefully investigated federated search offerings before choosing WebFeat. As a member of the PLAs Technology in Public Libraries committee, Danziger heard about WebFeat from other committee members who had implemented federated search for their libraries. "Taxpayers don't understand when you make a poor vendor choice and have to drop or replace an expensive service. We wanted to make the wise choice the first time," Danziger concluded.

About WebFeat
WebFeat is the developer of the remarkable, patent-pending WebFeat Prism, used by over 1,000 leading public, academic, and corporate libraries, including more than half of the top 20 U.S. public libraries. Other products include the WebFeat Usage Tracker (WUT) and the WebFeat Authentication Manager (WAM). Originally founded in 1992 as an information technology consultancy, WebFeat has earned industry recognition from leading organizations such as Gartner and Library Journal. Learn more about WebFeat at www.webfeat.org.