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Google Scholar, OpenURL and the Academic Library
Tim Shearer
UNC Libraries
Tim Shearer2 September 19, 2005
Why worry about Google?
Crawled copy(ies) are often commercial. On-campus, may have institutional access
to commercial content…or not. “Appropriate” copy. We want to insert licensed content into the
click stream on- and off-campus.
Tim Shearer3 September 19, 2005
How to do it?
Most obviously, you must first have an institutional resolver.
We do: Serials Solutions.
Tim Shearer4 September 19, 2005
Brief tour of OpenURL within Google Scholar
Google Scholar pilot - “Scholar Preferences.”
Client side tools. Server side arrangements (extending the
Google pilot project).
Tim Shearer5 September 19, 2005
Client based (browser specific)
Firefox extension (Peter Binkley, U Alberta)
Users:Must have appropriate version of Firefox.Must know that “appropriate copy” is an issue.Must know that UNC has an extension.Must actively install it.
Tim Shearer6 September 19, 2005
Client based (vendor neutral)
Bookmarklet (Peter Binkley, U Alberta) Users:
Must know that “appropriate copy” is an issue.Must know that UNC has a bookmarklet.Must actively install it.Must activate it on every Google Scholar
results page.
Tim Shearer7 September 19, 2005
Pros of client based
Google not involved in any way… “stealth content.”
Entirely controlled by institution and userNo holdings information shared with GoogleCan use your standard OpenURL, institution-
branded icon for linking.
Tim Shearer8 September 19, 2005
Server based
Server knows about institution: Resolver Link text IP address range (and holdings?)
-additionally- Server may know about end user:
Client cookie indicates user-selected institution(s).
Tim Shearer9 September 19, 2005
Serials Solutions
Serials Solutions and Google Scholar arrangement.
As customer, UNC Chapel Hill may opt to participate, and does so.
On-campus users have OpenURL links. Off-campus users may set preferences
(cookie) to make links available.
Tim Shearer10 September 19, 2005
Cons of server based (in a Google world)
Google will not support images for resolver linking.
No UNC icon branding. Users no longer have consistent visual cues.
Google requires electronic holdings.
But… it works.
Tim Shearer11 September 19, 2005
What more can we do for users?
Often the most convenient copy (main Google link) is something already licensed for an academic user.
Ideal for on-campus users. What about off-campus users? University of Texas at Austin is proxying
Google Scholar!
Tim Shearer12 September 19, 2005
Can UNC proxy Google Scholar?
License EZ Proxy. Yes, it works. Form interface, use middleware so that
users may type query into UNC page (authenticate if off-campus) and proceed seamlessly to Google Scholar results.
Tim Shearer13 September 19, 2005
We can do it. What should we do with it?
Add to E-Resource finder? Make a Google Scholar page? Add to our home page?
Tim Shearer14 September 19, 2005
The Discussion
How useful is Google Scholar?*Coverage/scopeTimelinessRecall and precisionRelevanceAccuracyOutput(*apologies to Roy Tennant, CDL)
Tim Shearer15 September 19, 2005
The Discussion, continued…
Given the limitations of Google Scholar, why give it the Library’s imprimatur at all?
Given its limitations, why give it preferred status as the only electronic resource on our home page?
Tim Shearer16 September 19, 2005
The discussion, continued…
Well, it is useful. Faculty are enthusiastic. Students are enthusiastic. They are using Google Scholar. Embrace the inevitable? Get licensed content into the click stream
regardless of location.
Tim Shearer17 September 19, 2005
Strange but true
Books appear in Google Scholar Students have asked the instructional
staff, “Do we have this?”
Tim Shearer18 September 19, 2005
What happened?
Strong administrative support for adding to the Library’s home page.
Went live April 18th 2005, in time for the end of the Spring term.
Library instruction has begun to explicitly include Google Scholar in some classes (Fall 2005).
Tim Shearer19 September 19, 2005
Some Statistics
August 20051121 page clicks ~ 31 uses/day
765 unique IP ~ 25 IP/day
September 2005… so far ~ 38 uses/day
~ 29 IP/day
Tim Shearer20 September 19, 2005
Thank You! Questions?
Tim Shearer21 September 19, 2005
URLs and Contact Info
Peter Binkley’s page:
http://www.ualberta.ca/~pbinkley/gso/ UNC Libraries:
http://www.lib.unc.edu/ Tim Shearer