Introduction to ZPORTAL

Prepared by Houeida K. ChararaElectronic Resources Librarian

LAU Libraries©2010

2

What is ZPORTAL?

ZPORTAL is a library portal or federated search engine. It offers to the LAU libraries the chance to layer a single / federated search environment across its catalogue, its e-resources and approved external websites, offering end-users an internet search engine feel, but with the safeguard of searching 'professional approved' content

3

In other words:

ZPORTAL allows you to:

Cross-search multiple resources at the same time

Use one single search interface Display results in a single presentation

4

Why to use ZPORTAL? (1)

Integration of widest possible collection of resources thanks to choice of compatible data harvesting tools

Non-searchable resources integrated into 'one stop shop' for users

Works with authentication services to control access to the most appropriate resources

5

Why to use ZPORTAL? (2)

Efficient and seamless access to full text without further authentication

Focused searching as resources are profiled to users' specific needs

Options for naive and advanced users, both with intuitive user interface

Range of personalization features including saved searches, saved lists, filtering, sorting and de-duplication

6

Resources currently searchable

Some Open Access Resources may be added to ZPORTAL in the future

Selective websites are covered

7

Signing In

The first screen that appears in ZPORTAL is the Standard Search

You MUST “sign in” in order to search the LAU Libraries resources

8

How to sign in

In the Sign In screen enter your LAU e-mail username (e.g. jsmith or john.smith) and password

You know you are signed in when a “Sign Out” option in the left pane is available

9

Standard Search Screen after Sign In

Name of the user

10

Profiles and Collections

Profiles are groupings of databases or catalogs, so called Collections

You can select or deselect individual catalogs/databases within these profiles for searching

User “private” Profile

Library “shared" profiles

11

Standard Search

On the Standard Search Screen select your profile, then enter your keywords in the search box

To submit your search click on GO Try to be very specific; use several keywords to narrow

down your search Don’t use general keywords

12

Advanced Search

This search is recommended ONLY if you have a certain field to be excluded or included otherwise the Standard search is preferable

13

Search Results

Your search results will be displayed in a brief record format in the Search Results Screen. (Results are returned in the order of the fastest collection)

Clicking on Details will bring up a full record

DON’T click on Get it!!!

Click on HTTP icon to have the fulltext

14

Search Status

It is very important to check the search status because NOT all resources are available at all times (due to overload, system crashes, etc.)

Error means database was NOT searched

Unsupported (Advanced Search) your search strategy is NOT supported

15

Record Details

Click on Electronic Resource to have the fulltext2 Options are available HTML and PDF according to the

database

N.B. If the field Electronic Resources is missing = NO Full text available

16

Journal/Article Finder

To find journals that are not available in the searchable collections, i.e., Other Collections

17

Personalization features

Sorting

Filtering

18

Personalization features

De-duplicationDon’t use big numbers: Merge 50 records at a time

Saved searches 3 options are available: Edit, Re-run and Delete

19

Building a new Profile You can create your own

individual profile if none of the profiles provided are suitable

Select the Search profiles link from the My Account menu, then click on create

20

Useful information

“Standard search” searches all the fields including the full text which explains why some records may look irrelevant

Use quotation marks for exact phrase searching Hits are retrieved according to the fastest collection,

therefore sorting, filtering, etc. are needed ZPORTAL is NOT a database, results will be taken from

the online databases as usual Saved lists and Search history will be cleared after signing

out Check your Search Status regularly

21

ZPORTAL BENEFITS USERS BY: (1)

“SAVING TIME – Users don’t have to search across a variety of interfaces to find the information they need

RELEVANT INFORMATION – Users are guided to appropriate resources which provide only quality information

IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO CONTENT – Users can go directly to full text, PDFs and e-journals

IMPROVED QUALITY OF DATA – All information has been filtered to provide only quality data

22

ZPORTAL BENEFITS USERS BY: (2)

UNDERSTANDING RESOURCES AVAILABLE – Users are only presented with collections relevant to their research or study

PERSONALISED FEATURES – Users can save and reuse searches in addition to setting up groups of favorite resources to cross-search

EASE OF USE – Users only have to learn how to use one interface and remember one password”.

23

Less advantageous

No Arabic support Security: It involves the opening of some ports

outside the university firewalls End-user overwhelmed with # of hits Continuous maintenance and update Unable to cover all licensed databases Unable to use each database’s features and

capabilities to the maximum

24

Need more info?

Contact the Electronic Resources Librarian

@

houeida.charara@lau.edu.lbext. 1817

N.B. ZPORTAL benefits (slides 21-22) are taken from FDI’s ZPORTAL brochure for

Academic Libraries.