library services on the expedia model access 2004: october 15, 2004 bc electronic library network...
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Library Services on the Expedia Model
Access 2004: October 15, 2004
BC Electronic Library Network
John Durno
BCcampus is:
• an online educational service connecting learners and educators to programs and resources across all BC institutions
Press Release
• “BCcampus, a collaboration of BC’s colleges, university colleges, universities and institutes, will build on existing programs and services, reducing costly duplication within the system and improving efficiency for students. It will provide a single access point for learners who want to take post-secondary courses and programs by distance. Students will also be able to receive online career counseling and educational advising services.”
• Hon. Shirley Bond, Minister of Advanced EducationOctober 30, 2002
In other words …
• Centralized infrastructure supporting distributed service provision (AKA: a portal)
Services include:
• Course and Program Information• Advising• Admission• Registration• Financial Aid• Course Delivery• Library
A couple of terms
• Home institution
• Course provider
The interesting part
• Students require access to library resources from all of their institutional course providers
Goal
• Construct a gateway to library services for students affiliated with multiple institutions
Student Registration Systems
BCcampus Portal
Federated User Data
Components, Phase I
• Research database gateway
• Linkserver/ILL requesting system
• Basic reference requesting
… plus an admin module
Requirements
• Integrate with existing infrastructure where possible
• Minimize duplication
• Single sign-on
Constraints
• Course providers responsible for supporting courses offered
• Limited implementation window
Technologies
• uPortal
• SQL Server
• PHP5
• EZproxy
Project Administration
• BCcampus Project Office
• CPSLD subcommittee
• BC ELN
Portal knows:
• Institutions student is affiliated with
• Courses student is enrolled in
• Resources available at each institution
Research Database Gateway
• Makes available all the databases licensed by student’s home institution and course providers
• By Alpha List, Topic, and Course
Library Tables
• Database descriptions• Topics• Library descriptions• Join tables:
• Libraries/Databases• Databases/Topics• Courses/Topics
Authentication
• Extensive use of EZproxy
• Pass-through to institutional proxies where possible
• Uses BCcampus-hosted proxies where institutional proxies not available
Distributed & Centralized Proxies
PortalCentralized
Distributed
URL + Token
Token
OK
BCcPortal EZproxy
Portal - Proxy Dialogue
To DB
User
Proxy issues (BCcampus-hosted)
• IP range outside host institution ranges
• Load levels
Proxy Issues (Institution-hosted)
• Versions– Early versions don’t talk SSL– Early versions handle parameters
differently
• Levels of Support– “server two hour drive away”
• CGI method– Requires programming
Linkserver/ILL
• GODOT/CUFTS almost universal standard among BC post-secondaries
• Open source advantage: easy to modify
Required Modifications
• Linkserver: Link to full text from all available resources
• ILL: Requests sent to user’s home institution
GODOT/CUFTS needs to know:
• How to identify BCcampus users
• User’s home institution and course providers
• Cannot use IP authentication
Authentication Method
• Cookies obvious solution, except for barriers to cross-site scripting:– Cookies only available to originating server– SSL blocks “web bug” approach– Can’t reliably be set by 30x redirect
• Solution (for now): Meta-refresh
ResearchDatabase(via proxy)
GODOT/CUFTS
BCcPortal
URL+Cookie
Meta-Refresh
OpenURLCookie
User InfoTo Full TextOr ILL request form
Interaction
Sets Cookie
Reads Cookie
Reference Module
• Simple form based request
• User specifies course from drop-down list
• Request sent to appropriate institution via email
Future development
• Metasearch
• Serials title lists
• Virtual Reference
