3.9 Let us sum up
The open access movement supported by the development of a number of open source software has resulted in the development of a number of institutional repositories, following varieties of hardware and software solutions according to the objectives of the repositories. These repositories may also be different in their coverage, software usage, nature of contents and most importantly in retrieval techniques and tools. As a result, it is difficult for end users search comprehensively these repositories that provide scholarly materials freely. This situation necessitates the development of a single window search service covering all the repositories in a given domain of knowledge. These single windows search services (based on resource metadata) are advantageous to scholars and others as it brings them closer to uniform access interface for scholarly information bearing objects and cultural resources. To overcome the problems, technological solutions in the form of harvesting have been developed. Harvesting refers to a technique of extracting metadata from individual repositories and collecting it in a central catalogue. Metadata harvesting refers specifically to the gathering together metadata from a number of distributed repositories (e.g. eprint archives) into a combined data store. This unit explains the concept of harvesting and harvesters. The provisions of exchanging data without minimal loss of content functionality of multiple systems (with different hardware & software platform and data structure interface) are achieved through the technology of interoperability. Through Croswalk, it is possible to use metadata created by one community by another group that may employ different metadata standards. It is useful for virtual collections where resources are drawn from varieties of sources and expected to act as a whole. Interoperability and crosswalk ensures exchange of bibliographic data among heterogeneous systems across the globe. Various tools and standards to achieve interoperability have been discussed in this unit. The OAI/PMH standards are extensively used in the domain of library and information services. It is necessary that you should be aware of how harvesters work. This aspect has been dealt with under the heading Harvester mechanism. The framework for Harvester designing has been discussed in detail in the section 3.7. In any open access environment two aspects – integration of open access repository with existing search services and integration with research administrative systems are important. The way by which an institute can provide single window search interface may be referred to as integration. Almost each and every institution provides more than two services to their end-users. At the same time, they may provide information relating to end-users’ search query from their internal database (includes Library OPAC, institutional repository, e-journal database) and from external databases (e.g. open access database like BASE or subscribed database like Scopus). To consolidate the search, a mechanism must be there to search the entire external and internal databases through a single window search interface. This can be done by using tools like Custom Search Engine, Discovery tools etc. Researchers register their work by giving metadata like title of a research work, name of researcher etc. under an institutional system. The institutions (university or funding agency) should maintain all records for official as well as academic purposes. In the Integration with Research Administrative System, at the time of submission of research thesis, it will automatically be uploaded in institutional repository also. Researchers register their work by giving metadata like title of a research work, name of researcher etc. under an institutional system. It may be under university system or under any funder agency. So institutions should maintain all records for official as well as academic purposes. In the Research Administrative System, at the time of submission of research thesis, it will automatically be uploaded in institutional repository also. The unit concludes with a description of CRIS/OAR Interoperability Project.