Reminder: Proposals for Special Issue of Internet Reference Services Quarterly on Federated Searching Due December 15

Reminder: Proposals for Special Issue of Internet Reference Services Quarterly on Federated Searching Due December 15

Time is running out to submit a proposal for Internet Reference Services Quarterly's special issue on federated searching. The issue (12 1/2) will tentatively be published in February 2007.

We hope the issue, which may also be published as a monograph, will cover a wide range of topics pertaining to federated searching or metasearching. For the purposes of this issue, federated searching is defined at a search system with a common interface which enables simultaneous searching of databases or other resources from a variety of vendors. Topics might include, but are not limited to:

• Implementations of the various software packages (MetaLib, ENCompass, WebFeat, etc.) at different sized campus or as part of consortia
• Issues related to implementation or use of the software
• Interface decisions
• Comparison to and competition with Google Scholar
• Metasearch standards
• Technical services issues (i.e. metadata, etc.) relating to federated searching
• Information literacy issues related to federated searching
• Instruction of federated searching to various groups
• Utilization of federated searching at the Reference Desk
• Usability studies
• Assessment of federated searching technologies
• Studies of how widespread the phenomenon is, etc.

Theory-based manuscripts and case studies are acceptable. While the editors expect the issue to center around federated searching in academic libraries, manuscripts are also welcomed from other libraries (public, state, special) or consortia which have implemented federated searching technologies. Additional manuscripts may be independently solicited.

Proposals of no more than two (2) pages should be submitted to Christopher Cox at [email protected] no later than December 15, 2005. First drafts will be due no later than March 1, 2006. Final drafts (following double blind review) will be due no later than June 1, 2006.

For more information about Internet Reference Services Quarterly, please visit http://www.haworthpress.com/web/IRSQ/ . For any questions related to this announcement please contact IRSQ editor Christopher Cox via e-mail or at:

Christopher Cox

Editor, Internet Reference Services Quarterly

McIntyre Library

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

105 Garfield Avenue

Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004