February 8, 2007
Exciting new features empower users to easily find the information they need – anytime, anyplace
Jerusalem, Israel—February 8, 2007. Ex Libris Group is pleased to announce the general release of MetaLib® version 4.00. This new version further enhances the user experience by providing exciting new tools empowering users to easily find the information they need, when they need it, from wherever they are. An ideal tool for both novice and expert researchers, version 4.00 incorporates innovative features for managing result sets. Topic clusters and author, date, and journal title facets are generated on the fly–providing users with a powerful new navigation tool and deepened insight into their information searches. Search results are relevancy ranked and automatically merged into a single display with duplicates detected and highlighted for the user.
In addition to the powerful topic clustering navigation tool, this new version of MetaLib features a fully accessible user interface that complies with the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0, level A, and Section 508 of the United States Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d). Enhanced interoperability capabilities through the MetaLib X-Server offer libraries even more options for integrating MetaLib into their own environments–Web sites, portals, and courseware management systems or virtual learning environments (CMS/VLE).
With direct access to the SFX® A-Z list of journals through the MetaLib user interface, users can take advantage of advanced SFX search functionality, browsing options, and pre-assigned or local e-journal categories. The expansion of the MetaLib knowledge base in this version enables users to access a variety of new resources of global and regional interest–reference databases, e-content repositories, library catalogs, Web-based subject gateways, and more.
Karen Groves, Ex Libris MetaLib product manager, notes, Our MetaLib user community remains one of our greatest assets as we continue to expand and enhance the functionality and features we provide in MetaLib. Version 4.00 is no exception; we have incorporated features suggested by our MetaLib customers and have benefited immensely from the willingness of our user community to participate in several evaluation and testing phases of our development cycle. MetaLib version 4.00 continues our Ex Libris tradition of powerful, flexible solutions that help libraries meet the needs of their users in an increasingly complex information landscape.
Institutions that have recently acquired MetaLib include the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), in South Korea; Beijing University of Technology and Capital Normal University, in China; the University of Quebec and the University of Victoria, in Canada; and Virginia State University, the Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, in the United States.
About MetaLib:
The Ex Libris MetaLib gateway and metasearch system enables users to access their institution’s e-collections, obtain relevant services, and work in a personalized environment. Using the easily customized MetaLib user interface or the user interface of another application tightly integrated with MetaLib, library patrons can conduct a metasearch across heterogeneous resources or link to the resources’ native interface.
MetaLibs flexible infrastructure accommodates both single institutions and consortia, Web-based administration tools enable librarians to quickly activate the full range of information resources that they offer their users. Integrated with MetaLib, is the award-winning SFX OpenURL-compliant linking server, which provides users with context-sensitive linking to services that their institution has defined and customized on the basis of its e-collections and policies.
For additional information on MetaLib, see http://www.exlibrisgroup.com/metalib.htm
About Ex Libris Group:
Ex Libris Group is a leading worldwide developer and provider of high-performance applications for libraries, information centers, and researchers, with installations around the globe. The Groups flagship ALEPH® 500 and Voyager® integrated library solutions are in use at over 3,000 sites worldwide. Other products from the Ex Libris suite, deployed at more than 1,300 sites, focus on the digital library and offer state-of-the-art, user-centric solutions for managing electronic resources and digital assets and providing informed access to them.
