Question

What is the difference between the following scope "types": Institution, Library, Collection, and Other?

Answer

This is configured in Ongoing Configuration Wizards > Pipe Configuration Wizard > Scope Values Configuration in the Back Office.
Each data source, by default, has at least one scope value defined (based on the data source ID as per the control section of the PNX) in the "searchscope" field in the Search section of the PNX.
This scope identifies the data source as a "type".
Note that one data source can have more than one scope (and thus, more than one scope type).
For example, a repository of digital images is both a special collection and part of an institution.

1. Institution type scope enables searching of all institutional data.
All data sources, normalization rules, pipes, and scopes have an "owner" or institution to which they are linked.
An Institution type scope could be comprised of one or more data sources (OAI repository, ILS data, etc.) and/or libraries, and/or collections, all of which are linked to the same institution.

2. Library type scope enables searching of all library data within an institution.
A Library type scope could be comprised of one or more data sources (OAI repository, ILS data, etc.) and/or collections, all of which are linked to the same institution and library.

3. Collection type scope can be for a specific collection or subset within a data source or for the entire data source itself.
Example: Course Reserves

4. Other type scope can be used for any scope type that is not an institution, library, or collection.
In the View configuration, scopes of different types can be combined to optimize searching conditions for patrons.
For example, to facilitate ILL, a View scope may be created to search the Library scopes of all partner institutions.
A library may wish for an ‘everything’ scope to search their institution material which could include the ILS, digital repositories, special collections, article resources, etc.

Category: Front End

Subject: Look and Feel

• Article last edited: 10/8/2013