Integrated searching in Taiwan: the LIPS‐DOI experiment

Purpose – There is an active effort by major libraries in Taiwan to offer integrated searching as part of their information services. The purpose of this paper is to report a low‐cost and high‐flexibility system, < LIPS‐DOI>, which can carry out integrated searching with respect to resource management. Design/methodology/approach – The paper first reviews the related techniques and then designs an integrated search system based on the concept of resources management. The reported system, < LIPS‐DOI>, is composed of three modules: enumeration module, description module, and resolution module. The various digital contents are first imported into < LIPS‐DOI> and thereafter the system is put into operation. Findings – A low‐cost and high‐flexibility system for integrated searching can be implemented and put into operation. In addition to digital objects, physical objects could also be managed and searched in the proposed < LIPS‐DOI> system. This system will redirect users to the original system in which these physical objects reside. Research limitations/implications – Due to the nature of management, registered users have to manage their own objects using the features provided by < LIPS‐DOI>. Originality/value – Such a system will empower library end users to find materials of mixed formats residing in disparate locations from a single interface. It was also designed with an eye toward integration with its DOI counterpart in the future.