MetaSearch Initiative

NISO is sponsoring a MetaSearch Initiative.

Recognizing that cross database search capabilities and metasearching tools are a growth area in the marketplace, a leading group of content aggregators and library systems and services providers convened an open meeting at the American Library Association midwinter conference in Philadelphia in January 2003 to discuss those aspects of metasearching which impact both system performance and the content providers' delivery of services to libraries.

To continue this important dialog NISO is sponsoring a Metasearch Initiative that will enable:

• metasearch service providers to offer more effective and responsive services
• content providers to deliver enhanced content and protect their intellectual property
• libraries to deliver services that distinguish their services from Google and other free web services.

The first major activity will be a 2-day Strategy Session in early May in Denver, CO.