The ten public libraries and the Provincial Library coordinated a purchase of a Z39.50 Gateway to provide online access to all public library holdings in Saskatchewan.
What is the Gateway?
The Gateway is a search interface that uses the international search and retrieval standard (Z39.50) to search multiple library catalogues.
The catalogues currently available are: Chinook Regional Library, Lakeland Library Region, Lloydminster Public Library, Pahkisimon Nuhe?ah Library System, Palliser Regional Library, Parkland Regional Library, Regina Public Library, Saskatchewan Provincial Library (SUNCAT), Saskatoon Public Library, Southeast Regional Library, Wapiti Regional Library, Wheatland Regional Library
What happens when you search the Gateway?
When you do a search using the Gateway, you are doing a ‘broadcast’ search of all the connected library systems’ catalogues. This lets you search all the libraries at one time.
Is this the same as searching each individual library catalogue?
No. When you are using the Gateway to search, the results from the library catalogues may be different than what you would get from searching several catalogues singly. One of the reasons for this is because the Gateway acts as a translator – helping your request to become understandable to the various computer systems and not all the systems translate the request in the same way. It is also quicker to send one search through the Gateway, then to find the various library catalogues and repeat the searches one by one.
Getting started
You can find the Gateway at:
http://zgateway.lib.sk.ca/SAS.jsp
Diagram of how the Gateway works
For more information, contact
Calvin Sadowski
Saskatchewan Provincial Library
Ministry of Education
8th Floor, 1945 Hamilton Street
Regina, SK S4P 2C8
csadowski@library.gov.sk.ca
306-787-6299
.jpg)
