Background

The focus of Xgrain is the 'discovery' of journal articles and the like: having the intention of making best use of the JISC-funded Abstract & Indexing database services that form part of the DNER; and having particular regard to cross-searching and the way in which A&I databases can be presented for use in learning and teaching.

The DNER currently offers a range of high quality, specialised abstracting and indexing (A&I) database services and electronic tables of contents services, providing key discovery facilities for references to journal articles and other information objects that can be accessed from the desktop. However, there is evidence that they are under-used, especially in learning and teaching. This is attributed to a lack of interconnectivity between the services, which diminishes the utility of each individual service, and a perception that they may be too complex for use by undergraduates, while not apparently offering any great advantages in terms of learning.

Xgrain aims to address these underlying problems by developing a broker that will offer 'shallow' cross-searching of A&I databases across the DNER (using the Z39.50 protocol among others), with the facility to be transferred into native user interfaces for in-depth searching. Ten Learning and Teaching Associate Sites will undertake a requirements analysis for, and participate in the development of, learning and teaching materials to support the use of the cross-searching portal in the classroom, and other learning environments, and promote its use in learning and teaching.

Xgrain is part of the umbrella JOIN-UP Programme, which aims to realise the full potential of bibliographic services, by informing users about the location of third-party services on the materials referenced therein, and the means, where appropriate, to connect automatically to request and delivery mechanisms.