The DOE OSTI E-Print Network: An Innovative Combining of Federated Search and Indexing

Abstract

The E-print Network is a vast, integrated network of electronic scientific and technical information created by scientists and research engineers active in their respective fields, all full-text searchable. The E-print Network is a gateway to nearly 32,000 websites and more than 50 databases worldwide, containing over 5 million e-prints in basic and applied sciences, in subject areas such as physics, biology, environmental sciences, materials science, nuclear sciences and engineering, energy research, computer and information technologies, chemistry, and other disciplines of interest to the US Department of Energy (DOE). Access to all e-prints is free and no registration and no login is required except for use of the alert notification system. DOE's Office of Scientific and Technical Information created and now actively grows and maintains the E-print Network. The Eprint Network (http://www.osti.gov/eprints) is innovative in several ways: 1. No additional effort is required from the content owner to make their full text e-prints available beyond making their e-prints available at their website. 2. No metadata is expected. 3. Federated search and crawling technologies are combined to find millions of e-prints in the Deep and Surface Webs. 4. Human and automated filtering of content ensures the integrity and quality of the collection. Our poster session will illustrate how the E-print Network is able to provide access to millions of quality e-prints with minimal effort from their owners.