1. What is WebFeatTM Express?WebFeat Express is a federated search engine that provides library patrons with a simple, single search interface for all of a library's online resources, including library catalogs and subscription databases, as well as free resources. WebFeat provides the searching of more than 1,000 databases from more than 300 vendors and publishers. 2. What is WAC or WAC Express?WAC stands for WebFeat Administration Console. The WAC, or WebFeat Express Administration Console, is a browser-based tool used to configure each WebFeat system. The WAC supports customization of database subscriptions, subject categories and interface branding to meet your library's needs. 3. How does WebFeat Express work with EBSCO A-to-Z?The WAC automatically detects the databases in a customer's A-to-Z account and uses this to help configure your WebFeat account. In addition to the database names, vendor tokens (such as the Gale Site ID) are also passed to WebFeat Express. The admin modules of A-to-Z and WebFeat Express are separate. 4. What does WebFeat’s SMART Reports tool add to the basic service?WebFeat's SMART (Statistical Measures Available in Real Time) Reports is an add-on usage tool that allows the institution to capture statistics on full-text requests, as well as other activity for each database. If you subscribe to SMART, you can access your usage statistics from http://wfx.webfeat.org/smart. 5. Why do we need to provide a library card and PIN number?Valid authentication credentials are needed to support integration of the WebFeat Express service with an institution's remote authentication service. This information is secure and will only be available to WebFeat support staff.
9. How do we embed the WebFeat Express search box in our homepage?WebFeat Express provides sample HTML for the creation of a search box. You can access the example using the following URL: http://wfx.webfeat.org/wfsearch/searchHelp?cid+<<your client ID>>&t=qs. For more information, please contact your client services manager. 10. How do we set up subject categories?Subject categories and subcategories are created and populated from the Subject Categories tab of WAC. To add a category, type in the name of the category and click Add. From the list of databases on the right, select/check each database you want associated with that category. Click Save. Subject categories and their associated databases can be added, deleted or edited at any time. 11. Is there a limit to the number of categories or databases per category?You can create an unlimited number of subject categories and assign databases to multiple categories. You can also choose to create an "All Resources" category or choose not to create/use subject categories at all. 12. How do I change a database URL or description?
Q: When searching a site where users have access to only some of the journals and some of the years, can the search engine be set up to search only what the library has access to? You can select specific databases to search, but not specific journals a library has access to in those databases. Q: If we don't have a journal subscription through a database, does each online journal have to be set up as an individual search source? Yes.
Q: When searching a site where users have access to only some of the journals and some of the years, can the search engine be set up to search only what the library has access to? You can select specific databases to search, but not specific journals a library has access to in those databases.
Q: If we don't have a journal subscription through a database, does each online journal have to be set up as an individual search source? Yes.
Q: How are simultaneous users handled? When the simultaneous user limit has been reached, WebFeat displays a message in the results scoreboard that indicates the simultaneous user limit has been reached. (These "turnaways" are shown in SMART.) Q: What does WebFeat search when a database doesn’t have a general keyword search? Each database translator is configured differently when there is no direct field to field matching.
Q: How are simultaneous users handled? When the simultaneous user limit has been reached, WebFeat displays a message in the results scoreboard that indicates the simultaneous user limit has been reached. (These "turnaways" are shown in SMART.)
WebFeat Express supports truncation if it is supported in the native interface. (If the native interface uses * as a wildcard operator, WebFeat will also support * as a wildcard.)
Search results can be sorted by relevance, title, author and date. One of the reasons WebFeat Express can offer effective relevancy ranking of results is that it uses the native interfaces of the content providers to conduct a relevancy rank.
17. What if one of our databases is not listed in WebFeat Express?On the Manage Databases page in your WebFeat Express administration console, select the Database Not Listed? link. This will allow you to submit a request to WebFeat to add support for your database to WebFeat Express. A WebFeat client services manager will contact you shortly if additional information is required.
18. What if the database is listed in WebFeat Express, but not listed on the authentication page?E-mail WebFeat Express customer support or your WebFeat client services manager.
19. What if our library catalog is not supported by WebFeat Express?From the Catalog Databases page on your WebFeat Express administration console, select the Catalog Not Listed? link. This will allow you to submit a request to WebFeat to add support for your databases to WebFeat Express. A WebFeat client services manager will contact you if additional information is required. 20. How do we set up remote patron authentication?WebFeat seamlessly handshakes with your library’s existing remote patron authentication and presents the identical remote login Web page your patrons are used to seeing. If your site uses a supported ILS, EZ Proxy or Shibboleth, uncheck None and enter the appropriate URL in the space provided for the type of remote authentication your library uses. For example, if your library uses an ILS, enter your URL information in the appropriate ILS section. Leave the other sections (EZ Proxy, Shibboleth) blank. Click Save to continue. 21. What if our remote patron authentication system is not supported by WebFeat Express?E-mail WebFeat Express customer support or your WebFeat client services manager. 22. What do I do if one of my configured databases is returning results?E-mail WebFeat Express customer support or your WebFeat client services manager. 23. What does "Authentication process incomplete. Results may not display" mean?Many subscription databases require IP address authentication. To support IP address authentication, WebFeat must contact your subscription database vendors to enable access to WebFeat Express. This can take 48 hours or more, depending on the vendor. Until access is granted to WebFeat Express, the database may not be searchable. 24. Does WebFeat Express support RefWorks?Yes, WebFeat Express supports direct export to RefWorks. Select the Save Results button from the search results page. WebFeat Express also supports saving results in RIS format for import to other bibliographic management applications. 25. If I purchase WebFeat, do I still need a link resolver?Yes - to provide a full and comprehensive end-user experience, a federated search engine, link resolver (LinkSource) and A-to-Z title list work together. EBSCO's A-to-Z is a web-based locator tool for all of a library's e-resources, including e-journals, titles in full-text databases, publisher packages and e-resources. WebFeat allows those resources to be searched from a single search page, and LinkSource is an Open URL link resolver which links users between those resources. The result is that users are able to search all of the library's resources at one time and link to full text (where available), instead of just citations. Federated search engine results are often citation-only, and the federated search technology cannot connect a citation to its appropriate full text without a link resolver such as LinkSource. 26. For which databases does WebFeat Express currently have translators? WebFeat Express currently has more than 3,000 translators accommodating more than 6,000 databases. WebFeat Express can support virtually any searchable database, including local databases. 27. If I need a translator for a database that WebFeat does not currently offer, how is this handled? Is there an additional cost?You can request translators directly from the WAC. If you do not see one of your databases listed on the Manage Databases page, simply click the "Database not listed?" link, which takes you to a form from which you can make a translator request. There is no additional cost. 28. How do we report problems with our WebFeat Express system?E-mail WebFeat Express customer support or your WebFeat client services manager.