IBM software KOs search hurdles at Keio U

Keio University, Japan’s oldest private university, will use IBM enterprise search software to make it easier to search and access the university’s collection of research information.

Keio chose IBM OmniFind Enterprise Edition as the search engine, indexing system and common interface for its project. By digitizing documents, research findings and other works in its collections, the school will make them available on demand. Plus, the project will bring together research information stored in different formats and systems that is currently difficult to find and access. With the IBM solution users can search a broad range of information sources such as databases, university Web sites, file systems and content management systems from a single interface.

“Working with IBM, we are creating an intuitive research environment that simplifies the sharing and access of information and provides it in context to open new possibilities for understanding,” said Jun Murai, Ph.D., vice president and chief operating officer, Research Institute for Digital Media and Content, Keio University.

Keio researchers can use the IBM search software to extract concepts, facts and relationships from existing content. It also helps users find relevant information, even when a user does not have expert knowledge in a particular field or may not know the right search term to use.

“We needed a system that could analyze content across interdisciplinary fields and that was flexible enough to support users of all ages and backgrounds,” says Keiko Shimazu, associate professor with Keio University’s Research Institute for Digital Media and Content. “OmniFind Enterprise Edition allows people outside of Keio University to access pertinent information regardless of its location.”