Participating in Mercury is easy for data providers. No special software is needed by the data provider, only a Web server on which to post files. To learn more about the process of becoming a data provider, open the following linked page. The Mercury interface provides both fielded searches and free text searches. Mercury can also build a discovery mechanism, known as a web browse tree.
Users download documentation and data directly from data providers via the Internet.
Mercury is also compatible with Internet search engines, rather than being a closed, proprietary system. In addition, Mercury interacts with the Z39.50 world, where data providers from around the globe can share information. To see a schematic of these options, open the following linked page. Besides harvesting, Mercury can also work in more traditional modes. Mercury can also work as a stand-alone centralized repository of metadata and data by using the MetaStar Data Entry and Repository modules.