Search

Although technology can often correct spelling errors, the complex tasks of information searching and retrieval in an online public access catalog (OPAC) are made more difficult by these errors in users' input and bibliographic records. This study examines the search behaviors of 38 university students, divided into groups with either easy-to-spell or difficult-to-spell search terms, who were asked to find items in the OPAC with these search terms. Search behaviors and strategy use in the OPAC and on the World Wide Web (WWW) were examined. In general, students used familiar Web resources to check their spelling or discover more about the assigned topic. Students with difficult-to-spell search terms checked spelling more often, changed search strategies to look for the general topic and had fewer successful searches. Students unable to find the correct spelling of a search term were unable to complete their search. Students tended to search the OPAC as they would search a search engine, with few search terms or complex search strategies. The results of this study have implications for spell checking, user-focused OPAC design, and cataloging. Students' search behaviors are discussed by expanding Thatcher's (2006) Information-Seeking Process and Tactics for the WWW model to include OPACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the use of different query types for the BoW online bibliographical catalogue. Searching for this catalogue entails taking advantage of its structure and return matching topics from the hierarchy. Various statistical weighting factors are incorporated to show that the query types are best treated by different topic ranking functions. The mixed strategy that applies the most suitable ranking function to each query type is found to yield significant increase in precision relative to the baseline.

Google Print does not "change everything" regarding the need for professional cataloging and classification of books; its limitations make cataloging and classification even more important to researchers. Google's keyword search mechanism, backed by the display of results in `relevance ranked" order, is expressly designed and optimized for quick information-seeking rather than scholarship. Internet keyword searching does not provide scholars with the structured menus of research options, such as those in OPAC browse displays, which they need for overview perspectives on the book literature of their topics. Keyword searching fails to map the taxonomies that alert researchers to unanticipated aspects of their subjects. It fails to retrieve literature that uses keywords other than those the researcher can specify; it misses not only synonyms and variant phrases but also all relevant works in foreign languages. Searching by keywords is not the same as searching by conceptual categories. Google software especially fails to retrieve desired keywords in contexts segregated from the appearance of the same words in irrelevant contexts. As a consequence of the design limitations of the Google search interface, researchers cannot use Google to systematically recognize relevant books whose exact terminology they cannot specify in advance. In contrast, cataloging and classification do provide the recognition mechanisms that scholarship requires for systematic literature retrieval in book collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined Library of Congress Classification (LCC)-based class numbers assigned to a representative sample of 200 titles in 52 American library systems to determine the level of consistency within and across those systems. The results showed that under the condition that a library system has a title, the probability of that title having the same LCC-based class number across library systems is greater than 85 percent. An examination of 121 titles displaying variations in class numbers among library systems showed certain titles (for example, multi-foci titles, titles in series, bibliographies, and fiction) lend themselves to alternate class numbers. Others were assigned variant numbers either due to latitude in the schedules or for reasons that cannot be pinpointed. With increasing dependence on copy cataloging, the size of such variations may continue to decrease. As the preferred class number with its alternates represents a title more fully than just the preferred class number, this paper argues for continued use of alternates by library systems and for finding a method to link alternate class numbers to preferred class numbers for enriched subject access through local and union catalogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The libraries of the Catalan Polytechnic University (UPC) have a collection of cartographic documents made up mainly of navigation charts as well as numerous land maps. It has been noted that the OPAC search and retrieval on this latter group is complex and confusing. In order to resolve this problem, a digital cartographic gateway was developed. Its main function is as an image (or sensitive) map of Catalonia that permits retrieving the maps by county. The application, developed using Flash, Asp.Net and Dhtml, runs on a database taken directly from the UPC Libraries' Catalogue. The principle features of this application are the minimal maintenance required as well as the ease of updating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Launched in March 2005, The European Library is in its Beta test phase. It is uncertain how well the 'portal in the browser' solution will work, and the only way it can truly be tested is to release it to the world and solve any issues that arise. www.TheEuropeanLibrary.org is the operational result of a three-year European Union funded project to create a co-operative framework and specify a system for integrated access to the major collections of the European national libraries. Beginning in June 2004, work was undertaken to turn the project and the experimental technology into a full-fledged, robust service. The European Library currently gives free access to digital and non-digital records and items from nine European national libraries. These numbered around 11,000,000 at launch, of which half a million were digitised objects. This paper will cover the technological innovation, cooperation and business development required to launch and run this collaborative pan-European service. It also looks at the marketing and communications plan and addresses some of the known issues and challenges. Some examples of how research and discovery may directly benefit from this collaboration are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MACS (Multilingual access to subjects) project is one of the many projects that are currently exploring solutions to multilingual subject access to online catalogs. Its strategy is to develop a Web-based link and search interface through which equivalents between three Subject Heading Languages-SWD/RSWK (Schlagwortnormdatei/Regeln für den Schlagwortkatalog) for German, RAMEAU (Répertoire d'Autorité-Matière Encyclopédique et Alphabétique Unifié) for French, and LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings) for English-can be created and maintained, and by which users can access online databases in the language of their choice. Factors that have led to this approach will be examined and the MACS linking strategy will be explained. The trend to using mapping or linking strategies between different controlled vocabularies to create multilingual access challenges the traditional view of the multilingual thesaurus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]