I'm no internet expert, but I wonder whether it would be psosible to
creade an automatic redirect system like the ones used by some (not
enough!) websites that change their URLs? It might not work for a 'new'
'wrong' string, but once you have established that string "......" is
not giving results, could you link that automatically via the CR to the
code for the 'correct' string, without the user having to see the
intermediary message?
Roger Fenton
Holly Ledvina wrote:
> I agree that we need to examine /how /patrons use the catalog to
> determine if they are /finding/ vs /searching/. I have been using the
> search transaction logs in our system to determine which subject
> searches retrieve no hits. After examining the results the patron sees
> - i.e. where does the "no results" search take them in the index, I
> add the term used as a 4xx see reference in our authority files. The
> 4xx see reference will then take the patron to a catalog message that
> the term is not used in this catalog but to search using the "subject
> heading" listed which links directly to the subject term.
>
> While this referral directs the patron to the "term used" it is
> nonetheless an intermediary step and click. What I would really like
> is a natural language interpretation within the catalog software that
> authomatically directs the patron to the correct term of the
> controlled vocabulary, seamlessly. Maintain the controlled vocabulary
> but make it invisible to patron. And yes, there are a gazillion
> problems with this thought but its patron friendly and merits
> exploration. It may even be working somewhere in a library - anyone?
>
> Holly Ledvina
>
>
>
>
>
> K.G. Schneider wrote:
>
>>I'm less interested in defining who users are than examining what they do
>>and working backwards from that premise.
>>
>>I have a hypothesis: search logs (not transaction logs; but special logs
>>that generate information about search behavior) for a wide variety of
>>libraries would yield highly similar data on the types of queries performed
>>by users-right down to top queries, lowest queries, top successes, top no
>>hits, and patterns such as number of terms and complexity of queries.
>>
>>I have a bet: most libraries don't generate search logs or any similar
>>search analytics for their user behavior. Much, much discussion; little,
>>little data.
>>
>>I have an observation: companies such as Google aren't spending a lot of
>>time worrying about their various "communities." That's not to say that
>>it's necessarily bad to do so... but as an initial preoccupation, we may be
>>barking up the wrong tree.
>>
>>Why don't we start from the user data and work backwards? Re search logs,
>>I'll show you mine if you show me yours...and we aren't even an OPAC (though
>>due to our name a lot of users think we are, as our logs show-something we'd
>>like to address by building better no-results pages).
>>
>>Karen G. Schneider
>>kgs_at_bluehighways.com
>>
>>
>
>--
>Holly Ledvina
>Catalog Librarian
>Outagamie Waupaca Library System
>225 N. Oneida Street, Appleton, WI 54911
>hledvina_at_mail.owls.lib.wi.us
>920-832-6386
>
>"If we are to have an educated and informed population we need a strong and open library system supported by a committed administration. We cannot call for a revival of quality education in America and close our libraries. We cannot ask our children to learn to read and take away their books." Jimmy Carter.
>
>
--
Roger Fenton
Swyddog Prosiect
Adran Gwasanaethau Casgliadau
Is-adran Systemau
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU
Cymru
http://www.llgc.org.uk/
Ffôn: +44 (0) 1970 632800 est. 368
e-bost: roger.fenton_at_llgc.org.uk
Dydy'r uchod ddim o reidrwydd yn cynrychioli polisi'r LlGC
Project Officer
Department of Collection Services
Systems Section
National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU
Wales
http://www.llgc.org.uk/
Tel.: +44 (0) 1970 632800 ext. 368
Fax: +44 (0) 1970 632882
e-mail: roger.fenton_at_llgc.org.uk
The above does not necessarily represent NLW policy
Received on Thu Jun 08 2006 - 10:48:04 EDT