On Dec 12, 2007, at 11:27 AM, Bernhard Eversberg wrote:
>> More specifically, I endorse the idea of relationship-creation, but I
>> think it ought to go beyond information resources and include users/
>> people....
>
> That describes a potentially very wide array of information. Some of
> which, or quite a lot even, will be of temporary and ephemeral
> value only....
>
> Seriously, there is of course no need to store those categories of
> data inside the library systems as such. That stuff may be managed
> separately by appropriate software and linked with the ILS's catalog
> records only via suitable identifiers.
On Dec 12, 2007, at 11:53 AM, Stephens, Owen wrote:
> Not just managed separately in terms of software, but in terms of
> who is
> doing it. If we can produce systems that allow these links to be
> supported in a structured way, nothing to stop 3rd party organisations
> providing this as a service - although a library may choose to
> provide a
> local service to allow others to make links, useful network effect
> happens above this, so it would seem more likely that useful linkages
> will happen at a higher level, linking between catalogues (and other
> resources).
Absolutely correct, times 2.
In an academic setting the information about people (users) can be
gleaned from the human resources department and/or the registrar. I'm
sure they know things like: names, addresses, departments, ranks,
majors, courses of study, classes being taken, etc. This information
can be mapped to formal controlled vocabularies or more informal
subjects. Those vocabularies and/or subjects can then be mapped to
library subject specialists or formally cataloged information
resources. Given this sorts of mappings it will be possible to
creation relationships between resources, patrons, and librarians --
sort of like a relational database join operation.
For example, you know there are N number of courses at your
institution on anthropology. You can then catalog information
resources (indexes, databases, websites, etc.) with an anthropology
term. You can then allow people to optionally sign-in to your library
system. It would then look up the person, find out that they are a
freshman taking Anthropology 101 and list sets of resources (as well
as a librarian) that may be of assistance. A different set of
resources might be suggested for the Ph.D. student.
Librarians do these sorts of things now --- in a face-to-face
environment -- but as fewer and fewer people come to our physical
locations for information assistance it becomes necessary figure out
ways to implement these sorts of services in a computer networked
environment.
A library "catalog" does not have to only articulate relationships
between information resources and other information resources. It can
also articulate relationships between information resources and people.
--
Eric Lease Morgan
University Libraries of Notre Dame
Received on Wed Dec 12 2007 - 13:33:18 EST