Lisa Pons suggests that our users don't find our catalogs useful.
It also may be the case that potential users simply aren't *finding* our catalogs in the first place.
Bernie Sloan
"Pons, Lisa (ponslm)" <PONSLM_at_UCMAIL.UC.EDU> wrote:
I've been staying out of this, but I can't stand it anymore...
In regard to this discussion, which is better Google, catalog, this or
that...really, doesn't it boil down to what our users find most useful?
That is, our catalog interfaces are not being used because users are not
finding the results of their searches useful. Useful also may have
different definitions for different users.
Karen Coyle:"I still maintain that Google search should be judged in
terms of what it retrieves from Google, and library catalog search
should be judged in terms of what it retrieves from the library
catalog."
I would agree with above: and then add, but people are not finding our
results as useful as google. Why is that?
Tim Spaulding wrote: "Not infrequently they are in direct competition.
While
it true they have different information behind them, and stand at a
different remove from that information, they vary greatly in their
effectiveness in searching the information they do have. With all due
respect, the search matters, not just the resources behind it."
The search matters to most users only as a means to finding useful
results.
When I did research for a graduate class, as well as for a book I
authored with my husband, I found our catalog and other online resources
virtually useless- as a starting point.
I found google scholar, worldcat, google books much more helpful. Once I
found a source there, I would use worldcat to see if we owned it, and if
not which library around me had it. Simple, and easy.
Lastly, I think libraries need to find a new term other than catalog. Or
at least change the definition of it.
As has been discussed on this list, and is the case in my institution,
our catalog is considered by TPTB as "items we own". As such, many
online journals and databases, and more are not added to the catalog, as
we don't "own them", we simply have access to them.
As a result, although according to ARL rankings we are #2 for online
databases, one needs to search in at least 2 separate web pages (the
catalog and our serials solutions listings) for a complete list of
holdings.
It gets even worse if you attempt to search by subject: We have separate
listings (with different subject terminology) in our catalog, federated
search, serials solutions list, and indexes/databases page. How is this
useful?
I bring it up, because I think it is symptomatic of some libraries: that
they don't think enough of the users experience. Administrations need to
put more resources into hiring information profesionals, coders, user
interface experts and more to help.
I know I'm over simplifying, but...
So, I believe to move beyond talking to implementation, at least one
thing the library world needs to do is first move away from organizing
our resources in ways that suit the staff, to embracing some best
practices and new standards for making and presenting our results so
they are more useful to users. I think many libraries are doing this-
but it is difficult
Lisa Pons-Haitz
University Libraries
University of Cincinnati
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Eric Lease Morgan
> Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 7:30 AM
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Relevance ranking: was Aqua Brow
>
> On Jan 6, 2008, at 6:02 PM, B.G. Sloan wrote:
>
>
> > OK...so how do we move from talking to creating? How do we
> as a group
> > overcome the inertia and stop talking things to death? We've been
> > doing that for 18 months now (i.e., NGC4LIB is 18 months old).
> >
> > How do we get some innovation started? (Not a rhetorical question)
>
>
>
> Above are two separate questions.
>
> First, IMHO, to move from talking to creating we need to
> understand that we have only discussed 1/3 of the problem --
> description/ organization. A library "catalog" contains
> "stuff". What is that stuff? This is a topic centering on
> collections which has been sorely lacking here. Is it only
> stuff we own? It is stuff we own and license?
> What are the qualities and characteristics of the stuff in
> the "catalog" Second, to think that a library "catalog"
> should only support search is anemic. What are you going to
> do with the stuff once you find it? I suppose you want to
> read it, duh, but what else? Get it. Annotate it. Review it.
> Compare & contrast it. Extract all of its images. Cite it.
> Purchase it. Add it to a personal list. These are issues of
> public... services, and these issues have not been discussed
> here either. This list's discussion is not balanced, yet.
>
> Second, innovation does not happen across a large group of
> people such as this mailing list or a profession. Innovation
> is an intimate and creative process sprouting from the work
> of self-motivated individuals and small groups. To foster
> innovation on the issue of "next generation" library
> catalogs, all that is needed time and commitment to change.
> Everybody on this list is empowered in this regard.
> Identify the problem. Brainstorm solutions. In a small,
> inexpensive way gather together the resources (time, talent,
> stuff, etc.) necessary to create prototypes. Understand that
> many prototypes will be necessary before the best solution
> presents itself. It will not be perfect the first time, and
> it is not a waste of time to try and try again. When you do
> have a solution in place, then rest for a bit and return to
> Step #1 -- identify the problem. Innovation is a never-
> ending process.
>
> P.S. Regarding innovation. It does not hurt when leadership/
> administration expressly blesses the innovation process. It
> is not necessary but it does make things easier.
>
> --
> Eric Lease Morgan
> Head, Digital Access and Information Architecture Department
> University Libraries of Notre Dame
>
>
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Received on Tue Jan 08 2008 - 08:45:00 EST