Unfortunately the user interface for sex has similar problems.
On 2/8/08, James Weinheimer <j.weinheimer_at_aur.edu> wrote:
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
> > [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Karen Coyle
> > Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 1:58 AM
> > To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
> > Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Browsing percentages / analytics
> > As I recall from conversations with him, users turned out to be quite
> > resilient, trying lots of different angles before succeeding or giving
> > up (from the logs you couldn't really tell, but most users moved from
> > zero results to non-zero results). His figures also showed that the
> > number of initial zero results was surprisingly high. I know when I
> > tried to discuss the pitfalls of keyword searching with a class of
> > computer science students at Stanford some years ago, their response was
> > (in reference to search engines): "But I always get something." In the
> > general equation of something v. nothing, something does tend to be a
> > happier result, if even wrong.
>
> I remember at another institution I worked at, someone was analysing the
> log files and discovered one user who was trying to find the Kamasutra.
> There was no authority file searching at that time. Whoever it was tried and
> tried and tried to find it and actually came very close for awhile and then
> got colder, but finally gave up. Everybody got a good laugh out of it, but I
> always felt sorry for the poor boy or girl who kept getting back zero
> results!
>
> The heading in the catalog is:
> Vātsyāyana. Kāmasūtra.
>
> James Weinheimer j.weinheimer_at_aur.edu
> Director of Library and Information Services
> The American University of Rome
> via Pietro Roselli, 4
> 00153 Rome, Italy
> voice- 011 39 06 58330919 ext. 327
> fax-011 39 06 58330992
>
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Check out my library at http://www.librarything.com/profile/timspalding
Received on Fri Feb 08 2008 - 06:02:20 EST