I wasn't necessarily assuming any particular internal representation
of the data, but clearly if we *want* to be able to do this, the data
would have to accommodate it. And note that I stipulated that "other
sources use this terminology." I don't see anything wrong with
indexing a source based on the terminology that it actually uses. But
IANACJALP (I am not a cataloger, just a lowly programmer.)
Sharon M. Foster, 91.7% Librarian
Speaker-to-Computers
http://www.vsa-software.com/mlsportfolio/
On Wed, May 6, 2009 at 11:08 AM, Weinheimer Jim <j.weinheimer_at_aur.edu> wrote:
> And I will mention again that this example won't work. That's why it's such a good example.
>
> If you search Nat Turner's Rebellion in the authority file, you get zero because the only term in the record is "Insurrection." Somebody would have to physically add "Nat Turner's Rebellion" as a 450 cross-reference. But as soon as we did that, somebody else would want "Uprising" and then "Revolt" and then the white supremacists would want something. This is only for one, relatively clear concept. What would happen with the hundreds of thousands of other concepts, some far more difficult and controversial, if the authority file is supposed to work this way? The updates would be absolutely overwhelming.
>
> I think the wealth of information in the bibliographic records could somehow be leveraged to "data-mine" enough information to create an index that would allow for something like this. But with the file as it now stands, I don't think it would work since there's just not enough information in the authority records.
>
> Certainly, the authority files need to be far more available and widely used than they are now, but as they are now, they are a tool for professionals and very difficult to use. They were originally designed to be used in a printed/card catalog with the ready availability of a reference librarian. This hasn't really changed that much.
>
> This is why I applaud LC's decision to finally let them go. Now, perhaps they can become as useful as they should be.
>
> Jim Weinheimer
>
>
>> One reason to provide information such as is suggested below is that people
>> looking for information don't look in only one place. If
>> Discovery Tool #1
>> (maybe your library's discovery layer) gives the kind of information
>> suggested, then when you go to Discovery Tool #2 (some Internet search
>> engine) you may have the smarts to try searches under BOTH forms, or (more
>> likely) if you don't find much under the term you have tried, you may go
>> "ah-hah" maybe this alternate term will pull up what I want.
>>
>> I know .... I know .... here I am expecting people actually to use a few
>> neurons for rational thought. But, in fact, some DO.
>>
>> janet
>>
>>
>> Janet Swan Hill, Professor
>> Associate Director for Technical Services
>> University of Colorado Libraries, CB184
>> Boulder, CO 80309
>> janet.hill_at_colorado.edu
>> *****
>> Tradition is the handing-on of Fire, and not the worship of Ashes.
>> - Gustav Mahler
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
>> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Sharon Foster
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 2:51 PM
>> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
>> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Leveraging Authority Data in Keyword Searches
>>
>> So why can't the catalog just say it in plain English?
>>
>> "Here are some items about "Nat Turner's Rebellion."
>> Nat Turner's Rebellion is also know as the "Southampton Insurrection"
>> in some sources.
>> Would you like to see what we have under "Southampton
>> Insurrection"?"
>>
>> The response to the question--whether the patron clicks it or
>> not--might be useful for improving both the user's experience and the
>> catalog content, as Tim suggests. Of course, a library catalog can't
>> be that friendly, so we'd have to change the language into libraryese.
>> (That was a joke.) Basically, I'm just echoing what Mike Rylander said
>> several messages ago. We have the technology to phrase this any way we
>> like. Or, I should say, any way the patron likes.
>>
>> Sharon
>>
>> Sharon M. Foster, 91.7% Librarian
>> Speaker-to-Computers
>> http://www.vsa-software.com/mlsportfolio/
>
Received on Wed May 06 2009 - 11:19:42 EDT