Hi Jim,
Thanks for your very clear points about retrieval of names based on name authority. A new subject line seemed warranted.
While I continue to believe that browse searching backed by authority record functionality is essential, I also have noticed the frequency with which users default to keyword searching. Providing clear guidance to keyword searchers has become an important option, so looking into the best ways to perform that will be helpful. It seems to me that a few ad hoc means of utilizing the power of name authority records have begun to emerge. I see this in the alternate name and subject search term recommendations being suggested in response to keyword searching in some systems.
Given the naïve Google-expecting approach we often bring to searching, post-search navigation options have become essential. Suggesting headings for authors, topics, geographical terms, form/genre terms, chronological terms, formats, etc. as facets allow users to bring order that may be meaningful for their tasks to bear in limiting large sets. Users tell me they like it. Simple options to reorder the retrieval sets alphabetically or chronologically are also very useful, especially for known-items or partly known items. While new users may not notice these right away, those who get even a little experience behind them begin to take advantage.
As a side comment, in the context of libraries serving user needs there are a host of user features emerging that it might be helpful to discuss on this list. One improvement that has been in demand where I live is better display for cell phone users of the online catalog. Another is more powerful post-catalog management and sharing tools for information resources that go beyond simple citation systems for power users. I used to think of these as fluff in the catalog, but have come around to appreciating their value for users.
Another useful navigation tool that some might mistakenly dismiss as "old hat" is the ability to click on headings in displayed records to retrieve other records with those headings. This option has been around for a while, but is not always done well and is clearly not obsolete for users.
Thanks for your patience, persistence, and positive thinking.
Jimmie
Jimmie Lundgren
Associate Chair & Contributed Cataloging Unit Head
Cataloging & Metadata Dept.
Smathers Library
PO Box 117004
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-7004
352-273-2725
352-392-7365 (fax)
jimlund_at_ufl.edu
Received on Wed Apr 28 2010 - 08:04:43 EDT