OLA Quarterly
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OLA Quarterly Library Catalogs and Other Discovery Tools Perspective on Catalogs The Evolution of Library Discovery Systems in the Web Environment The Library Catalog as Experimental Sandbox Reflections from Menucha LibraryFind™: The Development of a Shared Library Platform at Oregon State University Libraries The New Summit: Building the Foundation for Enhanced User Services Building Catalogs in the Sand Legacy Metadata and the New Catalog Northwest Digital Archives: Evolving Access to Archives and Special Collections in the Northwest A Usability Survey of Keyword Searching Using a University Library’s Catalog OLAQSpring 2009 Vol 15 • No 1 OLA Quarterly Oregon Library Association Spring 2009 http://www.olaweb.org Vol 15 • No 1 ISSN 1093-7374 Library Catalogs The OLA Quarterly is an official publication of the and Other Discovery Tools Oregon Library Association. Please refer questions 2 20 and input regarding Perspective on Catalogs The New Summit: John Repplinger Building the Foundation for Enhanced the Quarterly to: User Services Al Cornish Diane Sotak 5 The Evolution of Library Discovery OLA Publications Chair Systems in the Web Environment 24 5000 North Willamette Blvd. Mark Dahl Building Catalogs in the Sand University of Portland Wade Guidry Portland, OR 97203-5798 10 503.943.8047 phone The Library Catalog 28 as Experimental Sandbox 503.943.7491 fax Legacy Metadata and the New Catalog Tom Larsen Richard Sapon-White [email protected] Graphic Production: 13 31 Reflections from Menucha Northwest Digital Archives: Tobias Weiss Design Stephanie Michel Evolution Access to Archives and 7345 SW Deerhaven Drive Special Collections in the Northwest Corvallis, OR 97333 17 Jodi Allison-Bunnell phone 541-738-1897 LibraryFind™: [email protected] The Development of a Shared 36 Library Platform at A Usability Survey of Keyword www.tobiasweissdesign.com Oregon State University Libraries Searching Using a University Terry Reese Library’s Catalog Elizabeth Ramsey Upcoming Issue Summer 2009 President’s Conference Issue OLA Quarterly is indexed in Library Literature. Library Catalogs and Other Discovery Tools ver the last few years, it has that local catalogs still play a valuable ing the role of usability testing in its become nearly impossible role in meeting user needs, allowing design and development. Archival and Oto read a library journal or libraries to present unique materials in other materials from special collections attend a library conference without creative ways that may not be possible are also the subject of Richard Sapon- reading or hearing about “next genera- in large-scale, shared systems. Stepha- White’s article. Noting that many of tion catalogs.” Many thoughtful and nie Michael sums up these varying per- these materials are not cataloged and vocal critics have pointed out that spectives in her overview of last fall’s therefore not findable using library library catalogs are hard to use, do not ACRL regional conference, which fo- discovery tools, he suggests some ways include information users need, and do cused on next-generation catalogs. The to tackle that problem. not measure up to the non-library sites next two articles describe a variety of Throughout all of these articles, our users frequent, such as Amazon projects intended to enhance access to one message comes through loud and and Google. Vendors and individual library materials. Terry Reese discusses clear: our systems must be built around developers alike have responded, devel- the development of LibraryFind™, an the needs and expectations of our users. oping new systems and new models to open source metasearch tool developed Users should not have to do things help users discover the treasures their at Oregon State University. Al Cor- the library way, using library search libraries contain. Some of this trailblaz- nish tells us about the Orbis Cascade syntax and vocabulary. Users expect our ing work has taken place right here in Alliance’s partnership with OCLC systems to be as easy as the non-library the Pacific Northwest. In this issue, we to develop WorldCat Navigator, the systems they use regularly. The goal feature the work of some modern-day product that now powers the Summit of user-centeredness, however, can be library pioneers who are performing union catalog. achieved in many different ways. Each the hard work required to take our In order to build user-centered library has unique collections and user retrieval systems in new directions. discovery tools, we need to determine needs, and this diversity is reflected in The articles in this issue range what users need and how they interact the variety of systems and models de- from the unconventional (or all- with our systems. Elizabeth Ramsey re- scribed in this issue. The key question encompassing) to the visionary to the ports on her work doing usability test- is, How do we create and implement specific and concrete. John Repplinger ing of keyword searching in the Con- systems that best meet the needs of our offers a plea for more intelligent, cordia University catalog, while Wade users? We hope you find both inspira- flexible catalogs that can adapt to the Guidry describes the changes made tion and food for thought in the pages changing needs of users. Mark Dahl to Beachbooks, the Coastal Resource that follow. shows us how we can help make this Sharing Network catalog, in response vision a reality by moving to network- to usability testing. Allison-Bunnell Guest editors level, global systems that benefit from tells us about the Northwest Digital Laura Zeigen & Janet Crum the participation of large numbers of Archives, a specialized retrieval system Oregon Health and Sciences users. Meanwhile, Tom Larsen argues for archival finding aids, emphasiz- University Library 1 Perspective on Catalogs by John Repplinger y first experience with an Another good way for people and com- Science Librarian, electronic library catalog was puters to learn is through mistakes. Some Mark O. Hatfield Library, a “dumb” terminal at the local systems anticipate failed searches through Willamette University M library. I searched for the book The Wizard spell check technology. A good example of Oz, and while I knew the author’s name of a failed search is a query that has too and the title, it remained frustratingly elu- many terms and would yield nothing, in sive in the catalog. With some experimenta- which case the Boolean search automatically tion, I discovered that my title search failed changes from “AND” to “OR” to broaden because I excluded “The” as the first word. the results. While catalogs continue to And my author search should have been, evolve and failed searches are monitored, the “Baum, L. Frank” instead of “L. Frank technology should consistently analyze the Baum.” At the time, I thought these were results to learn about common problems. truly “dumb” computers with rules that As data are compiled on recurrently failed were too stringent; I wondered how many searches, patterns emerge, and alternative people gave up in sheer frustration for not search strategies could be recommended being able to find what they wanted. while the patron types. Some Web browsers, Fortunately, our electronic catalogs like Firefox 3.0, already use this technology. have improved considerably since then, yet As our languages and cultures change there is still room for improvement. For over time, it is important to include new the next generation of catalogs, one thing words and phrases that our societies com- is paramount: they need to be increasingly monly use. Social tagging is one way to flexible to meet the changing needs of their accommodate these changes in language. communities. Some may cringe at the thought of public- Library catalogs should help patrons generated metadata in library records, but become better searchers. They need to within the right environment, social tagging predict errors, anticipate the needs of can be a powerful resource for the library patrons, and offer alternative search and an incredible way to include patrons. strategies that yield additional and higher BiblioCommons (http://bibliocommons. quality information. One way is to make com), is a new library-oriented “social the search process more interactive. It can discovery system” that allows patrons to tag be very difficult to articulate a complex records with keywords and comment on question, which is often where librarians library materials. Similarly, LibraryThing trump technology. A reference interview (http://www.librarything.com) encourages allows for quick feedback to occur be- users to tag books in their own collections tween a librarian and patron, as clarifying and explore tags utilized by other people to questions and answers are shared. Catalogs discover new books. The new Orbis Cascade could unobtrusively ask follow-up ques- Alliance catalog (http://summit.worldcat. tions to help clarify the search, such as org) is another example that takes advantage “did you mean this author or year?” As the of social tagging, in addition to allowing search unfolds, any new search algorithm patrons to write book reviews. employed should be clearly labeled for Reviews by patrons may not seem im- patrons to view. In the process, patrons portant at first glance, but including them is learn what information is useful and how an ingenious way to get patrons involved in 2 search strategies are “phrased” through your library and to gain valuable qualitative their search history. feedback about your collections. Since librar- Vol 15 No 1 • Spring 2009 ies have traditionally relied on usage statistics attitudes towards privacy (Stone 2008). It for collection development, this kind of suggests that while people cherish the idea information from patrons should be coveted. of privacy, they often let their guard down Patrons may see reviews as an invitation, that and provide information about them- libraries value their opinions and want their selves freely online. Libraries will need to feedback. They may also see reviewing as a consider what patrons want, in conjunc- Reviews by patrons way to give back to society, to help others tion with privacy concerns, as these new may not seem locate quality information.