Retrieval quality of library catalogues and new concepts. A comparison

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Hauer, Manfred

Affiliations: Neustadt Weinstrasse, Germany. E-mail: [email protected]; URL: http://www.agi-imc.de

Abstract: The modern world of search engines, online bookstores, portals of publishing houses and open archives is a big challenge for traditional libraries. These services caused a new specific user behaviour and claims. A text must be found easily and quickly, it must be available electronically and always be free (at least for university members). For paper documents this could be provided for local users, but the internet provides these services without limits. This is a big challenge for the function “library”. Considerable efforts will be necessary to protect the “institution” library. Search technologies are key. In summer 2005, a retrieval experiment was made with 75 students at two universities. They were searching for 295 scientific media in traditional library catalogues, in a traditional library catalog with rich catalog enrichment, in Google Scholar and in dandelon.com.

DOI: 10.3233/ISU-2006-26303

Journal: Information Services & Use, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 241-248, 2006