A RE-UNIFICATION OF TWO COMPETING MODELS FOR DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL

Two competing approaches for document retrieval were first identified by Robertson et al (Robertson, Maron et al. 1982) for probabilistic retrieval. We point out the corresponding two competing approaches for the Vector Space Model. In both the probabilistic and Vector Space models, only one of the two competing approaches has received significant research attention, because of the unavailibility of sufficient data to implement the second approach. Because it is now feasible to collect vast amounts of feedback data from users, both approaches are now possible. We therefore re-visit the question of a unification of both approaches, for both probabilistic and Vector Space models. This unification of approaches differs from that originally proposed in (Robertson, Maron et al. 1982), and offers unique advantages. Preliminary results of a simulation experiment are reported, and an outline is provided of an ongoing field study.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Studentų informacinę elgseną motyvuojantys veiksniai

Žinių visuomenės keliami iššūkiai – nuolatinis žinių gilinimas, gebėjimas jas pritaikyti konkrečioje situacijoje, kelia naujus reikalavimus mokymo(si) procesui, kurio metu besimokantis asmuo (studentas) turi ne tik pasyviu būdu gauti informaciją, bet ir lavinti gebėjimus spręsti realias problemas individualiai ieškant informacijos. Savarankiškos studijos įvairiuose šaltiniuose ieškant atsakymų į probleminius klausimus suteikia mokymosi procesui prasmingumo ir naudingumo. Orientacija į savarankišką mokymąsi pagrįsta aktyvia informacijos ieška, kokybiškos informacijos apdorojimu bei gebėjimu ją pritaikyti sprendžiant užduotį. Neabejotina, kad informacinė elgsena tampa mokymosi proceso dalimi, kai identifikuojamos turimos žinios ir rasta informacija užpildomos žinių spragos.Siekiant aktyvinti studentų informacinę elgseną, kuri padeda gilinti dalykines žinias, aktyviai ieškant, apdorojant ir interpretuojant informaciją, ir tas žinias integruoti į jau esamą žinojimą, svarbu identifikuoti esminius informacinę elgseną motyvuojančius elementus.Šio mokslinio straipsnio tikslas – mokslinės literatūros analizės metodu nustatyti veiksnius, darančius įtaką studentų informacinei elgsenai. Straipsnyje kompleksiškai derinami aprašomieji ir analitiniai sociologinių tyrimų metodai. Teoriniai nagrinėjamos problemos aspektai deklaruoti naudojant kritinio mąstymo principus, mokslinės argumentacijos metodus.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: informacinė elgsena, informacinės elgsenos modeliai, studentų informacinė elgsena, informacinės elgsenos motyvavimas, bendradarbiaujanti informacinė elgsena.The motivating factors of student information behaviorErika JaniūnienėSummaryThe ability to apply knowledge in a particular situation raises new requirements for the learning process. Problem-based learning promotes students to independently seek information. The information behavior becomes part of the learning process, during which the identification of existing knowledge and retrieval of information help students to complete the knowledge gaps. In order to activate students’ information behavior, it is important to identify the essential elements that motivate information behavior.The article presents results of a theoretical analysis of the basic factors influencing information behavior. This analysis has shown that there are three groups of motivating dimensions: cognitive (information literacy and initial knowledge), situational (work task), and emotional (individual motivation)

Users and Uses of a Global Union Catalogue: a Mixed-Methods Study of WorldCat.org

This paper presents the first large-scale investigation of the users and uses of WorldCat.org, the world’s largest bibliographic database and global union catalogue. Using a mixed-methods approach involving focus group interviews with 120 participants, an online survey with 2,918 responses, and an analysis of transaction logs of approximately 15 million sessions from WorldCat.org, the study provides a new understanding of the context for global union catalogue use. We find that WorldCat.org is accessed by diverse population, with the three primary user groups being librarians, students and academics. Use of the system is found to fall within three broad types of work-task (professional, academic, and leisure), and we also present an emergent taxonomy of search tasks which encompass known-item, unknown-item, and institutional information searches. Our results support the notion that union catalogues are primarily used for known-item searches, although the volume of traffic to WorldCat.org means that unknown-item searches nonetheless represent an estimated 250,000 sessions per month. Search engine referrals account for almost half of all traffic, but whilst WorldCat.org effectively connects users referred from institutional library catalogues to other libraries holding a sought item, users arriving from a search engine are less likely to connect to a librar

La automatización de las bibliotecas universitarias argentinas : proyectos y perfiles de implementación

Fil: Barber, Elsa E. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas; ArgentinaFil: Tripaldi, Nicolás M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas; ArgentinaFil: Pisano, Silvia L. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas; ArgentinaFil: Werner, Valeria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas; ArgentinaEl presente artículo se realizó sobre la base de los datos proporcionados por 30 bibliotecas universitarias de la ciudad de Buenos Aires y alrededores. El objetivo principal es poner en evidencia algunos aspectos puntuales de la articulación entre los planes de automatización de las unidades de información y los resultados concretos de su implementación a partir de un análisis inicial de las tendencias generales observadas. El actual trabajo se ha concentrado en planteos fundamentales sobre los criterios adoptados para la selección de software el grado de importancia otorgado a las funciones a automatizar. De este modo, se presentan los primeros signos de algunos problemas subyacentes en el proceso de automatización de las bibliotecas universitarias estudiadas. Se enuncia la incidencia de factores primarios que influyen en el proceso de integración bibliotecaria a nivel local y regional

La automatización de las bibliotecas universitarias argentinas: proyectos y perfiles de implementación

This article has been written on the basis of the information provided by 30 academic libraries of Buenos Aires and surroundings. The principal intention is to reveal some particular aspects in the coordination of automation plans in information units and the concrete results of their implementation from the analysis of the general trends observed. This study is focused on fundamental outlines of software selection criteria and the importance granted to the different functions to be automated. Thus, the first signs of underlying problems in the automation process of the studied academic libraries are presented. This article also reports the strong influence of prime factors on the process of local and regional library integrationEl presente artículo se realizó sobre la base de los datos proporcionados por 30 bibliotecas universitarias de la ciudad de Buenos Aires y alrededores. El objetivo principal es poner en evidencia algunos aspectos puntuales de la articulación entre los planes de automatización de las unidades de información y los resultados concretos de su implementación a partir de un análisis inicial de las tendencias generales observadas. El actual trabajo se ha concentrado en planteos fundamentales sobre los criterios adoptados para la selección de software y el grado de importancia otorgado a las funciones a automatizar. De este modo, se presentan los primeros signos de algunos problemas subyacentes en el proceso de automatización de las bibliotecas universitarias estudiadas. Se enuncia la incidencia de factores primarios que influyen en el proceso de integración bibliotecaria a nivel local y regional

A RE-UNIFICATION OF TWO COMPETING MODELS FOR DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL

Two competing approaches for document retrieval were first identified by Robertson et al (Robertson, Maron et al. 1982) for probabilistic retrieval. We point out the corresponding two competing approaches for the Vector Space Model. In both the probabilistic and Vector Space models, only one of the two competing approaches has received significant research attention, because of the unavailibility of sufficient data to implement the second approach. Because it is now feasible to collect vast amounts of feedback data from users, both approaches are now possible. We therefore re-visit the question of a unification of both approaches, for both probabilistic and Vector Space models. This unification of approaches differs from that originally proposed in (Robertson, Maron et al. 1982), and offers unique advantages. Preliminary results of a simulation experiment are reported, and an outline is provided of an ongoing field study.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Knowledge organization

Since Svenonius analyzed the research base in bibliographic control in 1990, the intervening years have seen major shifts in the focus of information organization in academic libraries. New technologies continue to reshape the nature and content of catalogs, stretch the boundaries of classification research, and provide new alternatives for the organization of information. Research studies have rigorously analyzed the structure of the Anglo- American Cataloguing Rules using entity-relationship modeling and expanded on the bibliographic and authority relationship research to develop new data models (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records [FRBR] and Functional Requirements and Numbering of Authority Records [FRANAR]). Applied research into the information organization process has led to the development of cataloguing tools and harvesting ap- plications for bibliographic data collection and automatic record creation. A growing international perspective focused research on multilingual subject access, transliteration problems in surrogate records, and user studies to improve Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) displays for large retrieval sets resulting from federated searches. The need to organize local and remote electronic resources led to metadata research that developed general and domain-specific metadata schemes. Ongoing research in this area focuses on record structures and architectural models to enable interoperability among the various schemes and differing application platforms. Research in the area of subject access and classification is strong, covering areas such as vocabulary mapping, automatic facet construction and deconstruction for Web resources, development of expert systems for automatic classifica- tion, dynamically altered classificatory structures linked to domain-specific thesauri, crosscultural conceptual structures in classification, identification of semantic relationships for vocabulary mapped to classification systems, and the expanded use of traditional classification systems as switching languages in the global Web environment. Finally, descriptive research into library and information science (LIS) education and curricula for knowl- edge organization continues. All of this research is applicable to knowledge organization in academic and research libraries. This chapter examines this body of research in depth, describes the research methodologies employed, and identifies areas of lacunae in need of further research

FRBR sett i forkant: Analyse av brukerundersøkelser av digitale bibliotekkataloger

I denne masteroppgaven undersøkes i hvilken grad FRBR-modellen løser utfordringer brukeren opplever i sin kommunikasjon med digitale biblioteksystemer (OPAC systemer) i perioden før FRBR-rapporten ble publisert. Hvis FRBR-modellen løser disse utfordringene, kan FRBR-modellen sies å være en god underliggende modell i utformingen av digitale biblioteksystemer. For å identifisere brukernes utfordringer analyseres brukerundersøkelser og evalueringer av digitale biblioteksystemer. Oppgavens datamateriale er 17 artikler publisert i perioden 1990 – 1999. I analysen kartlegges utfordringer i kommunikasjonen mellom brukeren og det digitale biblioteksystemet, slik disse beskrives i datamaterialet. Utfordringene grupperes i tre hovedtema: (1) søketyper med vek på emneordssøk, (2) strukturering av trefflister, (3) hjelpebeskjeder i OPAC systemet og effekten av disse. FRBR-modellen, med utvidelsen FRSAD-rapporten, legger til rette for å løse utfordringer knyttet til temaet emneordssøk. FRBR-modellen løser åpner opp for gode løsninger på utfordringer knyttet til strukturering av trefflister etter i forfatter/tittelsøk. FRBR-modellen løser i mindre grad utfordringer knyttet til trefflistestrukturering av emneordssøk. FRBR-modellen bidrar i liten grad til å løse utfordringer i brukeropplæringen i OPAC systemer og veiledning av brukeren når brukeren søker i disse systemene.The purpose of this thesis is to examine the extent to which FRBR-model solves challenges the user experience in their communication with digital library systems (OPAC systems) in the period before the FRBR-report was published. If the FRBR-model addresses some of these challenges, the FRBR-model can be a good underlying model for the design of digital library systems. To identify users' challenges an analysis of user surveys and evaluations of digital library systems. The data material for this thesis are are 17 articles published in the period 1990-1999. The analysis mapped challenges in communication between the user and the digital library system. The challenges are grouped into three main themes: (1) search types with focus on subject searching, (2) structuring of resultlists, (3) help messages in the OPAC system and the effect of these. The FRBR-model, with the extension FRSAD-report, facilitates solving challenges related to the topic searches. The FRBR-model also opens up for good solutions to challenges related to the structuring of results lists by the author / title search. FRBR-model does not solve challenges in structuring results list from subject searches. FRBR model does not slove challenges related to user training of OPAC systems.Master i bibliotek- og informasjonsvitenska

Baby Boomers and Technology: Factors and Challenges in Utilizing Mobile Devices

This exploratory dissertation study reports an investigation of Baby Boomers utilizing mobile technology to determine how Baby Boomers were utilizing mobile devices and if there were any types of challenges and affecting factors some Baby Boomers could face when searching for information in an online mobile environment. Fifty Baby Boomer participants were recruited by a purposive snowball sampling method and were divided into two groups, twenty-five Younger Boomers and twenty-five Older Boomers to look for comparisons and differences among the Baby Boomers in regards to mobile technology usage, search activities, environmental context, frequency and duration of search activities, as well as the factors and challenges they could encounter while using a mobile device since the age range spans nineteen years. The study was designed to answer two research questions: How are Baby Boomers utilizing a mobile device to search for information in terms of the mobile device types, the environmental contexts and the types of information searched?; and What are the challenges concerning Baby Boomers utilizing a mobile device in searching for information and their affecting factors? This exploratory dissertation study used a qualitative methods approach based in grounded theory to analyze the data. Participants were given a choice of using print or electronic instruments to participate in the study. Multiple collection methods were used to gather the data, consisting of a questionnaire and solicited diaries that were kept for a period of seven days with follow-up interviews given to all participants. The grounded theory approach created a coding schema of ten types of challenges representing five major categories and twenty-three affecting factors. The comparison and interpretation of the search activities, the types of challenges and the affecting factors led to the development of the Baby Boomer Mobile Device Information Searching Model. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications that include system design and library services have been discussed providing suggestions to system designers, researchers and information professionals within and outside the Library and Information Science field

The Effect of Users' Work Tasks on Librarians' Database Selection

A recent trend in information searching research is task-based information searching, which views a user's task as a central factor for understanding information-seeking behaviors and designing information retrieval systems. To investigate empirically the role of tasks in information searching, particularly in the business domain, this study analyzes the database selection process used by librarians from the perspective of users' tasks. The first part of the study focused on identifying and characterizing business tasks and the associated questions needed to complete the tasks. An inventory of 30 business tasks and 144 associated business questions was developed through content analysis of Harvard Business School cases and other published materials. The second part of the study explored the influence of tasks on database selection by conducting a survey among business librarians in academic institutions. Nine sets of survey questionnaires were created based on the identified business tasks and questions and each questionnaire, containing a total of five business questions for two to three tasks, was disseminated through a Web-based survey tool. Out of 52 sampled librarians, 29 (56 percent response rate) participated in the study. The survey questionnaires focused on participants' use of tasks and related business questions to determine information types likely to answer the questions, to choose databases, and to determine the criteria used to select the databases. The characteristics of business tasks and questions were analyzed and linked to other elements - information types, database selection criteria, and selected databases - to understand the interplay among all elements in the database selection process. The analysis noted the participants' reliance on users' tasks in various aspects of an information searching process. A database selection process was further modeled to describe how five task or context-related criteria - company size, company type, industry sector, geographical setting, and business stage - influence database selection. The inventory of business tasks and questions, along with the patterns among the elements, set the stage for a task-based database selection system