RE: [ha-Safran]: Subject search vs. Key Word
I would say it depends on what you want. Key word searching makes it possible to cast a large net, and to get lots of "hits". Unfortunately, if you are looking for something quite specific, most of those hits will be "false drops", and you will end up perhaps not finding the "tree for the forest". Key word searching can be helpful at times, but it is not a panacaea. I am personally very upset at the number of cataloging utilities that seem to operate on the principle that it is. Dan Rettberg Rare Book and Manuscript Cataloger Klau Library Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Cincinnati, Ohio [EMAIL PROTECTED] == HaSafran - The Electronic Forum of the Association of Jewish Libraries Submissions for HaSafran, send to: Hasafran at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listserver at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 at osu.edu AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org/
RE: [ha-Safran]: Subject search vs. Key Word
This is definitely an issue with our patrons too. I usually recommend that they do a two step search. I tell them to start with a keyword search (which they're going to do anyway),pick out a couple of records that look good and then check what subject headings have been assigned to them. I then recommend that they do a new search under those subject headings. Since LC subjects are not very intuitive, I think this approach points them to the best terms pretty quickly. But it also depends on what they're looking for. If they're doing a major research paper, they should find all (or at least a lot of the resources available). If the assignment is to find any book or article, then finding one or 2 things in a keyword search might be fine. Sheryl Sheryl F. Stahl Senior Assistant Librarian Frances-Henry Library Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion 3077 University Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90007-3796 (213) 749-3424 ext. 4227 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.huc.edu/libraries/losangeles == HaSafran - The Electronic Forum of the Association of Jewish Libraries Submissions for HaSafran, send to: Hasafran at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listserver at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 at osu.edu AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org/
Re: [ha-Safran]: Subject search vs. Key Word
Whoa Andrea, you're thinking like a librarian! Think like a patron for a moment. They don't know subject headings from a hole in the ground. They could care less about LCSH and MARC and 650s and all of that. Not only DON'T they know, but 98% of them don't want to know. They understand key words because they can use them on Google. They don't understand controlled vocabularies and cross references and don't want to take the time to learn. You are far better off with a library system that (invisibly) causes a keyword search to *also* search subject headings. The patron does not want to think or learn, they want their book. So make the software do the work. Don't confuse the patron, deliver him/her the information they want, and play tricks behind the scenes. Ted (who works for a library software company) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 at osu.edu AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
