Last night, I asked a librarian I work with what she thought was the most useful information retrieval system that librarians use. She replied, "I don't think you are going to like my answer, but Google.com" (anonymous, personal communication, February 26,2008). We spoke in length about how librarians have gone from using card catalogs and textual indexes to using sophisticated online card catalogs, search engines, and online databases. She reminded me that we no longer even have microfiche and microfiche readers in most of the branches, including our own (anonymous, personal communication, February 26, 2008).
Our conversation left me wondering how much information retrieval has changed for librarians in not a very large amount of time. In going back to our Chronology paper, it is very easy to see how technological changes have impacted the world of librarianship, and inherently with it, the way we retrieve the information our customers request.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
I thought I would start out the blog by using Joan M. Reitz's (2007) Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science to define the term for "Information Retrieval." What it yielded was:
"Information Retrieval (IR)
The process, methods, and procedures used to selectively recall recorded information from a file of data. In libraries and archives, searches are typically for a known item or for information on a specific subject, and the file is usually a human-readable catalog or index, or a computer-based information storage and retrieval system, such as an online catalog or bibliographic database. In designing such systems, balance must be attained between speed, accuracy, cost, convenience, and effectiveness" (Reitz, 2007, Information retrieval, ¶ 1).
At the present, the information retrieval systems I can come up with are WorldCat, local OPACs, online search engines, and online databases. Can anyone think of any others?
Reitz, J. M. (2007). Information retrieval. Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://lu.com/odlis/odlis_i.cfm
"Information Retrieval (IR)
The process, methods, and procedures used to selectively recall recorded information from a file of data. In libraries and archives, searches are typically for a known item or for information on a specific subject, and the file is usually a human-readable catalog or index, or a computer-based information storage and retrieval system, such as an online catalog or bibliographic database. In designing such systems, balance must be attained between speed, accuracy, cost, convenience, and effectiveness" (Reitz, 2007, Information retrieval, ¶ 1).
At the present, the information retrieval systems I can come up with are WorldCat, local OPACs, online search engines, and online databases. Can anyone think of any others?
Reitz, J. M. (2007). Information retrieval. Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://lu.com/odlis/odlis_i.cfm
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