Describes the concept of maximum indexing, a system aimed at achieving maximum recall and maximum precision in computerized information retrieval. The indexing strategies used to achieve maximum indexing and the problems that arise are discussed. (9 references) (CLB)

Investigates methods of compressing headings identified by MARC subfield codes to reduce the size of browsable displays. An argument is made for sorting subdivisions by a conceptual, rather than an alphabetical, approach to present efficient browsable displays and relieve the user of the burden of data organization. (14 references) (Author/CLB)

Summarizes the first report on the Intergovernmental Records Project (IRP) of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Topics discussed include the use of RLIN (Research Libraries Information Network), a lack of indexing consistency and access term selection, the need for standards, and shared cataloging. (six references) (LRW)

Provides a brief background of the Biological Abstracts' title index, "Biological Abstracts' Subject in Context" (BASIC) "Stop List," or compilation of nonsignificant words that were going to be automatically stopped from printing. Notes that the Stop List provided an improvement over the raw computer output of titles while…

Describes the uniterm system of coordinate indexing and examines its applicability to the indexing of Arabic literature. Unresolved problems in semantics, thesauri development, and standardization are identified and discussed. (CLB)

This review of the research on subject access to library collections focuses on the problems of and prospects for improved online subject access to library collections. Summaries of the general findings of studies on library catalog use and catalog users and some reasons for the frequent failure of subject searches in library catalogs are followed…

Proposes an information retrieval system based on a hybrid model consisting of an inductive learning and neural network system. Evaluates the system's responses to incomplete queries and inconsistent indexing. Query terms, discriminant descriptors, and the American Documentation Institute's query and document titles used in the evaluation are…

Discusses intellectual issues involved in the indexing of visual images, postulating that the indexing of images should provide access to images based on the attributes of those images and provide access to useful groupings of images. Four categories of image attributes are described, and issues to be considered in creating groups are discussed.…

Written as an introduction to the concepts of creating a personal or reprint file, this workbook discusses both manual and computerized systems, with emphasis on the preliminary groundwork that needs to be done before starting any filing system. A file assessment worksheet is provided; considerations in developing a personal filing system are…

Examines some nonbook materials with respect to an aboutness model of indexing, showing that there are instances that defy subject indexing. These occur not so much because of the nature of the medium but because it is being used for nondocumentary purposes or because the subject referenced is nonlexical. (Contains 20 references.) (KRN)

Monographs, periodical literature, documents, unpublished reports, and non-print materials in both English and Spanish would be included in a proposed Hispanic data base built around an initial 15 contributing collections totalling an estimated 100,000 items. Because users would employ indexing terms to access the data base, a thesaurus is…

Discusses detailed classification systems, sophisticated alphabetical indexing systems and reasons for the abandonment of complex indexing systems. The suggested structure for indexing the Internet or other large electronic collections of documents is based on that of book indexes: specific headings with coined modifications. (Author/AEF)

The emphasis of this text is that the problems of information retrieval are the intellectual ones of subject analysis and description. These problems are not easily solved by technology alone, although certain inroads are being made by knowledge-based expert systems and other computer aids to indexing. Linguistic approaches are also showing…

This review takes a critical approach in summarizing and evaluating the methodology and scope of catalog use studies, with emphasis on the subject approach to card catalog searching. Subject access is defined in this report; however, the process of subject searching, described repeatedly in library literature, has been based upon common sense…

Review of the literature on international computerized indexing systems for visual materials also describes technologies available for reproducing images, highlighting videotex, videodisk, and digital storage. Advances in the ability to interface these technologies with each other and with online retrieval systems are discussed. (76 notes with…