Based on a comparison of two nearly identical surveys in 2010 and 2016, this study examines the deepening practitioner concern over the use of social tagging within digital collections during the past six years. While participants reported a greater level of experience and increased use of social tagging, concerns regarding control, consistency,…

The University of Michigan Library wanted to learn more about the kinds of searches its users were conducting through the "one search" search box on the Library Web site. Library staff conducted two investigations. A preliminary investigation in 2011 involved the manual review of the 100 most frequently occurring queries conducted…

Examines the reasons why "more" subject access in online catalogs is not necessarily "better" and recommends that librarians prepare a statement informing users of what they need to know before using the catalog and how best to make use of its listing. (EM)

Discusses topics related to use of search trees to enhance subject searching in online catalogs: subject searching in existing systems; search trees defined; highlights of a study of subject queries; normalized subject headings; the exact approach to subject searching; one-word queries; multiword queries; queries failing to produce retrievals; and…

Discusses CD-ROM databases in college libraries and lists several ways to make local periodical holdings easily identifiable to users. Topics include standard inputting formats for library databases; updating databases; search strategies; and suggestions for teaching techniques to improve search effectiveness. (five references) (SLW)

This overview of the current capabilities of subject access in online public catalogs discusses keyword searching versus subject cataloging, users' views of the online catalog, and user-friendly versus user-hostile systems. Existing online catalogs in public and academic libraries are cited as examples. (EJS)

Discusses the need for a new model for subject access to government information in academic libraries as a result of the growing influence of supranational organizations. Highlights include the World Trade Organization (WT); ruling under transnational economic agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); private sector…

Describes a collaborative workshop designed by the Associated College Libraries of Central Pennsylvania to identify and teach World Wide Web search skills to librarians. Highlights include how information get on the Web and is indexed; evaluation of Web resources; types of search sites; and which search engine is the best. (Author/LRW)

Three problems in online searching in women's studies are type of indexing, database quality, and adequacy of coverage. Results of a recent study show there is significant end-user satisfaction and the searches done are described in order to promote greater and more effective use of online retrieval in women's studies. (Author/EM)

A survey at the University of Houston examined factors related to subject searching success in online catalogs, including: extent of subject searching; response to unsuccessful searches; reasons subject search is not used; users' awareness of sources of subject terms; and suggestions from users for improving subject searching capabilities. (CLB)

Describes a project intended to improve subject access in an online catalog by adding multiword terms from the table of contents and index to MARC records for each book. The discussion covers a preliminary evaluation of the impact on workload, resources, and subject access to information. (seven references) (Author/CLB)

Expected Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSHs) and assigned LCSHs for 161 books requested by faculty in sociology, anthropology, and social work were compared to gauge the likely success of an online subject catalog search for those works. For 80% of the titles checked, inspection of the ninth edition of "Library of Congress Subject…

The use of locally produced dissertations by extramural scholars was examined in four Ohio academic libraries. The results include identification of users by type of institution; purpose for which the dissertations were used; and tools and approaches successfully used in identifying and locating the desired dissertations. (CLB)

Considers college student apprehension when encountering new information technologies, CD-ROMs in particular, and proposes a variety of active learning exercises. Topics include information proliferation, library anxiety, computer anxiety, active learning, learning styles, problem solving, indexing exercises, search strategy worksheets,…