Teaching an Algorithm How to Catalog a Book

This paper presents a study of a strategy for automated cataloging within an OPAC or for online bibliographic catalogs generally. The aim of the analysis is to offer a set of results, while searching in library catalogs, that goes further than the expected one-to-one term correspondence. The goal is to understand how ontological structures can affect query search results. This analysis can also be applied to search functions other than in the library context, but in this case, cataloging relies on predefined rules and noncontrolled dictionary terms, which means that the results are meaningful in terms of knowledge organization. The approach was tested on an Edisco database, and we measured the system’s ability to detect whether a new incoming record belonged to a specific set of textbooks.

Veterum vestigia patrum: The Greek Patriarchs in the Manuscript Culture of Early Medieval Europe

This article draws attention to the availability of Latin translations of Greek patristic literature in western reading communities before the year 800 through a survey of the contents of hundreds of surviving manuscripts from the Merovingian and Carolingian periods. An examination of the presence of the translated works of eastern church fathers in the 8th-century florilegium known as The Book of Sparks ( Liber scintillarum) and monastic library catalogs from the early 9th century corroborates the impression left by the manuscript evidence. Taken together, these sources allow us to gauge the popularity of particular eastern authors among Latin readers in early medieval Europe and to weigh the influence and importance of Greek patristics in the western monastic tradition.

An elderly assistive device substitutes for traditional online library catalogs

Purpose This paper aims to present an augmented reality (AR) application to aid the elderly in library reference search. The application supports the elderly in searching books and videos in a large library when librarians have insufficient time to meet their needs. The elderly searching in a large library could be difficult for them due to the vast area, complicated online library catalogs and their physical deterioration, such as failing eyesight, tendinitis and memory problems. Our system, SearchAR, fully supports the 3D images of object content based on books and videos in Ling Tung University (LTU) library catalogs. Using the latest AR technology, users can use mobile phone to scan the quick response (QR) code in front of the LTU library, and then the elderly can experience LTU library map labeled by different colors in real-time and understand the locations of the video areas and book shelves areas. Later, they can use SearchAR to scan the QR codes on bookshelves, books or videos to view the 3D graphics without reading complicated catalogs and content. The results show that among the images, the elderly recognition of the “3 D images” was the highest, and the experimental group using AR technology as a searching aid shows a higher searching effectiveness than the control group; 60 per cent of the elderly felt they saved more time for searching books and videos with the help of SearchAR, and it was easy to arouse their association; the elderly indicated that combined image of the library map and the labels with different colors are clear and simple; the content of books and videos are easy associated with the 3D images; the elderly mentioned that using SearchAR is a great experience without any reading complicated online catalogs. Finally, this study concludes that AR technology does enhance the elderly searching ability in LTU large library. Design/methodology/approach The SearchAR application was an integrating library catalog, which provides AR and 3D graphics. The elderly can also use SearchAR to see a library map and every library element via 3D graphics before they start searching in a wide area. Findings This makes it easier for elderly to navigate a library without using complicated online catalogs, and it reduces time spent on reading and searching. Originality/value AR has been used for a variety of guiding and educational purposes. However, AR has been rarely applied to supplement traditional library services for elderly.

Undergraduate students use of mobile apps to search library catalogs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore undergraduate students’ use of mobile apps to search library catalogs and analyze the problems students encountered. Student opinions and suggestions regarding mobile library apps were also examined. Design/methodology/approach A total of 16 undergraduates were observed and subjected to semi-structured interviews. Four tasks were assigned, and the participants used mobile apps and laptops to search library catalogs. Follow-up in-depth interviews were conducted to gather participants’ opinions regarding the mobile library app. Findings Among the 64 total searches conducted by the 16 participants, 45 (70.31 percent) were completed when using the mobile app, and 51 (79.69 percent) were completed using the laptop. Participants spent less time completing the tasks when they used the mobile app. Mobile apps are thus an effective tool for searching library catalogs. However, the interviews revealed that none of the participants had used mobile library apps prior to the interviews conducted in this study, and half of the participants expressed that they would not install library apps on their smartphones in the future. Originality/value The study findings may help university libraries improve their understanding about undergraduates’ search behavior and opinions about mobile library apps.

The role of readers’ literary preferences in predicting success in fiction search

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study what extent readers’ socio-demographic characteristics, literary preferences and search behavior predict success in fiction search in library catalogs. Design/methodology/approach In total, 80 readers searched for interesting novels in four differing search tasks. Their search actions were recorded with a Morae Recorder. Pre- and post-questionnaires elicited information about their background, literary preferences and search experience. Readers’ literary preferences were grouped into four orientations by a factor analysis. Linear regression analysis was applied for predicting search success as measured by books’ interest scores. Findings Most literary orientations contributed to search success, but in differing search tasks. The role of result examination was greater compared to querying in contributing search success almost in each task. The proportion of variance explained in books’ interest scores varied between 5 (open-ended browsing) and 50 percent (analogy search). Research limitations/implications The distribution of participants was biased toward females, and the results are aggregated within search session, both reducing the variation of the phenomenon observed. Originality/value This study is one of the first to explore how readers’ literary preferences and searching are associated with finding interesting novels, i.e. search success, in library catalogs. The results expand and support the findings in Mikkonen and Vakkari (2017) concerning associations between reader characteristics and fiction search success.