[WEB4LIB] Re: library marketing was RE: Google Mail

[Athena Hoeppner]

I've long wondered why library systems don't add a little behind the
scenes intelligence to searching.  When a user enters an ISBN search the
system should be able to:
1. Find the exact match for the ISBN if one exist.
2. Check some authority on ISBNs to find out the title for the item
3. Search by the title and display the results, if any, with some
explanation about the searches done.
4. If no results are found, suggest other options - search for similar
items, search nearby libraries, request via ILL, Amazon (or other
purchase options), chat online with a librarian.

As they are, our systems (both OPACs and database interfaces) are a
sink-or-swim environment for the users.

Athena


Athena Hoeppner
Electronic Resources Librarian
athena at mail.ucf.edu    (407)823-5049


>>> Sue Kamm <suekamm at mindspring.com> 15/Feb/05 11:56 >>>
I think it's possible to search for library materials using ISBN, but 
that search wouldn't necessarily provide the seeker with the answer to

the question.  For one thing, libraries may have different editions of

the same book, which would have separate ISBNs.  In a library,
searching 
by author, title, subject, or keyword would generate more results than

searching by ISBN.