CD-ROM See! CD-ROM-Do!: The Incorporation of CD-ROM Functionality into Web and non-Web Public Access Systems

[Gerry McKiernan]

              CD-ROM See! CD-ROM-Do! :
  The Incorporation of CD-ROM Functionality into
       Web and non-Web Public Access Systems

    For my concluding review of 'neo-conventional'
thesauri, I am interested in learning about Web or
non-Web public access systems that incorporate or
implement significant functionality from current
or past CD-ROM software systems into current online
public access systems (e.g. OPACs) that is not
_typical_ of such Web or non-Web systems.

    A good example would be the Wilsondisc
which through its Neighbor (NBR) display and
search field qualifiers allows the user to
browse _segments_ of a subject or corporate heading.
Apparently most online vendors do not implement
this functionality in the Wilson databases in
mainframe and/or other platforms. The whole
string is the searchable/browsable unit _not_
the segment(s).

  In his outstanding study _Intelligent Interfaces
and Retrieval Methods For Subject Searching in
Bibliographic Retrieval Systems_ prepared for the
Library of Congress (1989), Charles Hildreth highlights
a number of 'contextual subject' approaches that
enhance 'improved browsing and related-item navigation
facilities' many of which were to be found in advanced
[and not-so-advanced] CD-ROM [and small-vendor systems
e.g. TINlib]] software of the 1980s.

BTW: IMHO this study offers incredible vision of system
functionality that we are only now understanding and
appreciating! It's well worth The Read!

   To my knowledge, the OVID system is one CD-ROM
system that has the greatest range of functionality
that has been migrated to a Web environment. OVID-like
systems are of interest as are Web and non-Web based
systems that have implemented the best of CD-ROM functionality
particularly any and all elements of enhanced browsability.
[I am acquainted with WEBSPIRS - it too like WebOvid is Neat-Oh!]

    As always, any and all leads, comments, critiques,
criticisms, conclusions, or contrary points of view
will be much appreciated.

    <strong> Thanks </strong>

    Regards,

Gerry McKiernan
Curator, CyberStacks(sm)
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50011

gerrymck at iastate.edu
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/

  "The Best Way to Predict the Future is To Steal from the Past"
                            With Apologies to Peter Drucker


P.S. Thanks too CS for suggesting the CD-ROM route