Music to My Ears: Auditory Functionality in Web OPACs

[Gerry Mckiernan]

                            Music To My Ears:
             Auditory Functionality in Web OPACs

     In the process of developing a new clearinghouse devoted
to Auditory Browsing in Web and non-Web databases called
_The Next WAVe(sm), I have been inspired to consider the
use and/or potential application of speech and non-speech
sounds to facilitate the use and navigation within OPACs
and other bibliographic databases. _The Next WAVe(sm)_
is intended to complement my clearinghouse devoted to Information
Visualization called _The Big Picture_. _The Big Picture_
is available at URL:

    http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/BigPic.htm

   _The Next WAVe(sm)_ is currently in development at URL:

     http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/Wave.htm

[BTW: _The Next WAV(e)_ is the new name of a previously announced
initiative called _Auditorium(sm) : The Sound of Meaning (sm)_]

  While I am finding that there are a number of relevant
projects relating to Auditory Display in a variety of contexts
including some in the focus area of _The Next WAVe(sm),
I have not yet identified projects that apply Auditory Display (AD)
technologies to OPAC searching and navigation. While I believe
that in the near future that the types of sophisticated AD
techniques will be incorporated within OPACs and other bibliographic
systems, I am interested in knowing the current technological and
organizational baseline for Auditory functionality. I am therefore
greatly interested in learning about

         1) Library practices and policies relating to
            patrons access to Audio files in public
            venues

         2) The use of speech and non-speech sound
            within institutional and/or library
            Web pages

         3) Speculation on the technical and/or
            institutional incorporation of Sound
            to augment current GUI interfaces
            for patron assistance.
            [I personally see great instructional
            benefit in Distance Education in the
            use of Sound within appropriate Web Page
            contexts]

         4) The architectural requirements needed to
            accommodate future Audio-Enhanced OPACs


     Any and all current efforts will be added to 
Onion Patch(sm), my clearinghouse devoted to New Age
Public Access Systems. Onion Patch(sm) is accessible at

    http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/Onion.htm

and/or in Coffee URN(sm), my clearinghouse that will
be devoted to Java-enhanced OPACs that is currently in
development.

     As always, Any and All contributions, comments,
questions, suggestions and/or critiques would be most welcome!

     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 Invent It!"
                         Attributed to Peter Drucker