[WEB4LIB] RE: Decision tree for Web resources

[Binkley, Peter]

Ross, this is looking really cool. Have you looked at dbWiz (sister product of CUFTS in the reSearcher suite)? It would give you an open-source metasearch engine to link into. There should be a downloadable version in the next few months.

http://www.theresearcher.ca/product_component_dbw.html 

Peter

> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib at webjunction.org 
> [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Ross Singer
> Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 10:15 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: Decision tree for Web resources
> 
> Jim,
> I am currently struggling with this same problem (although 
> from a somewhat different perspective--how to show the user 
> other useful local resources based on what they're already 
> looking at).  Still, the problem is similar, how to cull the 
> vast amount of resources down to relevant and useful things.
> 
> CDL's Searchlight (formerly Database Advisor):
> http://searchlight.cdlib.org/cgi-bin/searchlight
> sort of does what you're talking about.  The user enters a 
> query and it queries the databases in a given subject area 
> for relevance.
> 
> Of course, CDL isn't really pursuing this anymore, but the 
> technology still holds some merit (at least in principle).
> 
> For the WAG the Dog, I'm trying something similar.  For a 
> given citation, take the ISSN (this will be expanded, but... 
> baby steps), find the DB this ISSN appears in, query the 
> catalog for the ISSN and bring back the subject headings, 
> query the catalog on those subject headings and bring back 
> other resources, display databases that include /those/ ISSNs 
> and show any of them that are web resources.
> 
> Conceivably, if we had a metasearch engine, we could then 
> create a custom query against the databases that were 
> identified in the above process.
> 
> Hopefully in the near future it will also be able to match 
> against our subject guides to bring back relevant 
> "non-article" based resources, as well.
> 
> It's just been "working" since yesterday, so it's /extremely/ 
> crude (and slow), but you can get an idea as to what I'm 
> talking about by going to:
> 
> http://rsinger.library.gatech.edu/wagger/index.php?waggerURL=a
HR0cDovL3NjaG9sYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS9zY2hvbGFyP2hsPWVuJmxyPSZzYWZlP> W9mZiZjMmNvZmY9MSZxPXdpbmcrZHJhZyZidG5HPVNlYXJjaA==
> 
> Click on any of the "Explore from here" links (except for the 
> one next to the Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B citation... that 
> one doesn't work
> yet) and wait wait wait.
> 
> -Ross.
> 
> Jim Campbell wrote:
> 
> >I'm looking more for tools than concepts, something to help the user 
> >narrow down the choices.
> >
> >- Jim Campbell
> >Campbell at Virginia.edu
> > 
> >
> >  
> >
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: web4lib at webjunction.org
> >>[mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Pons, Lisa 
> >>(ponslm)
> >>Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:25 AM
> >>To: Multiple recipients of list
> >>Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: Decision tree for Web resources
> >>
> >>Are you asking about information architecture? One of the 
> best books 
> >>is "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web".
> >>
> >>We had six months to re-design our site a few years ago, 
> and spent 3 
> >>of that on the architecture. It was worth it, as we have 
> added things 
> >>without major changes.
> >>
> >>Our architecture was "role" based- though now I think we could have 
> >>been a little more "task" oriented.
> >>
> >>Lisa Pons-Haitz
> >>
> >>Webmaster
> >>University Libraries
> >>University of Cincinnati
> >>lisa.pons at uc.edu
> >>(513)556-1431
> >>
> >>    
> >>
> >>>-----Original Message-----
> >>>From: Jim Campbell [mailto:campbell at virginia.edu]
> >>>Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 10:45 AM
> >>>To: Multiple recipients of list
> >>>Subject: [WEB4LIB] Decision tree for Web resources
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>We offer users a lot of information and a lot of paths to that 
> >>>information.
> >>>Both are a good thing and both can sometimes get in the way of 
> >>>actually finding the specific information a user needs.
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>Adding an Open
> >>    
> >>
> >>>URL resolver and working on metasearch should have
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>simplified things a
> >>    
> >>
> >>>bit, but at least for now more options have just created even more 
> >>>confusion for both staff and users.  We need some
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>hierararchy that can
> >>    
> >>
> >>>establish what the best approach is for a given need.
> >>>
> >>>I've seen/heard of various attempts at reader's advisors, asking 
> >>>questions to narrow down a user's options, but off hand I can't 
> >>>remember where or what they are. Can anyone suggest good
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>examples of
> >>    
> >>
> >>>this sort of thing? Perhaps more importantly, if they're
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>out there do
> >>    
> >>
> >>>people actually use them?
> >>>
> >>> 
> >>>- Jim Campbell
> >>> 
> >>>Digital Access Coordinator and
> >>>Librarian for German
> >>>University of Virginia Library
> >>>Voice: 434-924-4985
> >>>E-Mail: Campbell at Virginia.Edu
> >>> 
> >>>"Pessimismo dell'intelligenza, ottimismo della volontà. "
> >>>(Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.)
> >>>   - Antonio Gramsci.  Quaderni dal carcere. 
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>      
> >>>
> >>
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  
> >
> 
> 
> 
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