[Web4lib] Re: Google Search Appliance and OPACs

[Casey Bisson]

Norma Jean:

Can you offer an example search where Google returns a screen full of  
results from libraries? I feel lucky if I see even one result from a  
library in the top 10. The above sounds more argumentative than I  
mean, but I really am looking for examples, as they'd offer something  
to learn from.

The bigger shame is that we keep looking to centralized solutions when  
Google and the rest of the web keep telling us they want distributed  
solutions. Isn't it a shame that we've not yet opened our catalogs to  
the kind of remixing that will consistently deliver next generation  
innovations, including finding library results that are relevant to  
your current location in your search engine of choice?

--Casey


On Feb 9, 2008, at 3:15 PM, Ms Norma Jean Hewlett wrote:

> [...]
> I absolutely hate searching Google and getting a whole screen full of
> links to book records from other libraries, none of which are close to
> my home or of any use to me.
> [...]


> [...]
> isn't it a shame that there is no central
> database we could all place our holdings into? Isn't it a shame that
> there is no way a patron can easily use this central database to find
> out whether their local library has this book?
> [...]


Casey Bisson
__________________________________________

Information Architect
Plymouth State University
Plymouth, New Hampshire
http://MaisonBisson.com/
ph: 603-535-2256