[Web4lib] Re: Google Search Appliance and OPACs

[Sebastian Hammer]

Ms Norma Jean Hewlett wrote:
> Casey Bisson wrote:
>   
>> 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. 
>>     
>
> Casey, you are right! I stand corrected.
>
> The situation I described was common a few years ago, but doesn't seem 
> to apply at all now. I ran a Google basic search for Sun Also Rises. 
> In 20 screens, I found only 1 link to a library bib record--that was 
> to the WorldCat record, and it was on screen #19.
>   
I wonder if users aren't getting smarter about this... they'll have to, 
I think... if I search for a movie title, it's kinda random what pops 
up... but if I search for the title and add, 'imdb' or 'tomatoes', I 
reliably get the IMDB page or the excellent Rotten Tomatoes review 
analysis.. similarly, if I do your search for 'Sun Also Rises', and add 
'worldcat' to the end, a good-looking page pops up, complete with a 
suggested list of libraries. Not bad.

Maybe WorldCat just needs a cooler, more memorable name, and some hot 
YouTube videos to get it into the public mindspace.

--Sebastian
> Most of the results were either individual title records from 
> bookstores or blog posts about the movie.
> Jean
>
> Jean Hewlett
> Regional Librarian, Univ. of San Francisco
>
> All opinions are my own, and do not represent my employers.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Casey Bisson <cbisson at plymouth.edu>
> Date: Monday, February 11, 2008 9:00 am
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Re: Google Search Appliance and OPACs
> To: web4lib at webjunction.org
>
>   
>> 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
>>
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>>
>>     
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>   

-- 
Sebastian Hammer, Index Data
quinn at indexdata.com   www.indexdata.com
Ph: (603) 209-6853 Fax: (866) 383-4485