Information Retrieval (Chp. 11)

I'll admit that even after going all the way through high school and university, I was still a bit fuzzy on using databases for information retrieval. I could usually find what I was looking for, but not in the most efficient way possible. I'm finally learning how to choose the correct database and narrow my search appropriate. I'm glad to be learning this, and hope I remember my frustrations as I help others who feel the same way in the future.

Reading this chapter brought up many issues that contribute to how frustrating finding information can be, especially when not all systems are alike. One thing that stood out to me in this chapter was the section on "Fitting Your Search to the System" (Weedman, 2008, p. 120-122). Seeing the 17 different ways one name was listed in three databases was a bit shocking. Learning for myself and teaching others how to overcome such obstacles is an obviously important part of the job of a librarian.

The other piece that brought up several questions was the definition given my Bill Maron that states "what an information system should do is to retrieve 'all and only the relevant information' " (as cited in Weedman, 2008, p. 123). There is obviously a lot that goes into planning how databases are design and retrieval systems are set up. I think this also closley relates to the recent uses of tagging.

The use of tagging for information retrieval is very different than traditional database systems. Despite the fact that using folksonomies does not always give you "all and only" what you are looking for, they are growing in popularity. For me, tagging can be very helpful, but it can also be just as frustrating at times.

As systems evolve and new algorithms are created, one hopes to make the process of finding information easier, but we often find our selves with more of the same, like the 17 different entries for one name. Information retrieve may allows be something that frustrates people, but it's another important reason libraries and librarians will continue to be relevant.

Weedman, J. (2008). Information retrieval: Designing, querying, and evaluating information systems. In K. Haycock & B. E. Sheldon (Eds.), The portable MLIS: Insights from the experts (pp. 112-126). Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.