Re: Re: Google Search Appliance and OPACs

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

_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/

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.

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 <cbissonplymouth.edu>
Date: Monday, February 11, 2008 9:00 am
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Re: Google Search Appliance and
OPACs
To: web4libwebjunction.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
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4libwebjunction.org
> http://lists.we
bjunction.org/web4lib/
> 
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4libwebjunction.org
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