Comments on: No one wants to use a library catalog

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:54:52 +0000

Thanks Katie. I agree … I’m beginning to think that library catalogs serve as barriers to our collections rather than as helpful gateways. And trying to make “next-generation catalogs” that look more like Google is a losing proposition. Libraries will never win the battle for “best search engine” … and I’m pretty sure that isn’t the game we should be playing anyway …

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:29:43 +0000

Have I ever mastered the 8 gillion academic library catalogues in my own thesis research or my work for a professor? No. Have I dug through said catalogues with my kids helping them learn to research their first term papers? No. Have I said, “Wait, here, let’s try google & see what we find.” A hundred times, and we’re just getting started. From a user standpoint, it looks like you might as well go with the flow, b/c that’s where you’re going anyway.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:20:54 +0000

Well … it is an “oldie, but a goodie” as they say.

By: lorcan dempsey

lorcan dempsey — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:46:06 +0000

Thanks for the nod. That’s going back a little ;-)