Searching, Finding, and the Information Professional

1. Searching, Finding, and the Information Professional Marydee Ojala Editor, ONLINE: The Leading Magazine for Information Professionals

2. Agenda • Searching • Finding/Findability • Search Techniques • New Search Technologies • Nontextual information • The Future Computers in Libraries, 2007

3. Searching • Information professionals enjoy the “thrill of the chase” • They understand how information is structured and where it is likely to be • They know the intricacies of search engines, often exchanging tips on what has suddenly stopped working (~synonym on Google) Computers in Libraries, 2007

4. Searching • Information professionals sometimes forget when to stop • They have problems with information overload: It makes them overlook things • With more sources, more search engines, more searching possibilities, the process paradoxically takes longer Computers in Libraries, 2007

5. Finding • This is what clients want • A quick answer, no clue about sources • Find me the data • Why can’t I put one word in a search box and find what I want • Non-Boolean mindset • That’s why they’re not info pros Computers in Libraries, 2007

6. Finding • Information professionals want to find answers as well • They care about finding the correct, accurate, and timely answer • They think about external sources before internal ones, which can be a mistake Computers in Libraries, 2007

7. Findability • The flip side of finding • Webmasters wanting their sites to be found • How a site is architected • Optimization, for good or ill • The race to show up at the top of Web search engine results Computers in Libraries, 2007

8. Premium Content Findability • Expand to other markets (reputation monitoring, sales, back office management) • Integrate with workflow • New pricing models (pay per view) • Become more intuitive, build search strategies behind the scenes • Look more like Web search Computers in Libraries, 2007

9. Web Findability • Search is pervasive • Search is unstable • Gaming the system • Quality issues • Education issues Computers in Libraries, 2007

10. Search Techniques • Traditional • Boolean • Pearl growing • Building blocks • Successive fractions • Web • Squishy Boolean • Algorithms taking over Computers in Libraries, 2007

11. Web Search Technologies • Personalization • Optimization • Semantic clustering • Automatic indexing • Metadata • Different databases • Invisible, hidden web Computers in Libraries, 2007

12. Personalization • Web search engines know who you are and what you want • Which is great for individuals • But not so great for information professionals who want non-biased, non-personalized results Computers in Libraries, 2007

13. Optimization • Web search optimizer (SEO) community • White hat; black hat • Information professionals can learn a lot from them • A good reason to set preferences to 50 or 100 rather than be satisfied with first 10 Computers in Libraries, 2007

14. Semantic Clustering • Contextual search • Words that are searched frequently retrieve related words • Visible clustering • Clusty • Factiva Computers in Libraries, 2007

15. Automatic Indexing • Trying to automate the indexing process • Identify company name • Context plays a role here as well • Works best with human oversight Computers in Libraries, 2007

16. Metadata • Discredited as means to drive traffic to web site • Highly useful in controlled environments Computers in Libraries, 2007

17. Different Databases • Each search engine has a different database • In premium search, is it a database producer or an aggregator • How does this affect indexing Computers in Libraries, 2007

18. Invisible, Hidden Web • Isn’t this rather quaint? • Much more is no longer hidden • Formats • Older stuff • Some, however, is purposefully gone Computers in Libraries, 2007

19. Nontextual, Nontraditional Information • Audio files • Video clips • Images • Blogs • Groups • Second Life Computers in Libraries, 2007

20. Searching Nontextual • An imprecise science, to say the least • Precision/recall dubious • Hum a few bars • Describe your image • You want a video with that? • Viral marketing Computers in Libraries, 2007

21. Displaying Nontextual Information • Search versus display • Delisting of results • Graphic depictions of results • Grokker at EBSCO, Gale • Tag clouds at Factiva Computers in Libraries, 2007

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25. Worst Case Scenario • A controlled information environment • High price doesn’t guarantee quality data • Industry consolidation diminishes available information • Consumerism and entertainment trump research Computers in Libraries, 2007

26. Best Case Scenario • Intuitive interfaces • No licensing wars • Information is accessible, available • Producers are profitable • Searchers are satisfied • Searching and finding coalesce Computers in Libraries, 2007

27. Contact Information • Marydee Ojala • Editor, ONLINE: The Leading Magazine for Information Professionals • www.onlinemag.net • marydee@xmission.com Computers in Libraries, 2007