Building Union CatalogueVirtual vs. Physical Approach

Recall and Precision

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Recall illustrates the confidence that a search returns all the information you are interested in.

Precision, is the confidence that the results of your search are relevant.

Web users are used to low recall and precision

Achieving high precision and recall when searching unstructured or semi-structured data is a very difficult task.

Librarians and library OPAC users are used to, and require very high recall and precision, especially recall.

Great care and consistent rules (such as AACR2) applied in creating structured catalogue records.

Different Indexes Techniques are used to achieve high recall.

Recall is a real problem for Arabic Language! (Requires Special Arabic Indexer)

Arabic Recall Requirements

Arabic Support is not just Unicode Storage and Retrieval

Normalizing and equating different shapes of Arabic characters ( ئ ؤ ـه، ـة ي، ى ا، إ and any other (أnormalization required

Detects and stem prefixes ( ل و، ك، فـ، بـ، (ال، Detects and stem suffixes ( ـة يـ، ات، ون، ين، ( ان، Smart processor capable of realizing the order of prefixes.

( ولل كال،وبـ، لل، بال، لبـ BUT NOT وال، بلـ، (بو،كف، Complete and customizable dictionary for prefixes and

suffixes handling.

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Essential Processes for UC

There are four essential processes for delivering effective Union Catalogues: (4C)

Collect a knowledgebase of all members Catalogues

Connect people with answers using the best method

Correct the knowledgebase to maintain accuracy

Control collections and workflows to optimize value

Purposes of Union Catalogues

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Unified point of discovery larger resources are better exposed in general

(single shop versus row of shops versus mall) comprehensive resources are more attractive to

users• more likely to use; more likely to contribute via WIKI

Ease load on local OPAC Provide identity to a library cooperative

Discovery and Exposure

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Purposes of Union Catalogues

Increasing delivery options Resource sharing Sharing of users

Your users find resources elsewhere Other’s users find your resources

Delivery becoming increasingly separated from discovery

Increasing delivery options Digitization on demand, reference look-up, purchase,

resolution Union catalogues need to link to multiple providers

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Purposes of Union Catalogues

Librarians PerspectiveUnified Efforts and Standards

Unify Standards Unify Cataloguing efforts Unify Systems Minimize Cost Consistent Recall and Precision

Union Catalogue Models

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Physical

Virtual

Single user interface offers integrated access to multiple catalogues as if they were a single catalogue.

Libraries place their catalogue records into a single searchable database.

Physical UC – MODEL 1

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I- Union catalogue is the main catalogue for the participating libraries. (Consortia Approach – Single System)

Jordanian Public Universities Libraries (JOPULS), OHIOLink, Oxford University Union Catalogue (OLIS).

• Benefits: Centralizes the cost of technical support. Minimize Cataloging Cost sharing Bibliographic Records. Consistent indexing and Searching policy. Real-time locally volatile information such as circulation information

• Problems: Problems in merging libraries which already have their own library systems. Requires a greater degree of collaboration in terms of cataloguing and

indexing policies. Requires increase in network speed and reliability; Difficult for

geographically dispersed unions.

Physical UC – Model 2

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II- Records are exported from local catalogues to the union catalogue . COPAC service in the U.K (over 70 UK and Irish academic, national & specialist catalogues)OCLC WorldCat

• Benefits: Centralizes the cost of technical support. Consistent indexing and Searching policy. More freedom for libraries to adopt different Cataloging standards

• Problems: Insists on Minimal Standards (MARC). Can’t benefit Libraries with NO LIS Duplicate records ; worse search experience. Latency in updating Union Catalogue. Large discrepancy between actual holdings and the Union Catalogue. Cannot address locally volatile information such as circulation information.

Physical UC – Model 3

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III- Records are catalogued on union and imported to local catalogue . OCLC Cooperative Online Resource Cataloging (CORC) ProjectPartially Adopted by ARUC (ARUC is a mixture of models 2-3)

• Benefits: Centralizes the cost of technical support. Consistent indexing and Searching policy. Better Quality of records (Maintained Standards)

• Problems: Insists on Minimal Standards (MARC). Some Discrepancy between actual holdings and the Union Catalogue. Difficult to address locally volatile information such as circulation information.

Physical UC – Model 4

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IV- Dynamic Updates of both union and local catalogue . Commercial Databases SystemsZ3950 Catalogue Update ServiceDynamic Proxy Update to both Union and Local Catalogues

• Benefits: Consistent Updates to both Local and Union Catalogue Consistent indexing and Searching polices on Union Catalogue

• Problems: Quality of records (No Maintained Standards) Duplicate records ; worse search experience. Difficult to Adopt by Academic Libraries. Difficult to maintain and update

Virtual Approach

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Local Catalogues are maintained as is

User Interface to search all Catalogues as if searching a single Catalogue (Federated Search to Online Catalogues)

• Benefits: Easier to Implement Less Time and efforts required Real time searching and retrieval in All Catalogues (Higher Accuracy)

• Problems: Different Cataloging, Indexing and Searching Policies Inconsistent Indexing/searching based on Local OPACs Requires Online Accessible Catalogues for all Members Slower in Retrieving results Depends on Availability of local OPACs

Which Model to Select?

What are you trying to Achieve?

What are your current Members Using?

What Standards are Implemented?

What Services you like to offer?

Speed, Accuracy, or Recall & Precision comes First?

What Cs you target (Collect & Connect only, or also Correct & Control)?

Answering the Above questions is the key to select the best model for the Union Catalogue.

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Select Virtual Model Approach

Members Already have LIS Systems and Online Accessible Catalogues.

Members uses different Systems, Cataloging Rules, and Standards.

Difficult to apply same standards and policies.

Target to support end users with greater exposer and additional services

Accuracy is more important than speed , recall and precision

Virtual Union Catalogue Model is the AnswerNew Federated Search Engines Provide Clustering, Ranking, and Sorting Capabilities.

Possible to Integrated Digital subscriptions with Physical Collections.

Additional Services (ILL, Additional Delivery Options can be Achieved)

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Select Physical Model ApproachSome Members Don’t have LIS Systems and Online Accessible Catalogues.Target to Unify Cataloging Rules and Standards.Target To minimize cost, and control Cataloging At the same time target to support end users with greater exposer and additional services.Speed and Precision is more important than accuracy.Own the appropriate network (Speed and reliability)

Physical Union Catalogue Model is the Answer(Model 1 “Union catalogue is the main catalogue for the participating libraries” is the best to select if feasible)

(Oxford, OHIOLink, JOPULS Model)www.naseej.com