Library and information science

Library and Information Science Number October 3, Faculty Library and Information Science The article by Markey (2007) focuses on the way online library cataloguing had lost its attractiveness with its users. The author observes that there were required shifts in paradigms concerning online library cataloguing for any effective remedy strategy. The author also notes that there was required a change in development and design of the online library cataloguing to reflect the long-term demands of the myriad users (Markey, 2007). The author remarkably observes the availability of less accurate, unreliable and less objective information in sites like Google where many people prefer to search.
Markey notes that the descriptive cataloguing that had received a lot of attention than it deserved was not justifiable and observed that challenges were expected with the era of mass digitization and Google. The online library catalogues were perceived as being unreliable and not containing the resources that many scholars required (Markey, 2007). The efficiency with which people found information in Google made online library cataloguing less preferable. Markey recommends that rooted cataloguers had to dedicate more time to subject analysis, authority control, resource evaluation and identification. Instead of cataloguing the mass produced formats like books, the article notes that there was a need to shift toward cataloguing the unique primary sources like archives and teaching objects.
Markey recommends the need to embrace the Post-Boolean probabilistic searching, subject cataloguing, and expansion with qualification metadata (Markey, 2007). The author also suggests the resolution the full-text retrieval problem to redesign the online library catalogue. The Arlington Heights Memorial Library that was visited by far lags below the recommendations of Markey. Although there is what one can call metadata, there is not available in the library any cataloguing by subject, no post-Boolean probabilistic searching embraced and there lack the primary sources in the library. Additionally, unlike Markey recommended on improved efficiency of searching for information, the AHML lacks authority control, subject analysis and evaluation and control. It would thus cost the searcher a lot of time to distinguish reliable from unreliable sources. Teaching objects and archives are unavailable in AHML contrary to the proposal by Markey.
References
Markey, K. (2007). The Online Library Catalog: Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained? D-Lib Magazine, 13(1/2).
http://www. ahml. info/