Understanding Information Retrieval Systems

In order to be effective for their users, information retrieval (IR) systems should be adapted to the specific needs of particular environments. The huge and growing array of types of information retrieval systems in use today is on display in Understanding Information Retrieval Systems: Management, Types, and Standards, which addresses over 20 types of IR systems. These various system types, in turn, present both technical and management challenges, which are also addressed in this volume.

In order to be interoperable in a networked environment, IR systems must be able to use various types of technical standards, a number of which are described in this book―often by their original developers. The book covers the full context of operational IR systems, addressing not only the systems themselves but also human user search behaviors, user-centered design, and management and policy issues.

In addition to theory and practice of IR system design, the book covers Web standards and protocols, the Semantic Web, XML information retrieval, Web social mining, search engine optimization, specialized museum and library online access, records compliance and risk management, information storage technology, geographic information systems, and data transmission protocols. Emphasis is given to information systems that operate on relatively unstructured data, such as text, images, and music. The book is organized into four parts:

• Part I supplies a broad-level introduction to information systems and information retrieval systems
• Part II examines key management issues and elaborates on the decision process around likely information system solutions
• Part III illustrates the range of information retrieval systems in use today discussing the technical, operational, and administrative issues for each type
• Part IV discusses the most important organizational and technical standards needed for successful information retrieval

This volume brings together authoritative articles on the different types of information systems and how to manage real-world demands such as digital asset management, network management, digital content licensing, data quality, and information system failures. It explains how to design systems to address human characteristics and considers key policy and ethical issues such as piracy and preservation. Focusing on web–based systems, the chapters in this book provide an excellent starting point for developing and managing your own IR systems.

Marcia J. Bates is Professor Emerita in the Department of Information Studies, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, at the University of California at Los Angeles. She has researched, published, and taught in many areas of library and information sciences, including user-centered design of information systems, subject access, online search techniques, and information seeking behavior. She has authored over eighty publications, including some of the most highly cited articles in the field. She has also served as Associate Dean and Department Chair. Dr Bates has consulted for a wide variety of organizations, including government, foundation, and private industry clients, as well as "dot-com" companies. Dr Bates is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and has won numerous awards, including the Award of Merit, the highest award of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST), and the Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology. ASIST has also awarded her its "Best Journal of ASIST Paper of the Year Award" twice. Web: http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/bates/.