Core Competency E
The following statement and submitted evidence show my competency in designing, querying and evaluation of information retrieval systems.
Before enrolling in the SLIS program, I took an introductory MS Access class in the Riverside Community College. It proved to be one of those choices that show their real value only later down the road. I must admit that I had a hard time grasping the concept of relational databases, primary keys and queries. My mind was conditioned by Excel spreadsheets and it took some effort ... MORE>>
Some of the evidence documents are presented as HTML pages, but most of them are in iPaper format, which requires ADOBE FLASH PLAYER. Clicking on [PDF] link will open the same documents in ADOBE ACROBAT READER.
Evidence 1 :: Archival Practicum Log: McCaffrey Papers Database
This group of documents created during my archival internship in the Special Collections Department of University of California Riverside, Spring 2007, and show my competency in designing a simple information retrieval system.
The main outcome of my archival internship in the Special Collections of UC Riverside libraries was processing and writing the finding aid for the McCaffrey Papers collection.
My task was to complete work on a partially processed collection, create an electronic database, enter information and write the finding aid for the collection. A detailed folder list, a part of the finding aid, was generated from a database file. The evidence shows the detailed outline of the database structure and the series and sub-series relationships. Presented also are print screen images of the input form, related tables with controlled vocabulary and the report with folder information. The accompanying text quickly describes the nature of the collection and explains the development of the database in some detail.
Evidence 2 :: Assignment 2: Subject Analysis [PDF]
This paper was a group project written as an assignment in the Information Retrieval class, Spring of 2005, and shows my understanding of structure of information systems and my competency performing a query and analyzing the results.
As part of the assignment in indexing and vocabulary design, group D to which I belonged, created the Library Literature Database “for use by LIS students interested in the professional literature in the domain of Information Search, Storage and Retrieval.” From the list of suggested literature, the group selected a number of articles with a focus on systems design and end-user research, read them, and created pre-coordinate and post-coordinate controlled vocabulary lists. Using DB/TextWorks database software, the group created a database with author, title, citation and abstract text fields and two controlled vocabulary fields. Text fields were keyword searchable, while pre-coordinated and post-coordinated fields had drop-down tables with controlled vocabulary. In the paper are listed database rules and tips for users created by the group; full lists of index terms of two controlled vocabulary fields, as well as all twenty records with field data. Tables with statistical analysis of performed queries are in the concluding section of the document.
Evidence 3 :: Comparison of Library Catalogs: Riverside City Public Library and Riverside Community College District Library [PDF]
This paper was written an an assignment in the Beginning Cataloging and Classification class, Fall 2006, and shows my competency in evaluation of information retrieval systems.
Searching through various on-line public access catalogs (OPACs) could be quite a learning experience. The OPAC system/interface vendors as well as individual library systems have their own ideas about what is the more user-friendly way to conduct a search or to display results. The paper analyses OPACs of the Riverside County Public Library System and Riverside Community College District LAMP (Library Access to Monographs and Periodicals) and compares their pros and cons in terms of interface, search options and display of retrieved information. Using basic and then power search, the same query was performed on each database. The retrieved results and searching experience was then analyzed and compared. The interfaces of two catalogs are not that much different, but the amount of information and search options vary considerably. In regard to the record information, the catalog of Riverside Public Library System was much better integrated into the Internet and enabled expanded connections to other catalogs, while searches on LAMP catalog executed very fast and displayed records in a clear and conventional manner. However, considering different environments and users that the two libraries serve, each catalog was quite well suited for its intended purpose.
This web site was developed to satisfy the graduation requirements for
the School for Library and Information Science at San Jose State University California
Text, design, and digital imaging by Vlasta Radan