Browsing in Context: SubDivision/SubHeading/Facet Display in

Gerry McKiernan (mailto:JL.GJM@ISUMVS.IASTATE.EDU)
Fri, 1 Aug 1997 14:41:50 CDT

Message-Id: <199708012008.PAA09973@library.wustl.edu>
Date:         Fri, 1 Aug 1997 14:41:50 CDT
From: Gerry McKiernan <mailto:JL.GJM@ISUMVS.IASTATE.EDU>
Subject:      Browsing in Context: SubDivision/SubHeading/Facet Display in
To: Multiple recipients of list WEBCAT-L <mailto:WEBCAT-L@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU>

      Browsing in Context: SubDivision/SubHeading/Facet
                 Display in Online Systems

For my review of 'neo-conventional' thesauri, I am interested in identifying online systems that have incorporated thesauri of an analog (e.g. LCSH) that permits browsing of a SubDivision / SubHeading / Facet with the context of its occurrence within the thesauri vocabulary. Systems that allow for the browsing of a term of a compound subject phrase (e.g. Women college teachers) as well as facet browsing in context within separate and not integrated thesauri are also of interest.

As I have three daughters, one wife and three sisters, [and a mother], I'll use 'Women' of my example:

Women -- Africa Women--United States--History--20th Century Women and literature--United States--History--20th Century Women Air Pilots--United States--Biography Women in Politics--Great Britain Afro-American Women Social Reformers Urban Women Women College Teachers

[You get the idea]

I believe that this type of context browsing can/is/could be useful to using in any online system as well as in browsing in a separate thesaurus for term or phrase candidates.

Ideally the core term would be a different color, or font, or both. User have/could have/might have the ability to further browse In Context by clicking on any term or phrase to see that term or phrase In Context. Clicking on the item number associated with the given entry would perform a search in the system on that heading. Adjacent to the entry would be the number of records that have been assigned the specific entry.

I am particularly interested in any and all relevant literature relating to the theory, practice and/or possibilities of SubDivision/SubHeading/Faceted browsing as I describe it.

As always, any leads, suggestions, reactions, critiques, criticisms, comments, citations, celestial insights, etc. are most welcome!

Regards,

Gerry McKiernan Curator, CyberStacks(sm) Iowa State University Ames IA 50011

mailto:gerrymck@iastate.edu http://www.public.iastate.edu/~CYBERSTACKS/

P.S.Remember When Key-Word-in-Context (KWOC) Was A Technological Wonder?