Cornell University
Library
Compared to Princeton
University Library
Katrina Deliramich
“The ideas of a great university and a great
library are inextricably linked.” (Cornell University Library, 2009) I chose to
look at Cornell University compared to Princeton University for my paper.
Cornell and Princeton are both widely known Universities that offer outstanding
education opportunities. Both University libraries use OPAC with an Endeavor
Information Systems interface. I will focus on Cornell University and how they
use their information retrieval system to the best of their capacity and
compare those results to Princeton.
Cornell
University is has one of the largest research libraries in the United States.
The main campus of Cornell University is located in New York. Cornell
University has a total of twenty libraries, some spreading all the way to
Qatar. Their information retrieval system is vital to sustaining their
libraries and providing a reliable source for research and learning. Cornell
University Library contains over seven million volumes and seven million
microfilms. The collection is growing by more than 115,000 volumes a year
(Cornell University Library, 2009).
Cornell
University Library is constantly striving to create better access for the
students of the University and for people all over the world. They currently
have access to over 100,000 networked databases. They use OPAC for an
information retrieval system as opposed to a licensed database (Cornell
University Library, 2009).
Cornell University
Library uses Endeavor for the interface. I came across some notes from the OPAC
configuration team at Cornell University. They felt the introductory page for
the Cornell University Library was too complicated for the public and made
changes in button sizes and colors, search words were shortened and more
graphics added to make the page pop. They had a complaint about Endeavor not
allowing many options to be made to the search buttons (OPAC/Gateway Configuration
Team, 2000).
Overall
I felt the library interface was practical. The colors were very mundane, all
red and white, but it was easy to find the search bar. It almost looks like the
search window is a popup window that you would want to close if you were not
paying attention to what it said. You can choose from catalog, articles,
database names, E-journal titles, images and experts. There was a place lower
on the screen to search for class names or course numbers as well. Behind the
search box were images that are contained in the database with a caption that
said “one of millions of images from our collections” (Cornell University
Library, 2009).
The
home page also had research help, course help, library services, and requests.
The coolest part of the interface was that just by roaming over the four
possible sections the screen would change to let you know what you could find
in each section. It made the sections more straightforward and accessible and
you did not have to click, search then go back if you had the wrong section.
Cornell University Library provides a tutorial on how to search using their catalog. It was very interesting stating how to find a book or journal. They included tips on search words as well as how to view the whole article once you find the correct one. If the book or article is not available they provide a link for interlibrary loan as well as a way to request the library purchase a copy. I felt this was an excellent tutorial for using their system to your best advantage. The overall database is targeted towards scholars and researchers, college age and above (Cornell University Library, 2009).
Cornell University Library provides a tutorial on how to search using their catalog. It was very interesting stating how to find a book or journal. They included tips on search words as well as how to view the whole article once you find the correct one. If the book or article is not available they provide a link for interlibrary loan as well as a way to request the library purchase a copy. I felt this was an excellent tutorial for using their system to your best advantage. The overall database is targeted towards scholars and researchers, college age and above (Cornell University Library, 2009).
When
doing a search of Cornell University library and resources I found a link to
Cornell University from the Library of Congress page of outside databases. This
was a gateway from the Library of Congress to many other institutions. When you
clicked on Cornell three search boxes came up allowing you to search by
keyword, title and author. This is a quick easy way to access their database.
This allows the Cornell database to be accessible to more then just students of
the University and researchers but is available to anyone using the Library of
Congress website (Library of Congress, 2009).
Cornell’s
Voyager OPAC uses MARC. Cornell University Library uses staff to help decide on
selections and create resource descriptions. The OPAC allows for broad searches
as well as more in depth, descriptive searches. One issue Cornell is facing is
the expanse of digital information and the inclusion of the original Gateway
program that has been used to access items outside the catalog. Since the OPAC
is now web-based it can find outside sources as well and is taking over the
previous job of the Gateway system. Susan J. Barnes, a member of the Cooperative
Online Research Project, discusses the changes facing Cornell “Many libraries
are looking at overarching software solutions to cross database searching. This
multiresource searching capability; invisible to the user, seems to be the wave
of the future. Cornell must examine how the Gateway and the OPAC can and/or
should evolve to provide a broader searching “umbrella” for the digital
library” (Barnes, 2004).
Cornell
University is looking to the future and deciding on how best to handle all the
database and information available. Currently Cornell University Library is
focusing on moving all files to a new WorldCat Local interface. It will be
tested for problems and ease of use compared to the current endeavor interface.
Funding for the University was increased to provide for this change and for
surveys of staff and the public users (Cornell University Library, 2009).
Princeton
University is located in New Jersey. The Princeton University Library is made
up of approximately twenty libraries. The Princeton University library
collection grows at a rate of 10,000 books per month. The total collection
includes over six million volumes. Princeton University Library database is
targeted towards college age people as well as researchers, similar to Cornell
(Princeton University Library, 2009).
Princeton
University Library uses OPAC with an Endeavor interface, like Cornell
University Library. In 1981 Princeton University switched from using their card
catalog to using an OPAC system. Although many of the files were moved into
digital format Princeton still has over six million of their original
collection not yet digitalized (Henthorne, 1995). One main difference between
the two university libraries is the lack of a search bar on Princeton Library’s
homepage. This creates a more complicated user experience than with the Cornell
site. Princeton University Library has a library guide to help students and
users search the library database. The guide includes information on checking
out books as well (Princeton University Library, 2009). The Library site is
designed simple and is easy on the eye. Unfortunately it can be hard to figure
out which link is needed to take you to the item you are looking for.
In order to test
Cornell University Library and the ease of use, I asked a group of individuals
the same four questions. My group consisted of a 28 year old male: sailor in
the United States Navy, a 80 year old female, a 54 year old female: human
resources worker, and a 50 year old male: banker. Each person in my group has been
educated with at least some college and I felt they fit directly into what
Cornell University Library’s database was created for. The four questions I
asked were on random topics, I tried to add in a question the men might find
easier and a question the women might find easier and compare results to decide
if knowing more information about the topic before searching would create an
easier experience or make it harder to find the correct answer, since those who
have no idea might just take the first answer that seems to fit. My four
questions are the following:
-How many Nobel Prize winners came from Cornell University?
What are their names? What countries are they from?
-What is the origin of the carousel? What original animal
was the carousel created with?
-How many aircraft carriers are currently in use in the
United States Navy? What are their names?
-Find at least five books of fiction that take place at
Princeton University.
My first person was the 28-year-old
male. He is a sailor in the United States Navy and an entrepreneur. His
education consists of two Navy colleges as well as an online university, his
concentrate is electronic warfare. He has lived many places in the United
States as well as traveling overseas for long periods of time. His results are
the following:
-How many Nobel Prize
winners came from Cornell University? What are their names? What countries are
they from?
I had some difficulty finding which search area to use, I
searched in the webpage area until realizing the search box for the library was
right in front of me. I found 1,533 entries for this search and I found it very
hard to find which were from Cornell University. I tried searching for Nobel
Prize, and then I tried Nobel Prize winners that came from Cornell. I received
no results for that search, I realized I had a spelling error, tried again and
got 7 results. The books listed did not seem correct; “Star wars” was included.
My results did not find anything worthwhile.
-What is the origin
of the carousel? What original animal was the carousel created with?
I searched for original carousel and got 477 results. I
received a lot on the Carousel musical play and a couple books about carousels
in other states. I tried searching for the first carousel and got 371 results. Nothing
that explained the origin of the carousel.
-How many aircraft carriers are currently in use in the
United States Navy? What are their names?
My first response to this question was, “that’s easy there
are 12.” I already knew the answer so I searched for aircraft carriers and got
6,081 results. There were many, many books on the history of the aircraft
carriers, but since they replace carriers through the years that might not give
me the most current results. I searched for aircraft carrier names and I
realized one of the most common books that we use in the Navy was not even
listed I the results. I searched for Jane’s navy, a common book and I got 1,159
results. From the results I found I feel I could find the information in some
of the books but without reading them I cannot be completely positive.
-Find at least five books of fiction that take place at
Princeton University.
I searched for Princeton
University and got 172,230 results. This was very difficult. I tried many
variations but could not pinpoint which books were written about Princeton
University, for fun I tried Googling the same question and found a few sites as
well as Wikipedia that listed fiction books on Princeton (K. Di Franco,
personal communication, November 28, 2009).
My next person was the 80-year-old
female. She worked as a secretary and was in the United States Air Force, She
attended a community college. She has little experience using the Internet and
computer. Her results are the following:
-How many Nobel Prize
winners came from Cornell University? What are their names? What countries are
they from?
I could not find the answer to this question. I had a lot of
trouble using the search bar on the Cornell University Library website. When I
did search I came up with no results and when I tried a different set of terms
I received too many results.
-What is the origin
of the carousel? What original animal was the carousel created with?
I found nine books about carousels and how they originated.
It took many tried so narrow the results to some that might work but I am not
sure if they are correct.
-How many aircraft
carriers are currently in use in the United States Navy? What are their names?
I found a few books on aircraft carriers, but they did not
specify the names. When I tried just aircraft carriers I got thousands of
results. I narrowed the results down but am still unable to give the number or
names.
-Find at least five
books of fiction that take place at Princeton University.
I did not know what to search for here. I tried fiction,
Princeton. I kept receiving results that did not seem right, very difficult.
My next person was the 54-year-old
female. She works in human resources at a university and is currently in
graduate school. Her education consist of multiple AA’s in many fields, a BA in
general studies, a Masters in communication and is currently working on her
second Masters. Her results were:
-How many Nobel Prize winners came from Cornell
University? What are their names? What countries are they from?
I had some difficulty with this question. I do not think I
found Nobel Prize winners who are from Cornell University, I did; however, find
winners who have books located at Cornell now. I also found names and countries
very easily for the people who had books in the library. I tried several
different word variations to search for this, but nothing gave me an exact way
of being sure they were from Cornell University.
-What is the origin of the carousel? What original animal
was the carousel created with?
Lots of books on this, both fact and fiction. I found some
books written in different languages also. I am not sure of the animal that was
first used and I am curious if maybe the carousel was started as part of a fair
or something in a another country, or perhaps even in the United States.
-How many aircraft
carriers are currently in use in the United States Navy? What are their names?
This was easy to find, lots of books about the Navy and
aircraft carriers. It gives names and is specific about who most were named by.
There were even specific books about some of the individual aircraft carriers.
-Find at least five books of fiction that take place at
Princeton University.
I could not find this. I tried searching about Princeton
University, and then putting in "books about", but I just got that-
“books about Princeton.” I know I have
read books that take place at Princeton, but I am not sure how to find this
exactly without knowing a bit more information (J. Deliramich, personal
communication, November 30, 2009).
My last person was the 50-year-old
male. He is currently a banker but has worked in real estate and as an
investment banker. His education consists of a BA in business. His results
were:
-How many Nobel Prize winners came from Cornell
University? What are their names? What countries are they from?
I found the site simple
to navigate. I did not find the results for the question but I was able to find
many books that are located at Cornell by Nobel Prize Winners. There were many
books in different languages listed, so I would have to say they come from
countries outside the United States as well.
-What is the origin
of the carousel? What original animal was the carousel created with?
I did not pinpoint the actual origin of the carousel. I
found information on old carousels, traditions. There was information on the
Carousel musical as well as fiction stories. I do not know which animal was the
first on the carousel, I feel reading a few of the books would help me find
this answer.
-How many aircraft
carriers are currently in use in the United States Navy? What are their names?
I found a wealth of information on the United States Navy.
The aircraft carriers have many books, some on specific carriers. I did not
find a number exactly but I am positive some books that I found would have the
correct information.
-Find at least five
books of fiction that take place at Princeton University.
This question was very hard to answer. I could not find the
correct answer, just a lot of results that did not make any sense.
Overall my test group had similar
experiences. They each were able to access the Cornell University Library site.
Each had trouble with my Princeton question and the carousel question proved
difficult to figure out. They proved to me that Cornell University Library has
an interface that is easy for the public to use. Searching for specific items
can take some skill and even those people who were very educated were not able
to find answers easily. The database produced large results and contains a
wealth of information, but that can prove daunting for the searcher.
Reference
List
Barnes, S. J. (2004). Becoming
a Digital Library. New York: Marcel Dekker, inc.
Cornell University Library. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.library.cornell.edu/index
Henthorne, E. (1995). Digitalization and the creation of
virtual libraries: the Princeton University image card catalog- reaping the
benefits of imaging. Information
Technology and Libraries. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-16858284.html
Library of Congress. (2009). Gateway to Library Catalogs.
Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/z3950/
OPAC/Gateway Configuration Team. (2000). Cornell University
Voyager Implementation Site Notes from January 12, 2000 Meeting. Retrieved from
http://www.library.cornell.edu/iteam/notes/configuration/01-12-2000.html
Princeton University Library. (2009). Retrieved from http://libsite.org/node/108
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