[Asis-l] (New Book) Powering Search: The Role of Thesauri in New Information Environments

[Ali Shiri]

Colleagues*,*



A new book titled* “**Powering Search: The Role of Thesauri in New
Information Environments**” *authored by Ali Shiri,* *School of Library and
Information Studies, University of Alberta, has recently been published by
Information Today, Inc.(ASIS&T Monograph Series).

http://books.infotoday.com/asist/Powering-Search.shtml


This book provides a comprehensive treatment of the role of thesauri in
search user interfaces across a range of information search and retrieval
systems—from bibliographic and full-text databases to digital libraries,
portals, open archives, and content management systems. It takes a new
approach to thesauri by examining, analyzing and synthesizing perspectives,
projects, practices, and services from a variety of communities who share
an interest in thesauri, including search behavior, usability studies,
search user interfaces, information architecture, and interactive
information retrieval. The book addresses and examines the ways in which
information retrieval thesauri, with sophisticated semantic networks, have
been and are currently being used in a wide variety of web-based search and
browsing user interfaces. Furthermore, the book provides a detailed
discussion of empirical evaluations as well as usability studies that have
made use of thesauri by a broad range of users, from online search
specialists, indexers, and catalogers to end-users.

* *

*Table of Contents: *

Chapter 1: Thesauri: Introduction and Recent Developments


Chapter 2: Thesauri in Interactive Information Retrieval

Chapter 3: User-centred Approach to the Evaluation of Thesauri: Query
Formulation and Expansion

Chapter 4: Thesauri in Web-based Search Systems

Chapter 5: Thesaurus-based Search and Browsing Functionalities in New
Thesaurus Construction Standards

Chapter 6: Design of Search User Interfaces for Thesauri


Chapter 7: Design of User Interfaces for Multilingual and Meta-thesauri

Chapter 8: User-centred Evaluation of Thesaurus-enhanced Search User
Interfaces

Chapter 9: Guidelines for the Design of Thesaurus-enhanced Search User
Interfaces

Chapter 10: Current Trends and Developments

"I'm really impressed! A unified vision of the enhancement of searching
vocabulary throughout the current information technology world. Beautifully
written, comprehensive, and revealing of the many possible uses of
vocabulary enhancement in improving online searches." —Marcia J. Bates,
editor, *Understanding Information Retrieval Systems.***

"A brilliant synthesis that explains how controlled vocabularies and
thesauri can be integrated with search systems to dramatically improve
findability and the overall user experience. ... a must read for all
information architects!" —Peter Morville, co-author, *Search Patterns:
Design for Discovery.*

"This book is a significant contribution to the information management
literature. As a reference book it is extremely well documented; lots of
examples; covers the latest developments and research. Will be a useful
resource for user interface developers."—Marjorie M. K. Hlava, president,
Access Innovations, Inc.

"After 50 years of evolution the thesaurus remains a potent tool. With
experience of relevant practice-oriented research, Ali Shiri's account of
the design, use, and evaluation of thesauri for interactive and web-based
search and browsing is useful and readable." —Alan Gilchrist, Cura
Consortium.

**********************

October 2012, 336 pp. *hardbound/ISBN 978-1-57387-454-0*

Available from, amongst other stockists,

http://books.infotoday.com/asist/Powering-Search.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/Powering-Search-Thesauri-Information-Environments/dp/157387454X


-- 
Ali Shiri, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Library and Information Studies
University of Alberta
3-09 Rutherford South
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T6G 2J4

Phone: (780) 492-5315
Fax: (780) 492-2430
Email: ashiri at ualberta.ca<https://webmail.ualberta.ca/imp/message.php?mailbox=sent-mail&index=4054#>
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