Library catalogs

As a library and information professional, I have so long searched for a nexus between the twain, viz., a) Information Visualization and b) best practices in the library world.

Based on my search, I built an extensive webliography on the above nexus. This Webliography has two related dimensions, viz.,

a) Alternative Cataloging / Information Visualization b) Mining The Library Catalog

In addition to these Webliographies, I have summarized my search results. See Information Visualization Demystified. In this summary are two issues. First, a few references on the involvement of Information Visualization specialists. And, second, how the process of developing a graphical interface for library catalog has progressed so far.

From the above citations, obvious is the fact that creating graphical interface is one of the possible ways.

In what other ways Information Visualization could aid in building a usable, and user-friendly library catalog is the crux of the problem.

How best we could apply the Guru's Visual Information-Seeking Mantra in developing next generation library catalogs is an issue, which the Guru himself may be able to guide.