Re: Rotated subject index

[Carol Eyler <ceyler@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I have worked with two III systems using rotated subject headings. 
Carleton also chose to index subjects as Keywords.  I believe that rotated 
subject headings can sometimes help users find materials that they might 
not otherwise find.  We all know that users do not always choose the "best" 
index for a particular search.  My greater concern is the way in which the 
browse display presents these "subject headings" -- in the rotated order, 
and without any parsing of the headings, subdivisions, etc.  I do think 
this can be very confusing to users.  We have found one example (there may 
be more) of a III opac that appears to use rotated subject headings, but in 
the browse display the subject headings are displayed in "correct" LCSH 
order, with dashes.  They "look" like subject headings, rather than just a 
string of words.  We are looking into whether we might want to make this 
change, if it is possible.
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Carol E. Eyler                ceyler@xxxxxxxxxx
Head of Technical Services
Carleton College Library      507-646-4268 (voice)
One North College St.
Northfield, MN  55057         507-646-4087 (fax)
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