Role of Indexing Language in Management and Retrieval of Heritage Information at Ahmadu Bello University of Zaria

Dada Kayode Sunday John, Udeh Joel, Amahian Jeremiah Orasemen, Tijjani Abubakar

Abstract


Since the 19th century, the world has witnessed an exponential growth in information , which made indexing language crucial for information retrieval. The present study attempts to assess the role of indexing language in information management in museum and archive contexts. The sample population of the study consists 239 scientists, faculty,  and students at Arewa House - the Center for Historical Documentation and Research, of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Kaduna State, Nigeria. The data obtained from them was analyzed using frequency distribution and percentages. A parametric test of Kruska-walis was used to test the hypothesis. All the hypotheses are tested at 0.05 alpha level of confidence. Findings revealed that most users lacked exposure to indexing skills.  Adequate use of standardized indexing languages, development of language technologies, locally training experts, scientists, and faculty  and students on the use of indices to meet the information needs was found to be essential for making use of heritage informtion and conserving the heritage of Northern Africa. 

 


Keywords


Informatics, Heritage, Conservation, Preservation; Digital Archiving, Varanasi; Banaras; Kashi.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Arewa House (2022). Arewa House at a Glance. Retrieved from www.arewahouse.ng/ about-us/

Aitchison, J. and Clake, S. D. (2004). The the Historical Viewpoint with a Look to the Future. Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, 37(3/4): 5-21.

Akinwumi, O.S. (2010). - Indexing and Abstracting Services in Libraries: A Legal Perspective. Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology, 4: 46-55

American Society of Indexing. (2021). Software for Indexing. Retrieved from www. asindexing.org/reference-shelf/software/

Amitabha, C. (2016). Elements of Information Organization and Dissemination. Cambridge, MA: Chandos.

Anderson, J. D. Melissa, A. and Hofmann, M.A (2006). A Fully Faceted Syntax for Library of Congress Subject Headings. Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, 43(1): 7-38.

Anderson, J.D. and Pérez-Carballo, J. (2005). Information Retrieval Design: Principles and Options for Information Description, Organization, Display and Access in Information Retrieval Databases, Digital Libraries, Catalogs, and Indexes. St. Petersburg, Fl: Ometeca Institute. Retrieved from https://web.archive. org/web/20050427201926/http://www.scils. rutgers.edu/publications/irdesign/.

Atlassian (2021). Configuring Indexing Language. Retrieved from https//.confluence. atlassian.com/doc/configuring-indexingLanguage-150130.html.

Betts, R. and Marrable, D. (1991). Free Text vs. Controlled Vocabulary - Retrieval Rrecision and Recall) Over Large Databases. In International Online Information Meeting. Proceedings.. Learned Information: London, pp. 153-165.

Boccato, V.R.C. (2008). The Indexing Language as a Tool for Information Organizing and Retrieval. In Furnival AC Hoffmann (eds). Look: Science, Technology and Society. Peter and John Ed São Paulo, pp 269-278. ISBN 78- 85-803-35-6.

Boccato, V.RC, Lopes, M.S and Fujita, S.L. (2011). Evaluation of Indexing Language Used in Collective Catalogues of University Libraries: A Socio-Cognitive Study Using Verbal Protocol. International Journal of Library and Information Science, 3(8): 162-178.

Browne, G. and Jermey, J. (2007). The Indexing Companion. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Cheti, A; Lucarelli, A and Paradisi, F. (2009). Subject Indexing in Italy: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives. Publication of IFLA World Library and Information Congress, 75th IFLA General Conference and Council, Italy. Retrieved from www.ifla.org/annualconference/ifla75/index.thtm

Cleveland, D.B. and Cleveland, A.A (2001). Introduction to Indexing and Abstracting. 3rd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Coates, E.J. (1973). Some Properties of Relationship in the Structure of Indexing Languages. Journal of Documentation, 29(4):390-404

Conway, M.O. (1993). Characteristics of Subject Headings in the Library of Congress BOOKSM Database. Library Resources and Technical Services, 37. 47-58.

CRUESP/Bibliotecas. (2006). The Portal of the Library Systems of the State Universities. Available from: http://bibliotecas-cruesp.usp. br/bibliotecas/CRUESP.htm.

Daily Trust (2020). Arewa House: 50 years of Northern Heritage, Research. Retrieved from https://dailytrust.com/arewa-house-50-yearsof-northern-heritage-research

Davies, M. B. (2007). Doing a Successful Research Project. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Maree.

De Vaus, D. (1991). Surveys in Social Research. London: Allen and Unwin.

Fernández, A; Molina. J.C. and Anegón, M. F. (1998). The Online Public Access Catalogues: The Future of the Bibliographic Information Retrieval. Asociación Andaluza de Bibliotecarios. Málaga.

Fraenkel, C. Perinetti, D. and Smith, J.E.H. (2011). Introduction in The Rationalists: Between Tradition and Innovation, edited by Carlos Fraenkel, Dario Perinetti and Justin E.H. Smith. Dordrecht: Springer.

Futuro, P.P. (2021). Indexing with Microcomputers: Past Present and Future. Retrieved from www.web.simmons.edu/- chen/nit/NIOT%2790/091-clea.html.

Gireesh Kumar T. K. and Raman Nair R. (2021). Conserving Knowledge Heritage: Opportunities and Challenges in Conceptualizing Cultural Heritage Hnformation System (CHIS) in the Indian context. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. Available at https://doi. org/10.1108/GKMC-02-2021-0020

Gireesh Kumar, T. K. (2021a). Designing a Comprehensive Information system for Safeguarding the Cultural Heritage: Need for Adopting Architectural Models and Quality Standards, Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 5392. Available at: https: //digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/5392

Gireesh Kumar T. K. (2021b), Developing a Sustainable Cultural Heritage Information System, Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 38 No. 6, pp. 17-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN08-2021-0053

Henzler, R.G. (1978). Free or Controlled Vocabularies: Some Statistical User-oriented Evaluations of Biomedical Information Systems. Int. Clas. 5:21-26.

IFLA. (2009). Statement of International Cataloguing Principles. Retrieved from: http://www.ifla.org/files/cataloguing/icp/ icp_2009-en.pdf.

IFLA. (2017). Subject Search Strategies. Retrieved from www.ifla.org/best-practicesfor-national-bibliographic-agencies-in-adigital-age/node/8441.

Luhn, H. P. (1959). Keyword-in-Context Index for Technical Literature (KWIC INDEX). Technical Report RC-127.

Miller, U. (1980). Methodological Challenges of Subject Analysis - A Comparative Analysis of the Principles of Constructing a Subject Heading Language in the US and USSR. Moscow: Nauka.

Miller, U and Teitelbaum, R. (2002). PreCoordination and Post-Coordination: Past and Future. Knowl. Org. 29(2): 87-93

Moreiro, J.A. and Morato, J; Sanchez-Cuadrado, S. and Fraga, A. (2009). Indexing languages in information Management, a promising future or an obsolete resource? tripleC 7(2): 309-322.

Musa, H.U. and Dangani, U.B. (2013). Assessment of the use of Indexing and Abstracting Service by Patrons of Federal College of Education Katsina. Information and Knowledge Management, 3(12):59-65.

Nasser, A.Z. (2020). Indexing and Searching Languages. Department of Information and Library Science, Cairo University, Lecture no. 11

Nwali, I. (1990). Newspaper Indexing in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Library, Bauchi Serials, 3(3), 63-65.

Obinyan, G.A. (2015). The Development of Indigenous Nigerian Languages for Effective Communication and Professional Use: The Case of Esan Language 1(10), 16-26

Onwuchekwa, E. O (2013) Indexing and Abstracting Services. In: Issa, A, Igwe, K.N and Uzuegbu, C.P. (ed). Provision of Library and Information Services to Uses in the Era of Globalization. Lagos. Waltodanny Visual Concept. pp 203-221

Pinto, L.P. (2005). The documentary representation and Social Paradigm. Unpublished Phd Thesis, University of São Paulo, Brazil.

PsychINFO. (2020). Psychology Research Guide: Database and Indexes. Retrieved from www.guides. library.columbia.edu/psychology/databases.

Shera, J.. H. (1951). Classification as the Basis of Bibliographic Organization. In Bibliographic Organization: Papers presented before the Fifteenth Annual Conference of the Graduate Library School July 24-29, 1950 ed. Jesse H. Shera and Margaret E. Egan, Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 72-93.

Siegel, A. (2020). Catalogs and Indexing Databases. Retrieved from www.library.ucdavis. edu/guide/catalogs-indexing-databases/

Smith, D. R. (1978). Newspaper Indexing Handbook for Small Libraries. Educational Resources Information Centre, Arlington, VA

Taylor, A.G. and Joudrey, D.N. (2017). The organization of Information, 4th ed. ABCCLIO LLC, Santa Barbara, CA.

Umar, M.A.; Mohammed, M.A. and Shittu, M. (2014). An Assessment of Indexing and Abstracting Services in Nuhu Bamalli Politechnic Library, Zaria, Nigeria. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(8): 21-29

Zeng, M. (2005). Guidelines for the Construction, Format, and Management of Monolingual Controlled Vocabularies. Maryland.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Informatics Studies:  ISSN: 2583-8994 (Online), 2320-530X (Print)