Introduction - organizing the Internet

Library Trends, Fall, 2003 by Andrew G. Torok

The next two contributions focus on specific aspects of organization, including discussion of metadata standards and issues of access based on document structure and content. Jane L. Hunter provides an overview of key metadata research issues and current projects and initiatives for improving our ability to discover, access, retrieve, and assimilate information on the Internet. Of particular interest to the end user is her review of metadata search engine research. Kevin Crowston and Barbara H. Kwasnik continue the issue of vacabulary control in a somewhat different light. Their paper discusses the possibility of improving information access in large digital collections through the identification and use of document genre as a facet of document and query representation. They begin with a framework of the information retrieval problem with respect to genre and finish by outlining a research protocol that would provide guidance for identifying, using, and representing Web document genres

Sometimes the larger efforts to make Internet documents available fail to fit the local needs of individuals. For example, a teacher in the classroom may have his/her own idea of appropriate resources to complement a lesson plan. Also, traditional methods of classification fail to reflect the constructivist paradigm popular in some educational environments. The belief is that, in order to engage students for maximum learning, there must be some way to not only identify relevant Web sites but also develop ways to explore them. Thus, educators and librarians like to develop customized resource lists that are then also made accessible to other Web users. Don E. Descy describes a variety of tools and techniques that essentially represent an hoc method of organizing Internet resources. He makes the point that teachers can construct Web learning environments containing sale sites for students. These can also act as quality information filters similar to the current awareness services as implemented in special libraries in the early days of automation.

In summary, the authors have addressed several dimensions surrounding efforts to organize the Internet. The contributions are of particular value because the content should be of interest to a wide spectrum of users, including librarians, educators, and academic researchers. Furthermore, many of the topics are treated in a fashion that ensures their relevance for a significantly longer period of time than that associated with most activities in a rapidly changing technological world.

Andrew G. Torok, Professor, Department of Educational Technology, Research, and Assessment, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115

ANDREW G. TOROK is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Educational Technology, Research, and Assessment at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. Formerly he taught for several years in the department of Library Science, also at Northern Illinois. He teaches classes in computer networking, online education, instructional technology, and several seminars that support a large doctoral program. Dr. Torok has been active in the information industry for four decades, working as a teacher, researcher, indexer, and abstractor. He has published and presented papers nationally and internationally and served as a consultant. His research interests have included ergonomics issues relating to technology, online user studies, and communication studies. His current research interests include technology ROI and electronic learning. He also continues to engage in technical writing.