Laurel Tarulli, Santa Barbara, CA, ABC-CLIO/Libraries Unlimited, 2012, 122 pp., US$40.00 (soft cover), ISBN 9-781-59884-629-4, and e-book ISBN 9-781-59884-630-0
What a fascinating book and a must-read for all librarians! It examines the possibility of next-generation library catalogues replacing the website as the online face of the library. Next-generation or social catalogues promote dynamic and interactive spaces with a focus on user-generated content and social-media technology. These catalogues encourage participation and are designed to be responsive to user needs and to foster a sense of community. Furthermore, next-generation catalogues can complement traditional library services and allow the library to connect with a wider group of users. Tarulli emphasises that next-generation catalogues can be an extension of the physical library, and there is also the potential to enhance reader services and effect collection development and reference services.
Key features of next-generation or social catalogues include faceted navigation, relevancy-ranked results, user-generated content with tagging and reviews, recommendations, links to Web 2.0 technologies, RSS feeds, and ‘did you mean…?’ search assistance. Additionally, the compatibility of next-generation catalogues with mobile technologies such as smartphones and iPads offers a wide range of opportunities.
I was impressed by the chapter discussing how social catalogues can enhance reader-advisory services. As the book points out, libraries today use several different Web 2.0 tools as part of reader-advisory services, including blogs, Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds. Next-generation or social catalogues allow information from these different sources to be combined and accessed in the one place.
The book highlights some of the next-generation catalogues currently in use, including Endeca, Primo, Encore, BiblioCommons and Polaris. However, the uptake of these catalogues has been slow, and the book discusses some of the reasons for this, including the cost of next-generation catalogues, the resistance to and apprehension about change, the need for additional staff training in 2.0 technologies, and also security concerns.
The book is very well researched and well written, and the discussion is supported by examples of next-generation catalogues in use today. The examples mostly relate to the US and Canadian contexts, and it is interesting to see their practical application of next-generation catalogues.
This really is an excellent book that comprehensively discusses the current and future possibilities of library catalogues. It is recommended for anyone interested in learning about the capabilities and exciting potential of next-generation catalogues.
©2012, Anne Sara