A Comparative Study of A Comparative Study of SearchingSearching

Korean Scripts in Korean Scripts in OPACs: The Impact of OPACs: The Impact of

Spaces Spaces

Miree KuMiree Ku

Duke UniversityDuke University

Introduction

Overview

Purpose

Issues

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

Overview Transition of cataloging practice for Korean

scripts Integration of RLIN records into OCLC WorldCat Proposal to change the CONSER policy on

transcription of Korean characters to include spaces between words

Discussion regarding the spacing issues RLIN cataloging practice: Input space between words OCLC cataloging practice: Input without space Input space as appears in the book

Purpose

Consistency

Standardization

Efficiency

User consideration

Two different cataloging practices regarding spaces

With Space

Without Space

Issues Display: Two different indexing records in library catalog

With space Without space

Retrieval: Technical issues for retrieval depending on the indexing system Only searchable as indexed in word search system: ex) Voyager Searchable regardless of space in character search system: ex)

Aleph

Other issues regarding Hancha Spacing in combined Hancha / Hangul Hancha / Hangul cross mapping

Pros and Cons

Space matters: Voyager & RLIN Relevant search result when searching for the exact

keyword or title as indexed No search result when searching for the keyword or

title with different spacing

Space doesn’t matter: Aleph & OCLC Consistent search result regardless of spaces Irrelevant search results or less relevant search

results due to character by character searching

Voyager: 국어문법 (without space) / 국어 문법 (with space)

국어문법 (without space) No Result

국어 문법 (with space) 20 Results

Voyager: 국어문법 (without space) / 국어 문법 (with space)

Indexed with spaces

Pros and Cons

Space matters: Voyager & RLIN Relevant search result when searching for the exact

keyword or title as indexed No search result when searching for the keyword or

title with different spacing

Space doesn’t matter: Aleph & OCLC Consistent search result regardless of spaces Irrelevant search results or less relevant search

results due to character by character searching

Aleph: 국어문법 (without space) / 국어 문법 (with space)

Indexed with spaces

Aleph: 국어문법 (without space) / 국어 문법 (with space)

Aleph: 국어문법 (without space) / 국어 문법 (with space)

Indexed without space

Comparison of Search Results in Korean Scripts vs Romanization

Comparative Search Results of Korean Scripts vs Romanization

All Relevant Records

Relevant Search Results at Voyager System

Conclusion

Indexing issueConsistent, efficient and standard cataloging

practice based on users’ standpoint

Retrieval issueConsistent and relevant search results based

on user’s search behavior

Thanks!

Miree Ku

Miree.ku@duke.edu