Looking for Nemo: the organization and retrieval of information in online catalogs for children

Abstract

Information retrieval constitutes a crucial element for the user of information units. In spite of the fact that more attention has been paid to mature public’s search, children constitute an important focus of attention for the professionals that work in the sections specialized in this group of users, although their impressions have hardly ever been registered in writing. We seek to create an outline that allows the later evaluation of on-line catalogs addressed to children, taking as a background the previous studies on the matter, mainly those dedicated to the mature public. After a brief introduction to on-line catalogs, the more important studies on the evaluation of OPACs in general are analyzed. Later, two fundamental aspects are considered in detail: search features and interface characteristics. As a conclusion, on-line catalogs aimed at children should fulfill at least the following conditions: attractiveness, comprehensibility and usability.