ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

URBAN INFORMATION RETRIEVAL

An information retrieval system that scans microfilm documents and automatically selects those with desired subject matter, is now operational in the library of the Center for Urban Regionalism, Kent State University. The system will (1) gather existing urban information and research data especially useful for planners; (2) abstract this information if necessary; (3) index each document according to key words or phrases from an “urban thesaurus”; and (4) microfilm each abstract along with its access codes. The “urban thesaurus” is a 20,000 key word-phrase index compiled by John E. Rickert, associate director of the center. The system will receive contributed information from all over the country. Future users of the system also will most likely add their own data to the system’s coded microfilm library, and the system permits continuous updating of both the thesaurus and the microfilm library.

Rose L. Vormelker, who compiled the mass of regional information in conjunction with the Community Research Conference, has been appointed chief of the Urban Library and Information Service at Kent State to organize the urban data.

Development of the thesaurus with the Recordak System and organizing the information was made possible by a $32,943 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ■ ■