Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre
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- Subject indexing in the Portuguese polytechnic libraries: proposing a simplified model to make it possiblePublication . Martins, Mª Catarina BarradasAcademic libraries are still working based on the traditional documentation techniques of cataloguing and indexing. The research about subject access in OPACs has demonstrated that inadequate indexing policies have negative influence on the way users search the catalogs: subject indexing and retrieval have a direct correspondence. Searching by subject in bibliographic catalogs must be, as much as possible, a successful experience for the users, and consistent subject indexes contribute to a more efficient information retrieval. The main objective of this research was to evidence the existing difficulties in subject indexing with alphabetic languages, once the normative instruments and tools supporting the process are diffuse and hard to use for many professionals. So, firstly we wanted to know if the indexing practice in the Portuguese polytechnic libraries was according to adequate standards; secondly, we verified the quality (through a sample analysis) of subject headings in the bibliographic catalogs of five libraries, enabling to evidence existing weaknesses. These two observations have demonstrated that inadequate indexing procedures (first) conduct to inconsistent subject indexes (second). Trying to ease up that complex task for professionals with more difficulties, we propose the use of a simplified method, mainly representing the three basic phases of the indexing process.