Web Matrix: Subject Clearinghouse
Clearinghouse for Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides
The Clearinghouse consists of more than 170 subject guides to Internet
resources which have been compiled by SILS students and other Internet authors.
The collection spans a wide variety of topics (sometimes rather specific or
unusual), but each document provides a relatively complete survey of the
subject-related resources available on the Internet.
For users with specific areas of interest or need, the Clearinghouse
can provided substantial direction for research. If a subject area cannot
be found within the collection, then users are encouraged to compile a
list of resources as they find them and forward it to the server for
addition.
Key Links
URL for Front
Page: http://www.sils.umich.edu/~lou/chhome.html
URL for Top-level
Page: http://www.sils.umich.edu/~lou/chhome.html
URL for Non-Forms Search Page:
gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/77/inetdirsstacks/.waisindex/index
URL for
Legal
Page:
gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/00/inetdirs/00about/whatis
URL for
FAQ
Page:
gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/00/inetdirs/00about/whatis
URL for
Help
Page:
gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/00/inetdirs/00about/access
URL for Author's
Page: http://www.sils.umich.edu/~lou/HomePage.html
Home Organization: School of
Information and Library Studies and the
University Library at the
University of Michigan
Organization
- The guides are organized into respective subjects and loosely
divided into humanities, sciences, and social sciences -- but are
still listed alphabetically. Each guide is an individual text or
HTML file, with its own internal structure.
- The Clearinghouse also provides a search interface for users.
- Searches are performed by a Veronica
engine.
- Features and Limitations
- Multiple keywords are automatically joined by Boolean OR.
- Search terms can be complete words or substrings.
- Veronica offers no other search or keyword controls.
- Matching documents are not sorted by match quality.
- The engine searches the fulltext of the enclosed subject guides.
- Searching with Veronica does not require HTML Forms support.
- Subject guides are not included or refused for content, but each
document is tightly focused over its indicated field.
Administration
- Guides are compiled and posted by SILS students or other Internet users.
- Searches are performed in less than 10 seconds, and the load seems to
be fairly low compared to other subject catalogs.
- The Clearinghouse contains more than 170 subject guides, and new guides
are added at about the rate of 5-8 a month. The pages are updated
regularly... most of them within 2 months.
- Additional Services
- Help pages and other information is available online.
- Users are encouraged to submit their own documents for inclusion,
and submission guidelines are posted.
- Document links include brief descriptive text, but the quality
of such information varies from guide to guide.
Evaluation
Example Usage
Demonstrate a sample search session explicitly listing:
- Topic
- Keyword(s), Boolean search controls
- Documents delivered
- Output format
fprefect@umich.edu - 6/19/95