"Information retrieval (IR) is the area of study concerned with searching for documents, information within documents, and metadata about documents, as well as searching relational databases and the World Wide Web. This book covers the management, types, and technical standards of these increasingly important systems. It discusses all types of information retrieval systems, including those used in medicine, geographic information, and music, as well as retrieval in computer-supported collaborative work, Web mining, social mining, and the Semantic Web. Library and museum IR systems are also covered. Leading contributors in the field address digital asset management, piracy in digital media, records compliance, information storage technologies, and data transmission protocols"--

"Understanding Information Retrieval Systems: Management, Types, and Standards Marcia J. Bates, Editor INTRODUCTION Information retrieval systems, especially those accessed over the Internet, are ubiquitous in our globalizing world. Many are wonderfully easy to use, and it is therefore easy to assume that the design and implementation of information systems is a simple and straightforward process. However, systems need to be designed specifically for their intended functions in order to provide optimal support for the people who use them. It turns out that it is not always obvious what needs to be done to produce a really well-functioning information system. In addition, information systems are almost always part of a much larger infrastructure that is designed to support business, government, and other activities. All parts of that infrastructure need to mesh into a single well-functioning social and technical system, containing and optimizing the information systems within. Consequently, information systems are seldom stand-alone. They need to be made interoperable with other systems of many types, and at many levels of functionality. In this volume are gathered together articles on different types of information systems, on managing information systems, both as collections of data and as part of a larger social and administrative system, and on the technical standards that are required in order for the systems to inter-operate with other systems and networks. World Wide Web-based systems are emphasized. Collectively, the articles in this book provide an excellent introduction to the various aspects of developing and managing information retrieval systems in the context of real-world demands"--