Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1993 11:21:15 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: JUDI SHAFFER Subject: Help in identifying a software program ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- I have been lurking in the background for some time now hoping to glean a little helpful information, but time is now pressing, so maybe you professionals could shed a little light on my problem. I am not an indexer by profession (but am a professional librarian) but have been asked to generate an inhouse computer based index for several local area publications and some other journals that are no indexed by any of the indices we subscribe to here. What I need is to locate a software program that will allow us to create the database and the user to search/access it. It would need to do the following things: 1) have separate fields for normal citation elements: author, article title, journal, volume, issue, date, pages for journal/newspaper articles / author, title (chapter), "in" book title, publisher, place, date for parts of monographs 2) have a subject/descriptor field that can accept multiple entries and search each entry as a separate thing 3) have a notes/abstract field for free text entry of abstracts 4) be searchable by any field or by keyword/free text 5) use boolean search commands 6) show number of hits produced by a search command 7) allow printing of all or selected items In other words, something that works pretty much like silver platter or dialog. Is there such a thing available? and if so, what is it and what is its cost? Thanks, all help will be greatly appreciated. Judi Shaffer Head: Circulation, Reserves, & InterLibrary Loan duPont-Ball Library Stetson University DeLand, Florida 32720-3769 (904) 822-7183 / voice (904) 822-7199 / FAX shaffer@stetson.bitnet P.S. **you can answer directly to me so as not to clutter up the list THANKS AGAIN` ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1993 14:52:16 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: LINDA HILL Subject: Re: Help in identifying a software program ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Try InMagic - located in Boston. It's just one of a number of packages like you describe - I had great success with it several years ago in setting up a catalog for a small collection. I believe it does everything you list. - Linda Hill ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- I have been lurking in the background for some time now hoping to glean a little helpful information, but time is now pressing, so maybe you professionals could shed a little light on my problem. I am not an indexer by profession (but am a professional librarian) but have been asked to generate an inhouse computer based index for several local area publications and some other journals that are no indexed by any of the indices we subscribe to here. What I need is to locate a software program that will allow us to create the database and the user to search/access it. It would need to do the following things: 1) have separate fields for normal citation elements: author, article title, journal, volume, issue, date, pages for journal/newspaper articles / author, title (chapter), "in" book title, publisher, place, date for parts of monographs 2) have a subject/descriptor field that can accept multiple entries and search each entry as a separate thing 3) have a notes/abstract field for free text entry of abstracts 4) be searchable by any field or by keyword/free text 5) use boolean search commands 6) show number of hits produced by a search command 7) allow printing of all or selected items In other words, something that works pretty much like silver platter or dialog. Is there such a thing available? and if so, what is it and what is its cost? Thanks, all help will be greatly appreciated. Judi Shaffer Head: Circulation, Reserves, & InterLibrary Loan duPont-Ball Library Stetson University DeLand, Florida 32720-3769 (904) 822-7183 / voice (904) 822-7199 / FAX shaffer@stetson.bitnet P.S. **you can answer directly to me so as not to clutter up the list THANKS AGAIN` ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 10:11:22 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: bob wallace Subject: indexing philosophy ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- I would like to do a bit of networking with indexers who index scholarly philosophy books (not necessarily exclusively). If you're interested, you could respond privately so as not to fill people's mailboxes with messages they don't care about. Cheers, Carol Roberts (not to be confused with Bob Wallace) Have fun, look cool, and dance to the beat. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 10:12:01 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Jeff Finlay Organization: St. Peter's College, US Subject: In response to Judi Shaffer's query ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- ------------------- Text of original message ---------------- >Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 07:40:42 -0500 >From: Cheryl Malone >Subject: RE: Indexing software--may be useful for h-net >Sender: H-NET >To: Multiple recipients of list H-STAFF In response to Judi Shaffer's query about creating an automated catalog, you might consider Pro-Cite, a database management system designed specifically for bibliographic records. It will do all you ask for, plus it can output bibliographies in a variety of styles (APA, MLA, Turabian, etc.) It has companion software that formats downloaded records from other automated databases and uploads them into your Pro-Cite database so you don't have to rekey. There is also an extremely helpful Pro-Cite discussion list on the Internet. I think Pro-Cite costs around $200, but it might be more (I just buy upgrades now, and they cost less.) Contact person is Karen Jordan (Karen_Jordan@PBSINC.com). The PBS phone # in Ann Arbor is 313-996-1580. I posted this to the list because I think historians might find bibliographic database management software a great organizer and timesaver; this is not an endorsement of Pro-Cite, just a mention of its existence. Cheryl Malone Librarian/Bibliographer U. Texas-Austin ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 10:13:28 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: maryann@phalen.revisor.state.mn.us ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- cc: Subject:ASI chapter and national officers on Index-l -------- I'm chairing the Twin Cities chapter of ASI this year, and I've been an Index-l subscriber for three weeks or so. I'd like to discover how many officers of other chapters I can reach by e-mail, on Index-l or otherwise. Would those of you who are serving, or who have served, as officers of you ASI chapter please send me a note? You can reply directly to maryann@phalen.revisor.mn.us. Thanks. Maryann Corbett ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 10:13:50 ECT Reply-To: mrowland@aol.com Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: mrowland@aol.com Subject: Re: Placenames ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Thanks for all the responses to my question on on the form for place names(i.e., should one use Raymond, Mississippi; Raymond, Miss.; or Raymond MS?). I posted this note on two other bulletin boards and most people responding favored standard abbreviations or full spelling of state names.One person (a copyeditor) did give me the answer I was seeking, and I want to share it with you. Section 14.17 (page 380) in the 13th edition of the Chicago Manual clearly says that state names should be abbreviated in indexes. Standard abbreviations, not postal codes are preferred. So, it should be: Raymond, Miss. This is in the abbreviations section of the Chicago Manual, not the indexing section. I had gotten two volumes of a respected 3-volume history of the Civil War out of the library to check index form. Curiously, one volume had state names fully spelled out (Vicksburg, Mississippi), and the other one omitted state names entirely (Vicksburg). My conclusion: there may be rules, but there isn't a whole lot of consistency.I decided to use the postal codes, anyway (the note from the copyeditor came after my deadline). It was just simpler (as well as being the preference of the editor). The author called to say how pleased he was with the index (itself unusual), so I guess all is well with this particular book. One other aspect of this is interesting, at least to me: the copyeditor who found the rule for me is the one who referred me to this publisher in the first place (we have communicated only electronically). She works for the editor who decided on Postal Codes. Perhaps I should have checked with her in the first place, but I was so busy trying to make deadlines, and she is only infrequently online. Of course, she can facilitate the decision to switch to state abbreviations on this book. I am continually intrigued by the potentials of electronic communication. Thanks again for everyone's comments on this. Regards, Marilyn Rowland freelance indexer/writer Duxbury, Mass. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 13:01:18 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: David Lewis Subject: deletion of INDEX-L archives ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- > From: Charlotte Skuster > We are running out of disk space for archives. On friday, July 23 the archives Hi folks -- Seems like a shame to delete the INDEX-L backfiles, since they contain a lot of good answers to questions. I have the space to store them, but am not really in a position to set up a listserv so that requests could be responded to. Is there anyone out there who is? --Dave ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 16:22:17 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: maryann@phalen.revisor.state.mn.us Subject: legal constraints on choice of indexing terms ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- This query pertains mostly to legal indexing, but I'll be interested to hear if it applies to other indexing as well. It happens occasionally that I am constrained from using the main heading I think is best because of a legal argument. In one instance the problem was trademark/copyright related: Our drafters named a state program "Healthright" and were later notified that the name was already registered. Because we could be sued if we used that term in the text, we were hesitant to use it in the index, even though it was obvious that the public would look for the law under that name. The second instance had to do with special and local laws. Sometimes the whole world knows that a particular law is meant to benefit a specific entity, even though the law is worded in a general way. The public will look for it under that entity's name. But if we index it inder that name, we're creating evidence, according to some people, that the law is a "special law" and so is unconstitutional. The question is this: Is there any case law out there to protect the indexer? Do any states have statutes that provide this protection? How often does it happen to others that the best term is a term you're told not to use? ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 09:12:52 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "BITNET list server at BINGVMB (1.7f)" Subject: INDEX-L: error report from GANDALF.RUTGERS.EDU Date: Wed, 28 Jul 93 00:21:53 EDT From: charkes@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Susan Charkes) Message-Id: <9307280421.AA27949@gandalf.rutgers.edu> Subject: Re: legal constraints on choice of indexing terms I have not done any research on the second issue, but it seems to me to be highly improbable that an indexer would incur any liability for indexing a law under an entity's name. If indeed there is any liability for creating an unconstitutional law it would be incurred by the legislators. All the indexer is doing is stating an opinion about the law, which is a right held relatively sacred in our system. The foregoing is my personal opinion and not a legal opinion. Susan D. Charkes Rutgers University "Something has shattered the space-time continuum . . ." --Star Trek: The Next Gene ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 09:54:24 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: brennsn Subject: Re: INDEX-L: error report from GANDALF.RUTGERS.EDU In-Reply-To: Message of Wed, 28 Jul 1993 09:12:52 ECT from ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- The original documant coined the phrase and acknowledged it as trademrked. I b elieve to perpetuate their decision is a sound one. Indexer liability would re st with the holder of the original text material and all generic terms. This i s something that should be covered in the new edition of the Chicago Manual of Style due out in a few months. sign me the indexer wannabe Brennan MLIS-URI Kingston, RI bye bye 8-]>> =========================================================================