Book People Archive

Try out a new subject browser

For a long time, the only subject browsing that's been supported on the
Online Books Page has been browsing by call number.  That can be useful
for getting to the general area of a subject, and browsing serendipitously,
but it can be a bit frustrating if you know you're looking for a topic
that's more specific than the general call number categories.  Some people
try searching for title keywords to find something on a subject, but that
can be hit or miss.  Some titles are pretty informative as to their book's
subject, but others aren't.

Library catalogs have detailed subject headings that can help people
locate books.  But in practice, using those can be frustrating too.  The
subject headings the library uses are often rather different from the ones
a reader has in mind.  You can browse an alphabetical list of subject headings
in many catalogs, but all too often you only get a worm's-eye view: lots
of pigeonholes that you have to look through one at a time, until you
find something that looks suitable or you give up.

Over the last few weeks, I've worked on something I hope is better:
a subject browser that gives you access to the detailed terms, but
giving you more options to navigate and see what's around you in a subject
area of interest.  See this link to read about it and try it out:

    http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/subjectbrowsedoc.html

It's not perfect-- and in particular the initial assignment of detailed
subjects to books was largely automated, and a bit quick-and-dirty--
but at this point I think it's good enough to be interesting and potentially
useful.  I'd be interested in hearing what others think.  (If all goes well,
I hope to make this part of the regular Online Books Page, but you folks
get the first look.)

Thanks!

   John