Information Retrieval System

Information Retrieval system is a part and parcel of communication system. The main objectives of Information retrieval is to supply right information, to the hand of right user at a right time. Various materials and methods are used for retrieving our desired information.  The term Information retrieval first introduced by Calvin Mooers in 1951.

Information retrieval is the activity of obtaining information resources relevant to an information need from a collection of information resources. It is a part of information science, which studies of those activities relating to the retrieval of information. Searches can be based on metadata or on full-text indexing. We may define this process as;

Various Author and books define information retrieval variously. Some of them are as:

According to Calvin Mooers (1951), “Searching and retrieval of information from storage according to specification by subject.”

According to J.H. Shera, “Information Retrieval is the process of locating and selecting data relevant to a given requirement.”

Oxford Dictionary define Information Retrieval as, “The tracing and recovery of specific information from stored data.”

Information Retrieval mainly consists of four elements, i.e.

a. Information carrier.

b. Descriptor.

c. Document address.

d. Transmission of information.

Now these elements are briefly discussed in below;

The main functions of Information Retrieval system is to supply right information at the hand of right user at a right time. Functions of Information Retrieval system are as discussed below:

The main objective of a Library and Information center is to supply right information in the hands of right user at a right rime. For this they use two techniques for retrieving information more effectively, i.e.

1. Traditional system, and

2. Non-traditional system.

Now those are briefly discussed in below.

1. Traditional system: The main function of a Library and Information center is to acquisition, organizing, preservation and dissemination of materials. For this they follow some traditional system. Such as cataloguing, classification, indexing, abstracting, bibliography, authority file etc. Some of them are briefly discussed in below:

2. Non-traditional/modern system: Besides some traditional system, in the present time we also use some non-traditional/modern system for information retrieval. It is two types.

a. Sami-automatic system: It is a combination of man and machine, use for retrieving information. Besides the use of machines, man’s intelligence and physical labour also needed for retrieving information. Ctalogue card, punch card, EDGE notes card, Apache card etc. are some of the example of semi-automatic system.

b. Automatic system: Use of automatic retrieval tools are first introduced in late 1980s. In this system all the retrieval works are done by the help of computer and other related modern technologies. Physical labours of man’s are not important here. Some of the automatic tools are: Computer, modem, CD-ROM, Hard-Disk, Floppy Disk, and Internet etc.

• Computer: an electronic machine that can store and work with large amounts of information.
• CD-ROM: a compact disc used as a read-only optical memory device for a computer system.
• Hard Disk: a rigid non-removable magnetic disk with a large data storage capacity.
• Floppy Disk: a flexible removable magnetic disk (typically encased in a hard plastic shell) for storing data.
• Internet: a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols.