Online Information Retrieval System

Online Information retrieval system is one type of system or technique by which users can retrieve their desired information from various machine readable online databases. On the other-word OIRS is a combination of computer and its various hardware such as networking terminal, communication layer and link, modem, disk driver and many computer software packages are used for retrieving information from various online database, this system is known as Online Information Retrieval System.

The terminology Online Information Retrieval System first introduced in 1970s. It is a global system for retrieving information from many online databases very rapidly.

Online Information Retrieval System is a method by which a user search information from machine readable database and retrieve their desired information very rapidly and easily.

Characteristic of Online Information Retrieval System:
Some of the characteristics of online information retrieval system are as:

1. Direct access: By using computer input / output device and communication channel user of information can directly access to their desired information storage.
2. Conventional mode: This system use conventional media channel like computer, software, telecommunication network, internet and other technologies.
3. Two way communication: It is a process, where a terminal and a server network communicate with each other.
4. Centralized storage: All the materials find on the searching process stored on a centralized point or database.
5. Centralized control: All the process of works is controlled by a centralized server.
6. Rapid response: This system response very rapidly when system receives a new search request from server.
7. Real time communication: This system has ability to response immediately when new search query found.
8. Modern process: OIRS is a modern way for information retrieval system.
9. Effective communication: Online Information Retrieval System is an effective way of communication between man and machine.

Advantages of Online Information Retrieval System:

Online Information retrieval is the activity of obtaining information resources relevant to an information need from a collection of information resources via the help of computer or other related technology. This system has many advantages. Some of them are as:

1. Time saves: OIRS save the time of the reader when search for new information.
2. Easy to understand: Searching process of OIRS is very easy to understand.
3. Current information: Information stored in a database is more current than the printed publication.
4. Database: All the information is stored on a database, so we can search information more effectively.
5. Multi database search: Users can search their desired information from multi-database at a same time.
6. Multiple concepts: At a same time they can use multiple keyword / concept for search.
7. Multi user: It has the ability to serve multi user at a same time.
8. Geographical Barrier: Geographical factors are not an obstacle for searching information from storage. Users may able to search information from anywhere of the world.
9. Preservation system: We can easily store all of our search results on our computer.
10. Various Formats: We can retrieve information from our search as various formats, such as book, journal, PDF, document format, etc.
11. Cost: Searching cost is less than manual searching.
12. Multi access point: At a same time many users can able to access its storage.
13. Up-to-date information: Most of the result retrieved by this system is up-to-date.
14. Rapid access: Users can able to access very rapidly to the search result.
15. Resource sharing: It has the capability of resource sharing.
16. Search logic: Its search logic is user friendly.

These are some of the advantages of Online Information Retrieval System.

Some of the common disadvantages of OIRS are as:

1. Primary cost: The primary establishment cost so high to bear for a small and medium library.
2. Lack of Budget: This is always a problem with lack of library budget, so it is not always possible to maintain such a costly system by a library.
3. IT knowledge: Most of the library user and staff do not have enough IT knowledge to run this system.
4. Lack of training facility: Bangladesh as a developing country, here is lack of proper IT training facility to create well trained manpower to run this system.
5. Electric problem: Load shedding is a common problem here. Frequency of power supply creates huge problem.
6. Lack of Networking and internet facility: Lack of network and internet facility creates many problems here.
7. Internet speed: Slow speeds of Internet delay the retrieval system.
8. Mental dissatisfaction: Online Information Retrieval system use computer technology for retrieving information which creates many physical and mental problems.
9. Irrelevant information: Sometime this system retrieve many irrelevant information, this may dissatisfy user.