Website Indexing: Enhancing Access to Information within Websites

Citation

Smith, A. (2002), "Website Indexing: Enhancing Access to Information within Websites", The Electronic Library, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 247-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/el.2002.20.3.247.5

The design of Web sites so that users can find information easily is a problem being addressed in a number of disciplines. Indexers have developed a body of knowledge that has been applied to creating “back of the book” indexes. Browne and Jeremy apply this body of knowledge to the design of Web sites. It is organised so that it can be used easily as part of a course in Web site indexing. The authors are professional indexers, who also undertake teaching and Web design work.

The book is divided into three sections. The first section covers various approaches to information access in Web sites: search engines, classification and cataloguing, metadata, the use of sitemaps, and “back of the book” style indexes. The second section discusses the planning of Web site indexes, starting with an introduction to indexing theory, aspects of indexing policy, and options for structuring Web site indexes. The third section discusses indexing software, including some specific exercises using HTML Indexer, a Windows application that automates the creation of Web site indexes.

A useful feature is the definitions interspersed through the book, augmented by the glossary. As one might expect, the book has a consistent and well‐structured index! There are many useful references, which might usefully have been formatted as a formal bibliography, rather than as a collection of endnotes. There is an associated Web site at http://members.optusnet.com.au/∼webindexing/Webbook/ that provides an outline and sample content, as well as links to the authors’ other work.

Many examples of indexes and classification schemes are discussed, which helps to illustrate principles (although these examples are likely to date rapidly). It might have been useful to have included a section dealing with HTML basics early on in the book (or as a clearly referenced appendix), since concepts such as anchors are referred to at several points, but not adequately explained until chapter 12.

The thrust of the book is to emphasise the value of the traditional back of the book index, which has evolved over several centuries as a tool for information access in printed media. The authors make a strong case for adapting it to electronic media, and one hopes that the book achieves wide exposure, particularly among Web site content managers, in order to prevent the re‐invention of too many wheels. The book is valuable reading for Web site designers, Web site content managers, and librarians. It could play a useful part in courses in information access in the electronic medium.