... in Library Science

In the information age, a student, researcher, or librarian often has to explore many sources to find the required information. In this process, one of the biggest challenges is that information is available in excess of our actual needs. This is called “Information Overload.” Vivisimo provided an innovative and revolutionary technological solution to this problem. It is known as a Meta Search Engine. This technology is highly useful in the field of Library Science.

Let us learn more details about it in this article.

What is Vivisimo?

Vivisimo is a meta search engine. It was developed in the year 2000 by three computer scientists from Carnegie Mellon University — Chris Palmer, Jerome Pesenti, and Raul Valdes-Perez. The word “Vivisimo” comes from the Spanish language. It means “very active” or “very intelligent.”

This meta search engine searches multiple search engines at the same time and organizes the results into different “clusters” (groups) using a special technology. It displays the results under various headings in a structured manner according to user needs. For example, if we search for the word “Cell,” the results are divided into groups such as the “cell” used in Biology, the “cell” used in batteries like torch lights, and the “cell” meaning a prison room. From these grouped results, users can easily identify the exact meaning and related information they are looking for.

Uses of Vivisimo in Libraries:
 
Libraries are not merely storehouses of books; they are information centers. Due to the digital revolution, it has become necessary to bring together information from various databases, digital repositories, e-journals, and web gateways into one place.

This is where Federated Search technology becomes important. Vivisimo’s Velocity software was integrated with library portals such as Ex Libris MetaLib and Serials Solutions Central Search. Because of this, librarians and users can search multiple different information sources easily and quickly from a single platform without much effort.

Some Examples:
 
Suppose a research scholar wants to do a project on Artificial Intelligence. If the scholar types this term into a Vivisimo-based library portal, its clustering technology immediately divides the results into subcategories such as “Machine Learning,” “Robotics,” and “Neural Networks.”

Similarly, if someone searches for “Iraq,” the resulting news and documents are categorized into groups such as “Weapons Inspectors,” “Trump,” “Israel,” and “Missiles.” Through this method, researchers can quickly reach the exact information they need.

Assistance to Librarians :

Suppose a library patron asks for recent research papers on “Global Warming.” Searching manually through a traditional catalogue can be difficult. In a federated search system built with Vivisimo, if the librarian searches for that term, results from all subscription databases, repositories, and open-access journals appear together in one place.

These results can further be organized into clusters such as “Policy,” “Science,” and “Economics.” This helps librarians collect accurate information and provide it effectively to users.

Key Features of Vivisimo:

1. Dynamic Clustering:
   It analyzes search results in real time and automatically divides them into meaningful folders. This helps users focus quickly on the topics they need.
   
   
2. Remix Clustering:
   When the primary results are not satisfactory, this feature searches from a different perspective and presents alternative results. This allows users to discover more refined and detailed information within a short time.
   
   
3. Multilingual Support:
   This software can easily work with collections of documents in different languages such as English, German, Arabic, and Korean. Therefore, it is highly useful for multilingual libraries.

Finally, Vivisimo is not just a search engine; it is also a strategic tool for managing and delivering information efficiently and accurately. Although some of the specialized tools developed directly for libraries were later merged with products of other companies, the federated search and document clustering technologies introduced by Vivisimo completely transformed the scope of Library Science.

It emerged as an effective and revolutionary alternative to ordinary search engines like Google. It helped researchers and students clearly and easily understand the vast ocean of information in which they often feel lost. Even today, its influence continues in the form of IBM Watson Explorer.