Search Algorithms – An Aid to Information Retrieval in Digital Libraries

Abstract

Information growth trends are global issues and are common to all. This paper presents the concept of ‘digital library’ emerged as a leading edge technological solution to the persistent problems in modern libraries. Convergence of digital library with the Internet phenomenally increases the availability of digital resources, across the globe. It examines the real situation, where the morass of web resources presents a formidable hurdle to effectively accessing the relevant information. However, in digital libraries it is more acute, as the documents in digital library environment are free-formatted, voluminous and multiple media types; virtually the situation demands for the efficient and effective indexing/ retrieval mechanism. This problem has led to the rise of efficient search algorithms, as a powerful tool for search and retrieval. Over the last few decades, a considerable number of search algorithms have been devised addressing the requirement of different applications in IR systems – like soundex, metaphone, phonex, stemming, and many more. These algorithms are deeply concerned with the process of sorting and searching, which provides an ideal framework for the application to information retrieval in digital collections as well as Internet. Here an attempt has been made to discuss about the most popular and useful search algorithms and their impact on precision of search results, in searching the digital archives.