Global library cooperative OCLC, US, has announced a new interface for the FAST prototype. The new user interface simplifies the process of heading selection, in a one-page design.
FAST subject headings were developed by adapting the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) with a simplified syntax, retaining the very rich vocabulary of LCSH while making the schema easier to understand, control, apply, and use. The FAST interface allows one to investigate FAST authorities directly, or by using the Library of Congress Authorities from which they were derived.
The new interface design combines search box, brief results list, and full view of a selected record on a single page. Several indexes and the ability to restrict the result to a desired FAST facet increase searching accuracy. The default result ranking is by usage, giving the most likely candidate heading near the top of the result, although alphabetic and facet order options are easily available. An autosuggest makes the selection process even easier.
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