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Search and Retrieval Improved for New Electronic Titles (NET)

Several questions from depository libraries experiencing problems with the monthly New Electronic Titles (NET) lists "changing" prompted the Library Programs Service (LPS) to take a closer look at the service. Due to the increasing numbers of cataloging records for electronic publications produced by the LPS, improvements in the NET search and retrieval capabilities were necessary. The search by month has been changed to a shorter length of time. The server is now able to retrieve more precise search results more reliably.

Records cataloged from January through June 2003 are now available from the "new" New Electronic Titles Web page, which is located at: <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locators/net/index.html>. The NET page for 2002 was changed as well and it is available in the NET Archive.

Users may receive unexpected results from this "fix" when the cataloging date query matches a system-generated publication ID number (used as the suffix in the SuDocs number for online monographs). These records are easily identifiable, because the search elements appear in boldface.

A look at the <005> field in the full record shows this publication was cataloged on May 16, 2003. It was retrieved, however, because 2003011325 matches the cataloging search query, 2003011*, which represents January 1-19, 2003.

Overall, the new search mechanism for NET significantly improves results. LPS looks forward to providing even more precise bibliographic access to Federal publications when an OPAC is installed. In the meantime, please send any NET or CGP questions to askLPS via the Web inquiry form at:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/tools/asklpsin.html