Subjective versus Objective Relevance in Bibliographic Retrieval Systems

The distinction between subjective and objective relevance of a document to a request, although heretofore given little explicit recognition, is of importance to information retrieval as well as to certain broader issues in librarianship. Objective relevance is crucial to the design and testing of bibliographic retrieval systems, while subjective relevance is paramount in the operation and use of such systems. The distinction provides a rationale for a trial-and-error mode of interaction with libraries, online databases, and other information systems. The concept of objective relevance introduced here is illuminated by earlier work on logical relevance by Patrick Wilson and by William Cooper.