Using Euler Diagrams in Traditional Library Environments

In this paper, we present a new graphical interface for traditional library environments, which allows the user to elaborate easily and efficiently new strategies in search processes. This tool is based on two linked interactive Euler diagram representations. The first one is an interactive representation of the structures composing the documentary kernel of the library. The user may navigate and select items, making their own understanding of the database content, structure and access. The second one is a set based visualization of the results of a composed query. This allows the user to validate his search context and to elaborate strategies to go through the results. The association of both interfaces generates a tool that allows the user to elaborate the main search strategies through graphical manipulations.