# Apply search tools and techniques for your digital library

Date: 2020-06-27 16:21:47 +08:00Date modified: 2021-07-11 20:10:35 +08:00

With digital files comes digital tools (and some techniques) to help us in searching for our notes. These can vary from complex technologies to simple format-agnostic techniques that can make querying files with specific information to be a breeze.

In order to search effectively, you need to consider Desktop search engines that can also search File metadata. This is also great if you consider Maintaining a digital library for yourself.

For text files, you can consider A good tagging system for files for reducing information overload that also consider publication to the public (e.g., digital gardens, static site generators).

Creating a search interface is one thing; having the ability for retrieving resources is a must especially if your collection is getting big. Like real-life libraries, you need a system to refer to certain resources easily while adding new ones. What is the use of a collection if it's not being used? It is just like my unread collection of digital books I've sworn to read.

Applying well-thought searching practices and precautions reduces information overload especially when looking for broad domain topics. This is useful for researching technical topics where domain-specific topics are often present and you need a way to refer back to wider subjects; much more so if you want to create Reproducible research.

# References

Reproducible research: principles for transparent science, Module 1: Lab books and notebooks, Section 5: Finding one's way with tags and desktop search application, retrieved as of June 2020 (2020-06-24)

## Backlinks

- Fleeting notes
- Reproducible research: methodological principles for transparent science