[VuFind-Tech] author browse and punctuation

[Tod O. <to...@uc...>]

vufind-tech,

In the author alphabetical browse, we see a difference in behavior depending on whether the user types in punctuation with a name.

For example, with our full database, the difference a comma makes:

  author browse: wharton, edith
  first entry is "Wharton, Edith, 1862-1937"
  http://vfdemo.lib.uchicago.edu/vufind/alphabrowse/results?source=author&from=wharton%2C+edith

  author browse: wharton edith
  first entry is: Wharton EFA, inc
  http://vfdemo.lib.uchicago.edu/vufind/alphabrowse/results?source=author&from=wharton+edith

And here's the difference a period makes:

  author browse: st. john
  St. John, A. D.
  http://vfdemo.lib.uchicago.edu/vufind/alphabrowse/results?source=author&from=st.+john

  author browse: st. john
  St Johns, A.
  http://vfdemo.lib.uchicago.edu/vufind/alphabrowse/results?source=author&from=st+john

[NB: the theme is not complete, if you wonder about some of the indenting.]


I think this is a substantial issue, as it is so unexpected. My first thought is that the punctuation should be normalized out during both the indexing and the querying, though I've not worked out the details. I'm just starting to look at this, but would be very interested in how other sites have dealt with this.

Best,

-Tod