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Information Retrieval Lab (Masao Takaku)
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The lab is a library and information science lab that studies how information is organized, searched, and explored.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring mechanisms that connect information and people.
The Takaku Lab studies information systems that connect the information users seek with documents, and the behavior of people searching for information.
The lab also works on structuring knowledge information and building data models, using Semantic Web and knowledge graph technologies.
In recent years, it has also studied information systems for metadata based on Linked Open Data, and how scholarly information is circulated.
The lab belongs to the College of Knowledge and Library Sciences and, at the graduate level, the Degree Programs in Informatics.
Key terms
- Linked Open Data
- A methodology on the web for publishing data by connecting pieces of data to one another, making it easier to share and reuse. It is often abbreviated as LOD
- Information Seeking Behavior
- A research area that tracks how people act when looking for information, explores the factors involved, and models them
- Information Organization
- Organizing, describing, and classifying information content and collections. It is a problem that library and information science has dealt with for a long time
NewsLab news
The guidance policy for graduation research in academic year 2027 has been published, and interview appointments are now being accepted
A co-authored paper was selected for the Best Paper Award at the international conference TPDL 2025
A paper co-authored with doctoral students and others received the paper award of the Japan Society of Information and Knowledge
ttl2html, a tool developed by Prof. Takaku, received the Technical Award at LOD Challenge 2024
A television station LOD built by a master's student received the Public LOD Award and other prizes at LOD Challenge 2023
ResearchResearch themes
The lab's research centers on modeling information systems that intelligently mediate between users' information needs and documents, research and development of information access methods, and the processes and evaluation of the results of human information seeking. It covers areas including information organization, digital libraries, information retrieval, information seeking behavior, and scholarly communication.
*Illustrative imageInformation Organization
This theme deals with methods for effectively organizing, describing, and classifying information content and collections. Through developing methods for sharing bibliographic information and similar data using Linked Data methodology, and methods for building such data effectively, the lab aims to contribute to the field.
*Illustrative imageDigital Libraries
This research supplements library services with digital materials and ICT tools to realize new service functions. The lab works on improving search functions, proposing new functions through Web API mashups, and making use of digital archives.
*Illustrative imageInformation Retrieval
The lab studies methods for accurately returning documents that match users' information needs. It aims to build search systems targeted at specific genres of documents and to develop new retrieval methods and retrieval evaluation methods.
*Illustrative imageInformation Seeking Behavior
This research tracks how people act when looking for information, explores the factors involved, and models them. The lab aims to develop methodologies for recording the search process, discovering knowledge from search records, and capturing changes in searchers' knowledge.
MembersFaculty
The lab's members are faculty and students in the doctoral and master's programs.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorMasao Takaku
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Wash. D.C In 1918 - Corner of reading room - American Library Association - NARA - 20801166 (cropped)” 作者不詳 / Public domain (cropped)
- Information Organization: “Schlagwortkatalog” Dr. Marcus Gossler / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Digital Libraries: “Electronic Library in PSU Lingyen Capus” JasDolt / CC0 (cropped)
- Information Retrieval: “Schema of content-based image retrieval (CBIR)” Xiawi / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Information Seeking Behavior: “SAKURAKO browses bookstore shelves. ( )” MIKI Yoshihito from Sapporo City, Hokkaido, Japan / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Knowledge Commons Lab (Kai Nishikawa)): “SPb Hermitage Academic Library Reading room” author unknown / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Human Information Interaction Lab (Hideo Joho)): “Photograph of West Search Room and Library - DPLA - 7c2b6f10cd5bcfdf7cb2b52f200d74ce” General Services Administration. National Archives and Records Service. Office of Educational Programs. Education Division. ?-4/1/1985 / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Fusion Intelligence Design Lab): “Estimating Greenhouse Gas Concentration from Space using Machine Learning at Laboratoire LMD” Ecole polytechnique / Jérémy Barande / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Super-Aged Society Services Lab (Masaki Takeda)): “Rostelecom and evening computer classes for elderly persons 01” Taken by Davit Saroyan for Wikimedia Armenia / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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