Abstract (Adopted from Eric Original)

The WWW allows users to interact with a graphic interact to search information in a hypermedia and multimedia environment. Graphics including color lines serve as indexes or reference points on the WWW for searching and retrieving information including texts, visuals, and sound materials in a non-linear fashion. This study

Although the article only 5 years old, the web pages used in the paper are quite outdated. The study examines the codes embedded in the icons on  the web pages of the libraries selected for the study. Icons referred in the study are iconic sings and indexual signs. They are used for information retrieval purposes on the library homepages. Codes are culturally constructed syntax patterns. They have paradigmatic meanings.

Syntagmatic meaning based on relationships among signs. Paradigmatic is derived from other systems or codes.  The icons on the WWW carry meaning dependent on the syntax of their use.

Ann DeVaney's semiotics model for analysis of social and cultural issues in educational television is used for this study. The model is based on F. de Saussure, R. Barthles, C. Metz who emphasize that knowledge is socially constructed though language or communication systems.

The model consists of five phases:

	Format identification: Library WWW homepages
	Segment identification: Specific icons used to index library resources, (icons for library, online catalog, references, collection)
	Elements of construction identification: (Identify codes and syntax embedded in the icons.) identifies formats such as, Hypertexted word are usually underlined and/ or highlighted in blue.  Some icons framed in blue borders, which are clickable. Some clickable icons are within a bigger graphic image. Some hypertext may blink to catch the user's attention.
	Quantitative analysis: Answers questions such as, How many times is a particular icon used to index the same type of resource on the same homepage? How many different types of icon are used to index the same type of resource?
	Qualitative analysis: of the meanings of icons used to index resources on the library pages. It analyzes the interaction of structure and resources in terms of its connotations of the icons.

Examples: 

Catalog: Icon such as a book to indicate online catalog.

Reference: Ask a librarian icon shows a reference desk person sits in front of a bookshelf.

Collection: Icons for this category "Gateway to Information", "World Communications", or "electronic resources".

Original meaning of a Rolodex is a file box for filling business or addresses cards. On the web, it is used to index both card catalog and the internet resources.

As a result, old icons are borrowed to index new resources and services on the Internet. 

Further thoughts: From Icons to Texts

World Wide Web had more icons to represent databases, links, etc. I have checked the library sites which are provided in the study. Today, these pages only include their library logo. All the rest of the buttons/ links became textual icons not graphical. When I started multimedia production, I wanted to add all the whistles and buttons. Now, my web page has only texts and the links are in blue color. It seem like internet icons are getting simpler.

The reasons why texts are becoming popular:

1. It takes too much time to find the right icon. It is almost impossible to create an icon which speaks to  many cultures and needs. (Catalogs are not only books, it includes CDs, DVDs, ...)
2. It takes time and expertise to design an icon even we know what we want.
3. WWW is becoming a universal medium. Some icons represent something in one culture may be nothing for in another.
4. It takes more time to load a page with full of picture. Speed is important.
5. Concentration is on the content not only the design. Page with meaningful content invites more users than the one with icons. You may visit a site once just to see some interesting icons or animation; however, you can more unlikely to go back to this page.
6. Less is more.
7. Creating a professional web page is expensive. Creating a professional web page requires author, designer, artist, technology person, and so on. Just like publishing a book starts with author but requires publisher, editor, graphic person,  so on.

Although there are many sites with lots of icons, as Codognet suggests, "Pure iconography is not possible as icons have to present themselves as such, to display their own icon-ness " (Codognet). In order a sign to be an icon its interpreter has to have the same attributes.