INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

A system which allows utilization of retrieval terms used in retrievals performed formerly by an outsider to facilitate and accelerate retrieval of documents. A history storage apparatus stores retrieval histories each having information including a group of retrieval items including at least an item of "retrieving person", retrieval terms and a retrieval result. A history storage section stores, when retrieval of documents is performed, a retrieval history regarding the retrieval into the history storage apparatus. A history retrieval section retrieves, in "retrieval which is performed utilizing a retrieval history", a retrieval history which satisfies designations of terms of an inputted retrieval item from among the retrieval histories by another retrieving person stored in the retrieval storage apparatus. A retrieval section retrieves documents utilizing retrieval terms of a retrieval history by the other retrieving person detected by the history retrieval section.