Periodical Databases Full-text article – entire textual contents of article in online format Abstract – brief summary of article Citation – basic information required to locate an article in its source publication.
Elements of Searching Retrieval – number of results; low retrieval is desirable Precision – combination of relevance and recall Relevance – significance of results; high relevance is desirable Recall – percentage of relevant records which are found; high precision is desirable Search strategies tend to trade-off these elements against each other. The best search strategy maximizes relevance and precision while minimizing retrieval
Greater Precision Searching by Subject Headings, not keywords
Greater Recall/Retrieval Searching by subject headings, not keywords
Web Searching v. DB Searching Web –Unstructured –No subject headings –Few fields (title, URL) Database –Structured –Content is analyzed and described –Several searchable fields
Evaluation Criteria for Web Pages 1.URL - domain 2.Authority – who is responsible? 3.Accuracy – sources? 4.Objectivity – purpose? 5.Currency – date? Would you use for a paper?
Stop Words Common words that are ignored in a search –A –An –And –At –But –For –From –Of –On –The –To
A&I Database Abstracting and Indexing Database – Usually subject based databases of citations (and abstracts) and references to published materials. Different from a full-text database in that articles are not included. Many database combine full-text, abstracts and citations
Adaptive Technology Examples Keyboards with larger keys Trackballs Voice output software Voice recognition software ZoomText – magnification software Braille software and printers
Digital Divide Differences in computer ownership, access and Internet access across various demographic groups. Libraries have a role in bridging the digital divide and serving as an access point for digital have-nots. Libraries (particularly public libraries) are educational institutions accessible to all and can fulfill this unique role.
8 steps in preparing a search 1.Format – What do you need? Books, journals articles, Web sites, images, films, music etc.? 2.Concepts – what are you looking for? Define the concepts. 3.Terms – Select keywords to describe the concepts. Are there variations? Are there authorized headings?
8 steps 4. Operators – How should you combine the terms? 5. Fields – Which fields should you use to search? 6. Time – Is there a time frame or date range you can use to focus your search? 7. Revise, refine, revise – View results and modify search. Narrow or expand?
8 Steps 8. Expand your horizons – When you’ve finished searching one place, where else?
Library Automation Top 5 Reasons to Automate 1.Reports 2.Access 3.Confidentiality 4.Collection Management 5.Circulation
RFI/RFP RFI – Request for Information RFP – Request for Proposal – asks vendors to submit proposals on large library purchases.
Automation Considerations Outlets Furniture Network Hardware Barcode readers Receipt printers
Automation Vendors Sirsi-Dynix – TLC – Polaris – Ex Libris – Innovative Interfaces Inc. - CCSF –
Universal Design What does it mean?
Digital Divide Do you know people on both sides? How can libraries help?
Paper Due in 3 weeks Make sure you read my comments on your topic Schedule your interview – it may take time Do your research – don’t wait Start writing Let me know if you get stuck
MLA Cite author and year in parens. List of all cited works at end. 5-6 pages does not include bibliography.
Professional Literature You can cite sources from the popular literature (such as New York Times, Newsweek magazine etc.), I want you to find at least one source on your topic from the library literature. You can use EBSCO's Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts database to find abstracts from the library literature; you would then need to locate the complete articles that you select. You can also use InfoTrac Expanded Academic ASAP, which has some full-text, but you will need to focus your search to find library- specific articles.
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