*** LIBRARY RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED *** by Elizabeth B. Pollard For the STUDENTS Forum on CompuServe. Copyright 1995, all rights reserved. Not for redistribution without permission. ======================================================= ** ASSIGNMENT: Write a paper or report for school! You must find material that gives background and current information on your topic. Where do you start and how do you find what you need? This outline will give you some clues and sources and tell you how to find others. +-------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #1: - START EARLY! Good research takes time, and there are few effective shortcuts. The books and journals you need may be in use by someone else! +--------------------------------------------+ ** WHAT WILL YOU WRITE ABOUT? Your research topic may be assigned, but if you choose your own, it's important to define and shape it to make it easier to work with. A GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC is: * SPECIFIC - If it is too broad, you will find more material than you can possibly work with. If it is too narrow, you may not find enough. * DEFINED - It has clear limits in the scope it covers. For EXAMPLE, is your subject about the 20th century, or only one decade of it? Does it cover the topic worldwide or in one country? As your research progresses, you may find you have to adjust your topic to fit your assignment in length, or to fit the amount of information available to you. There are several places you can begin for help with this process which will save you time and trouble later. * Read an ARTICLE on your chosen subject in an ENCYCLOPEDIA. (Find one through the CATALOG or ASK the LIBRARIAN.) Notice where the natural divisions of the subject are. Examine the BIBLIOGRAPHY at the end of the article for books, reference books, and articles which may get you started. * Examine recent issues of a JOURNAL in your subject area and see what issues are "hot". These may provide you with directions to investigate. * Take a broad look at the SUBJECTS in your library's CATALOG that pertain to your subject. You will be able to see two things this way: 1> how the topic breaks down into SUB-TOPICS; and 2> how many BOOKS are available on each subdivision. Once you have decided on your topic, you need to know what kind of materials in the library will give you BACKGROUND and CURRENT information, an OVERVIEW of the subject, and the DETAILS that will fill in your outline. ** TYPES OF MATERIALS & THEIR PURPOSES * BOOKS - Also called monographs, books are complete treatises on a topic. They provide background, history, description, and other comprehensive information. By their nature, however, books take longer to write and publish, and the information in them may be outdated soon after they hit the bookstore shelves. They're an excellent place to start with any research, but you will need to supplement them with more current sources. * ARTICLES FROM PERIODICALS - Periodicals are also called journals, magazines, or newspapers, and they are published regularly and contain short articles on current issues. The information in them is current and specific. Being short, the scope they cover is well defined, similar to that of your research, and they fill in small details that are hard to find otherwise. ** FINDING BOOKS * In any library, there is a CATALOG of what the library contains. It may be on 3 x 5 cards filed in a cabinet, or, in many cases today, the LIBRARY CATALOG is on computer and is searched through terminals placed conveniently throughout the library. The first kind is called a CARD CATALOG, while the newer variety is an OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog). +-----------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #2: - ASK THE LIBRARIAN! Knowing which type of catalog the library has and how to use it can save you a lot of time and fumbling around! +------------------------------------------+ * To find materials on your topic in the catalog, you must search by KEYWORDS (important words to your subject) in an OPAC, or by SUBJECT HEADINGS (assigned by the librarian) in a CARD CATALOG. In either case, it's important to think of different words that mean the same thing (SYNONYMS). TRY THEM ALL, to make certain you find all that is available. * Start with the most SPECIFIC terms you can think of for your topic. When you have found everything you can with those, BROADEN your search by looking for books on subjects which INCLUDE your topic in their scope. EXAMPLE: For the history of Spain in the 19th century, first try SPAIN--HISTORY--19th century, THEN SPAIN--HISTORY, and MAYBE even EUROPE--HISTORY--19th century, OR EUROPE--19th century +---------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #3: - WRITE IT DOWN! You will need all the information about each book you use, so write it down now. Don't waste time by having to come back later! +----------------------------------------------+ * When you locate books you can use in your research, WRITE DOWN the CALL NUMBER, along with author, title, publisher, place, and date. This is the symbol by which you find the book on the shelf. Call numbers vary in format, depending on what classification scheme the library uses. Be sure to WRITE DOWN everything in the call number for your book. ** FINDING ARTICLES * ARTICLES may be published in PERIODICALS or in BOOKS (collections or ANTHOLOGIES). Both forms will probably appear in the LIBRARY CATALOG or a LIST of PERIODICALS in the library. To find out what they contain, however, you will need an INDEX or ABSTRACTING SERVICE. * INDEXES and ABSTRACTS analyze the contents of these materials and are published in periodical form themselves, year after year, in order to stay current. There are hundreds of them, many specific to a subject field, and you will need to find out which ones are available that cover your topic. You can do this in two ways: 1> Look in the LIBRARY CATALOG under your topic and combine the subject word with the word INDEXES or ABSTRACTS. 2> ASK the REFERENCE LIBRARIAN for a list. Many libraries have compiled a guide to the best indexes and abstracts for each subject area. * A few general INDEXES to look for include: _Humanities Index_ _Social Science Index_ _General Science Index_ * Once you find the INDEX you need, look up your topic again, using the same KEYWORDS or SYNONYMS of them that you used earlier in the CATALOG. The citations you find will be abbreviated to save space, and you will need to look in the front of the volumes to see what the abbreviations mean. Usually, the information included is the following: Article Title, Author's Name, Periodical Title (abbreviated), Vol. No., Issue, Date (or year), Pages for the Article. * ARTICLES in BOOKS are also covered in some PERIODICAL INDEXES, but many are also included in a source published for just that purpose, _Essay and General Literature Index_ * ABSTRACTING SERVICES differ slightly from INDEXES in one important respect. Besides giving you a citation that will lead you to the article, an ABSTRACT (a summary of the article) appears with the citation. These can be very helpful to read and decide which articles will be most useful for your research. * Just like the LIBRARY CATALOG, many INDEXES are now available in COMPUTERIZED form. Some are on CD-ROM, used with a personal computer and a special searching program. Some are on the same central computer with the LIBRARY CATALOG and are searched the same way. Be sure and ASK if your library has some of these tools. They are usually easy to search and much more efficient than the printed INDEXES. ========================================================================= *** FUTURE ADDITIONS TO THIS SERIES: This first lesson will help you get started on your library research. There are many finer points, though, that will help make your efforts more complete. If you are interested in following up with these, look for future lessons on these topics. *** REFERENCE BOOKS & HOW TO USE THEM *** *** MORE ON INDEXES & ABSTRACTING SERVICES *** *** MAKING USE OF MICROFORMS AND OTHER FORMATS *** *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS RESOURCE MATERIAL *** *** TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES *** *** GOING BEYOND YOUR LIBRARY: INTERLIBRARY LOANS & ONLINE SERVICES *** ---------- *** LIBRARY RESEARCH II *** *** REFERENCE BOOKS AND HOW TO USE THEM *** by Elizabeth B. Pollard For the STUDENTS Forum on CompuServe. Copyright 1995, all rights reserved. Not for redistribution without permission. ======================================================= ** Your library has shelves full of REFERENCE books. What's in them, how do you use it and when, and what can you do with it? Can they be useful to your research for a report or term paper, and how? Let's take a closer look at these questions. ** REFERENCE books are not meant to be read through, but to be "referred" to for specific information. They are generally compilations of facts, or lists of sources, and serve as tools or guides to a topic or for locating needed information. * The ARRANGEMENT of reference books is generally designed to be simple and efficient to use, most commonly alphabetical order, or systematically in some way, with one or more indexes providing alternative ways to get to the data in them. Most have instructions for their use near the front of the volume, a table of contents, and a list of abbreviations to help you interpret what you find there. +---------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #1: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! Using the instructions will help you understand what you're looking at when you read an entry, and will save you time and frustration later. +----------------------------------------------+ * The SCOPE of a reference book is important to determine. Try to determine if the SUBJECTS covered and subdivisions such as TIME PERIOD match what you need to know. Find out the ARRANGEMENT used so you will know how to look up the data you need. ABBREVIATIONS are commonly used to save space, and you will need to know where to find the definitions of them. * Each of the types of reference books defined below is available for very GENERAL subject coverage, and SPECIALIZED ones are also found in every subject area. In some subject areas, there are also unique types of reference tools to suit the nature of the subject, such as DISCOGRAPHIES in music, which list recordings, or FILMOGRAPHIES in the study of film and drama. Let's take a look at the most common types and some examples of them in general and specialized versions. ** BIBLIOGRAPHIES * A BIBLIOGRAPHY is a list of written works. The works covered may be printed or in electronic, audiovisual, or other forms. Such lists can be useful in providing a guide to sources of further information on the topic of your research in one convenient place. Look for them in the library catalog by subject heading with the subdivision "--Bibliography." EXAMPLES: * _Books in Print_ is a very GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY which lists most books available for purchase in the United States. Published annually and arranged alphabetically in Author, Title, and Subject alphabets. * The _MLA International Bibliography_ is a SPECIALIZED BIBLIOGRAPHY in the field of language and literature. Published annually and arranged by language, author, and work studied, with alphabetical indexes. ** DICTIONARIES * A DICTIONARY is a list of definitions, usually of words, sometimes of things or people. It contains brief items identifying the persons or objects in question. These tools are generally arranged alphabetically, and some are more exhaustive in coverage than others. If you don't know what something means or is, this is the place to look it up! Look for them in your library catalog under the subject, such as "English Language," with the subdivision "--Dictionaries." EXAMPLES: * _Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged_, is a very GENERAL, comprehensive language dictionary. It is in alphabetical order, with various appendixes of supplementary information. * _Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary_ is a very SPECIALIZED tool which offers definitions of medical terms, anatomy, procedures, symptoms, diseases, and the like. Arrangement is alphabetical, with illustrations, charts, and appendixes. ** ENCYCLOPEDIAS * An ENCYCLOPEDIA is similar to a dictionary, but it also offers a SURVEY article on each subject included. Since the articles are longer, the subjects are broader in scope. More detailed topics included in them are listed in an INDEX volume, and it's important to use this to get to a topic that isn't in the main alphabet, as well as to be sure you find all the information that's available. Many include a BIBLIOGRAPHY at the end of each article of sources for further information on the subject, making them good places to begin your research! You can get a general overview of your subject matter there, how it is naturally subdivided, and sources to start with. * The SCOPE of a GENERAL encyclopedia may depend on the country where it is published. Since the universe of knowledge is so vast, emphasis is usually placed on topics of interest to people in the market for which it is intended. A SPECIALIZED encyclopedia, dealing with a particular subject area, is more likely to include articles of an international nature within its coverage. ARRANGEMENT of both kinds is generally alphabetical, with a few exceptions. Again, it's important to READ any INSTRUCTIONS that may be provided. Encyclopedias, interestingly, are also located in a library catalog under the subdivision "--Dictionaries." EXAMPLES: * _Encyclopedia Americana_ is a good GENERAL source for most topics, but especially American ones. It is alphabetical in ARRANGEMENT, with an INDEX volume and supplements, charts, and appendixes. * _Encyclopedia of World Art_ is a SPECIALIZED tool for the visual arts which covers them comprehensively on an international basis. Alphabetical in ARRANGEMENT, it also includes an INDEX volume, appendixes, and numerous plates and illustrations. +----------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #2: CAN'T TELL A BOOK BY ITS TITLE! Some books with "dictionary" in the title are actually encyclopedias, with longer entries, and vice versa. Titles don't always tell you what the format is! +-----------------------------------------------+ ** DIRECTORIES * A DIRECTORY is typically similar to a dictionary in arrangement, but it usually lists PEOPLE or ORGANIZATIONS. Those which cover people and their biographies are even called BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARIES, rather than directories. They are generally alphabetical in organization, sometimes with a BIBLIOGRAPHY provided with each entry for more information. Many have indexes for getting to the data in different ways. Look for these in the library catalog under your subject with the subdivision "--Directories." EXAMPLES: * The _Encyclopedia of Associations_ is a very GENERAL directory containing entries for associations of all types, listing addresses and phones, executives, meeting schedules, purpose and history, and publications. The ARRANGEMENT here is systematic, placing associations in subject groupings. Alphabetical indexes are provided by subject keywords, executives, and geographical locations. * The _Congressional Directory_ is a SPECIALIZED directory listing members of the U.S. Congress, with addresses and phones, their committee assignments, and the states and districts they represent. Other SPECIALIZED tools cover even narrower territory, including your local telephone directory! ** ALMANACS/STATISTICAL YEARBOOKS * These handy references are compilations of detailed facts or charts, graphs, and tables of statistics which may be otherwise difficult to locate. ALMANACS usually concentrate on events, news items, interesting facts (such as the highest mountains, largest producers of a product, etc.), and even folklore. STATISTICAL YEARBOOKS pull together in one place some of this same information, as well as summaries of data from surveys and censuses. Both are typically arranged in subject groupings, with alphabetical indexes to get to specifics. Find them in your library catalog under the headings "Almanacs" or a subject heading with that subdivision, or for the yearbooks, under a subject with the subdivision "--Statistics--Periodicals." EXAMPLES: * The _World Almanac and Book of Facts_ is a GENERAL tool of the ALMANAC sort. It covers information in a global manner, recording dates, events, economic data, population statistics, etc. in one place, arranged in subject groupings and published annually. An alphabetical index is provided. This is a good first place to go for most any detail! * The _Statistical Abstract of the United States_, compiled by the U.S. Government Census Bureau, provides charts and tables about the population and economics of the United States in handy tabular form. A SPECIALIZED annual publication, or YEARBOOK, it is arranged in systematic fashion, with an alphabetical index. Footnotes to the tables included guide the user to the statistical publications that will provide more information! ** INDEXES * There are so many different reference tools, some of which cover the same or similar territory, that specialized INDEXES have been devised in some cases to make searching them faster. These are not the same as periodical indexes and abstracts, which will be discussed in more detail later, but some do include information in both reference books and periodical sources. These are generally arranged alphabetically, but not always, so once more, look at the INSTRUCTIONS and TABLES of CONTENTS! Find them in your library catalog under the subject you need, subdivided by "--Indexes." Each has a special purpose and coverage, so let's look at a few titles as examples of what is available. EXAMPLES: * _Artist Biographies Master Index_ * _Author Biographies Master Index_ * _Biography and Genealogy Master Index_ * _Historical Biographical and Genealogical Master Index_ * This group of reference books indexes biographies of various people in different professions which appear in BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARIES. Look here before going through all the individual sources to make your search shorter! Alphabetical in arrangement, they use abbreviated titles of biographical dictionaries, with a list of abbreviations in the front of the volumes. Be sure to get the full name of the source in which an individual is found so that you can look up that title in the library catalog! * _Essay & General Literature Index_ * _Granger's Index to Poetry_ * _Short Story Index_ * _Speech Index_ * These titles index different types of literature which were published in collections or ANTHOLOGIES. All of these literary forms are too short to be published separately as a book, and thus are sometimes difficult to locate. Here is where you need to look to find copies of them! Alphabetical, usually by author, some have indexes by first lines or titles as well. Again, they use abbreviations for the collections analyzed, so be sure and look up the list of FULL TITLES in which the works appeared before going to the library catalog! * _Popular Song Index_ * _Songs in Collections: An Index_ * _Sculpture Index_ * _World Painting Index_ * These books index art and music forms in collections or ANTHOLOGIES, or in PERIODICALS. In the first two, the songs themselves are indexed; in the last two, illustrations of the art forms are indexed, as well as other information about them. Typically, they are alphabetical, by artist or composer, with indexes by titles. Abbreviations are frequent, so find a list and get the FULL TITLES before going to the library catalog. ========================================================================= *** OTHER TOPICS IN THIS SERIES *** This lesson will help you make the best use of reference books. There are other ways, and other sources, you will want to know about, however, to do your best work. If you are interested in following up with these, look for other lessons on these topics. *** LIBRARY RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED *** *** MORE ON INDEXES & ABSTRACTING SERVICES *** *** MAKING USE OF MICROFORMS AND OTHER FORMATS *** *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS RESOURCE MATERIAL *** *** TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES *** *** GOING BEYOND YOUR LIBRARY: INTERLIBRARY LOANS & ONLINE SERVICES *** ---------- *** LIBRARY RESEARCH III *** *** MORE ON INDEXES & ABSTRACTS *** by Elizabeth B. Pollard For the STUDENTS Forum on CompuServe. Copyright 1995, all rights reserved. Not for redistribution without permission. ======================================================= ** You have researched your topic in books and gathered lots of information on it. To get to the current material, though, you need to identify articles in periodicals which will update your topic and fill in some details for you. Since there are hundreds or even thousands of journals, magazines, and other periodicals in any subject area, you need a tool that tells you where to find these! In the first lesson in this series, we discussed such tools and identified them as INDEXES and ABSTRACTING SERVICES, or ABSTRACTS. Here, in brief, is a recap of that. * INDEXES and ABSTRACTS analyze the contents of periodicals and are published in periodical form themselves, in order to stay current. There are hundreds of them, many specific to a subject field, and you will need to find out which ones are available that cover your topic. 1> Look in the LIBRARY CATALOG under your topic and combine the subject word with the word INDEXES or ABSTRACTS. 2> ASK the REFERENCE LIBRARIAN for a list. Many libraries have compiled a guide to the best indexes and abstracts for each subject area. * ABSTRACTS differ from INDEXES in one important respect. Besides giving you a citation that will lead you to the article, an ABSTRACT (a summary of the article) appears with the citation. +------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #1: STOP BEFORE YOU PLUNGE IN! Observe the arrangement of the index, and READ the INSTRUCTIONS for its use! You'll save yourself time and frustration! +------------------------------------------+ ** Not all indexes or abstracts use the same ARRANGEMENT. Most INDEXES are in a simple alphabet of subjects, titles, and authors, but some are different. In some cases, there is one alphabet each for subjects, titles, and authors, and in others arrangement is systematic by subject GROUPINGS, with indexes to SPECIFIC subjects, titles, and authors. Many ABSTRACTS use sequential numbering of the abstracts throughout a volume, and you must go through a subject index to get to your subject at all! ** There is a special group of indexes known as CITATION INDEXES, in which the purpose is not only to give you citations to articles, but to indicate what articles have been CITED BY a given author, and which future articles CITED HIS WORK! This produces a chain of references which can be very useful in building your bibliography, but again you must use an index to subjects to find those you can use! ** INDEXES and ABSTRACTS exist for just about any specialized subject, but you may need to check a list or the library catalog to find those appropriate to your topic. +-----------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #2: CHECK THE COVERAGE OF YOUR INDEX! Once you locate one which SEEMS to fit, be sure to check on its actual COVERAGE. For example, _Historical Abstracts_, despite its title, covers only EUROPEAN history, and only as far back as the Renaissance. +-----------------------------------------------------+ ** To help you find an INDEX or ABSTRACT for your research, a selected list of titles is provided here, within a rough subject grouping. There are overlaps in coverage in some fields, though, so look in related areas, too! The list is representative, but not comprehensive, so be sure to ASK THE LIBRARIAN! ** GENERAL _Cumulated Magazine Index, 1907-1949_ _Expanded Academic Index_ _Poole's Index to Periodical Literature, 1802-1881_ _Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, 1870-_ ** SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - GENERAL _Applied Science and Technology Index_ _General Science Index_ _Science Citation Index_ * AERONAUTICS, ASTRONAUTICS _International Aerospace Abstracts_ _Scientific & Technical Aerospace Reports_ * BIOLOGY, LIFE & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES _Biological Abstracts_ _Current Contents: Agriculture, Biology, & Environmental Sciences_ _Current Contents: Life Sciences_ _Environment Index/Environment Abstracts_ _Immunology Abstracts_ _Wildlife Reviews_ * CHEMISTRY _Analytical Abstracts_ _Chemical Abstracts_ _Chemical Titles_ _Current Contents: Physical, Chemical, & Earth Sciences_ * COMPUTER SCIENCE _Computer & Control Abstracts_ _Computer & Information Systems_ _Computer Literature Index_ * ENGINEERING _Applied Mechanics Reviews_ _ERDA Energy Research Abstracts_ _Electrical Engineering Abstracts_ _Electrical & Electronics Abstracts_ _Electronics & Communications Abstracts_ _Energy Abstracts for Policy Analysis_ _Engineering Index_ _Quality Control & Applied Statistics_ _Solid State & Superconductivity Abstracts_ * MATHEMATICS _Abstracts of Papers Presented to the American Mathematical Society_ _Current Mathematics Publications_ _Mathematical Reviews_ * MEDICINE & NURSING _Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL)_ _Index Medicus_ _International Nursing Index_ _Nursing Abstracts_ * PHYSICS _Current Contents: Physical, Chemical, & Earth Sciences_ _Current Papers in Physics_ _Physics Abstracts_ ** SOCIAL SCIENCES - GENERAL _Public Affairs Information Service Bulletin_ _Social Sciences Index_ _Womens' Studies Abstracts_ * BUSINESS _ABI/Inform_ _Accountant's Index_ _Business Periodicals Index_ _F & S Index_ _Operations Research / Management Science_ _Personnel Literature_ _Personnel Management Abstracts_ * ECONOMICS _Index of Economics Articles_ _Journal of Economics Literature_ _International Bibliography of the Social Sciences: Economics_ * EDUCATION _Child Development Abstracts & Bibliography_ _Current Index to Journal in Education (ERIC: CIJE)_ _Education Index_ _Resources in Education (ERIC: RIE)_ * GEOGRAPHY _Current Geographical Publications_ * PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTS _Physical Education/Sports Index_ * POLITICAL SCIENCE & LAW _CIS Index (Congressional Information Service)_ _Combined Retrospective Index to Journals in Political Science_ _Index to Legal Periodicals_ _International Political Science Abstracts_ _International Bibliography of the Social Sciences: Political Science_ _Public Administration Abstracts_ * PSYCHOLOGY _Psychological Abstracts_ * SOCIOLOGY _Combined Retrospective Index to Journals in Sociology_ _International Bibliography of the Social Sciences: Sociology_ _Race Related Abstracts_ _Sociological Abstracts_ * STATISTICS & DEMOGRAPHICS _American Statistics Index_ _Population Index_ ** HUMANITIES - GENERAL _British Humanities Index_ _Humanities Index_ * ART _Art Index_ _ArtBibliographies Modern_ _BHA: Bibliography of the History of Art_ _Graphic Arts Abstracts_ _RILA Abstracts_ (Predecessor to BHA) * COMMUNICATIONS & JOURNALISM _Communication Abstracts_ _Journalism Abstracts_ * HISTORY _America: History & Life_ _Combined Retrospective Index to Journals in History_ _Historical Abstracts_ _Writings on American History_ * LANGUAGE & LITERATURE _Abstracts of English Studies_ _Annual Bibliography of English Language & Literature_ _MLA International Bibliography_ (Modern Language Association of America) * LIBRARY SCIENCE _Library & Information Science Abstracts_ (LISA) _Library Literature_ * MUSIC _Music Index_ _RILM Abstracts_ * PHILOSOPHY _Philosophyer's Index_ _Repertoire Bibliographique de la Philosophie_ * RELIGION _ATLA Index_ (American Theological Library Association) _New Testament Abstracts_ ========================================================================= *** OTHER TOPICS IN THIS SERIES *** This lesson will help you make the best use of indexes and abstracts. There are other ways, and other sources, you will want to know about, however, to do your best work. If you are interested in following up with these, look for other lessons on these topics. *** LIBRARY RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED *** *** REFERENCE BOOKS & HOW TO USE THEM *** *** MAKING USE OF MICROFORMS AND OTHER FORMATS *** *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS RESOURCE MATERIAL *** *** TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES *** *** GOING BEYOND YOUR LIBRARY: INTERLIBRARY LOANS & ONLINE SERVICES *** ---------- *** LIBRARY RESEARCH IV: *** *** MAKING USE OF MICROFORMS AND OTHER FORMATS *** by Elizabeth B. Pollard For the STUDENTS Forum on CompuServe. Copyright 1995, all rights reserved. Not for redistribution without permission. ======================================================= ** The basic materials of research, BOOKS and ARTICLES, are far from the only sources available. There is much information to be found in sources other than print on paper! These are often referred to as non-print sources, but I prefer ALTERNATIVE FORMATS to describe them. They include audiovisual materials, separately published maps, computer programs and data files, and a form of print material in reduced size on a photographic medium called, collectively, MICROFORMS. ** MICROFORMS ** MICROFORMS are further divided into three main types: MICROFILM long strips of transparent film on reels with print on one side only; MICROFICHE transparent cards or sheets containing print on one side only; MICROCARD opaque cards or sheets containing print on both sides. All three kinds are used in most libraries for old materials long out of print. The printed materials they were photographed from cannot be bought and may, indeed, have fallen apart with age! Back volumes of journals, which can no longer be purchased and would take up enormous space, are often kept only in microform, too. The MICROFORM versions can, however, be kept, in the right conditions, for at least two hundred years without disintegrating, and they take very little space to store. For example, one of the most advanced forms of microfiche, called ULTRAFICHE, employs such a fine size reduction that up to 1,000 pages of an average book can be stored on one 3" x 5" card! Nobody can read these, of course, without a machine to blow them up to a readable size, so libraries have readers, sometimes with the ability to reproduce a page at a time in normal size, to use with them. The latter is called a reader/printer, and each print generally costs about 25 cents or so. Library microform readers are usually equipped with placards containing instructions for their use, and they are simple to maneuver. If you have any doubts, though, ASK someone to help you! +--------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #1: ASK THE LIBRARIAN FOR HELP! Mistakes on a microform reader can be costly in time and money, so if you aren't sure you understand how to use the machine, get a librarian to show you! +--------------------------------------------------+ Microforms are generally cataloged like regular books, and a line in the entry, called the PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION, identifies and describes what format the material is in. It's located about the middle of the entry, after the information on place, publisher, and date. Some automated library catalog systems provide a method for narrowing a search to microforms only, so ask about the method of doing this before you start looking for them. There is also a term after the title itself in newer catalog records to distinguish the physical format of the material, but don't count on this in older records. READ the PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION carefully! *** MAPS *** ** MAPS may also be found in library collections. The size and detail on them will vary, and the PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION will include scale, other relevant data on the map itself, and any text that came with it. Some of these will be published separately and housed in special map cases with flat drawers. Be sure to ASK where to find this facility. In some cases, maps and texts are shelved with the other library books, and the catalog will also tell you that. READ the catalog entry carefully and print it out or copy down all the relevant data! EXAMPLE of SCALE INFORMATION from a MAP entry (see also catalog data examples below: Scale 1:500,000 Lambert conformal conic projection (W 88--W 85/N35--N31) *** AUDIOVISUALS *** ** AUDIOVISUAL materials can add depth to your research! How much more helpful it is, for example, to be able to view a video of a play or listen to a performance of a symphony, as well as to read about them. Many libraries maintain large collections of sound recordings in various forms, including compact disk, as well as other formats such as slide collections of art works, videos of dramas, operas, and the like, or teaching videos, tapes, films and film strips. In most cases, the library will also have the equipment for you to use these materials, or it will let you check them out and take them home to use them. +----------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #2: NOTE FORMAT CAREFULLY! Be sure the equipment you have is compatible with the material before you check it out! Also note playing time & other data that will help in planning! +-----------------------------------------------------+ The catalog data for all audiovisual formats is meticulously detailed, in order to make it clear what the format is, how long it plays, what kind of equipment is needed to use it, and other information. Again, this data is in the PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION line, so take a close look at it. Then ASK if there is appropriate equipment in the library for its use, or whether it can be checked out (circulates) to use at home. If you need help with the use of the equipment, also be sure to ASK the LIBRARIAN, so you won't damage expensive audiovisual materials. ** WARNING! ** If you check out these materials, take special care of them! Damaging them probably means expensive replacement cost for you to pay, and in addition, they cannot be used by someone else! *** COMPUTER PROGRAMS & DATA FILES *** ** Some libraries now have available for patrons computer programs on disk, as well as computer data files that you can search on your PC. Some computer disks are separately housed in the library, while others accompany books. In many cases, the library will also have computers available on which you can try out these materials, but you may also be able to check them out and take them home for use. These materials will also have a detailed PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION in the library catalog, so you can be sure of what you're getting. Be sure and check for compatibility with the equipment you have at home, and note whether you have the program needed for searching a given data file! Sometimes the search program is included on the disk, but not always! Nothing is more frustrating than finding a data bank that is crucial to your research, checking out the disk, and then discovering it's for a Mac and you have a PC, or vice versa! *** WARNING! *** Be VERY CAUTIOUS about getting these disks near MAGNETIC sources, such as telephones, or even the library's own security system! Such devices MAY be capable of wiping the disk clean, manufacturer's claims to the contrary! Most libraries will have a backup of the disk, but staff and equipment resources may be limited for making copies! ** MUSICAL SCORES ** ** MUSICAL SCORES, of course, are printed on paper, and their physical format is much like that of books and journals. However, this very similarity may make the catalog data deceptive! They are included here to help you learn to distinguish them in the library catalog and find them when you need them. The PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION for them generally includes the word SCORE, but it often includes the performing medium, or a size designator, such as: miniature score piano-vocal score score and parts If you have need of these materials, examine the description carefully to be certain you're getting what you need. A miniature score, for example, can't be used conveniently for performing, and a score with parts is not as useful for study purposes. Performing parts are also frequently inserted into a pocket in the back of the main score, and it's important to be sure they are all there, both when you check the score out and when you return it! Again, there may be a way to limit your search to scores only if that's what you need, so be sure to ASK the LIBRARIAN first! ======================================================= *** SOME EXAMPLES OF LIBRARY CATALOG DATA FOR ALTERNATIVE FORMATS *** The essential PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION for each format is designated here by an arrow: --> MICROFICHE Evans, Robley Dunglison, 1846-1912. An admiral's log [microform] : being continued recollections of naval life. New York : D. Appleton and Company, 1910. x, 466 p. : front., plates, ports. --> Microfiche. Chicago : Library Resources,inc., 1970. 1 microfiche; 8 x 13 cm. (Library of American Civilization ; LAC 16366) MICROFILM Hatfield, Robert Griffith, 1815-1879. The American house carpenter : a treatise on the art of building. [microfilm] 8th ed. rewritten by R.G. Hatfield, edited by O.P. Hatfield. Woodbridge, Conn. : Research Publications, 1973. --> on reel 41 of 114 : ill. ; 35 mm. MAPS (with text, in this case) United States. Soil Conservation Service. Hydrologic unit map 1980 and sub-watersheds state of Alabama / USDA,... Rev. --> Scale 1:500,000 Lambert conformal conic projection (W 88--W 85/N 35--N31) 1 map : col. ; 76 x 114 cm. + 1 book (various pagings ; 28 cm.) RECORDED SOUND Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052. [sound recording] Columbia M 32300. [1973] --> on side 1 of 1 disc. 33 1/3 rpm. stereo. 12 in. MULTIMEDIA KIT History of Spanish architecture. [Slide]. --> 420 slides : col. ; 2x2 in. + 10 cassettes (ca. 360 min : mono.) + 10 pamphlets (var. pagings ; 28 cm.). MUSICAL SCORE Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. Easter oratorio (Kommt, eilet und laufet) [miniature score] Huntington Station, N.Y., E. F. Kalmus, c1968. --> miniature score (72 p.) 18 cm. ========================================================================= *** OTHER TOPICS IN THIS SERIES: This lesson will help you use microforms and alternative formats in your library research. There are other materials, though, that will help make your efforts more complete. If you are interested in following up with these, look for other articles on these topics. *** GETTING STARTED *** *** REFERENCE BOOKS & HOW TO USE THEM *** *** MORE ON INDEXES & ABSTRACTING SERVICES *** *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS RESOURCE MATERIAL *** *** TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES *** *** GOING BEYOND THE LIBRARY: INTERLIBRARY LOANS & ONLINE SERVICES *** ---------- *** LIBRARY RESEARCH V: *** *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS RESOURCE MATERIAL *** by Elizabeth B. Pollard For the STUDENTS Forum on CompuServe. Copyright 1995, all rights reserved. Not for redistribution without permission. ======================================================= *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS *** Most governments, at federal or other levels, collect and codify huge volumes of data in the normal pursuit of their functions, leaving a paper trail for citizens to follow. Many of them produce publications based on this information and make them freely available to the citizens whose taxes paid for its compilation. In the United States, most of these GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS are published by the Government Printing Office (GPO) or the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). The law provides for distribution of this material through a vast network of congressionally designated REGIONAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES, which receive all documents published by the government, catalog them, and make them available to the people. In addition, ANY library may apply for SELECTIVE DEPOSITORY status and receive free ANY government documents it asks for, and many academic and larger public libraries take full advantage of this, so CHECK the library nearest you. Some other governments have a similar system, notably the United Kingdom, but we will deal in more depth with U.S. documents at this point. If you are in another country, look for similar methods of distributing government information there. Perhaps some of this lesson will be useful in pointing out the types of materials to look for! +--------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #1: ASK ABOUT CATALOGING & LOCATION! Documents may be included in the library catalog or not, and they may be shelved separately from other books and journals. +---------------------------------------------------+ ** ORGANIZATION * SUDOCS CLASSIFICATION Many libraries shelve documents SEPARATELY from the rest of the collection according to the Superintendent of Documents Classification scheme, commonly known as SUDOCS CLASSIFICATION. This scheme is arranged more or less alphabetically by the agency which originated the material, and organized internally by type of publication and dates. Others have been known to reclassify them to shelve among other books and journals. SUDOCS numbers look different from all other library call numbers, notably from the colon (:) always contained in them. The part of the number before the colon is the class number. Here are some examples. I 29.8: LC 14.6/2 I 29.9/5: C 23.9: I 29.14/2: Y 19.75/4 In most larger libraries, even collections housed separately are now included in the LIBRARY'S CATALOG, making them easier to locate than otherwise. There are also some FINDING AIDS provided both by the government itself and by some third party companies. * FINDING AIDS The most universally useful tool for locating documents on a given topic is: _Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications_. This was originally, as the name suggests, published monthly, with cumulations into one alphabet semi-annually and annually, and indexes by agency, personal author, titles, and subjects. In recent years, its frequency has become annual only. A third party company has produced a subject index to it which covers volumes up into the 70's, and more recently, it is available on CD-ROM, often referred to as MARCIVE, for the company which produces it in this format. Both tools make it much easier to locate useful data in the _Monthly Catalog_! Other finding aids are produced for specific types of government documents, such as the RESEARCH REPORTS published by NASA and other agencies, which are indexed in: _Government Reports and Announcements Index_; an index to informational material resulting from or used as documentation in CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES and HEARINGS: _CIS Abstracts_ and its companion _CIS Index_, both published by the Congressional Information Service; an index to STATISTICS found in government publications: _American Statistics Index_; an index to INTERNATIONAL TRADE DATA, also available on CD-ROM: _National Trade Data Bank (NTDB)_; a catalog of GRANTS from the government: _Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance_; a listing of all federal REGULATIONS: _Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)_; an index to PATENT information: _Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System_, and its companion _Index of Patents_; and a codification of federal LAWS with updates in: _United States Code_, and _United States Statutes at Large_. +-----------------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #2: ASK A LIBRARIAN WHERE THESE AIDS ARE KEPT! Sometimes the finding aids for documents are shelved in the Reference Department, and sometimes they are located in the area where documents are housed. +-----------------------------------------------------------+ ** TYPES OF INFORMATION * OFFICIAL RECORDS In order to work efficiently, all governments must produce RECORDS of officials, agencies, standard procedures, and the like, including directories, manuals, minutes of proceedings, and annual reports. Much of the material in these is helpful in understanding the organization and workings of the government, locating people within it, and keeping track of its doings. In the U.S., there are several annual publications of this type which are almost universally available and useful. Some examples include: * DIRECTORIES & MANUALS _Congressional Directory_ _U.S. Government Manual_ * OFFICIAL RECORDS _Congressional Record_ _United States Code_ (contains laws codified) _U.S. Statues at Large_ (official versions of new laws) _Slip Laws_ (updates U.S. Code & _Statutes at Large_ with new bills) Annual Reports of various offices and officials Committee Hearings (Senate and House) _Congressional Serial Set_ (minutes and supporting documents and reports of all kinds) _Research Reports_ (required for all federally funded research) * STATISTICS & DEMOGRAPHIC DATA (Many available on CD-ROM as well as in paper) _Census Tracts_ (population & housing data for major metropolitan areas) _Census of Population & Housing_ _Census of Manufactures_ _Census of Business_ _Statistical Abstract of the United States_ (excerpts in tabular form from the Census Bureau publications) * HISTORICAL RECORDS Older volumes of most of the series mentioned above provide excellent sources of PRIMARY material on the history of the U.S. Especially important is the: _Congressional Serial Set_ and the _Congressional Record_. Documents appended to the HOUSE & SENATE REPORTS for each session contain a wide variety of annual reports from military and civilian officials, supporting documents for bills under consideration, and other historical materials. In many cases, as part of a filibuster or a promotion for some state and its favorite sons and daughters, most any kind of material can be, and is, "read into the record." * CONSUMER INFORMATION Many agencies of the government produce pamphlets, periodicals, and books on consumer issues which are produced as government documents. Offices such as the Consumer Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture are just a few such agencies and bureaus. * MISCELLANEOUS This category is included because just about ANY topic may be covered in a government publication. DON'T ASSUME that because your interest is in the ARTS, for example, that documents have nothing for you! The National Gallery of Art publishes catalogs of its collections and of special exhibitions containing scholarly essays about the artists and their works, and the National Endowment for the Humanities provides many publications about obtaining GRANTS for projects in that area, as well as catalogs and other materials about the projects it funds. These are just two examples of many, so be sure and check your GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS collection! ================================================================= *** OTHER TOPICS IN THIS SERIES: This lesson will help you find the information you need in U.S. Government Documents. There are many other sources, though, that will help make your efforts more complete. If you are interested in following up with these, look for other lessons on these topics. *** LIBRARY RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED *** *** REFERENCE BOOKS & HOW TO USE THEM *** *** MORE ON INDEXES & ABSTRACTING SERVICES *** *** MAKING USE OF MICROFORMS AND OTHER FORMATS *** *** TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES *** *** GOING BEYOND YOUR LIBRARY: INTERLIBRARY LOANS & ONLINE SERVICES *** ---------- *** LIBRARY RESEARCH VI: TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES *** by Elizabeth B. Pollard For the STUDENTS Forum on CompuServe. Copyright 1995, all rights reserved. Not for redistribution without permission. ======================================================= ** INTRODUCTION Ever since ancient Egypt, scholars have tried to gather sources of information in scrolls, books, and other forms into easily accessible and usable collections. Arranging these collections by various schemes for classifying the world of knowledge helped to make them accessible, but no classification was ever perfect. In order to overcome the flaws in classifications, library CATALOGS were developed. Various types of catalogs have been tried, the most familiar being card files. By the mid-20th century, however, these had become so large, and grew so exponentially as the world of publishing flourished, that it became obvious something better was needed. The development of computers about this time presented a more efficient method of organizing and indexing the information in libraries. ** ONLINE CATALOGS (OPAC's) The first Online Public Access Catalogs (OPAC's for short) in the 1950's and 60's were simply attempts to automate the card catalog. Few indexes were used, and nothing was really gained except in storage space. During the 60's and 70's, a standardized form of record was developed, however, known as Machine Readable Cataloging data (MARC), and being able to share records freely enabled OPAC developers to turn their attention to other factors. Today there is a variety of systems available offering many options! OPAC's generally are one of two kinds as far as the method of use: MENU driven and COMMAND driven. Menus are fairly simple to interpret and provide the easiest searching, but they may be somewhat slower. With faster, more powerful computers, though, menus have become almost, though not quite, universal in OPAC's. The secret to using either type of OPAC is in using the HELP facility freely, reading hints and tips that appear on each screen, usually at top or bottom, and being willing to ASK for HELP when necessary! +-----------------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT # 1: TERMINALS & KEYBOARDS ARE DIFFERENT! One of the traps of different OPAC's is finding the right combination of keys and entering EXACTLY what you mean to search! In order to do this, ASK how your terminal works, and become familiar with its keyboard! +------------------------------------------------------------+ ** SEARCHING an OPAC requires knowledge of the commands available to you. Searching it EFFECTIVELY calls for a more thorough understanding of its structure and capability. All OPAC's are basically computer database systems, no matter how they may look! The way they are indexed and searched, whether they use commands or menus, is important to using them. This information is usually found in HELP SCREENS and printed USER INSTRUCTIONS, and you should become familiar with those when you start to use a new system. Standard ways of searching a card catalog are also included in OPAC's. Always look for ways to perform the following searches: Author Title Subject Heading These searches are limited in flexibility, however, and a computer can provide much more than that! Also look for ways to do KEYWORD searches, either within one of the three fields, author, title, and subject, or by searching the full catalog record, in all text fields, as follows: Author Key Title Key Subject Key General Key A computer can also index words from each of these fields, and may provide a way for you to BROWSE those INDEXES. Check for the ability to do this to determine an appropriate subject heading, the spelling of an author's name, or the number of titles with a keyword appearing in it. All may be helpful in finding the information you need! Another advantage to OPAC's that cards cannot provide is the ability to COMBINE terms in more than one record or in more than one field of a record. This may be done in one search statement, or by saving search results and combining them later. Again, check the HELP screens to find out which method is used. Many OPAC's also have the ability to limit searches by LANGUAGE, DATE, or FORMAT of material. This may be done either before the search is run, in the same search statement with your terms, or after you retrieve a search set. Check your INSTRUCTIONS or ASK before you waste time fumbling! There is usually a way to TRUNCATE keywords to get different endings or substitute a "wild card" character for letters which may be slightly different within a word or phrase. Find out what the TRUNCATION or WILD CARD CHARACTERS are, if present. They can greatly expand the results for you. For instance, if the WILD CARD CHARACTER is ?, you can use it to advantage to retrieve subjects using the term: Woman or Women with the keyword WOM?N Likewise, if the TRUNCATION character is #, by TRUNCATING the word POLITICS after the "C" using a # character as in: POLITIC# you can retrieve both POLITICS and POLITICAL in one search. WHEN IN DOUBT, as a favorite database searcher's saying goes, TRUNCATE! Another good rule of thumb might also be: WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK THE LIBRARIAN FOR HELP! ** CD-ROM DATABASES Books and journals, as well as other materials, are generally searchable in an OPAC, but to determine where a subject is found within the journals, you may recall it is necessary to use INDEXES and ABSTRACTS. Many such indexes and abstracting services are now available in electronic form on CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory). These are sold by many vendors and made available in libraries to provide faster, easier searching of journal contents than the printed versions. They are usually mounted on microcomputers in the Reference area, so be sure and ASK which ones your library offers. +-------------------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #2: CD-ROM's HAVE THEIR OWN SEARCH SOFTWARE! These tools don't often use the same commands or menus as the OPAC does, and you will need to learn another searching system in order to use them. +--------------------------------------------------------------+ It is unfortunate, but true, that most vendors of databases on CD-ROM have devised their own searching software, usually menu driven, for their own products. In some larger libraries with newer OPAC systems, you will find that CD-ROM databases have been mounted on the computer with the OPAC, and you will be able to search those on the OPAC terminals, with the same command language, but this is still relatively rare. Therefore, the first step in using one of these tools is to check HELP SCREENS and INSTRUCTIONS to learn how to use the system. Some provide simple menus, making things easier, but NO two systems are exactly the SAME! Look for the same search features that you find in OPAC's, the capability to search by AUTHOR, TITLE, SUBJECT, and KEYWORDS, and the ability to COMBINE terms from one or several fields in a single search! There may also be access to word INDEXES for browsing, with the ability to search directly by choosing a term from those screens. Checking this before you start will save much frustration and lost time later. CHECK the COVERAGE of the database you use. In many cases, these tools are available complete, but in others, the disc contains only the last few years, so be sure and find out which is the case with the CD-ROM you are searching! If you need EARLIER DATA, you may still need to go to the PRINTED version of the index. ASK for HELP with KEYWORDS before you begin searching. There are many synonyms for any given concept, and some have several meanings. If you pick one of the latter, it may result in dozens of citations on some unrelated topic! For example, NURSING may yield nursing care of patients, but it will also get nursing mothers! ** DATABASES ON TAPE MOUNTED ON THE OPAC SYSTEM Another form of INDEXES and ABSTRACTS found in some very large libraries is the database on magnetic tape, mounted on the same computer which runs the OPAC. In most cases, these will be offered from the opening menu of the OPAC and searched exactly the same. In many cases, searching these will be faster than CD-ROM's because they are running on a larger, more powerful computer. Several factors may influence this, however, such as the time of day and the number of people using the system, or the size of the collection housed in the library and accessed through its OPAC. Again, it is often true that only the last few years of an INDEX have been purchased in this form, since the tapes can be prohibitively expensive for a library to rent or purchase! So CHECK the COVERAGE of any reference tool in electronic form to be sure it meets your needs! ** INTEGRATED SYSTEMS INTEGRATED ONLINE LIBRARY SYSTEMS (IOLS) are provided in many libraries now. These include not only OPAC, but automated CIRCULATION, which checks materials in and out faster and more effectively, automated ACQUISITIONS for purchasing and processing materials, and automated SERIALS CONTROL and CHECK-IN to make the library's journal holdings up to date and immediately searchable. You will be able to tell if your library's system is INTEGRATED in this fashion if you see instructions for determining the CIRCULATION STATUS of a book, for placing a hold on an item, or for viewing your own circulation record, for example. These systems have many more detailed and sophisticated commands available than simple OPAC's have, and offer more flexibility when they are available to you. ASK a librarian whether the system you are using has such features and how to use them! ** FUTURE DIRECTIONS Some future developments which may already be found in some places include a move to interconnectivity among libraries in the state, country, and even internationally. Some of these directions will be discussed in more detail in the next article, but here is a sample of what you can expect! These developments include the use of GATEWAYS to connect library systems with different command structures, or to bring external databases mounted on distant computers into the library. They extend to connecting OPAC's and IOLS to campus wide networks to make them more accessible, and thence to the Internet and the Information Superhighway! Many library catalogs are already available in this fashion and can be searched on the Internet just as they would be in the library building. A Common Command Language (CCL) has been developed and when applied to interconnected systems will make the systems even simpler and erase the need to learn several command sets. Keep your eyes open for more as telecommunications becomes the mechanism for rapid communications for everyone in the future! ========================================================================= *** OTHER TOPICS IN THIS SERIES *** This lesson will help you in using the technology provided in your library to the best advantage in your research. There are many finer points, though, that will help make your efforts more complete. If you are interested in following up with these, look for other lessons on these topics. *** LIBRARY RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED *** *** REFERENCE BOOKS & HOW TO USE THEM *** *** MORE ON INDEXES & ABSTRACTING SERVICES *** *** MAKING USE OF MICROFORMS AND OTHER FORMATS *** *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS RESOURCE MATERIAL *** *** GOING BEYOND YOUR LIBRARY: INTERLIBRARY LOANS & ONLINE SERVICES *** ---------- *** LIBRARY RESEARCH VII *** *** GOING BEYOND YOUR LIBRARY: INTERLIBRARY LOANS & ONLINE SERVICES *** by Elizabeth B. Pollard For the STUDENTS Forum on CompuServe. Copyright 1995, all rights reserved. Not for redistribution without permission. ======================================================= You've been haunting your library for days or weeks, identifying sources for your research, READING closely, and taking NOTES, making sure to get all the BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION you will need to CITE them later. You still don't have enough material, especially to cover some aspects of your topic. Now what? Time to go beyond your local library resources! ** INTERLIBRARY LOAN & DOCUMENT DELIVERY No library ever has the resources to purchase everything they would like, even within its own collection guidelines. Inevitably, there will always be some materials for a comprehensive research project which your library simply doesn't have. For this reason, most libraries offer a service which allows you to BORROW BOOKS and PURCHASE COPIES of articles from other libraries which do carry the sources you find indispensable. These services are often referred to as INTERLIBRARY LOAN (ILL) or DOCUMENT DELIVERY, and collectively they are known as RESOURCE SHARING. In most cases, this service is now accomplished through a computer network to which the library subscribes. Your request will be searched to see where the book or journal is available and can be obtained at the least cost and in the most timely manner. You will be asked to FILL OUT A FORM to obtain this service, containing all the data on the needed item, your name, address, and phone, and some sort of statement about the limitations of COPYRIGHT LAW in relation to what you have requested. In some places, the form may be filled in online and emailed in, but the purpose is the same, to make your request go efficiently and smoothly! +--------------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #1: FILL OUT THE FORM COMPLETELY! If you use abbreviations, or leave out bits of information, the process will inevitably take a good bit longer. You may not even be able to get what you need! The more information you can supply, the faster your request can be filled! Read the copyright statement carefully and be sure and sign the form! +----------------------------------------------------------+ The TIME necessary to COMPLETE your request may vary widely. There are many things that affect this, not the least of which is how heavy the demand is at your library! Wherever the material is borrowed from, it may already be in use by someone else, and it may take time for them to return it. In addition, demand on their services may be very heavy, particularly at certain times! So START EARLY enough to allow AT LEAST 2 WEEKS and often longer, for any ILL requests to be received which are necessary to your research! ** REFERENCE DATABASES ** As computers came into greater use over the last two decades or so, it was inevitable that many reference sources would become available on public and commercial online services, and eventually on CD-ROM as well. The first, and still the most common ones to be afforded this treatment, were periodical INDEXES & ABSTRACTING SERVICES. Other resources include ENCYCLOPEDIAS and DIRECTORIES of various kinds of information, BUSINESS DATA sources, and PUBLIC DOCUMENTS from the U.S. government. Some of the possibilities in this arena have been discussed already in LIBRARY RESEARCH VI: TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES (LR VI). As you explore further beyond the library itself, you will want to look into these reference databases for your use, on commercial online services, on the public network structure known as the information superhighway or the Internet, or on CD-ROM's you can purchase and mount on your home computer with the appropriate equipment and software. Many libraries will have INTERMEDIARY SEARCHES available to you for a price, and some will have end user products you can try out on site for little or no money. Some points to consider in the CHOICE of such tools include the COVERAGE of the ones you choose, both in SUBJECT matter important to you, and in TIME period. Many CD-ROM databases in particular, and some online ones, contain only the last few years of the original printed source. In some fields, this current information will be sufficient for your purposes, but in others, you will need to be aware that supplementation with the PRINTED sources is still necessary! Another consideration is the SEARCHING SOFTWARE provided with them. You should look for similar features to those discussed in LR VI under the heading of OPAC's. ** INTERMEDIARY SEARCHES ** In about the last twenty years, it has become common for libraries to offer you the convenience of DATABASE SEARCHES to speed your research. The services on which these are performed, such as DIALOG, DATASTAR, or LEXIS/NEXIS are quite powerful and sophisticated systems and require considerable training and expertise to get the best results. Therefore, trained searchers are available at most libraries to do this searching for you. In exchange, you will be charged a fee for the service. The searcher will consult with you carefully and determine your information needs and the most effective way to fulfill them, appropriate databases and search strategy to use. If you decide to use this service, BE AS EXPLICIT as POSSIBLE regarding your needs as well as what you can afford to pay. In some cases, the cost of this is covered by the library's budget, but as funding sources for libraries shrivel, more of them are requiring payment from the user. +--------------------------------------------------------------+ HELPFUL HINT #2: DATABASE SEARCHING CAN BE EXPENSIVE. PLAN WELL! Costs associated with database searching, both intermediary and end user, include several factors. The most common are these: @ Charges for communications networks and phone lines. @ Connect time rates for the databases used. @ Citation charges for items retrieved. +---------------------------------------------------------------+ ** END USER SERVICES ** Database providers, or DATABANKS, often make the same databases available in different forms, with a variety of features and menus, on various services. Those available to you on networks like Internet will require you to buy a SUBSCRIPTION to the service, acquire a password, and pay full charges when you use them, just as they would if you dialed in. The network is simply an alternate route of accessing them as opposed to dialing in, whether you access them through Telnet, Gopher, World Wide Web, or other methods. The same databases and services are often also available in a simpler form on home computer networks, such as CompuServe, so explore your options! In particular, always READ THE INSTRUCTIONS and the PRICING INFORMATION provided. You may find you will actually save money by using a simpler form of a common database that is familiar to you because you spend less time online fumbling with unfamiliar command structures. Some examples of databanks available on COMPUSERVE will serve to acquaint you with the possibilities. Look for similar databases on OTHER SERVICES, as well as on the INTERNET! Most provide the same databases with slightly different software INTERFACES. In most cases, ALL SUBJECT areas are covered by appropriate databases, and there may even be a choice of databases to suit your needs within a subject area. What is most useful to someone else may not be at all helpful for you! Databanks on CompuServe which include the widest variety of choices are: @ IQUEST - A GATEWAY to hundreds of databanks and databases with a simple menu structure and professional searcher help with the command "SOS". Available year round and around the clock. Some databases offer full text articles and most may be ordered online through commercial document supply services. Extra cost is involved in ordering, but copyright fees are covered for you. The most expensive database provider on the service, but very comprehensive and convenient. @ KNOWLEDGE INDEX - A menu driven version for end users of most of the same databases provided by the DIALOG Information System. ONLY AVAILABLE after 6 p.m. your local time or on weekends, but very inexpensive. Simple to use, and full text of many articles is available online. Others may be ordered from commercial document suppliers, at an extra cost which covers copyright fees. @ "DATABASE PLUS" collection from Information Access Corporation (IAC) Includes BUSINESS, HEALTH, COMPUTER, & General MAGAZINE collections. ALL articles are available in full text at reasonable cost online, and the service is available at all times. Moderate cost for searching time and simple menu structure. Contents are not primarily from scholarly sources, however, but from popular magazines and newsletters. ** SEARCHING TIPS & TECHNIQUES Here are a few hints and tips to help you make the most of your database searching dollars! @ PLAN your STRATEGY before you sign on. Do your thinking offline where it costs you nothing! @ DIVIDE your subject into CONCEPTS, and use those to pick out key terms to use in your search. A thesaurus can be helpful! Look for synonyms in case your first choice term yields you nothing. Example Topic: selling computers to schools Concept 1 - selling or marketing Concept 2 - computers or PC's Concept 3 - schools or education @ COMBINE TERMS appropriately. BOOLEAN LOGIC is used in most databases, and combining is done using AND, OR, and NOT as combining concepts. Search terms can usually be enclosed in parentheses to clarify searching logic. AND gives items with BOTH terms in them = narrowing; OR gives items with EITHER term in them = broadening; NOT gives items with the first term in them, but NOT the second = narrowing. @ TRUNCATE & use WILDCARDS carefully. Truncating some words too far back can cause you trouble! Example: NURS# will find NURSES, NURSING, NURSERY, NURSERIES @ Open a CAPTURE or LOG file when you sign on. This prevents losing valuable information. Be sure and CLOSE the file when you log off, however! This file can be printed offline, where you're no longer being charged for time! @ ENTER search TERMS CAREFULLY. Typos are dangerous, and may retrieve nothing or something different than you expected! If possible, place your terms in a file and cut and paste them online. A COMPUTER can only MATCH EXACTLY what you enter! @ EXAMINE RESULTS carefully before ordering articles. Make sure they are relevant, complete, and current enough to be useful, and IN A LANGUAGE that you can read! @ DISPLAY RECORDS in a format, when you have a choice, that shows SUBJECT HEADINGS or DESCRIPTORS. Check what terms the indexers used to cover your concept and use those ideas to refine your search if necessary! ** EMAIL & PERSONAL NETWORK CONTACTS The Internet and its component networks, Bitnet, Usenet, and others, connect us closely and rapidly to new sources we haven't had access to before. These are SCHOLARS who communicate in this way with other scholars, LOCAL ARCHIVES and DATABASES at various locations, and MAILING LISTS and ARCHIVED MESSAGES. A rich new source is available here, but it should be treated critically and with caution! LOCAL DATABASES and ARCHIVES are usually good sources of public domain information, but they may not always be current, and they are almost never comprehensive! Material in them may be dated, or of only regional interest. Examine critically what you find there and verify the information in other current and published sources. There is often little quality control over these sources, and sometimes they may even be biased. ELECTRONIC MAIL and MAILING LISTS present a somewhat different problem. Scholars all over the world are available through these, and they may have valuable information and assistance to offer. However, answering questions rapidly online is less likely to foster comprehensiveness or provide authoritative sources. In fact, unless you know the reputation of a scholar who gives you a list of citations, or an opinion on an issue, (and how do you know a correspondent IS who he says he is?) you have no way of knowing how complete and authoritative the information is! Once again, TREAT IT CRITICALLY, VERIFY the sources, and use it as supplementary if it seems to be appropriate, but NEVER rely entirely on such material! One last caution: Beware of COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL found through these network sources. It may be changed in some respect from the original, (easy to accomplish on disk or in computer memory) or it may have been posted without the copyright holder's permission! Rather than put yourself and your research at risk, CHECK everything carefully, VERIFY citations, and go to the ORIGINAL SOURCES whenever possible. ========================================================================= *** OTHER TOPICS IN THIS SERIES: This lesson takes you beyond your own library into the world of shared resources and databases on commercial services and the Internet. There are many finer points, though, that will help make your efforts more complete. If you are interested in following up with these, look for other lessons on these topics. *** LIBRARY RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED *** *** REFERENCE BOOKS & HOW TO USE THEM *** *** MORE ON INDEXES & ABSTRACTING SERVICES *** *** MAKING USE OF MICROFORMS AND OTHER FORMATS *** *** GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS RESOURCE MATERIAL *** *** TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES *** ---------- End of Document