Iconn.org Connecticut

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Iconn.orgConnecticuts Digital Library

• Martha Burr
• Library Media Specialist
• Farmington High School

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What is Iconn.org?

• Statewide public library online supported through
  your tax dollars
• Available at schools, public libraries, and in
  homes
• Provides access to
• Research databases digital collections
• Recommended websites organized by topic
• Library web pages and catalogs throughout state

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Allows you to search without a library card
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A federated search allows you to search
all resources at once.
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Link to specific databases. (This is your most
useful link. Well get back to this later)
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Takes you to most popular magazines To
e-journal finder
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Helps you locate specific journals, magazines
newspapers
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Allows you to search for books and magazines in
academic, public and school libraries
throughout the state.
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Link to specific Databases (Your most
important link.)
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This page is organized around general
categories. Each link takes you to a unique
digital collection/database.
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What is a database?

• Information is purchased from original sources or
  written by database company.
• Information is previewed by information
• specialists to check for reliability
• Information is organized so that users can
• more easily access relevant information.

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How do I use databases?

• Databases have similar characteristics
• They organize content around subjects
• They organize around date of publication
• They allow you to limit your search so you can
  target most relevant information
• They allow you to organize your results and then
  share them digitally
• Lets look at an example Infotrac Student
  Edition

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Publication Search allows you to browse select
specific publications
Basic Search Most like Google but check limiters
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Infotrac Student Edition

• Facts 1100 resources

Provides a list of all publications available
through this source. Most databases provide such
a list.
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Establish extensive limiters to narrow search
Ways for students To read, save share document
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Lets Play! Thats the only way to get
comfortable with these tools.
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Most useful databases for high school students?

• Infotrac Student Edition
• Academic Onefile
• iCONN Newsstand
• Health and Wellness Resource Center

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Benefits and Disadvantages to Databases

• Benefits
• Access to a wide range of high quality resources
• Resources have been previewed organized
• Familiarity with one database helps skill in
  searching others

• Disadvantages
• Successful searching takes practice
• Each database is slightly different
• Students are often more concerned with speed
  rather than quality
• Databases are not as intuitive as Google

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