THE LITERATURE OF LIBRARIANSHIP

1

• THE LITERATURE OF LIBRARIANSHIP

LS 501 Introduction to Library
Information Studies
c. Summer 2006 Updated 2008
2
BUT FIRST

• Some handy-dandy tips
• Definitions
• Googling
• URLs
• Domain names
• Backtracking
• Search engines Subject guides
• Pathfinders
• Evaluating websites

3
Finding Definitions and Understanding Terminology

• ODLIS http//lu.com/odlis/
• Googling definitions
• www.google.com
• Enter definition word or phrase
• Google options

4
My name is URL .

• URL Universal Resource Locator an Internet
  World Wide Web Address.
• Domain name unique address on the Internet
  also referred to as Internet name or Internet
  address domain names are also referred to as
  Uniform Resource Locaters or URLs.
• Domain Name Servers (DNS) DNS is used to point a
  domain name to the server where the actual site
  is stored. The name server details are provided
  by the web hosting providers. eg.suffixes
• IP Internet Protocol
• Because the Internet is based on IP addresses,
  not domain names, every Web server requires a
  Domain Name System (DNS) server to translate
  domain names into IP addresses.

5
Domain Names

• Domain name a name that identifies one or more
  IP addresses.
• Tthe domain name microsoft.com represents about a
  dozen IP addresses.
• Domain names are used in URLs to identify
  particular Web pages.
• For example, in the URL http//www.pcwebopedia.com
  /index.html, the domain name is pcwebopedia.com.
  Every domain name has a suffix that indicates
  which top level domain (TLD) it belongs to. There
  are only a limited number of such domains. For
  example
• Every domain name has a suffix that indicates
  which top level domain name (TLD) it belongs to.
  There are only a limited number of such domains.
• gov - Government agencies
• edu - Educational institutions
• org - Organizations (nonprofit)
• mil - Military
• com - commercial business
• net - Network organizations
• ca - Canada uk United Kingdom au
  Australia, etc.
• See the list of Domain Extensions and the
  countries they coincide with in the Quick
  Reference section of Webopedia.
• Also see Registering a Domain Name in the Did You
  Know section of Webopedia.

6
BACKTRACKING THE URL

• Why backtrack?
• To locate root source
• To locate information about the web page and its
  authors/producers/sponsors
• www.laurenpressley.com/projects/millennials/paper.
  doc
• www.laurenpressley.com/projects
• www.laurenpressley.com

7
SEARCH ENGINES SUBJECT GUIDES

• Use a Search Engine, which is a machine-generated
  searching technique that locates words within
  webpage titles, addresses, and text.  This
  technique is best used to locate a great deal of
  information or "hits" on a particular topic or to
  locate a specific title that is already known (as
  in the title of a webpage, song, article,
  etc.).   Be aware that search engines may locate
  thousands or hundreds of thousands of poor
  choices.  For information on search engines and
  how they operate, go to the Search Engine Watch
  site.  Google, which arranges hits by relevance,
  is a highly recommended search engine. 
• Use a Subject Guide when you need more
  assistance.  A Subject Guide is usually developed
  and maintained by professional librarians or
  information specialists who organize web sites by
  specific subject headings.  Because the content
  is reviewed by some means, there is usually
  higher percentage of relevant hits on search
  terms.  Some Subject Guides may be
  machine-generated, based on the number of times a
  term appears in a document. Most college and
  public libraries that are online provide
  recommended subject lists of web resources.
• Use a source that includes Review Sites.  These
  sources provide professional reviews to websites,
  which means the content has been reviewed and
  evaluated according to criteria for good
  communication on the WWW.  These sources are
  useful in identifying the best and most reliable
  resources among millions available.  Some Search
  Engines and Subject Guides have review or
  recommended sections.  For the best results in a
  comprehensive search, use more than one search
  engine, subject guide, or review source.  Each
  search tool has "help" sections which provide
  more detailed information to help improve
  searching.
•  
• http//www.sheltonstate.edu/content2.aspx?PageID4
  99rec20search20engines

8
EXAMPLES OF SUBJECT GUIDES

• Toolkit for the Expert Web Searcher (Ensor/LITA)
  http//www.ala.org/ala/lita/litaresources/toolkitf
  orexpert/toolkitexpert.htm
• Librarians Index to the Internet Websites You
  Can Trust (UC/Berkeley) http//lii.org/
• UA Libraries Subject Guides www.lib.ua.edu/subjgui
  des

9
PATHFINDERS

• A subject bibliography designed to lead the user
  through the process of researching a specific
  topic, or any topic in a given field or
  discipline, usually in a systematic, step-by-step
  way, making use of the best finding tools the
  library has to offer. Pathfinders may be printed
  or available online. See also topical guide.
  (from ODLIS)
• Particularly good for library instruction/orientat
  ion in school and academic libraries
• Helps librarians organize their presentations,
  understand a subject field, and prepare for
  students/library users
• Common service provided by librarians for their
  users (and for each other)
• How can we find examples online?

10
TYPICAL PATHFINDER (Print Electronic)

• Guides to the literature
• Dictionaries, encylopedias, glossaries
• Subject headings, search terms (now keyword
  searching often supersedes the need for subject
  headings) for finding books
• Indexes databases
• Important journals in the field
• Almanacs statistical sources
• Specialized reference works or topics (e.g.,
  Library of Congress, history of librarianship,
  services for young adults)
• Other resources (people, places, organizations,
  etc.)

11
LIS PATHFINDERS

• Library Information Science
• http//web.lib.usf.edu/ref/ifrank/guides/lis.html
  
• Internet Public Library
• http//www.ipl.org/div/pf/

12
Evaluating Websites

• See How to Find Good Information on the Web on
  the Shelton State library website, also linked to
  your LS501 syllabus page online.
• http//faculty.sheltonstate.edu/7Edgrimes/howtoev
  al.01.html

13
Why is it important to know the literature of the
field?

• To identify the core beliefs, understandings,
  history, and content in the field
• To understand the traditions, language, ethics of
  the field
• To identify key authors and titles, historical
  and current, in the field
• To identify resources that point to other
  publications in the field (e.g., guides to the
  literature, review journals, bibliographies,
  etc.)
• To know when to choose and when to reject
  publications (or other resources) in the field
• To identify all formats in which resources in the
  field are published (both formal and informal)

Understanding the literature of a field is what
makes someone an expert in the field and/or an
expert subject bibliographer/cataloger.
14
What is meant by literature of the field?

• Record of scholarship within a particular field
• Classics
• Authors
• Publishers/Producers
• Titles
• Languages
• Historical vs. cutting edge
• Formal vs. informal sources
• National international (languages)

15
Types/Sources of Literature of a Field

• Formal Sources
• Books (monographs)
• Periodicals other serials
• Abstracts, indexes and databases
• Reference works
• Classics in the field
• Dictionaries, handbooks, encyclopedia,
  directories, etc.
• Metadata bibliography
• Associations, societies, agencies, organizations
• Informal Sources
• Conference papers, proceedings (live and
  electronic)
• Associations, societies, agencies, organizations
• Blogs?
• Grey literature the Invisible College
  (http//www.greynet.org/ )

16
What Is Grey Literature?

• Material which might not be formally published,
  such as institutional reports. It can be
  difficult to trace, but the MOPS Unit can
  help.http//www.lib.gla.ac.uk/welcome/jargon.shtm
  l
• Working documents, pre-prints, research papers,
  statistical documents, and other
  difficult-to-access materials that are not
  controlled by commercial publishers. Also spelled
  Gray literature.http//lanic.utexas.edu/project/l
  aoap/glossary.html
• Non-conventional literature (NCL, also called
  grey literature) comprises scientific and
  technical reports, patent documents, conference
  papers, internal reports, government documents,
  newsletters, factsheets and theses, which are not
  readily available through commercial channels.
  NCL specifically does not include normal
  scientific journals, books or popular
  publications that are available through
  traditional commercial publication channels.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_literature

17
How do you find out what the literature of the
field includes? Where do you find it?

• Textbooks, reading lists
• Classes (professional education)
• Professional associations
• Indexes databases (which periodicals are
  included)
• Reference works

18
How To Find Good Information on the Web

• http//www.sheltonstate.edu/Faculty05.aspx?PageID
  869

19
COMING UP NEXT

• 5000 years of library history!