Welcome to TETC Fall 2001

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Welcome to TETC Fall 2001

• Creating an Online
• Reference Page

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Creating an OnlineReference Page
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A Librarians View of the Internet

• Provides massive quantities of data
• Requires extensive screening to cull needed
  information
• Concerns about reliability, authority, and
  authenticity
• Premium services available, but expensive

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Hardware-Related Issues

• Having a sufficient number of computers
• Finding space for desktop computers
• Funding for hardware
• Memory lock-ups/crashes
• Printer problems
• Student supervision

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HOWEVER
Despite the associated management issues, the
Internet is a vital and exciting ADDITION to the
resources of a modern (21st Century) library.
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Using the Internet for Reference
1. Know what resource to use and when a
particular resource would be advantageous.
2. Subscribe to TEL (Tennessee Electronic
Library To have access to premium resources that
would otherwise be very costly.
3. Know the capabilities and advantages of
different search engines and use those which are
most appropriate for your information needs.
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Premium Databases
A premium database is an online service which
provides access to a database upon payment of a
subscription fee. Ex. Proquest, Electric
Library, OED. These are excellent information
services, though online versions may not always
have full-text and graphics comparable to
the print version.
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TEL Tennessee Electronic Library
This premium database provides FREE ONLINE
ACCESS to Tennessee schools and libraries. This
service, supported by state and federal funds,
is administered by the Tennessee State Library
and Archives.
Register at the following address http//www.sta
te.tn.us/sos/statelib/tel/index.htm
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Choosing a Search Engine
Remember . . .
All Search Engines are NOT created equal !!
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Choosing a Search Engine
NOTE Though some resources, such as Yahoo and
Magellan are directories rather than actual
Search Engines, they will be examined with
the Search Engines as they are used in a similar
manner.
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Choosing a Search Engine

• Largest Coverage of the Web
• (Search Engine Showdown 10-29-2001)
• Google!
• Fast (All the Web)
• MSN

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Choosing a Search Engine

• Largest Coverage of the Web
• (Lawrence Giles in Nature, Vol. 400, pp.
  107-109, 1999.)
• Northern Light
• AltaVista!
• Snap
• HotBot
• MSN Search
• Infoseek
• Google
• Yahoo
• Excite
• Lycos

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Choosing a Search Engine

• Largest Coverage of the Web
• (SearchEngineWatch.com)
• Google
• Fast (All the Web)
• Northern Light
• HotBot (Inktomi)
• iWon (Inktomi)
• AltaVista
• YahooGoogle
• Excite
• YahooInktomi

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Choosing a Search Engine

• Accuracy
• John Dvorak, PC Magazine
• Lycos
• AltaVista!
• Northern Light

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Choosing a Search Engine

• Popularity
• Sharah Thomas, Computer Shopper, 10-14-1999
• Yahoo!
• Go.com
• Lycos
• Excite
• AltaVista!

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Choosing a Search Engine
User Friendliness Google! And Raging
Search Yahoo and Yahooligans (Yahoo for
Kids!) Natural Language Ask Jeeves and
AltaVista Pictures and Sounds Lycos
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Choosing a Search Engine

• BEST
• SquirrelNet's Top 20 Search Engines
• We rate the search engines based on the value
  they
• add to your internet experience. We focus on
  quality
• rather than size.
• GoTo.com
• Yahoo!
• Google
• Sprinks
• About.com

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Choosing a Search Engine

• My Recommendation
• Google
• HotBot
• AltaVista!
• Northern Light

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Using Search Engines

• Know the Capabilities of the Search Engine
• How does it search?
• Does it allow Boolean operators?
• (and, or, not etc.)
• Does it allow natural language?

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Using Search Engines

• Select Search Terms Carefully
• Begin by being as specific and restrictive as
  possible.
• Broaden search if necessary using synonyms.
• Use Boolean operators (and, or, not etc.)
• Use natural language engines to broaden search.

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Using Search Engines

• Use More Than One Search Engine

• No single search engine covers the entire
  Internet.
• Each Search engine has strengths and weaknesses
• Choose the search engines most likely to meet
• your particular research needs.

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Using Search Engines

• Use Meta- Search Engines Carefully

• Search a variety of search engines
  simultaneously.
• Strength Large number of hits.
• Weakness Many extraneous hits.
• Example Dogpile, Mamma

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Using Search Engines
Guides for Further Study The Scout Toolkit Ask
Scott How to Search the Web Sink or Swim
Internet Search Tools Techniques Mining
Companys Web Search Guide Power Searching for
Anyone The Spiders Apprentice Search Engine
Showdown
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Why Create an Online Reference Page??
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Guide Your Students to the Best Sites!
Guide your students to the most effective
information sites and search engines by
creating your own web site with links to the
sites you want them to access and set it as the
default home page on your browser. For example
Talbott Virtual Library B.J.
Pinchbecks Homework Helper
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Where Do I Begin?

• Create page using Netscape Composer or other
• user-friendly software (i.e. Microsoft
  Front Page).
• Post page on your local school or system website
  or host
• on free site such as Geocities.
• Set as the homepage on the computer your students
  will
• use to access the internet.

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Creating a Web Page WithNetscape Composer