Week 3

Library Catalog

Library catalog

A library Cart Catalog - a file cabinet containing individual cards with bibliography information about specific items in the library.

 

OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue )

Computerized online catalog of all the materials held in a library and can be searched quickly and efficiently using a computer.

Since the mod-1980,the physical card catalog has been replaced with a computerized catalog called an OPAC .

 

Why do I need to know about the OPAC?

• Allow you to do a better job of locating books and other materials available through our libraries as well as other libraries.
• This can be a big help and time-saver in your search for information that is needed for papers or projects.

What can be found in the OPAC ?

• The Online Library Catalog contains a record for each book,audiovisual and periodical in library collection.
• The catalogs of other libraries contain the same types of information about items in their collections.
• The records tell you where the items can be found,if they are available for checkout,overdue of item and also provide information about the format of the resource.

Type of Searching

1. Browse
2. Keyword
3. Reserve: a reserve item ( an item that the instructor has set aside for use by his or her students only )
4. Expert

Browse Search

From the searching page of Library catalogue, you may enter the subject, title or topic that you would like to search for at the search box and press search button.

This is the example of AIU browse search

 

 

Keyword Search

The keyword search screen lets you…

* Search for terms using several categories which may include Author, Title, Subject, ISBN, ISSN, LCCN or anywhere.

* Select the nature of the search, e.g. to search for all or any of your search terms; and

* Filter your search results using the categories of Languages, Location, Place of Publication and Format.

* Using heading keyword search categories

* Using search filters

* Get the details on Location, call number as well as Status for your reference

Expert Search

 

An expert search lets you do a precision search using a combination of keywords, search categories, search operators, and parentheses.

• Select a database to search

• Type your search terms in the text box labeled Search Terms

Search Tools:

Internet

Internet as Information Environment

• A web search engine is designed to search for information on the World Wide Web.
• No “direct” searching of other computers - access to search tools only.
• —Search tools search through limited lists of sites.
• —The information may consist of web pages, images, information and other types of files.

What is an Internet ?

Internet is an electronic network that connect personal computers and organizational

computer/others around the world.The internet is available to anyone with computer, connections and Internet Service Provider.Internet called as Information Superhighway

Search Tools: Internet

 

* Search Engines

* Meta-search Engines

* Information Gateways

* Subject Directories

* Specialised Database

Search Engines:-

* A search engine is designed to search for information on the World Wide Web.

—* Search engine use computer software that makes the WWW searchable using keywords and phrases.

—* Internet has many different search engine to find information.

—* Compiled by spiders (computer-robot programs), mechanically building database of references.

*— Matches searched-for keywords with words in full text of selected web pages.

* —Number of pages searched can vary from small number to 90% of the web

 

Meta-search Engines

 

Is a multiple data sources (searches multiple search engines from a single search page)
—Meta search engines is search tool that sends user requests to several other search engines or databases and aggregates the results into a single list .
—In a meta-search engine, you submit keywords in its search box, and it transmits your search simultaneously to several individual search engines and their databases of web pages.
—Meta-search engines do not own a database of Web pages; they send your search terms to the databases maintained by search engine companies.

—Examples of meta search engines:

- MetaCrawler (http://www.metacrawler.com)

- Dogpile (http://www.dogpile.com)

-Excite (http://www.excite.com)

Information Gateways

* The Information Gateway provides a central access point to the internet for a wide range of internet sites covering many popular news and information resources.

—* Information gateway-type resources include Internet catalogues, subject directories, virtual libraries and gateways.

* —Organised into hierarchical subject categories

—* Compiled by people, not robots

* —More focus on sifting for relevance and quality

* —Specialising in resources on a particular field.

—
Note :

The Information Gateway is good for : Topics that fall into a thematic area that has a subject directory, guided browsing in your subject area

The Information Gateway is not good for : Quickly finding information from widely varying themes.

Subject Directories

* Subject Directory: a collection of links to large number of internet resources organized by topic area.

* —Commercial subject directories are general in nature and are much less selective.

* —Academic & professional directories usually are maintained by experts who need credible information.

—Example of subject directories:

INFOMINE (http://infomine.ucr.edu)

The Internet Public Library (www.ipl.org)

Specialised Databases

 Also known as the “invisible web” - pages of content not reached by robots.

* —It is called “invisible” because it is out of the reach of the “spiders” and their search tools.

* —It includes Statistics, schedules, maps, figures

—* These types of pages used to be invisible but can now be found in most search engine results

—* Pages in non-HTML formats (pdf, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), converted into HTML.

—* Using database in specialized database can save a time and give u a reliable, up-to-date information.

* —It is indexed that can be searched, much like the search engines.