Reference Sources Origin Evaluation and Use cont Evaluation

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Reference Sources: Origin, Evaluation and Use (cont. )

Reference Sources: Origin, Evaluation and Use (cont. )

Evaluation of Sources • quality of sources determined; suitability for inclusion in the library’s

Evaluation of Sources • quality of sources determined; suitability for inclusion in the library’s reference collection • evaluation criteria for print sources, non-print (manuscripts, multimedia, electronic) • criteria that apply to all sources (Bopp & Smith, p. 312316) • special evaluation criteria for a type of source (Bopp & Smith, Katz)

 why evaluate and review new information sources? • raise the standard for producers

why evaluate and review new information sources? • raise the standard for producers • pushing producers to meet the standards set by the information provider community that represent the needs of the users of information

General Evaluation Criteria Authority Scope Treatment Arrangement Format Special features Cost

General Evaluation Criteria Authority Scope Treatment Arrangement Format Special features Cost

General Evaluation Criteria authority 1. Authorship. What are the qualifications in experience and education

General Evaluation Criteria authority 1. Authorship. What are the qualifications in experience and education of the author, authors, contributors, and editors by reputation and as revealed in previous works? 2. Auspices. What is the reputation of the publisher or the sponsoring agency? 3. Genealogy. Is the work new? If it is based on previous publication, what is the extent of the revision?

General Evaluation Criteria scope 4. Purpose. To what extent is the statement of purpose

General Evaluation Criteria scope 4. Purpose. To what extent is the statement of purpose in the preface fulfilled in the text? 5. Coverage. What is the range of subject matter and what are the limitations? 6. Recency. How up to date is the material? Are all of the articles and bibliograpies as recent as the last copyright date? 7. Bibliographies. To what extent do the bibliographies indicate scholarship and send the user on to additional information?

General Evaluation Criteria treatment 8. Accuracy. How thorough, reliable and complete are the facts?

General Evaluation Criteria treatment 8. Accuracy. How thorough, reliable and complete are the facts? 9. Objectivity. Is there any bias in controversial issues? How balanced is the space given one subject as compared with others of equal importance? 10. Style. Is the writing level that of the layman or the scholar, adult, or child? How readable is the work?

General Evaluation Criteria arrangement 11. Sequence. Does the sequence of content follow classified, chronologic,

General Evaluation Criteria arrangement 11. Sequence. Does the sequence of content follow classified, chronologic, geographic, tabular or alphabetic order? If alphabetic, are the topics large or small? 12. Indexing. Is the main text arrangement adequately complemented by indexes and cross references

General Evaluation Criteria format 13. Physical make-up. Do binding, paper, type, and layout meet

General Evaluation Criteria format 13. Physical make-up. Do binding, paper, type, and layout meet minimum specifications? 14. Illustrations. Are the illustrations of good quality, are they of real significance and are they directly related to the text?

General Evaluation Criteria special features 15. Distinction. What features distinguish this information source (reference

General Evaluation Criteria special features 15. Distinction. What features distinguish this information source (reference book) from all others? 16. Comparative values. How does the work compare to similar titles? Reviews: are they favorable?

 Electronic Formats General Evaluation Criteria • electronic media evaluation demands expanded expertise but

Electronic Formats General Evaluation Criteria • electronic media evaluation demands expanded expertise but the basics developed for reviewing print materials remain the basis for reviews in any format • the following questions should be asked, going beyond the wonder of recall value, or the perceived ease of use

Electronic Formats General Evaluation Criteria • • Who is the progenitor of this information?

Electronic Formats General Evaluation Criteria • • Who is the progenitor of this information? Upon what authority is it presented? What is the expertise of the providers? How accurate, in depth, comprehensive, and up-to-date is it? Who is its audience? What does it deliver in terms of its medium? How does it compare to its print or CD-ROM version or to similar products in the same or other formats? • Is it cheaper, easier, faster, more user-friendly than the alternative?

Future Developments for Reference Titles Katz predicts that the future of information sources is

Future Developments for Reference Titles Katz predicts that the future of information sources is in an electronic format Ps to Es

Future Developments • traditionally available in print format but increasingly alternative formats (CD ROM

Future Developments • traditionally available in print format but increasingly alternative formats (CD ROM format, online databases) • increased specialization in subject matter is another anticipated development in how information will be provided • revolution in information delivery (networked context of information distribution, document delivery services, and full texts available electronically • increasing sophistication of the end-user in searching and accessing information

What is Stable in the Process of Migration? • • ? ? forms of

What is Stable in the Process of Migration? • • ? ? forms of information sources? ways in which they are created?

Future Developments: Ps to Es Information may now be stored electronically in such a

Future Developments: Ps to Es Information may now be stored electronically in such a way that divisions among encyclopedias, biographies, and government documents are no longer needed. A vast electronic database of reference material includes all these. Sitting at a computer one is able to search not just an index, not just a bibliography, but many forms of reference works at the same time. (Katz 1996, Vol. 1, 24)

Future Developments: Ps to Es With that, though, it is necessary to appreciate the

Future Developments: Ps to Es With that, though, it is necessary to appreciate the reference librarian who can differentiate sources of information (index or encyclopedia, yearbook or government document) and is able to ascertain what is likely to be best for the individual with a query. Forms, therefore, remain and will continue to remain important as guides to types of content, reliability, relative currency, and so on. So no matter how the sources are bunched together electronically, it is imperative to be able to differentiate fruit as an orange, an apple, or a pear. (Katz 1996, Vol. 1, 24)

What is Variable? • their structuring (as database, or sequential list with indexes for

What is Variable? • their structuring (as database, or sequential list with indexes for additional entry points) • their displays and interfaces (print, digital) may be distinctly diverse in print, CD ROM, online, or electronic library format

Ps to Es • print sources may become obsolete in providing information • the

Ps to Es • print sources may become obsolete in providing information • the ability to evaluate content and its delivery will remain crucial skills of information professionals

Implications for Reference? • it pays to think about what each source type is

Implications for Reference? • it pays to think about what each source type is likely to offer in terms of information delivery • and predictable, stable features, and queries that it is fit to answer

The Structure of Information • information can be represented by a set of entities

The Structure of Information • information can be represented by a set of entities connected by relationships • entities: • bibliographic objects (books, documents) , authors names, names of publishers • relationships: • Book <has author> Name of Author • attributes: • Names of authors (as atrributes of books)

The Structure of Information • entity-relationship model provides basis for the mastery of essential

The Structure of Information • entity-relationship model provides basis for the mastery of essential functions in information handling • analyzing a search topic • analyzing a data base or reference tool so as to better exploit it in searching and designing

The Structure of Information Entity 1 First person ssn Attrib 1 Fname Attrib 2

The Structure of Information Entity 1 First person ssn Attrib 1 Fname Attrib 2 Lname Attrib 3 Hphone Attrib 4 WPhone Attrib 5 Time * ** ***** Entity 2 Second person ssn. . . Entity N Nth person's ssn * ** ***** values will be the first names of the students values will be the last names of students values will be 10 -digit phone numbers as 703 -1234 values will be 10 -digit phone numbers values will be hour, minute, that student leaves for class, as 6: 10

The Structure of Information • same principles of information structure (entityrelationship model) can be

The Structure of Information • same principles of information structure (entityrelationship model) can be used for the analysis of reference tools • objective: analysis may suggest uses for which the reference tool was not originally intended • Case (Soergel 1985): Chamber’s Biographical Dictionary

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example HANSOM, Joseph Aloysius (1803 -82), English inventor and architect,

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example HANSOM, Joseph Aloysius (1803 -82), English inventor and architect, born at York, invented the ‘Patent Safety (Hansom) Cab’ in 1834 and designed Birmingham town hall and the R. C. Cathedral at Plymouth From: Chamber’s Biographical Dictionary

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example HANSOM, Joseph Aloysius (1803 -82), English inventor and architect,

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example HANSOM, Joseph Aloysius (1803 -82), English inventor and architect, born at York, invented the ‘Patent Safety (Hansom) Cab’ in 1834 and designed Birmingham town hall and the R. C. Cathedral at Plymouth Entity types? Relationships between these entities?

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example Entity types? Person Profession Place Date Technical product Building

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example Entity types? Person Profession Place Date Technical product Building Relationships between these entities? Person <was born on> Date Person <designed> Building Technical product <was invented> Date

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example Information available to answer questions: Who invented the patent

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example Information available to answer questions: Who invented the patent safety cab? What English inventors lived in the nineteenth century? When was the patent safety cab invented? When was the Roman Catholic cathedral at Plymouth built?

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example Application: • designing reference tools (content, retrieval features) •

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Example Application: • designing reference tools (content, retrieval features) • analyzing (a data base or reference tool) so as to better exploit it in searching and designing indexes • analyzing a search topic (is this what users are likely to ask)

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Assignment Using the notion of a matrix as a convenient

Analyzing Reference Tools: An Assignment Using the notion of a matrix as a convenient way of organizing for retrieval, locate four of the sources listed here and develop matrixes of entity-attribute relationships for each. The result of your study will be four or more tables on which you will have labeled representative entities and attributes, and a description of some values that could be found in the cells of the matrix. The sources: 1. American Library Directory 2. The Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature 3. Library Literature 4. A Bible with Concordance