Information Science Today

Discovering Librarianship.

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:37:22 +0000

Recently, I have read in some of the major library journals about how concerned library professionals are because there aren’t enough young people joining the profession. Some say it’s because it can be difficult to go to library school, either for financial reasons or geographic reasons. There aren’t that many graduate schools in library science, and frequently students have to travel long distances to get to school (I have to drive about 1 1/4 hours each way to my school in Connecticut from my home in Massachusetts). What I think is the problem is that there has been limited access to information about librarianship.

For a long time, I had wondered about what librarians did, where they went to school, how they found their jobs (I didn’t see very many librarian jobs come up in the local newspaper) and what they talked and wrote about in their journals and conferences. It seemed there was no way to find out, because the books and journals were frequently kept away from the public in my public library, probably in their offices downstairs. Later, when I went to law school and worked in its library, I discovered that the librarians kept the library science collection of books and periodicals down near their offices. Of course, it was more efficient to keep the books and things down there, and there did not seem to be too much call for them by patrons. But it might keep prospective librarians from reading up on the profession, because they may be curious enough to read the literature if they happen upon it, they may not want to be bothered to ask the librarian. They might also be too afraid to ask the librarian to bring it up from the downstairs offices. No wonder they can’t get more people to become librarians!
Here comes the Internet

What might help spread the word about the profession is the Internet. It turns out that librarians have been setting up a lot of resources for themselves online, setting up websites, electronic discussion and mailing lists (there are several dedicated to jobs), and all sorts of documents and journals on library-related topics. This is where my website comes in. I have added links to the library-related links page that have been created by people either in or about to enter the library profession, organizations and individuals alike. My goal is to get well-organized and prepared sites, with enough links to other good sites in these areas, so that someone who may want to become a librarian (or who is simply curious about what librarians talk about) can find out what goes on. I also intend to put on my law links page legal topics of interest to librarians, interpreted in terms of librarians’ and libraries’ needs (such as copyright). Interspersed with the links will be original writing from me on at least some of the things concerning librarians. There will be links to related sites of interest at the bottom of each essay. Those are my plans for the website, along with online links to legal topics, Internet and database search tips, and hints on how to research the law and what sources to use.

FULL SPEED AHEAD ON THE INTERNET

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:32:22 +0000

Students reports will never be the same. Teaching research skills in the library media center will never again be a pale imitation of real-life information searches.

Thanks to telecommunications that make it possible for everyone to tap into the world’s databases and contact experts of every description, information itself will never again be confined to books and classrooms.

What has not changed is your role in leading young people to information sources. The job has never been more complex, or bigger. This special supplement to the Linworth magazines is designed to prepare you for the challenges!

Harnessing Internet Resources for the Student Researcher ~ Take the Internet Challenge: Using Technology in Context ~ Citing Internet Resources ~ Schools That Are Using the Internet: Who Are They? ~ Internet Tips ~ Guidelines for Using the Internet

Harnessing Internet Resources for the Student Researcher.

Simpson — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:21:26 +0000

What the Internet entails and that it is an instructional resource, not a subject in itself, are two main concepts to understand before attempting to integrate the Net into a school’s curriculum. New users sometimes have difficulty fathoming the expanse of the Internet’s holdings. The school library may have one or two resources on a given topic. By contrast, the Internet may produce such a flood of information that the re-searcher is overwhelmed. And, if the researcher chooses to venture into the morass of data, the problem then becomes one of evaluating its quality and authenticity.

Compare the Internet to a large library. One wouldn’t expect to be able to locate and retrieve all types of information at once. Learning to use the Internet is similar to learning to use a library; and, Internet skills, like library skills, are best taught in conjunction with real assignments. For example, for a lesson in maps one might look for atlases. For a lesson on weather, one might look for accurate and current Internet sites that provide constantly changing weather maps, radar data or temperatures. The actual resource, and even the type of resource, can be selected based on the lesson objectives, ages and maturity levels of the students, and the type of Internet connection available.

Selecting Services
Many users assume that using the Internet means using graphical browsers such as Mosaic or Netscape. These programs and their kin are powerful tools, but there are also other facets of the Internet that are appropriate for classroom use. Teachers should consider classroom organization before selecting tools. Will this be a cooperative and collaborative activity? Could there be work involving groups in different locations? E-mail, telephone, video or chat software might be appropriate for students in remote locations across town, across the country, or around the world who are working on joint projects.
Other projects might require more individual research. Especially in the middle grades, students are often permitted to select their own topics. Frequently students select topics for which the library has few, if any, resources. With the wealth of information on the Internet, especially on current topics, using one of the powerful Internet “search engines”, software programs such as AltaVista, Web Crawler, Lycos or Yahoo will produce usable resources. All these “engines” are also available through nongraphical browsers such as Lynx, if your network connection does not support the heavy demands of graphics.

The age of the student is important when teaching Internet resources. Electronic mail lends itself well to interdisciplinary projects because writing, grammar and spelling skills come into play along with math, science or social studies content. Almost as soon as students begin to write, they can compose simple e-mail messages. Typing the message provides keyboarding practice, and sending it involves little risk of exposing students to inappropriate materials on the Internet, especially if the teacher establishes the correspondence between classes or locates and assigns keypals.

Other Internet tools such as gophers and Veronica permit students to locate information while training them in logical thinking and organization as they follow the sequence of menus. Intermediate students can navigate “nested” menus if they know there is a gem buried within. (Nested menus lead to other menus.)

Here are a few questions to ask before choosing the type of Internet service to introduce:

What is the age of the student? Older students may be able to choose and use Internet services more accurately than younger ones.
What is the goal of the lesson? Does this type of information support this goal?
Can the Internet work effectively with the classroom organization pattern? Do students work alone? In groups?
How will the lesson be evaluated? Student paper handed in? Group presentation? Project format? Can the information retrieved be used successfully to support the final product?
Will students require graphics for their final product?
Evaluating Sources
The Internet is not always the best source of information for every topic. Research can still be successfully conducted in a traditional print library. The idea is to offer the Internet as another source, just as one would search Readers’ Guide, the card catalog or the vertical file. The student then must evaluate the information and select the most appropriate information to support the thesis of the paper or project.
Students can use one of several models to evaluate an Internet site to determine its accuracy and authority. Teachers must also evaluate sites for appropriateness, content and presentation. Here are some questions to ask when selecting an Internet resource for a specific assignment:

Does this site have all the necessary information for this assignment? If not, what will the student use to fill in the gaps?
Is the reading level of the site appropriate for the students? Many sites are put up by and for university students who may use sophisticated vocabulary.
Does the site offer links to games, chat rooms, or popular culture not associated with the assignment? Will students be lured from their task?
Is the site reliable? Can you count on it to be up and active during your class time?
Is the site heavily graphic? Some schools may find that accessing the graphic-intensive sites can be slow. Consider turning off graphics, using a text-only browser, or sticking with text-based resources such as gopher.
Does this site have a search engine? How can a student locate additional information buried under several layers of pages? An index or search capability makes it simpler for students (especially young students) to be successful searchers.
If you have a student who is not permitted to use the Internet, what resources will be available for him to use to complete the assignment?
Integrating the Internet into the curriculum is much like teaching library skills. The key is knowing what to teach, how to teach it, who is going to learn it, and why it is important. Thanks to new, comprehensive search engines, locating the resources will be simple. The hard part comes when students attempt to select the best information from the wealth that is available.
Carol Simpson is the Editor of
Technology Connection.

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A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT for Technology Connection, The Book Report, and Library Talk readers, September 2006.
For more information or a sample copy of Technology Connection, The Book Report, or Library Talk: (800)786-5017 or simpson@aol.com

Citing Internet Resources

Carol — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:47:46 +0000

How students should reference online sources in their bibliographies

Research. It’s one of the major reasons students use the Internet. Elementary and secondary students now rely on the Internet as a major fact-gathering tool. Just as students cite the books and periodicals they use to support their research, so must they also cite their online sources in their bibliographies. In fact, educators and students should understand that it’s perhaps more important to cite Internet sources, since the nature of the technology makes it easy to copy, cut, and paste between documents. Listing sites in a bibliography also makes students aware that their teachers can follow up on their work to check its veracity. Formal guidelines for citing online sources are beginning to evolve. The latest MLA Handbook contains citation information for electronic sources. In January, a group of educators formed an ad-hoc committee on an Internet discussion group to talk about electronic citations. The result of their discussions and debate follows. Keep in mind that these rules are still evolving, and that there are sure to be changes in the future. What follows are examples of how to cite seven different types of online information sources. For each type, we’ll show you how to structure
the citation, followed by two examples.

FTP
Structure
Author. Title of item. [Online] Available ftp: address, path/filename, date of document or download.

Examples

Hess, Hanna. Networking in the Information Age. [Online] Available ftp: 194.335.23.10, pub/research/internet/network.txt, February 5, 2006.
Gates, Gary. Shakespeare and his Muse. [Online] Available ftp: ftp.guten.net,gproject/texts/english/bard/research/muse.txt, March 1, 2006.
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E-Mail
Structure
Author of e-mail message. Subject line of the message. [Online] Available e-mail: student@address.edu from author@address.edu, date of message.

Examples

Robert, Eric. Nile Research Project results. [Online] Available e-mail: student1@smallvillehigh.edu from ert@informns.k12.mn.us, February 3, 2006.
Taylor, Barry. Hubble Space Telescope image enhancement techniques. [Online] Available e-mail: student2@exeter.high.edu from btaylor@hst.nasa.gov, January 23, 2005.

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World Wide Web
Structure
Author. Title of item. [Online] Available http://address/filename, date of document or download.

Examples

DiStefano, Vince. Guidelines for better writing. [Online] Available http://www.usa.net/~vinced/home/better-writing.html, January 9, 2006.
Yule, James. The Cold War Revisited: A Splintered Germany. [Online] Available http://usa.coldwar.server. gov/index/cold.war/countries/former. soviet.block/Germany/germany.html, March 5, 2006.

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Gopher
Structure
Author. Title of gopher item. [Online] Available gopher: address, path, date of document or download.

Examples

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Statistics for 4th Quarter 2005. [Online] Available gopher: agri.usda.gov, Department of Agriculture/Latest Statistics for 2005/4th Quarter Folder, January 28, 2006.
Chalmers, Andrea. Bosnia: A Country in Transition. [Online] Available gopher: nywer.net, Today’s News/World News/Bosnia-Herzegovina, February 5, 2006.

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Usenet Groups
Structure
Author. Title of item. [Online] Available usenet: group, date of post.

Examples

Brown, David. Educational Insights 2005. [Online] Available usenet: k12.ed.research, December 27, 2005.
Madige, Ellen. How to Build a Better Mousetrap. [Online] Available usenet: sci.tech.inventions.mousetrap, January 16, 2006.

Web sites about citations
Several web sites offer more information about citing electronic sources.

MLA Citation Guide URL: http://www.cas.usf.edu/ english/walker/mla.html
Citing Computer Documents URL: http://neal. ctstateu.edu/ history/cite.html
Williams College Library Web URL: http://www.williams.edu: 803/library/library.www/cite.html

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Telnet
Structure
Author. Title of item. [Online] Available telnet: address, path, date of document or download.

Examples

Brady, Larry E. Map of Iraqi Troop Movements for 1/9/96. [Online] Available telnet: fedworld.gov, Government Information/CIA/Maps/ Latest Maps/Iraq, January 10, 2006.
Jackson, Fred. Statistical Weather Data for Wisconsin, January 2006. [Online] Available telnet: weather.machine.umich.edu, Weather Data/January 2006/States/Zooms/ Data/Wisconsin, February 25, 2006.

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Online chat (IRC)
Structure
Name of online speaker. [Online] Available IRC: telnet , IRC channel name, date of session.

Examples

McBane, Lisa. [Online] Available IRC: telnet world.sensemedia.net: 6677, #egypt, March 8, 2006.
Frappe, Francois. [Online] Available IRC: telnet france.irc.edu:1234, #france, January 23, 2006.

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Reprinted with permission from the March, 2006 issue of Classroom Connect. For additional information call (800) 638-1639 or e-mail connect@classroom.net.

Schools that are using the Internet: who are they?

Humain — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:26:19 +0000

Over one-third of all public schools are known to be using the Internet according to preliminary numbers from Market Data Retrieval’s (MDR) 1996 K-12 technology survey. In addition, almost three-quarters of all districts have at least one school on the Internet.

From November 2000 until June 2005, MDR surveyed 10,400 public school districts concerning the specific types of technologies being used by each of their individual schools. In total, about 67,000 public schools were surveyed. The survey utilized a combination of direct mail and phone techniques and in all cases the contact person was the district-level or school-level technology coordinator.

The results we will share with you are preliminary as the survey was in the final stages when this information was assembled. The data shown reflects a 40% response rate or information on just shy of 27,000 schools. The respondent schools house 38% of the 44.4 million students that attended public schools during the 1995-96 school year. MDR anticipates receiving information on 30,000 schools when the survey is completed.

Since the Internet is accessed through a computer, understanding a few basic statistics relating to the presence of computers in public schools will be beneficial. There are 5 million computers currently being used in K-12 schools for instructional purposes, and the national average for computer intensity (the number of students per instructional computer) is nine. Ten years ago, during the 1985-86 school year, those same figures were 843,000 and 45 respectively. The numbers verify the dramatic growth in the presence of computers in public schools during the last decade. While there is a continued focus on improving the student to computer ratio, schools are also looking to replace aging computers with newer, more powerful models that can run the latest multimedia software. There is also a focus on cost-effective solutions such as networking systems, distance learning, and a host of newer technologies including accessing the Internet.

If one-third of all public schools are using the Internet, which third is it? The largest schools? The rural schools? Let’s quit guessing and instead take a closer look at the demographic makeup of the schools who are cruising the information highway.

When we examined schools by the type of metropolitan area they were located in (urban, suburban, rural), we found no significant variance. When we looked at the penetration in schools based on their yearly per-pupil spending level for all instructional materials (a reliable expenditure measure), we again found very little difference. From a geographical point of view, we found above-average penetration rates in schools located in the New England, Mountain, Northern Central, and Pacific Northwest states.

The charts shown below illustrate the school demographic variables which proved to be the most significant. The information contained in the charts allows us to gain an in-depth understanding of the specific types of public schools that are using the Internet. In our survey, schools could be accessing the Internet either through a commercial online service or through an alternative provider.

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School Type

Forty-three percent of all senior high schools use the Internet while less than 30% of elementary schools do.
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School Enrollment

The larger the school, the more likely it is to be using the Internet. Those schools with 500+ enrollment have access to the Internet at an above-average rate.
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School Poverty Level

Schools that are in districts with low poverty rates, and thus high incomes, have Internet access at an above-average rate. The greater the concentration of poor students in the district, the less likely the school are to have access to the Internet.
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School-Students Per Computer

The more favorable the student to computer ratio, the more likely the school is to have Internet access. Those schools at or better than the national average of nine students per computer have Internet access at an above-average rate.

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School Minority Enrollment

Those schools with low-medium minority (non-white) enrollments tend to have Internet access at an above average rate. Those schools with the highest levels of minority enrollment are the least likely to have access to the Internet.
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School Computer Quantity

Over 41% of schools with 50-plus computers are using the Internet versus only 13% of schools with 0-4 computers. There is a very strong correlation between the total number of computers in a school and the rate of Internet access.
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District Metro Area

On the district level, unlike the school level, we can see a trend when looking at metropolitan areas. Almost all districts located in urban areas have at least one school using the Internet whereas less than two-thirds of rural districts have at least one school on the Internet.
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On-Line/Internet District Applications

Now that we know which schools are using the Internet, the next logical question is – what are they using it for? On the district version of our survey only, we asked the district-level technology coordinator to tell us about the various applications which the Internet was being used for within their district. While information research was most often cited, we can see that over 60% of all districts are using the Internet for communication purposes. Over one-third have integrated this tool into the curriculum as well. Multiple answers were allowed on this question.

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A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT for Technology Connection, The Book Report, and Library Talk readers, September 2006.
For more information or a sample copy of Technology Connection, The Book Report, or Library Talk: (800)786-5017 or humain@aol.com

Internet Tips.

Alice — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:09:55 +0000

How to copy or save a GIF Image from Netscape
Hold down the mouse button on the image for one or two seconds and a pop-up menu will appear. Select “save this image as. . .” or “copy this image.” Save the image to your disk or temporarily leave it in the clipboard if you plan to immediately paste it in another document.
(Mary Alice Anderson)

Database of Web Addresses
Set up a “Good Curriculum Web Sites” database with ClarisWorks or another database program. Organize it to make sense for you, but three fields you should create are: address, curriculum area, and comment.

While you search the Internet with Netscape (or another browser) keep the database open. When you find a URL you wish to keep, copy it, toggle back to the database program, and paste it into the database file. Save often!
(Mary Alice Anderson)

Graphic conversion
Teach students and staff to use graphic conversion programs such as Graphic Converter and have it readily available. Graphic conversion is useful to convert a GIF file to a PICT file for inserting into programs such as ClarisWorks. Use the utility to reduce the number of colors and the physical size of a picture. Both of these reduction techniques will reduce the memory required for the picture. Graphics Converter can also be used to convert a PICT or painting file into a GIF graphic for use in Web pages.
(Mary Alice Anderson and Dennis Haase)

Speed and graphics
Turn off the autoload images feature of Netscape to speed up file access and to encourage students to stay on task when searching for information.
(Dennis Haase)

Use the mouse button to quickly move forward and back. Hold down the mouse button in any unlinkable text. Forward and back buttons allow you to move without going to the top of the screen menu or button bars.
(Dennis Haase)

Save time when setting up for class projects. Learn how your Internet browser stores bookmarks files. Generally the file is always saved as a standard filename. Rename the filename to something memorable (default.bmk?) and create a new bookmark file with sites specific to the coming lesson. When the lesson is completed, rename the bookmark file to an easily interpreted name (e.g. gravity.bmk) and change the original bookmark file back to its original name. This procedure allows you to retain your important sites for specific projects. Reminder: site names change. Check the validity of bookmarked sites before turning students loose on the browser if the bookmark file hasn’t been used in a while.
(Carol Simpson)

When transferring files via FTP, remember that all files may be transferred via binary mode, but only text files may be successfully transferred in ASCII mode.
(Carol Simpson)

If you plan to filter Internet access, check your filtering software to see if it excludes sites with a ~ (tilde) in the address. Personal home pages are frequently identified by a tilde, so your filter would exclude your own students’ pages!
(Carol Simpson)

Mary Alice Anderson is a Media Specialist at Winona (Minnesota) Middle School and Dennis Haase is a Network Specialist for Winona Public Schools. Carol Simpson is Editor of Technology Connection.

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Guidelines for Using the Internet.

Cathleen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:28:47 +0000

A few basic tips can go a long way in making sure students and staff have a successful Internet experience. These guidelines are intended as a checklist and reminders of some of the things to consider before implementing a class project. They were developed by myself and Mary Alice Anderson is a Media Specialist at Winona (Minnesota) Middle School, Boulder, Colorado. These guidelines are appropriate to all research and a reminder that the Internet is an information resource to be used with an information objective in mind. Students will usually be more successful if the teacher or media specialist gives them good directions and instruction before beginning a search.

Mary Alice Anderson is a Media Specialist at Winona (Minnesota) Middle School.

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Checklist

Teachers, have you

selected more than one relevant World Wide Web site?
set bookmarks or Web pages on the computers or saved a bookmark file to disk?
designed “thinking” questions for the students?
instructed the students in the mechanics of using the Internet (explained menus, taught them how to save, and download text and graphics)?
provided instruction about search strategies?
explained that all search engines do not provide the same results?
instructed the students in how to save/export bookmarks, download files and print only what is necessary?
scheduled the use of the computer labs or computers?
scheduled the use of projection devices?
made sure the necessary helper applications (such as graphic converters and other tools to help) are installed on the computers?
arranged for team-teaching with the media or technology specialists or others who can assist you?
talked with the students about Netiquette, including guidelines for downloading, saving, and printing?
developed “Plan B,” for students who cannot use the Internet or in case there are technical problems?
included Internet-specific directions to your students such as…
Did you pay careful attention to the instructions?
Did you look at all of the resources your teacher has pointed you to?
Did you record or bookmark URLs and any information you might want to use later?
Have you recorded information you will cite in your bibliography?
Did you answer all of the questions using your own words?
Did you investigate only project-related sites?

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A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT for Technology Connection, The Book Report, and Library Talk readers, September 2006.
For more information or a sample copy of Technology Connection, The Book Report, or Library Talk: (800)786-5017 or cathleen@yahoo.com

Take the Internet Challenge: Using Technology in Context

B. Eisenberg — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:07:05 +0000

Picture this: A slick salesman-type person, broad smile on his face, open arms, extolling, “Technology is the answer, of course. Now what was the question?”

Technology for technology’s sake. This is a common lament in education circles. And we aren’t alone in this. Businesses and government agencies also suffer from the same concern: technology being touted as an end in itself, the answer to our prayers.

Technology out of context. What a mess, and what a waste. If that wasn’t enough, now we have the same situation in relation to the Internet: “The Internet is the answer, of course. Now what was the question?”

Clearly, we must turn this around. The focus should be on the question – what do we want to accomplish in schools? Then, we must ask ourselves how can we use the Internet and other technologies in effective and efficient ways to reach our goals?

The Internet Challenge

For school library media programs the challenge is to use technology in general and the Internet specifically as a means to an end and not as an end in itself. Let’s call this the “Internet Challenge.” We want to focus on what we are trying to accomplish and how can the Internet help us to do so.

This Internet Challenge provides two tremendous opportunities for library media specialists. First, they are in an excellent position to meet this challenge within the library media program itself. Library media specialists can focus on their central functions of information services and information skills instruction and the use of the Internet meaningfully to meet those goals. Second, and even more importantly, library media specialists can play a key role in helping the entire school meet the Internet Challenge. Their experience with curriculum-focused information services and integrated information skills instruction places library media specialists in a direct and unique position to help classroom teachers integrate the Internet into everyday learning and teaching.

Meeting the Internet Challenge means continually focusing on the fundamentals of vision and purpose. The mission statement from Information Power (AASL/AECT, 1988) offers an energetic and essential vision for library media programs: “…the mission of the library media program is to ensure that students…are effective users of ideas and information.”

In an information society, there is no mission more important. Library media specialists can accomplish this vital mission by providing essential information services (including access to collections, help and referral, and reading guidance) and teaching essential information literacy skills (as a full process, not just location and access to resources).

In terms of technology and the Internet, it’s not “the library” and “technology,” it’s the Library including all information systems and resources used for learning and teaching. Students and teachers shouldn’t be thinking about the search for information in terms of using “the libraryÓ and then “the Internet.” We want them to think about using the Library, which includes the Internet. Today and in the future, the concept of Library should encompass the full range of information resources – electronic and print.

While this concept of a unified library is certainly not a new one, there is a tendency to lose sight of it among the complexities of new and emerging information systems and the ever-changing technological environment. In addition, our own library media systems sometimes work against the unified vision. For example, rather than a common access point and interface to all electronic resources, in too many situations we still have an online catalog separate from the full-text resources and separate again from access to the Internet. This doesn’t necessarily require a common search system across all resources (although that might be nice), it simply requires that the system includes easy intellectual and physical access to all resources and networks that we would include under the concept of Library.

Commercial library systems should foster and encourage the concept by providing mechanisms for combining local and global systems along with site licensing agreements that allow us to offer Library on every workstation in the school and community.

But library media specialists aren’t the only ones focusing on information resources and technology. Many teachers and administrators are getting involved with bringing the Internet and CD-ROM resources into their schools. We may say, “the unified Library should encompass all information systems and resources – including the Internet,” but just saying it won’t make it so.

This brings us back to our answer to the Internet Challenge. When library media specialists meet the Internet Challenge, they move to fulfill the concept of Library. Using the Internet in context addresses the needs of the library media program and the entire school. The Library is more than just the resources and the technology. The Library means library media specialists using the Internet within the program of information services and as part of information literacy skills instruction to ensure that students are effective users of information.

Here are some examples of how library media specialists can meet the Internet Challenge within each of these two functions – information services and information literacy skills instruction.

Information Services

Information services refers to the full range of services and activities available to students, teachers, administrators, and the community. Information services include

resources provision
reading guidance
direct information
curriculum consultation
curriculum development.

Resources provision service refers to providing space, materials, and equipment to meet curricular and personal needs. Meeting the Internet Challenge for resources provision includes providing tools that help students and teachers to link Internet resources to curriculum needs, providing workstations and connections to the Internet, and sharing resources and building cooperative collections across regions.

Reading guidance service centers on promoting literacy and guiding in reading and materials selection. Meeting the Internet Challenge for reading guidance includes identifying and arranging for teachers and students to become involved in special collaborative Internet projects, such as Live from Antarctica and MayaQuest, and to interact with others globally through e-mail and discussion groups.

Direct information service involves providing assistance in locating and retrieving information. Meeting the Internet Challenge for direct information service includes providing students, teachers, and others direct help, referral, and question-answering service to put them in touch with the information they need.

Curriculum consultation service relates to providing advice on the use of information, resources, and technology in curriculum. Meeting the Internet Challenge for curriculum consultation includes using e-mail and electronic discussion groups to communicate with teachers and help teachers communicate with each other (locally and globally) on curriculum-related matters, professional issues, and decisions.

Curriculum development service refers to collaborating on the design, development, and evaluation of curriculum, particularly those units and lessons integrating information skills instruction. Meeting the Internet Challenge for curriculum development includes joint efforts to link curriculum and assignments and the plethora of resources, projects, and services available through the Internet, and also to identify and develop relevant Internet-based curriculum projects.

Information Literacy Skills Instruction

Information literacy skills instruction offers another powerful opportunity to meet the Internet Challenge. Over the past 20 years, library media professionals have worked hard to move from teaching isolated library skills to teaching integrated information skills. The key word is “context,” and effective integration of information skills requires two contexts:

(1) the skills must directly relate to the content area curriculum and to classroom assignments, and

(2) the skills themselves need to be tied together in a logical and systematic information process model.

Meeting the Internet Challenge also requires library media specialists to focus on both of these contexts. The first context is real need: curricular, life, or work. While it is certainly possible to learn skills in isolation, practice and research confirm that people learn best when the use and purpose are clear.

Students can learn to communicate via e- mail or to access a World Wide Web site, but they will eagerly internalize these skills if they see how the skills directly relate to their school assignments or personal interests. Electronic mail, for example, takes on meaning if students realize that it enables them to work with students from another state or country to complete a project for social studies. Accessing a Web site is more than a novelty when it relates directly to answering homework questions.

The second, and often overlooked, context is the information problem-solving process itself. Computer and telecommunications technologies are supposed to extend our abilities to solve problems. That sounds fine in the abstract, but what does it really mean? Again, practice and research tell us that when people understand how specific skills fit into an overall model or process, the power and usefulness of the specific skills are expanded. Yes, students recognize the value of using

e-mail for communication, but this takes on new meaning when they realize that e-mail can help them to better define the task of an assignment by being able to interact with teachers and group members. Task definition is step one of Eisenberg and Berkowitz’ Big Six information problem-solving model. (Eisenberg & Berkowitz, 1990)

How Internet capabilities can be placed in the Big Six information problem-solving context is shown in the following chart. The chart is easily modified as new Internet functions and resources are made available or as teachers and students find new ways to apply existing capabilities. The power of the Big Six model is in this ability to provide an adaptable context for learning and teaching Internet skills; in fact, for learning and teaching any electronic networking or information technology skills. (For a more detailed treatment of computer skills for information problem-solving see Eisenberg and Johnson, 1996).

Internet Applications in a Big Six Context
Big Six Skills	Internet Applications
Task Definition	e-mail, listservs, Internet Relay Chat, MOO, CU-SeeMe
Information Seeking	network navigation (World Wide Web, Strategies Netscape, Lynx, gophers), e-mail, listservs
Location & Access	Web navigation (Netscape) and search tools (Lycos, Webcrawler, Yahoo, Archie, Veronica)
Use of Information	download, upload, ftp
Synthesis	HTML and Web page creation
Evaluation	e-mail, listservs, Internet Relay Chat, MOO, CU-SeeMe

Conclusion

In the mad rush to technology in general and the Internet in particular, the focus has centered primarily on the hardware and software and the commands and capabilities. Schools and businesses are already investing considerable amounts of money, time, and effort on getting connected to the Internet, but the central question – how can we use the Internet in meaningful ways to help achieve educational goals – is often unanswered. Library media specialists are in a unique position to meet this Internet Challenge. And if they do so, they not only establish a broad and encompassing concept of Library, they also go a long way to fulfilling their mission of ensuring that students are effective users of ideas and information.

Michael B. Eisenberg is the co-owner of LM_NET, Director of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology, and a Professor in the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.

References

AASL/AECT (American Association of School Librarians and Association for Educational Communications and Technology) (1988). Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. American Library Association.

Eisenberg, Michael B. and Johnson, Doug (1996). “Computer Skills for Information Problem-Solving: Learning and Teaching Technology in Context,” ERIC Digest, EDO-IR-96-04, ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology. Available on the Internet:gopher://ericir.syr.edu:70/00/

Clearinghouses/16houses/CIT/

IT_Digests/Computer Skills.

Eisenberg, Michael B. and Berkowitz, Robert E. (1988). Curriculum Initiative: An Agenda and Strategy for School Library Media Programs, Ablex Publishing.

Eisenberg, Michael B. and Berkowitz, Robert E. (1990). Information Problem- Solving: The Big Six Skills Approach to Library & Information Skills Instruction, Ablex Publishing.

Reprinted with permission from Linworth Publishing, Inc.
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT for Technology Connection, The Book Report, and Library Talk readers, September 2006.

For more information or a sample copy of Technology Connection, The Book Report, or Library Talk: (800)786-5017

Internet Manual for Librarians

Fleming — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:36:54 +0000

If you watch TV, listen to the radio, or read a newspaper, you’ve probably encountered an advertisement that includes the unmistakable “http://” of a Web address. At work or after hours, you’ve very likely heard people exchanging tales of their Internet adventures or been offered a business card which includes an electronic mail address. The Internet has rapidly become the province not just of programmers and scientists but of educators, businesspeople, students, hobbyists, government officials, and many other “netizens” worldwide.

In our work with librarians and educators, we are constantly reminded that despite the Internet’s rapid growth and popularity, technology training has not proceeded at the same pace. Many people, particularly those in public service in libraries, will be asked to train others, often without having had access to the necessary learning tools themselves. In this manual, we hope to provide the information fundamental to an Internet education in simple, understandable terms.

There is a wealth of available information about the Internet and its uses, from treatises on the inner workings of e-mail to volumes describing the intricacies of networking technology. In this manual, we will focus on the basic concepts of the Internet what you need to get started and begin to tap into the resources available at your fingertips. We’ve included details about how libraries around the world are using the Net in their programs and services, and hope that these innovative programs shed light on the important role library professionals have begun to assume in the dynamic, frequently chaotic world of cyberspace.

Jennifer Fleming
Linda W. Braun
LEO: Librarians & Educators Online

I. WHAT IS THE INTERNET?

The Internet is usually referred to as “a network of networks.” But what does that really mean? Networks are made up of computers connected to each other by phone lines or cables. The Internet is a global network, in which numerous smaller networks of computers around the world are connected to each other in order to share information. Just as in the case of a small network, such as a local library’s networked catalog, computers on the Internet are connected by phone lines or cables.All computers on the Internet need to operate by the same set of rules, or protocol, in order to share information. This set of rules is called TCP/IP, which stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and which makes it possible for computers across the world to communicate with each other and exchange files regardless of whether they are Macintoshes or mainframes, desktops or laptops. The essence of the Internet is resource sharing, and being connected means having access to the wealth of information and tools available on computers worldwide.

What you need to get started on the Internet is a computer, a connection, and software for translating data on the Internet into information you can understand and use. Your computer can be a Macintosh or a PC. It can be a laptop, a desktop, or a terminal connected to a mainframe. Your connection can take the form of a household phone line and modem, a satellite dish, or an underground cable. The software needed to translate Internet data can exist on your computer’s hard drive or on a service provider’s computer.In a library, the computers that staff and patrons use to access the Internet are probably connected to the Internet via a direct, dedicated connection. With this type of connection, your computer is connected by a series of cables directly to the resources available on the `Net, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. However, at home, you and many of your patrons are more likely to have a dial-up connection, in which you connect for a limited number of hours via an intermediary, usually an online service or an Internet Service Provider (ISP).So what’s the difference between an online service and an ISP? An online service keeps the software that is necessary to connect to the Internet (TCP/IP) on its own mainframe computer. You connect to the online service’s computer by dialing up with your modem, and from there you can “surf” the Net. An online service also keeps other software, services, and databases on its mainframe computer for you to use. These might include CD-ROMs for research, special resources for children, chat rooms, online events or visits by celebrities, or information related to current topics of interest. These additional services are for members only they are not available to Internet surfers unless they have paid to join the online service. Because online services provide access to the Internet as well as to specialized resources, they frequently cost more than getting an account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP).An ISP is somewhat different. An ISP has modems which you dial into and which then connect you more directly to the Internet. When you connect via an ISP, your own computer will need to have TCP/IP installed rather than relying on the service to provide it for you. Most new computers will come with TCP/IP pre-installed. In addition, as opposed to using one piece of online service software such as Prodigy’s simple interface, with an ISP you will need separate software packages for completing specific tasks on the Internet (such as browsing the World Wide Web or reading e-mail). Most ISPs will send you this software in the mail when you open a new account. For someone with little need for the specialized resources available through an online service, or for anyone interested in developing a comprehensive World Wide Web site, an ISP is probably the method of choice. ISPs usually offer nearly unlimited usage hours for a standard, fairly inexpensive monthly fee.

Search Engines

A search engine provides a means of searching Web sites by keyword or occasionally by traditional Boolean AND/OR logic. There are a wide variety of search engines available on the Internet. Some search through every word of text on a site to find the information a user might be looking for. Others index only portions of documents to create their searchable databases.

Understanding how search engines work is an essential part of helping patrons uncover information on the Web. Some libraries select a few different search engines which they think will be useful to their patrons and provide easy access to them via their Internet workstations, usually by providing bookmarks or links. Just as they play the role of guides to a library’s traditional resources, library staff have an important new role as Web guides, helping patrons to find and evaluate information on the Web.

Reference Databases

Many businesses, organizations, and schools are now putting the resources found in their online or CD-ROM databases on Web sites. By mounting these databases on the Web, subscribers can search for information by using the graphical and user-friendly Web environment. When a subscriber searches one of these online databases, she is not searching the whole Internet (as she may do by using a search engine). Instead, she is searching specific information which can only be accessed via that database.

EBSCOhost is one of the reference databases which is available to libraries. When a library subscribes to EBSCOhost , they are given a password and username which they must use to access the database. The EBSCOhost subscriber goes to the EBSCOhost Web site, enters the username and password, and is then able to search EBSCO’s database of materials.

Ready Reference

Many libraries have made available on the Web what is usually considered ready reference information in the library setting. These include online resources such as quotations, atlas information, dictionaries, phone books, etc. These collections of ready reference materials allow librarians and their patrons to quickly and easily access commonly needed information. Quotation resources often include the full text of the quote under investigation, phone books allow users to find the phone number and address of almost anyone who is listed in a city or town’s white pages, and atlases often provide interactive location finders for those who are traveling to unfamiliar places.

Subject Sites

Probably the most common type of site on the Web is a subject-oriented resource. Subject sites exist on a wide array of topics from art of the western world to the periodic table of elements. These sites provide information on a particular topic as well as links to other sites with a similar subject focus.

Knowing about and providing access to particular subject sites comes in handy for libraries and their patrons. A school or public library that anticipates a high volume of requests for African American
biographies during Black History Month can pre-select resources on the Web and provide easy access to them for students. A librarian working in a law firm may find online information on Supreme Court decisions and make it available to lawyers in the firm by bookmarking these resources at the library’s Internet terminal.

Digital Image Archives

Collections of historical photos, original diaries or notebooks, antique maps and incunabula: all of these are typically precious library resources which casual visitors may never have a chance to examine. Some libraries are now photographing these materials for reproduction on the Web, taking advantage of its graphical format to make previously hidden collections available to interested scholars worldwide.

Up-to-the-Minute News

Many newspapers and other media outlets are putting their daily publications or broadcasts on the Web. Newspapers including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are available for anyone to read via the Internet. ABC Radio and National Public Radio are similarly available for Internet users to listen to via a computer. For students, businesspeople, and the general public, access to these timely resources is extremely useful. A student who needs the latest update on a political event can find it by accessing the Web, as can a businessperson looking for the latest stock quotes.

Web Search Tips

1. Read a search engine’s help screens. They will frequently give you valuable information about the search engine’s default search settings (such as whether it is case sensitive, how it deals with truncation, and so on).

2. When entering a phrase, try putting the terms between quotation marks. On some engines, phrase searching is done with the plus sign rather than with quotes.

3. Find out whether you can limit your search by fields, such as the title of a document. Some of the better search sites, such as AltaVista and InfoSeek, offer field searching.

4. Understand what the scope of the search tool is. Some, like Open Text, search the full text of Web pages, while others only scan certain parts of a document. In addition, some search sites are small and selective, such as Yahoo, while others claim to index the entire Web.

5. Some search sites offer image searching, such as Lycos, AltaVista, and InfoSeek. Rather than using the keywords “image” or “picture,” try using one of these sites and limiting your search to images.

6. Use specific search sites whenever possible. For example, DejaNews specializes in Usenet newsgroups, Tile.net focuses on categorizing listservs, and Four 11 is a good source for searching for people.

7. Find out if you can restrict your search using a rating system. Magellan, for example, offers the option of searching just their starred, or highest quality, sites.

8. A few sites, such as AltaVista, offer Boolean searching with AND, OR, NEAR, and so on. These features are usually found on an advanced search page, and can be of great use in doing complicated searches.

9. For a straightforward search which might result in a high volume of matches, start with a selective site which has a small database, such as Yahoo.

10. If all else fails, check your spelling, use synonyms, or try another search site.

Netiquette: The Ten Commandments of Internet Manners

I. Thou shalt not capitalize e-mail messages. HI JOE, HOW ARE YOU TODAY is considered shouting.

II. Thou shalt not spam. Spamming, or sending advertisements by e-mail, is in poor taste and can sometimes get you into trouble, particularly if you spam on an electronic discussion list.

III. Thou shalt not engage in flame wars. If you spam, you will probably be flamed. Flaming is sending punishing or abusive messages via e-mail. Flame wars start when debates, usually on a mailing list, escalate into unfriendliness and discord.

IV. Thou shalt respect other people’s property. If you come across a terrific Web graphic or someone else’s wonderful essay, remember that they hold the copyright. If you’d like to copy, reproduce, or otherwise borrow something you see on the Internet, make sure to ask permission first.

V. Thou shalt not forward other people’s mail. When someone sends you an e-mail message, it usually is meant for your eyes only. Forwarding that personal message to a discussion list could cause problems. Always get permission first.

VI. Thou shalt not send chain letters or mail bombs. How many times have you received a message in your mailbox warning you of the Good Times virus, or asking you to send a postcard to a boy with a terminal illness? These hoaxes or even well-meaning chain letters can cause delays and confusion on the Internet and unlike paper, which disintegrates in time, can be circulated almost endlessly.

VII. Thou shalt try to have a small signature file. A sig file, the last few lines of an e-mail message in which the sender’s information appears (frequently along with clever quotes or ASCII art), should generally be kept under 5 lines. Some mailing lists will not post messages from users with overly long sig files.

VIII. Thou shalt not send unfeeling e-mail messages. In e-mail, emotions and humor are often lost. Consider using emoticons, those odd-looking smileys such as :-} and :-@, or stating your message very clearly. Sarcasm doesn’t come across particularly well in e-mail.

IX. Thou shalt be sensitive to misspellings. One of the strengths of e-mail is that messages can be sent rapidly; however, for this reason messages often also contain misspellings. It is considered poor form to publicly criticize the grammatical errors of other netizens.

X. Thou shalt understand the global nature of the Net. People from many countries, cultures, backgrounds, and linguistic groups use the Net daily for work and for pleasure. The Internet is not an English-only medium, nor are there accepted spellings (such as British or American English). Before you criticize what seems strange, consider whether it is a product of the Internet’s global nature.

V. EVALUATING INTERNET RESOURCES

You may now know something about what the Internet is, how to get connected, and what you can find there, but for librarians and those they serve it is also important to consider how to evaluate online resources. Librarians are skilled at evaluating print material but are still beginning to discover how to apply these skills to this new medium.

Some of the questions librarians should ask when assessing Internet resources are the same ones they might ask when looking at traditional resources. These questions include:

Who is the author?

What is the reading level?

How effective is the content?

How often is the material updated?

Is the information accurate and current?

How easy is it for patrons to use?

In addition to these general questions, there are areas which pertain primarily to online resources. These include:

Is this similar to something available in print? If yes, how does this expand on what is available in print?

Is there online help?

Are the screens well organized and easy to navigate?

Is there a site map (a visual representation or of what is available on the site)?

Can you search the site?

If there are graphics are they used appropriately and do they enhance the site?

Is this a site you would want to visit more than once?

Does the site take a long time to load?

Who is responsible for the site?

This final question is easier to answer than you might expect. One can often tell who is hosting the site by dissecting its address. The first part of the address tells you what type of Internet resource it is, i.e. Web site, telnet site, FTP site, etc. Following this is the name of the computer that the information is stored on. The name of the computer includes a suffix, such as .edu or .org, that tells you what type of entity is maintaining the information. These suffixes indicate if it is an educational institution, commercial institution, or non-profit organization.

Virtual Library Service: How Libraries Are Using the Net
(reprinted by permission from Internet Trend Watch for Libraries Newsletter)

Imagine a library in which patrons could request photocopying from home, have reminders sent to them when due dates are approaching, browse exhibits of rare incunabula in another country, or join online discussions with other readers, authors, or publishers. It may surprise some readers to know that these services are already available through the Internet, primarily on innovative library Web sites.

Virtual library services such as electronic document delivery, e-mail reference, online exhibits, and Web-based instruction are becoming almost commonplace. A great number of libraries, primarily academic libraries, are offering Web-based request forms for everything from ILL requests to book renewals. Jim Robertson of the New Jersey Institute of Technology maintains a Web page with a thorough list of libraries that are using forms. Less common are sites such as the National Library of Singapore, which offers users the option of receiving reminders for approaching due dates. At the Kansas University Medical Center’s Dykes Library, ILL is even available (for a fee) to users outside of the university, who can have materials mailed to them if they cannot pick them up. The Yale University Medical Library also has a noteworthy site with a full range of interactive Web forms, and the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to the more common services of catalog searches, ILL, suggestions, renewal, and e-mail reference, offers excellent help pages in support of their multiple request forms.

Some libraries are beginning to realize the Web’s possibilities for online instruction, both bibliographic and otherwise. At the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, entering students must complete an information literacy program, the contents of which have now been moved to a self-paced Web site (all but the ancillary workbook). The University of California-San Diego Science and Engineering Library has created an Electronic Information Instruction Partnership program, in which subject specialists are paired with classrooms to develop Internet support for coursework. At the Marriott Library of the University of Utah, patrons can read a regular Library Instruction Newsletter via the Web.

Anatural extension of the library’s role in traditional resource organization is its new role as cyberguide, creating excellent online pathfinders, subject-oriented lists, or Web classification schemes. The Berkeley Public Library’s Index to the Internet, maintained by Carole Leita, is one of the finest examples of these. An interesting twist on a typical pathfinder is the University of New Brunswick Libraries’ Virtual Pathfinder, a searchable pathfinder with a simple selection form (choose Law, for example, to retrieve a list of legal materials which can then be further narrowed by use of more forms). Purdue University Libraries Virtual Reference Desk is a pathfinder which focuses on ready reference sites, including links to dictionaries, zip code directories, and other helpful pages. For a peek into Web classification/cataloging projects, visit OCLC’s InterCAT Project or Beyond Bookmarks. And for fun, try St. Joseph County Public Library’s Info File Database, a resource for those stumpers which typically occupy a vertical file.

Digitizing library collections is becoming increasingly important. A number of examples of the effectiveness of the digital medium for image collections already exist. People interested in the future of digital collections, including video resources, can get more information at the National Science Foundation’s Digital Library Project Web site. The Library of Congress remains at the forefront of the digitizing movement with their National Digital Library Program, including the American Memory collection. Anyone who has not seen the Walt Whitman notebooks or one of the library’s online exhibits may want to set aside a couple of hours to explore the Library of Congress site. Johns Hopkins University Press/Eisenhower Library’s Project Muse is a Web-based service through which subscribers can get full text of the Press’s 40+ scholarly journals. A number of resources also exist for online “e-texts,” most notably those made available through Project Gutenberg.

Book reviewing is going strong on the Web, including reviews by and for young readers. The Reading Public Library in Massachusetts has a Book Reviews page through which users can add, modify, or remove a book review, as well as search for a review by category, age level, or rating (1-5 stars). A nice feature of the University of Texas-Austin Undergraduate Library’s site is the Ten New Books of the Month feature, which includes jacket photos and a brief description of new and noteworthy titles from the collection.

There are also a variety of services for youth available on the Internet. The AASL recently announced its KidsConnect project, an e-mail reference service for students who can send questions to AskKC@connect.syr.edu and expect an answer within 48 hours. Spokane Public Library’s interactive summer reading page is a good example of an interactive youth-oriented site with a seasonal character. Perhaps the best library-related site for youth is the Internet Public Library, whose Youth and Teen Divisions feature storyhours, Internet tutorials, college advice, and the chance to talk with well-known authors and illustrators. IPL also features an interactive classroom with guest instructors and rotating lessons.

For more information on Internet applications in libraries (or as hard evidence when your library is looking for technology funding), Ken Middleton maintains an exhaustive Web page on Innovative Internet Applications in Libraries. There are some particularly exciting new projects, such as New York Public Library’s Science, Industry and Business Library, which brings virtual services into the library building like never before, or the IPL’s Multi-User Object Oriented environment (MOO), an electronic forum for librarians and users to share ideas about building virtual library communities. Other library projects are in embryonic stages or have yet to be initiated: videoconferencing, personalized intelligent search agents, and trends toward workforce telecommuting will continue to affect the library’s role in dynamic ways.

There has been a great deal of speculation in the last few years about how libraries will survive in the “information age.” Despite these understandable concerns, the coming years already promise to be a time for libraries to showcase their resources and their valuable staff specialists. Whether every library takes up the gauntlet (and the funding) to revitalize its services remains to be seen, but it is clear that a growing number of libraries are reinventing library-based services to create exciting new avenues. Even in their youthful stages, virtual libraries represent a public stake in the future of information access, just as their forebears continue to do.

References

Journals:

Crawford, Walter and Michael Gorman. Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness & Reality. American Library Association, 1995.

Negroponte, Nicholas. Being Digital. NY: Knopf, 1995.

Parker, Josie Barnes. “Internet Public Library Youth Division.” Journal of Youth Services In Libraries, Spring 1996. p 270+.

“Role of Global Libraries Focus of NYPL Summit.” Library Hotline, May 13, 1996, p 1.

Schement, Jorge Reina. “A 21st Century Strategy for Librarians.” Library Journal, May 1, 1996, p 34+.

Sloan, Steve. “The Virtual Pathfinder: A World Wide Web Guide to Library Research.” Computers in Libraries, April 1996, p 53+.

Electronic Resources:

Berkeley Public Library’s Index to the Internet

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/

Dykes Library of Kansas University Medical Center
http://www.kumc.edu/service/dykes/ILS/request.html

Innovative Internet Applications in Libraries
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~kmiddlet/libweb/innovate.html

Internet Public Library
http://ipl.sils.umich.edu/

Internet Success Stories
http://www.bluehighways.com/kitchen.html

Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/

New Jersey Institute of Technology
http://hertz.njit.edu/~robertso/LibForms.html

New York Public Library
http://www.nypl.org

Project Gutenberg
http://www.promo.net/pg/

Project Muse
http://muse.jhu.edu/

Purdue University Libraries Virtual Reference Desk
http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/reference/index.html

St. Joseph County Public Library’s Info File Database
http://sjcpl.lib.in.us/InfoFileIntro.html

University of New Brunswick Libraries Virtual Pathfinder
http://www.lib.unb.ca/vp.html

University of Pennsylvania Library
http://www.library.penn.edu/

University of Texas-Austin Ten New Books of the Month
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/UGL/Books/month.html

University of Utah Library Instruction Newsletter
http://www.lib.utah.edu/instruction/newslett.html

University of Wisconsin-Parkside Library
http://www.uwp.edu/library/

Yale University Medical Library
http://www.med.yale.edu/library/services/forms.html

VI. GLOSSARY OF COMMON INTERNET TERMS

bookmarks: A browser feature which allows users to keep track of WWW sites that they think they will visit again.

bulletin board (BBS): A computer system on which users post and retrieve messages on a topic of interest to them.

browser: A piece of software which allows a computer to access and display WWW documents.

domain name: The name of the computer, such as infosciencetoday.org, on which the Web page is stored (typically also the name of the agency that developed the page).

e-mail: The Internet protocol, or set of rules, that allows people to send messages to each other over the Internet.

FTP: File Transfer Protocol. Allows users to transfer files from one computer to another.

gopher: Software that provides menus for accessing Internet resources.

home page: A WWW document which provides information and links about a particular organization or subject.

HTML: Hypertext Markup Language. The code which is used to create and display documents for the Web.

HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The set of rules governing communication between computers on the Web.

hypertext/hypermedia: ”Hot” links, usually underlined, in a Web document. These links allow users to jump to another file or page on the Web by clicking on a word or image.

listserv: An automated mailing list, usually subject oriented, which users subscribe to in order to talk about a particular topic with other interested users.

Lynx: A text-based Web browser. This program allows those who use Internet accounts without graphic capabilities to view WWW documents.

Microsoft Internet Explorer: Microsoft’s Web browser. This piece of software allows users with Internet accounts that support graphics to view pictures, hear sounds, and play video clips via the Web.

Netscape: A graphical Web browser. Allows users to view pictures, hear sounds, and play video clips via the Web.

TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The common “language” or set of rules that computers use in order to communicate over the Internet.

telnet: A protocol or set of rules for allowing one computer to log onto another computer and view or use its resources.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a Web site, beginning with http://.

Web site: A collection of World Wide Web pages or files.

World Wide Web (WWW): The Internet protocol which allows users to find information rapidly via hyperlinks.

VII. FOR MORE INFORMATION

Books:

Brown, Mark Robbin. Using Netscape 2. Que, 1996.

Crumlish, Christian. The Internet Dictionary. Sybex, 1995.

Crumlish, Christian. The Internet for Busy People. Osborne McGraw-Hill, 1995.

December, John. The World Wide Web Unleashed. Sams, 1997.

Gibbs, Mark. The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Networking, 2e. Sams, 1995.

Harris, Cheryl. An Internet Education: A Guide to Doing Research Online. IMG, 1996.

Mandel, Thomas and Gerard Van der Leun. Rules of the Net: Online Operating Instructions for Human Beings. Hyperion, 1996.

Metz, Gail-Junion. K-12 Resources on the Internet. Libraries Unlimited, 1995.

Negroponte, Nicholas. Being Digital. Vintage, 1995.

Pfaffenberger, Bryan. Web Search Strategies. MIS Press, 1996.

Schneider, Karen G. The Internet Access Cookbook : A Librarian’s Commonsense Guide to Low-Cost Connections. Neal-Schuman, 1996.

Shipley, Chris and Matthew Fish. How the World Wide Web Works. Ziff-Davis, 1996.

Wyatt, Allen L. Success With Internet. Jamsa, 1994.

Periodicals:

Classroom Connect. Published 9 times per year by Wentworth Communications. $39.00/year.

Inside the Internet. Published monthly by the Cobb Group. $49.00/year.

Internet World. Published monthly by Mecklermedia Corp. $29.00 year.

I-way. Published 6 times per year by Connell Communications. $19.97/year.

Multimedia Schools. Published 5 times per year by Online Inc. $38.00/year.

NetGuide. Published monthly by CMP. $22.97/year.

Online Resources:

c|net Internet Glossary
http://www.cnet.com/Resources/Info/Glossary/index.html

Exploring the Internet
http://www.screen.com/start/guide/

Getting Started on the Internet
http://www.imagescape.com/helpweb/

Guides and Tutorials
http://www.nova.edu/Inter-Links/guides.html

ILC Glossary of Internet Terms
http://www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html

Internet Resources on the Web
http://www.mcs.brandonu.ca/~ennsnr/Resources/

Matrix of WWW Indices
http://www.sils.umich.edu/~fprefect/matrix/matrix.html

Resource Selection and Information Evaluation
http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~janicke/Evaluate.html

TONIC: The Online Netskills Interactive Course
http://www.netskills.ac.uk/TonicNG/cgi/sesame?tng

Zen and the Art of the Internet
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/docproject/zen/zen-1.0.html
Jennifer Fleming and Linda W. Braun are General Partners in LEO: Librarians and Educators Online. LEO provides consulting and training services to libraries, schools, and other organizations concerned with integrating technology into their programs and services. Both Linda and Jennifer have a Masters in Library Science degree and prior experience working in public libraries in youth services positions. Linda was previously a consultant for a Massachusetts state agency and has worked in libraries in administrative positions. Currently, Jennifer is also teaching in the Web design program at Naugatuck Valley Community-Technical College iowarn Connecticut.

You can find out more about LEO’s programs and services by visiting our Web site at http://www.leonline.com/, by calling (617) 499-9676, or by sending us e-mail at leo@leonline.com

II.INTERNET APPLICATION :

E-mail, gopher, telnet, FTP, and the World Wide Web (WWW) are the basic functions of the Internet, and for each of these main functions there is a separate set of rules (or “protocol”). What follows is a brief description of each of these functions including examples of their application in libraries.

E-mail

Electronic mail, or e-mail, allows people on the Internet to exchange messages with each other. E-mail is still the most commonly used function of the Internet and is used primarily to access listservs and/or bulletin boards, the electronic discussion lists through which people with similar interests can share information and ideas or engage in lively debate.In order to send or receive an e-mail message, you need to have a computer with Internet access and an account through which you have been given an e-mail address. This might be a work address or a home address for personal use. Every e-mail address has a similar format which follows this model:username@organization.org or username@company.com …and so on. If you want to send an e-mail to the President, for example, you would send an e-mail addressed to president@whitehouse.gov. In another example, maybe your friend Jane Jones has an account with America Online (AOL). Her e-mail address might be jjones@aol.com, because AOL is the organization that receives and stores Jane’s e-mail.In libraries, e-mail is used in many different ways. Librarians tend to be avid participants in library listservs (e-mail discussion groups) in order to communicate with other librarians around the world. They may post difficult reference questions, suggest resources, debate policy, and so on.Youth services librarians in school and public libraries often use e-mail to develop interactive and international programs for children. Kids can send book reviews and stories they’ve written to children around the world, or ask an age-mate across the globe about their experiences. They can also use e-mail to send questions and comments to experts; for example, a student studying landscape architecture might send an e-mail message to a professional landscape architect to get firsthand, personalized information about the field.Libraries also use e-mail to answer reference questions from their patrons. This form of reference allows librarians to answer questions when they can fully devote time and energy to finding the appropriate resources, and allows patrons to submit queries even when the library is closed.

Gopher

Using gopher, information is presented in menus which users “tunnel” through to find the files they need. Many libraries and academic institutions established gopher sites as an early way to make information available to their patrons, and these sites are still available in some cases. With the advent of the World Wide Web and a more rapid, direct method of accessing files, the more cumbersome navigation of gopher menus has generally been supplanted by hypertext links. In many cases, institutions have stopped maintaining their previous gopher sites, preferring instead to transfer their resources and information to the Web.

Telnet

Telnet allows a user to “log on” and access resources on a distant computer without ever leaving their chair. Telnet is often used as a means of connecting to library catalogs. By telnetting to another catalog, librarians and patrons are able to find information on materials from libraries around the world. From their home or school, patrons can check holdings at their local library or at a library across the nation. In many instances, libraries allow patrons to request book titles they find while accessing the catalog via telnet.When telnetting to another computer, a warning message is sometimes displayed on the screen. This message ensures that the user wants to exit the current resource (such as one’s own library catalog) and log onto another (such as a library catalog in a different state). This warning message also often includes instructions on how to log onto the computer that is about to be accessed.

FTP

FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, allows users to transfer files from a remote computer to their own computer (download) or from their computer to a remote computer (upload). For example, software programs can be downloaded from the Internet to be stored and run on a user’s own machine. Today’s Web browsers make transferring files a simple matter of clicking on a filename to start a download.Librarians use FTP for research and to make resources available for their peers and for the public. Libraries can exchange policy information, booklists, or user statistics by transferring files from one computer to another with FTP. Patrons might be given the option of downloading a library handbook or map from their corporate, school, academic, or public library and can access public domain electronic texts (such as Alice in Wonderland or Shakespeare’s plays) for downloading from the Internet.

The World Wide Web (WWW)

The Web allows users to jump from one resource to another with the click of a mouse or a keystroke, without tunneling through gopher-style menus. This is accomplished by the use of hyperlinks, underlined “hot” words or phrases which link instantly to another file on the Web, whether that file is on the same computer or on a computer thousands of miles away. Images can also be clickable links to another page on the Web.When you request a Web file by clicking on a hyperlink, your computer sends a message to the computer where the file is stored. A copy of the file is then sent to your computer. In order to display the
file, however, you need to have a Web browser, a piece of software which translates lines of programming code into a readable Web page. Some examples of browser software are Netscape, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mosaic, or Lynx.The browser you use determines what you see when you access the Web. Some browsers allow you to view text, pictures, or even sound in Web documents. Other browsers, such as Lynx, only allow text access but provide faster viewing of files without the additional time added for multimedia. The type of browser you use will probably depend on the type of Internet connection you have.An astonishing variety of information is available on the Web, created by an equally astonishing variety of sources. Web pages are developed by organizations, businesses, schools, libraries, or individuals. Each Web site, or collection of pages, may have information specific to the organization that put the site together, such as a library’s hours of service or collected subject links, a company’s product information, or an individual’s personal opinions. It may also provide access to other organizations via hyperlinks, clickable words or images which serve as links to other Web files or pages.Every file (or page) on the Internet whether it is a Web page, telnet site, FTP site, etc. has an Internet address. Web addresses are called Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and they specify a file’s unique location on a computer connected to the Web. Web pages begin with http://, which tells your computer to search for a file created for the Web, while FTP files begin with ftp://, gopher files begin with gopher://, and so on. (See the section on evaluating information on the Internet for more on URLs.)The interactivity allowed by the Web offers staff and patrons exciting ways to communicate and exchange information. A library could run a Web-based book discussion or provide opportunities for patron feedback. Many academic libraries provide interlibrary loan, reference, or book request forms on their sites

http://www.infosciencetoday.org/host.html
host.html is the name of the file on the computer named infosciencetoday.org that you will access.
The name of the computer that has the file you want to access.
http (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) tells your computer what type of file you will be accessing. You can replace http with gopher, telnet, ftp or other protocols if that is the type of file you want to access.
Web resources of particular interest to libraries can be broken down into several main categories as follows: