इस ब्लॉग्स को सृजन करने में आप सभी से सादर सुझाव आमंत्रित हैं , कृपया अपने सुझाव और प्रविष्टियाँ प्रेषित करे , इसका संपूर्ण कार्य क्षेत्र विश्व ज्ञान समुदाय हैं , जो सभी प्रतियोगियों के कॅरिअर निर्माण महत्त्वपूर्ण योगदान देगा ,आप अपने सुझाव इस मेल पत्ते पर भेज सकते हैं - chandrashekhar.malav@yahoo.com
12. Sources for Current Information: An Overview
P- 05. Information Sources, Systems and Services *
By :Dr.Renu Arora,Paper Coordinator
ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION A
. Multiple Choice Questions with Answers
1. Directories are ready reference tools in the libraries that provide information related to --
-----------------------------------------------.
a
. Word meanings
b. Statistical details
c. individuals, organisations, institutions
d. Biographical details of individuals
2
. Which of the following terms is not associated with journals?
a. Peer-reviewed
b. Scholarly
c. Primary source
d. Monograph
3. Which of the following is a non-documentary source of information?
a. Technological gatekeepers
b. Standards
c. E-books
d. Newspapers
4. Which of the following information sources generally have the most up-to-date
information?
a. E-journals
b. Patents
c. Text books
d. Dissertations
5. -------------------------- is an example of social media .
a. OPAC
b. Facebook
c. Invisible colleges
d. Yahoo
Answers: 1. c 2. d 3. a 4. a 5. b
B.
True & False Statements
1. Conference papers and proceedings usually contain the latest and newest research
and findings by specialists in a particular field.
2. An e-books can be read by naked eye just like a printed book.
3. A Government publication is defined as an item published under the authority of a
governmental agency.
4. A library catalogue is an organized and searchable collection of records of every
item in a library and can be found on the library premises or on the library home
page.
5. Encyclopaedias are ready reference tools in the libraries that provide information
related to individuals, organisations, institutions, etc.
Correct Answer
1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
C.
Fill in the Blanks
1. All recorded sources of information irrespective of their contents and form come
under --------------------------- sources.
2. A ---------------------is defined as ‘a government authority or licence conferring a right
or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using,
or selling an invention.’
3. Newspapers are a great source for local information to find current information about
-----------------------------------------------. They also contain ----------------------------------------
----------------------.
4. An e-resource is material which requires --------------------------------in order to access
its content and make it useful.
5. ----------------------------------- is a two-way process that gives us the ability to
communicate.
Correct Answer
1. Documentary
2. Patent
3. local, national and international events; editorials, commentaries, expert or popular
opinions
4. computer mediation
5. Social media
............................................................................................................................................
MODULE 12: SOURCES FOR CURRENT INFORMATION: AN
OVERVIEW
Content Writer/Author - Mrs. RENU ARORA
Email id: renu214@gmail.com
Structure of Module/Syllabus of Module(Define Topic of Module and its subtopics)
Sources for Current
Information: an overview
Information sources, Need for Current Information,
Sources for Current Information
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE MODULE
Description of the Module
Subject Name Library and Information Science
Paper Name Information Sources, Systems and Services
Module Name/Title Types of Information Sources: Documentary: Primary,
Secondary and Tertiary
Module Id LIS/ISSS/12
Pre-requisites Information sources and resources, Documentary and nondocumentary
sources of Information, Examples of
Information Sources
Objectives To learn the various information sources of current
information
Keywords Information Sources, Sources for Current Information,
Current Information – Sources
2. OBJECTIVES
After reading this module, you will be able to:
· Get acquainted with need for current information,
· Differentiate between current information and current awareness,
· List various information sources for current information,
· Understand the importance of web as a source of information,
· Explain the use of various e-resources as sources of current information, and
· Describe and give examples of sources for current information.
1. INTRODUCTION
Each query or research question or project requires different types of information
sources. For example, if a research question asked is aboutthe popular opinion regarding a
current event, newspaper articles and web sites may be the best sources of
information. On the other hand, if scholarly information is need on the history of a social
movement, wemay want to find articles published in scholarly journals, books or
dissertations.Information has become a critical asset for all organizations (including
information organisations) owing to their rapid adoption of information technologies in the
entirety of the organisational activities. This has arisen from the need for keeping pace with
the growing developments in each subject area. There are different types of information sources that may be useful when we are researching
for information for some activities or assignments. It is important to understand the difference
between these and how they can best be used and accessed.Information required may be
current, background, general, detailed, research, statistics or opinion, suitable sources can
be consulted. Current refers to most recent or published within the past one year or so.
When we begin the research process, a variety of sources are exploredto discover the most
useful information. Usually for the most current information about atopic, we normally look
for periodical articles.
Library/information science professionals have to find out ways to make modern libraries
relevant in today’s fast-changing environment. One method to do this is to acquire or have
access to information sources that satisfy the current information requirements of their
users. This Module identifies potential sources of information for societal and library trends
so that current information requirements of the users are taken care of library/information
organizations.
2. INFORMATION SOURCES
Changes in information are taking place all the time. This is basically due to increase in
quantity and modes of availability. Besides this, speed of information availability too is
increasing as internet connections are instantaneous. As information is growing rapidly, our
ability to access, use, and interact with information is changing as users require more
information and current information all the time. For this information availability is
increasingly enhanced and linked in a range of ways. Also the social nature of information
has enabled stronger and more integrated ties between people, communities, information
sources and information providers.
The sources of information are broadly classified into documentary sources and nondocumentary
sources. All recorded sources of information irrespective of their contents and
form come under documentary sources. These may be published or unpublished, in print or
in electronic form. Documentary sources can be categorized as primary, secondary and
tertiary sources on the basis of appearance of information. In primary sources, information
appears first, secondary sources comes out next and tertiary sources are the last to appear.
The non-documentary sources of information can be defined as those sources and
resources of information that are not contained in any document. The non-documentary
sources comprise of formal and informal sources. These have already been discussed in
detail in Module 2 and Module 3 of this paper. In this module, a brief overview of various
sources of current information has been provided.
3. CURRENT INFORMATION
Current Information can come virtually from anywhere - books, journal articles, expert
opinions, encyclopaedias, patents, standards, media, blogs, personal experiences and web
pages. The type of information a user needs will change depending on the question asked
and efforts to answer these questions. In the context of current information, when we talk
about information sources, it refers to any publication, website, or other item that can make
available desired information. The information sources discussed in this module include
periodical articles, newspapers, books, websites, reference sources, etc.
3.1 Difference between Current Information and Current Awareness Current awareness is the commonly used to describe the process of keeping up to date with
information.It is also defined as ‘a system, and often a publication, for notifying current
documents to users of libraries and information services.’So current awareness is referred to
asthe process of keeping up to date and current awareness services are systems for
notifying users about the current documents or information. Current awareness, therefore, is
knowledge of recent developments in a field. Generally, the knowledge is of developments
which relate to an individual’s profession. Kemp has listed four types of knowledge involved
in the current awareness process: “new theoretical ideas and hypotheses; new problems to
be solved; new methods and techniques for solving old and new problems; and new
circumstances affecting what people do and how they may do it.”In many respects the
current awareness is the opposite of the retrospective search. The retrospective search
begins with the need to locate information on a specific topic fora specific purpose. The goal
of current awareness on the other hand is less specific. It is the need to understand current
developments in order to do one’s work more effectively. The assumption that information
can be applied on the job is what motivates a professional to maintain current awareness.
Sources for current information on the other hand are contemporary resources that have
been created, published or updated recently enough to be considered up-to-date.For current
information needs, one may not require latest information always as many times, information
users may require retrospective resources. This is due to the reason that in some areas of
study, such as philosophy, history, etc. historical resources are more valuable than the
current ones. When doing science, technology or medical research, we use the most current
resources available (except researching a historical scientific discovery, invention or medical
technique). As discoveries are made, previously accepted hypotheses are disproven and old
schools of thought are abandoned or altered. In many such researches, even the current
scientific literature is of no use and only the patents, standards or trademarks are of use.
Similarly, when doing research in the humanities and social sciences, a mix of current and
retrospective resources is found to be used by researchers.
4. SOURCES FOR CURRENT INFORMATION
The purpose of an information source is to fulfill some needs for documents and information
for users or potential users. Such needs may, for example, be related to educational
activities, to research activities, to professional activities, to recreation activities, to cultural
activities or to personal development. The current information here is usually available from
information sources that may not be recently published. Information sources are also
required to be used for participation in on-going academic activities. To ensure that the
academic discussions are engaging, relevant, and reliable, there is need for various
information sources that need not necessarily be recently brought out.
It has to be remembered that one needs information not just for study purposes, but for most
decisions in everyday life. We make decisions every day, whether it is to buy a cell phone,an
appliance, a house or do a project or assignment. For this one needs information to make
good decisions. Every information literate person recognises when he/she needs information.
For example, when writing a research report, after choosing a topic, we need to locate
introductory sources that give basic background information about the subject. Finding
background information at the beginning of the research is especially important if one is
unfamiliar with the subject area, or not sure from what angle to approach the topic. Some of
the information that a background search can provide includes: · Broad overview of the subject
· Definitions of the topic
· Introduction to key issues
· Names of people who are authorities in the subject field
· Major dates and events
· Keywords and subject-specific vocabulary terms that can be used for database
searches
· Bibliographies that lead to additional resources
In the above example, current sources are usually not of much help even though the
research work involved some current problems of issues. Some of the information sources
that help most of the users for their current information approach are:
· Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries, Directories
· Books
· Periodicals
· Conference proceedings
· Standards, patents, trade catalogues
· Databases
· Newspapers
· Government publications
· Dissertations and theses
· The Library Catalogue
· The Web
· Humans as sources of information
In the subsequent sections, information sources that provide us with current information
for various activities are described.
5. ENCYCLOPAEDIAS, DICTIONARIES, DIRECTORIES
Encyclopaedias traditionally provide comprehensive coverage of an entire area of
knowledge. Encyclopaedias are good for fact-finding, getting general background
information about a subject or starting a research project. There are general encyclopaedias
and subject encyclopaedias, and they differ as to the level of detail provided and the
complexity of the writing. Encyclopaedias are important sources to consider when initially
researching a topic. General encyclopaedias provide basic information on a wide range of
subjects in an easily readable and understandable format. If one is certain about what topic
from which subject is tobe chosen from, a specialized or subject encyclopaedia can be
used. Subject encyclopaedias limit their scope to one particular field of study, offering more
detailed information about the subject.
Examples: World Book (general encyclopaedia found online)
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (subject encyclopaedia)
Standard dictionaries give an alphabetical list of words and their definitions, but there are
several useful variations also classified as dictionaries. Thesauri contain synonyms and
antonyms (opposites) but usually do not define the words. Dialect and slang dictionaries
present words and definitions not necessarily found in standard dictionaries. There are also dictionaries of abbreviations and acronyms and dictionaries of quotations. Example:
Merriam-Webster online dictionary (a general dictionary), A Dictionary of Physics (6thed.)
A directory is a list of names and addresses of people and organizations. Directories are
ready reference tools in the libraries that provide information related to individuals,
organisations, institutions, etc. Entries in the directories are arranged in the alphabetic or
classified order. Directories of persons cover name, address, status, experience, etc. of
individuals. The directories of organisations or institutions contain name of the organisation,
address, functions, objectives, activities and names, addresses, phone numbers, email id,
etc. of the officials of the organisation. Directories are broadly categorized as General
Directories and Special Directories. An example of General Directories is the telephone
directory and examples of Special directories are professional, trade and business
directories.
6. BOOKS
Books are usually most authoritative sources of information, providing in-depth coverage of a
subject. Books cover virtually any topic, fact or fiction. Books are the best sources when
looking for lots of information on a topic, for broad overview, for historical perspective on a
topic or to put the topic in context with other important related issues. As they contain lots of
information, canprovide an in-depth treatment of a topic or aspect of a topic. But the
information contained in books may not be as timely as in periodicals as they are not as
current as journal articles. They usually contain citations and a bibliography which can be
used to identify other useful references. Most books have index at the end of the book to find
pages that deal specifically with a desired topic. Libraries organize and store their book
collections on shelves called "stacks."
Examples: G. Edward Evansand Patricia Layzell Ward: Management Basics for Information
Professionals. Neal Schuman Publishers, 2007.
Arlene G. Taylor: Introduction to Cataloging and Classification (Library and Information
Science Text Series). Libraries Unlimited, 2006.
7. PERIODICALS
Periodicals are published regularly and cover very topical issues, the latest research,
reviews of current literature. Other names for journals include "serials", "journals", and
"magazines". Periodical articles are useful for very recent information or for information on a
very specific and specialised topic. They are the best source for new or current information
as they provide more current information and are published more frequently than books.
In specific subject, periodicals are also known as scholarly, research, peer-reviewed, or
refereed journals as they are written to present results of research or thorough study of a
topic.
• Usually contain fewer advertisements than popular magazines.
• Articles tend to be lengthy (7-10 pages or more) and usually written by the person(s)
conducting the research.
• Articles published have been evaluated by an editorial board of other experts before
they appear in print. • Sources of information are always indicated in some manner, whether it be footnotes,
endnotes, works cited, or a bibliography.
• May contain charts, tables
• Published monthly or quarterly.
Periodicals are publications used by scholars to communicate the results of recent research
in a certain field (e.g., Microbiology, Psychology, Photography). Journal articles may also
discuss theory, or offer a "review" of the important articles published on a specific topic
within a field.Depending on the field of study, journals may convey different types of
research. For example, an article in a literary journal might offer a scholar's educated
opinion/analysis about a piece of literature, whereas an article in a sociology journal might
communicate the results of a recent research study.
Due to the amount of time it takes for research to enter book form, journals tend to contain
the most current scholarly information regarding a topic. Journal articles are considered
authoritative for a number of reasons. First, journals publish articles written by subject
experts, many of whom have already published a great deal of research in their
field. Journal articles, moreover, contain a list of references or works cited, so that other
researchers can see which sources the author(s) used to support their analysis, or place
their study in context. Additionally, many journal articles are edited by a panel of subject
experts for accuracy and completeness before being accepted for publication. This is a
process called peer-review.
Examples: Indian Journal of History of Science, INSA; Journal of Organic Chemistry, ACS;
International Journal of Research in Social Sciences, IJMRA
8. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
A conference is a meeting where people in specific subject fields get together and share
information by having discussions, presenting papers, posters, etc. There are thousands of
different conferences held every year all over the world. Reports/proceedings of a
conference provide information about a conference and are also the published form of the
papers that were presented at the conference. Conference papers and proceedings can
provide very useful information. They usually contain the latest and newest research and
findings by specialists in a particular field.
Papers from conferences organised by learned societies or associations (sometimes called
symposia, workshops) are often published as 'Proceedings of ... conference'. They are
usually published in book format, sometimes in a number of volumes depending on how
many papers were presented or submitted. They are useful sources of current information,
as they present research at an early stage, before journal articles have been published.
Examples:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section A: Physical Sciences.
Springer India, New Delhi. 2014.
Proceedings of 8th International Convention CALIBER-2011, Goa University, Goa, 2-4 March,
2011.
9. STANDARDS, PATENTS, TRADE CATALOGUES
A patent is defined as ‘a government authority or licence conferring a right or title for a set
period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention.’It is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides,
in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. It
is means to protect intellectual property rights. Patents are considered a unique source of
information for scientific and technical information because a granted patent gives the
patentee an exclusive rights over his/her invention and he/she is able to try to stop anyone
who uses it without permission.
Example: A K Singh, N K Pandy, A K Gupta: A composition of insulating fluid and process
for the preparation thereof. Granted in India on 15/06/2012.
A standard is a document that provides rules or guidelines to achieve order in a given
context. Standards thus are documents prepared by an authority to specify a product,
material, process, quality, etc. Initially used first for industrial products, these later began
being used by services sector. The purpose of these documents is to maintain quality control
and efficiency. They provide guidelines for standardization in products and activities.
Standards enable us to exchange products or services with other organizations.
Example: IS 4579:1968 Methods of measurements on television picture tubes, 2013.
ISO 2709: Standard for Bibliographic Record Formats. 2008.
Trade catalogues are lists or catalogues brought out by the publishers, manufacturers and
distributors of various types of materials, products or services. These cover every kind of
material, product or service ranging from books, drugs, chemicals, household goods to
complex machinery and equipment used in research and industry. The basic purpose of this
type of trade literature is to describe various attributes of the product, material or service and
promote its sale to the potential customers. They are usually only source of informationthat
is reported about specific commercial products and is not likely to be published in any other
form of literature.
Example: Foreign Trade Enquiries Bulletin, Spice Board of India
10. DATABASES
A database contains citations of articles in magazines, journals, and newspapers. They may
also contain citations to podcasts, blogs, videos, and other media types. Some databases
contain abstracts or brief summaries of the articles, while other databases contain complete,
full-text articles. Many of the periodicals (magazines, newspapers, journals) that used to be
on the library's physical shelves can now be found in library’s in-housedatabases. These
databases are organized specifically for researchers to enable quick retrieval of books or
journal articles that are required by a user. Also, some library databases contain electronic
books. Some periodical databases contain abstracts or brief summaries of the articles.
Many contain the full text (entire content) of articles as they originally appeared in the
periodical. Online periodical databases, purchased by the library, are accessible from the
library homepage.
Research databasesallow us to search for high quality materials that are carefully selected
and organized in a way that makes it easy for you to find exactly what you need. The best
way to find articles from journals, magazines and newspapers is to search research
databases.Examples: Academic Search Premier (a general periodical database); JSTOR (a humanities
and social sciences periodical database); ABI/Inform (a business database); Proquest;
EBSCO Host.
11. NEWSPAPERS
A newspaper is a collection of articles about current events usually published daily. As
these are published daily and in almost every major city, these are a great source for local
information. Newspapers are a useful information source to find current information about
local, national and international events. They also contain editorials, commentaries, expert or
popular opinions. The articles areusually topical and current, written by journalists for the
general public. They might be useful for discussion of current trends and issues. Presently
most of the newspapers are also accessible online too.
Examples:The Times of India; New York Times; Business Standard
12. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS
A Government publication is defined as an item published under the authority of a
governmental agency. These publications are issued by local, state, national, or international
governments. Government information includes annual reports, plan documents, budget
documents, laws, regulations, statistics, census reports, directories, consumer information,
and much more. Government information is generally considered to be reliable, only source
of a particular information and usually are issued by a government agency. For example,
Indian government publications are available from Government of India’s Publications
portal.(http://india.gov.in/my-government/publications )
Examples: Right to Information Act, 2005; Annual Report 2006, Department of Agriculture
and Co-operation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India; National Food Security Act
2013
13.DISSERTATIONS AND THESES
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of an academic degree
presenting the author’s research and findings. Its purpose is to inform and present scholarly
information. This category of documents are usually collected by academic or special
libraries as they contain results of original research. In present times, besides a printed copy,
most of the dissertation are also submitted in electronic form.A thesis/dissertation can be
new data on an important issue; an innovative data collection method; an analysis of existing
data sets in new ways to answer new and important questions; or a derivation of new
research methods and a demonstration of their usefulness.The objective is to help the
student learn how to think through and investigate a research question. The
thesis/dissertation should show competence in the development, implementation and
reporting of a research project.
Examples:Murali D.: Studies on p53 and its role in cell proliferation, athesis submitted to the Centre for
Cellular and Molecular Biology, JawaharLal Nehru University, New Delhi for award of
doctorate degree. 2014.
Khurana, Poonam: Role of ethics in personal, team and organisational effectiveness, a
thesis submitted to Department of Management Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi for award
of doctorate degree. 2013.
14. THE LIBRARY CATALOUGUE
A library catalogue is a listing of all the items held by a particular library. It is an organized
and searchable collection of records of every item in a library and can be found on the library
premises or on the library home page. The catalogue enables users to find out what items
the library owns on a given topic. It also points to the location of a particular source, or
group of sources, that the library owns on the required topic(s).
Most of the modern libraries have computerised catalogues. A cataloguer examines the
items (books, videos, maps, audio tapes, CDs, etc.) and decides how they will be described
in the library's catalogue and under what subject they will be classified. When the item is
entered into the library's online catalogue database, information is entered into different
fields, which are then searchable by users. In the library premises, the computerised
catalogue is referred to OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue).When a user is on the
library’s premises or has access to the library’s website hosting the library catalogue,
information sources on the desired topic(s)are accessible. The library catalogue thus is a
useful source of current information.
Examples:
OPAC, Central Library, IIT Delhi, New Delhi (http://library.iitd.ac.in/)
OPAC, National Science Library, NISCAIR, New Delhi (http://nsl.niscair.res.in/)
15. THE WEB
The Web allows us to access information on the Internet through a browser, for example,
Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. One of the main features of the Web
is the ability to link quickly to other related information or materials. Websites can be a useful
source ofcurrent information, particularly those, for example, associated with current and
well-known people, places and events. The Web offers a variety of information, including
that found in other information sources such as directories or magazines, as well as for
different information needs (current, historical, research, secondary or primary sources).
There are no standards or expertise required for publishing on the web so information found
there needs to be evaluated carefully. The currency of information depends upon the author
of the page or site, some sites are updated daily or morefrequently, while others are not
kept up-to-date. Also accuracy/authority of websites, if not by reputed organisations are
always in question.
15.1 Internet
The Internet is essentially made up of millions of computers all over the world that are linked
together in a network that allows people to exchange information. Internet has complete
books; scholarly journal articles; newspaper articles; video; feature length movies; music; games; software that can be downloaded; self-help; shopping; opportunities to interact with
others using email, chat, and live voice and video; and lots of other information.Most of the
material that has been digitized, can be found on the Internet.
With all the information available on the Internet, it is considered one of the best sources of
information in the present times. Benefits of using the Internet as an information source
include:
· Lots of information available from all over the world
· Access to the “invisible web”, which includes peer-reviewed scholarly articles from
experts, newspaper articles, and other data.
· Live and recorded audio and video can actually enable users to hear or see what
happened from a primary source.
· Provides more recent, up to date information, including up to the minute updates.
There are also some disadvantages of using the Internet as a source of information:
· Lots of information from all over the world is also a disadvantage as there is a lot of
information to sift through, making it difficult and time consuming to find what is
actually needed by a user.
· Anyone with a computer and Internet access can put information on the Internet. Just
because information is on the Internet does not make it true. At times, it is difficult to
make sure the information is from a reputable, qualified source before it can used for
some purpose.
· The Internet primarily contains relatively recent information. If oneneeds more
historical information, it is likely to be found in print resources and from specialized
library databases that provide access to digitized historical information.
However, there are places on the Internet that will give references that may be trackeddown
throughthe libraries.
a) Wikipedia(http://www.wikipedia.org/)
Wikipedias are places where people work together to write encyclopaedias in different
languages. We use Simple English words and grammar here. The Simple English
Wikipedia is for everyone! That includes children and adults who are learning English.
There are 112,249 articles on the Simple English Wikipedia. All of the pages are free to
use.
b) Google Books(http://books.google.com/)
When we enter the search terms in Google books, digitized holdings of some of the
world’s greatest academic libraries will appear. Google collaborated with some of the
finest research libraries in the world to digitize items found in the "public domain". They
also provide access to chapters within contemporary books. This usually gives enough
background information to get started without coming in to the library to borrow a book.
c) Google Scholar(http://scholar.google.com/)
Here we can find scholarly research, but from a limited number of journals.
15.2 Electronic Material
Books and articles are traditionally thought of as print sources, but now with theInternet
access, many printed resources are available electronically. Regardless of whether content
appears in print or electronic format, it is important that we are able to assess whether it is
reliable and authoritative. Electronic materials in the libraries have several advantages over
print media:
· Information may be updated easily
· Often up-to-the-minute information
· May be keyword searchable
· May be accessed outside of the library
· Multiple users can look at the same information at the same time
· Easily printed, download, or manipulate information
Managing a collection of electronic information resources is quite different from managing a
collection of non-electronic information resources. Unlike a book, computer equipment and
networks are needed to access electronic information. Digital format of traditional information
sources is available as:
Print Format Digital Format
Books eBooks
Periodical articles Online journals, e-journals
Pamphlets Web pages
Dissertations and Theses Full text Databases
Maps CD-ROMs
Government documents, etc. DVDs, etc.
Printed Reference Sources Online in Full text
Library Catalogues Online Public Access Catalogues
15.2.1 E-Resources
An e- resource is material which requires computer mediation in order to access its content
and make it useful. Both online and offline resources such as online material and CD-ROMs
fall within the scope of e- resources. The term e-resource refers to all the products which a
library provides through a computer network.The electronic resources are also known as
online information resources covering bibliographic databases, electronic reference books,
search engines for full text books, and digital collections of data. They include both “born
digital” material which has been produced directly online. For example-e-journals, databases,
and print resources which have been scanned and digitized. The electronic resources, ejournals,
online databases are not “owned” by the libraries as they own the print material.
Ownership of electronic resources lies with the providers of these resources. Access to the
electronic resources may be free via Internet or may be available against a fee.
Some of the examples of e- resources are magazines, encyclopaedia, newspapers, journals
or articles published in them. These may be accessed on Internet connected devices such
as computers, tablets, smart phones, etc.
15.2.1.1 E- journalsAn e-journal has been defined as a periodical publication which is published in electronic
format usually on the Internet. It is a periodical publication means that it has some
periodicity. It may be published weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, annually, etc. The
term electronic journal refers to:
· An electronic version of an established print journal like Current Science Online,
Journal of Chemical Sciences, Scientific American, etc.
· An electric version only, for example, Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding,
Ariadne,Web Magazine for Information Professionals, D-Lib magazine, etc.
· A journal changes to electronic format and stop its print version.
· An electronic journal can be free or fee-based through annual subscription, licensing
or pay per use.
15.2.1.2 E-books
An electronic or digital book, also known as e-book is a text and image based publication in
digital form. It is produced or published to be read on computer or other digital devices. Ebooks
are the digital equivalent of standard printed books and are available in a wide variety
of formats. Some may be downloaded in full to be read offline, whereas others may only be
read online while connected to the Internet.
Examples:
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, a free e-book can be downloaded from
http://www.feedbooks.com
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, e-book edition is the popular e-book edition of the
Oxford Dictionary available at http://www.mobipocket.com
15.2.1.3 Electronic Databases
An electronic database is a collection of records which may have numeric, textual or image
based data. If it is accessible via WWW, it is known as an online database. Before the
advent of Internet, these online databases were available as CD-ROM databases. For
example, a journal database is a collection of journal articles arranged in individual records
which can be searched. The databases can be bibliographic or full text ones.
A bibliographic database consists of bibliographic recordsand is an organized digital
collection of references to published literature. It may be general in nature or may be in a
particular subject area.The majority of the databases which provide citations also have
abstracts, which are brief summaries of the article or resource. The users and researchers
can learn a lot about an article just by carefully reading the citation and the abstract; this in
turn will help them decide whether they want to read the full article or not. Examples of this
type of databases are SCOPUS, EMBASE.
On the other hand, the databases which provide full text of journal articles, book chapters,
conference papers, etc. are known as full text databases. Examples are Science Direct,
JSTOR and PROQUEST. Full text access means that the users can view, save or print the
full text article. Another kind is Meta-databases that allow one to search for content that is
indexed by other databases.
15.2.1.4 Other Electronic Material
In additions to the above electronic material, other e-materials are e-newsletters, e-reports;
e-thesis and dissertations; and institutional repositories. All the electronic materials are
useful sources of current information.
15.3 Social Media
Social media is defined as ‘forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social
networking and micro-blogging) through which users create online communities to share
information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos). Social media have
become increasingly popular among different user groups. Although used for social
purposes, some social media platforms (e.g., Wikipedia) have been emerging as important
information sources of current information.
Regular media is a one-way process, where we can read a newspaper or listen to a report
on television, but have very limited ability to convey our thoughts on the matter. Social media,
on the other hand, is a two-way process that gives us the ability to communicate too.
Some examples of social media websites:
· Social Bookmarking. (del.icio.us,Blinklist, Simpy) Interact by tagging websites and
searching through websites bookmarked by other people.
· Social News. (Digg, Mixx, Reddit) Interact by voting for articles and commenting on
them.
· Social Networking. (Facebook, Twitter,Linkedin) Interact by adding friends,
commenting on profiles, joining groups and having discussions.
· Social Photo and Video Sharing. (YouTube, Flickr) Interact by sharing photos or
videos and commenting on user submissions.
· Wikis. (Wikipedia, Wikia) Interact by adding articles and editing existing articles.
And these websites are not the only social media websites. Any website that invites a user to
interact with the site and with other visitors falls into the definition of social media.
16.HUMANS AS SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Humanbeings are considered an important non-documentary source of information as the
educational background, knowledge, experience, maturity and exposure to various situations
makes certain categories of individuals an authority on certain topics. Thus it has been
established that in many situations, only human beings can make available certain
information for use by various categories of users. There are several categories where
people serve as information sources, for example, peers, consultants, technological
gatekeepers, invisible colleges, common people, etc. For further details on this topic, Module
3 of this paper may be referred to wherein various categories of humans as sources of
information have been discussed.
17. SUMMARY
in the above sections, we have discussed the need for information sources to satisfy the
current information requirements of users. The library and information specialists offer these
sources for use by their users to keep them informed and up- to date with the latest news,
developments and publications related to fields of their interests. Need for current
information is different from the current awareness services offered by the libraries. Current
awarenessis referred to as the process of keeping up to date with the latest or the current
information/documents that are published or made available. But need for current
information refers to satisfying immediate information requirement ofa user which not
always for latest information, as many times users may require retrospective resources.The current sources of information include the documentary sources and non-documentary
sources. All recorded sources of information irrespective of their contents and form come
under documentary sources. These may be published or unpublished, in print or in electronic
form.Needs for current information may, for example, be related to educational activities, to
research activities, to professional activities, to recreation activities, to cultural activities or to
personal development. The current information here is usually available from information
sources that may not be recently published. Information sources are also required to be
used for participation in on-going academic activities. The current sources of information
include the documentary sources and non-documentary sources. All recorded sources of
information irrespective of their contents and form come under documentary sources. These
may be published or unpublished, in print or in electronic form.
In this module, an overview of various information sources has been given. These sources
range from the reference sources to the latest published materials like periodicals and
databases to the electronic materials. Electronic material includes e-journals, e-books, e-databases
and other electronically published material.
STORY BOARD/CHUNK TEXT
TEXT FOR VOICE NARRATION CHUNK TEXT
Multimedia
Content
Current Information
Current Information can come
virtually from anywhere - books,
journal articles, expert opinions,
encyclopaedias, patents, standards,
media, blogs, personal experience
and web pages. The type of
information a user needs will change
depending on the questions asked
and efforts to answer these
questions. In the context of current
information, when we talk about
information sources, it refers to any
publication, website, or other item
that can make available desired
information. The information sources
discussed in this module include
periodical articles, newspapers,
books, websites, reference sources,
etc.
Current Information
· Current Information can be from
any source, viz. books, journal
articles, expert opinions,
encyclopaedias, patents, standards,
media, blogs, personal experience
and web pages.
· The type of information a user
needs will change depending on the
questions asked and efforts to
answer these questions.
· Sources for current information,
refer to any publication, website, or
other item that can make available
desired information.
· These information sources include
periodical articles, newspapers,
books, websites, reference sources,
etc.
Current Information and Current
Awareness
Current awareness knowledge of
recent developments in a field. The
knowledge is related to the
developments in an individual’s
Current Information and Current
Awareness
· Current awareness knowledge of
recent developments in a field. The
knowledge is related to the
developments in an individual’s
profession. profession.
Sources for current information on the
other hand are contemporary
resources that have been created,
published or updated recently
enough to be considered up-to-date.
For current information needs, one
may not require latest information
always as many times, information
users may require retrospective
resources.
· Sources for current information on
the other hand are contemporary
resources that have been created,
published or updated recently
enough to be considered up-todate.
For current information needs,
one may not require latest
information always as many times,
information users may require
retrospective resources.
Sources of Current Information
information sources that help most of
the users for their current information
approach are:
· Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries,
Directories
· Books
· Periodicals
· Conference proceedings
· Standards, patents, trade
catalogues
· Databases
· Newspapers
· Government publications
· Dissertations and theses
· The Library Catalogue
· The Web
· Humans as sources of
information
Sources of Current Information
information sources that help most of
the users for their current information
approach are:
· Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries,
Directories
· Books
· Periodicals
· Conference proceedings
· Standards, patents, trade
catalogues
· Databases
· Newspapers
· Government publications
· Dissertations and theses
· The Library Catalogue
· The Web
· Humans as sources of
information
The Web
Websites are a useful source of
current information, particularly
those, for example, associated with
current and well-known people,
places and events. This is enabled
as the Web has the ability to link
quickly to other related information or
materials. The Web offers a variety of
information, including that found in
other information sources such as
directories or magazines, as well as
for different information needs
(current, historical, research,
secondary or primary sources).
The Web
· Websites are a useful source of
current information, particularly
those, for example, associated with
current and well-known people,
places and events.
· This is enabled as the Web has the
ability to link quickly to other related
information or materials.
· The Web offers a variety of
information, including that found in
other information sources such as
directories or magazines, as well as
for different information needs
(current, historical, research,
secondary or primary sources).
E-Resources
An e- resource is material which
E-Resources
· An e-resource is material which requires computer mediation in order
to access its content and make it
useful. Both online and offline
resources such as online material and
CD-ROM's fall within the scope of e-resources.
The term e-resource refers
to all the products which a library
provides through a computer
network.The electronic resources are
also known as online information
resources covering bibliographic
databases, electronic reference
books, search engines for full text
books, and digital collections of data.
requires computer mediation in order
to access its content and make it
useful.
· Both online and offline resources
such as online material and CDROM's
fall within the scope of eresources.
· The term e-resource refers to all the
products which a library provides
through a computer network.
· The electronic resources are also
known as online information
resources covering bibliographic
databases, electronic reference
books, search engines for full text
books, and digital collections of data.
Kinds of e- resources
· e-journals
· e-books
· e-reports
· e-thesis and dissertations
· e-magazines
· electronic databases
Kinds of e- resources
· e-journals
· e-books
· e-reports
· e-thesis and dissertations
· e-magazines
· electronic databases
A. TIMELINE
B. GLOSSARY
Starting
Character
Term Definition Related
Term
C Conference
proceedings
Scholars get together and present their
latest research to one another. It’s less
formal than a published article, and it’s not
peer reviewed, but the information may be
newer and may not yet be available in
articles or books.
E Expert A person with extensive knowledge or
ability in a given subject field.
F Full Text
Databases
The electronic databases which provide
access to the full text of the articles
published in journals are known as full
text databases.
I Information Information includes facts, figures and
concepts taken from primary and
secondary sources of information.
Informative Providing knowledge, especially useful or
interesting information
P Peer Review Peer review is a process in academic
circles that is used to determine if
academic research is of sufficient quality
to merit publication. For example,
aresearcher conducts research, writes a
paper, and submits it to a journal for
publication. The editor of the journal
identifies experts in that particular area of
research (experts who likely have highest
degrees, standing and have published in
the area) and asks the experts if they
would be willing to do a review of the
paper.
R Relevant Current, not out of date
S Source Any document that provides information
sought by a writer, researcher, library
user, or person searching an online
catalogue or bibliographic database.
C.
WEB LINKS / REFERENCES
References
Case, D. (2002). Looking for Information: A Survey of Research on Information
Seeking, Needs, and Behavior. Amsterdam: Academic Press.
Cassel, Kay Ann, and Hiremath, Uma. Reference Information Services 21stCentury:
An Introduction. 2nded. London: Facet Publishing Inc, 2009.
Grogan (D J): Science and Technology: an introduction to the literature. 4th ed.
London: Clive Bingley, 1992. Katz (W A): Introduction to reference work. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. 2 V.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Primary_Secondary_and_Tertiary_Sources
http://libguides.willamette.edu/primary-sources
http://www.w3.org/TR/ws-gloss/
http://www.ebscohost.com/discovery/about
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