THE LIBRARY: OLD TASKS, NEW METHODS

1:00 - 3:00 Workshop:
Manipulating search results; using Web Search Engines

Michael Engle, Cornell University Library and Audrey Wright, Princeton University Library

Divide into two groups: Macintosh group--Michael Engle; PC group--Audrey Wright

Part I: Moving Downloaded records onto your web site; adding links to useful databases

• Create a separate page (using AOLpress) for library/research resources (citations, links to databases and web resources)
• Go into Netscape and do a "save as" to save a copy of your home page locally (hard drive)
• Make a link on your homepage to the library/research resources page you just created
• Do some general cleanup if necessary

Part II: Searching -- Library Catalogs, the Web

• Controlled Vocabulary -- (Library of Congress) Search the Online Catalog
  
  • Example: search for books which might include discussion on terminology used in anthropology fin k anthropology dictionar? or fin k anthropology concept?
    
  • Both vocabulary and content are controlled in an online catalog.
  • Catalogs of Other Libraries

• Non-controlled -- Web search engines
  • There is always an element of serendipity

  • Search for "Uses of the word 'tribe' as applied to African tribes" using Infoseek (africa word tribe terminology)

  • Hotbot

  • Search only in discussion groups using dejanews
    
    
  • Browsing pre-classified subject groupings such as found in Yahoo is also effective in certain situations; search for help with computing problems (e.g., when you don't know what terms might be used to describe your topic, or when your topic is very broad.) There are scholarly subject directories as well, such as Argos.
    
    
• Dogpile--searches many search engines at once

• Try this collection of Web search engines to continue your searching.

• Detailed Comparison of Web Search Engines

Audrey Wright and Michael Engle
Updated June 10, 1997
URL: http://www.princeton.edu/~humcomp/nttr/capturing.htm