Category Archives: MLIS Coursework

Reference Services Plan – Academic Medical Library

Introduction:

• This reference services plan focuses on introducing a real-time virtual reference librarian within an academic medical library. People are turning to the internet now more than ever to find their information, and in-person reference desk help is on the decline (Jane & McMillan, 2003, p.240). The library acknowledged there was a need to have a reference librarian available to answer real-time inquiries from patrons, via the internet. Web forms and email contacts have already been supplied to the patrons for anonymous inquiries, but due to the number of inquiries and when they are received; the patron mostly likely will not receive immediate feedback. With the implementation of a real-time virtual reference librarian, patrons will have more thorough reference interviews at the time they need information.

The Library:

• The reference service plan to introduce a real-time virtual reference librarian will be implemented in an academic medical library. An example of an academic medical library would be A.T. Still Memorial Library located in Kirksville, Missouri.

The Audience:

• The target audience for this service would include physicians, medical students, patients, and the general public. It will focus on the patrons information needs of medical related material, where the patron must have immediate response through a virtual reference service.

Service Plan:

Research

• The library must learn about virtual reference services through research, especially to see if other libraries had success using a real-time reference librarian, via the internet.
• After the research is completed, the idea should be introduced to the medical library staff who may work in the area of this new virtual reference service.

Software

• Software should be found, tested, and documented through the information technology (IT) department. In the study found, the library used the software “RAKIM” supplied by Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (Jane & McMillan, 2003, p. 241).

Policy/Link to Service/Naming Service

• Policies and procedures for the virtual reference service will be written along with staff training manuals.
• The new reference service will need to be linked to the home page of the medical library, so patrons can easily find the service.
• A name must be established for the service (“LiveHelp”), so patrons will know where to look on the home page when searching for this real-time reference service.

Staff

• A medical library staff member will need to be assigned to run the development of this project.
• Staff will meet to learn the policies and procedures for the virtual reference service. Also, all staff members will be supplied with the staff training manuals where yearly assessments will be studied through data collection.
• Staff will conduct a trial run over a period of time to determine if those in the trial will find the service enthusiastic and beneficial.

Marketing

• The medical library will advertise the service
  • The reference service will be publicized through fliers placed around campus, the multiple libraries, and on the school’s main library’s page.
  • Bookmarks with the reference service information on them available throughout campus.
  • An article placed in the university newspaper, as well as in the local paper.
• Hours will be established for the reference service. Ideally this real-time reference service will be available during the hours the medical library is open. For example, A.T. Still University Memorial Library is open from 7:00 A.M. until Midnight.

Measurable and Desirable Outcomes

• The measurable outcomes would be determined by the use of patron surveys. They will discover if the service is successful and useful for the medical library patrons. Data can be collected from the stored electronic interactions to discern the kinds of questions being asked and how best to improve the overall service. (Privacy will be kept by eliminating names, even though this is supposed to be an anonymous service).
• The desired outcomes would allow patrons to have real-time reference service through synchronous virtual sessions. The service will be valuable to patrons who are needing immediate information but are a far distance from the library. Real-time virtual services will allow patrons to connect with the medical library staff through more than a computer; they can use their smart phones and other technology devices to inquire information.  Ensuring patrons receive timely service when their reference questions arise helps position the library as an essential place for finding information. It also helps the library maintain its relevance in the medical community.

References:

Jane, C. & McMillan, D. (2003). Online in real-time? deciding whether to offer a real-time virtual reference service, The Electronic Library, 21(3) :240 – 246.

Resource

Shaw, Emily (Author) Delaporte, Yves (Author), & Marion, Carole (Illustrator). A Historical and etymological dictionary of sign language: the origin and evolution of more than 500 signs. Gallaudet University Press, 2015. 344p illus ISBN 978-1563686214, $75.00

This first edition dictionary contains a relatively comprehensive study of the history of American Sign Language (ASL). The authors, Shaw (nationally certified ASL-English interpreter and Linguist) and Delaporte (former director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris) present an explanation of the origins of more than 500 ASL signs. The entries in this dictionary are organized alphabetically and includes the regional variations, origin, and langue des signes française (LSF) images of each word. This dictionary contains 1,150 illustrations of early ASL, French Sign Language and modern contemporary signs. An introductory chapter is included in this dictionary to provide a brief history of ASL from the 19th century to the present. This is a very current dictionary, and could be compared to the American Sign Language Dictionary (Collins Reference, 1998, $60.00), even though it does not contain nearly as many words or illustrations. Even though the American Sign Language Dictionary (1998) was published 18 years ago, it is a more comprehensive dictionary to completely understand ASL, that includes cross-references and more than 12,000 illustrations. A Historical and Etymological Dictionary of Sign Language (2015) is the first dictionary of its kind to incorporate illustrations from both early ASL and French Sign Language to help develop the modern etymology of ASL. While this dictionary may not be the most comprehensive regarding ASL, it would be useful to those beginning their studies of researching and learning this enriching language. Summing Up: Recommended. Public and Academic Libraries; General Readers.
~A.M. Keith, University of Kentucky
Humanities – Language and Literature

Resource

Lemish, Dafna. The Routledge International Handbook of Children, Adolescents and Media. Routledge, 2015. 526p index ISBN 978-1138849136, $55.95.

This handbook is an authoritative guide in the field of Children’s Media Studies. The topics covered in this handbook are divided into five sections: Childhoods and Constructions (9 chapters), Channels and Convergence (10 chapters), Concerns and Consequences (16 chapters), Context and Communities (9 chapters), and Collaborations and Companions (12 chapters). Each chapter is written by different authors and provides exclusive depictions of current knowledge regarding children and media in relation to local, national and global settings. This book contains two indexes at the end of the book that cover the subjects discussed in the text as well as a names index, which help the user navigate through the text easier. Other information offered within this book are policies for regulating children’s use of media and how parents can get involved, relationships between children’s on-line and off-line social circles, and how to compare gender and ethnic identities through the media. Each of the book’s five sections consists of an introduction to provide an explanation of the topics to be discussed in future chapters. This book was published one year ago and is comparable to Handbook of Children and the Media (SAGE Publications, 2011, $185.00), and is considerably cheaper with much of the same content scope. This book also includes 57 new contributions by 71 scholars in 38 countries. Being the only edition of this handbook, it would benefit those media professionals, policy makers, parents, and educators who want a more authoritative guide when researching the field of Children’s Media Studies. Summing Up: Highly Recommended. Professionals, Educators, Government Officials, and Parents; general audience.
~A.M. Keith – University of Kentucky
Social and Behavioral Sciences – Psychology

REFERENCE

Cohen, R., Barnes, J., Holland, K., Cook, C., Barone, M., & Bicknell, J. The Almanac of American Politics. 2016 Edition. Columbia Books & Information Services, 2015. 2084p index ISBN 9781938518294, $125.00

This edition of The Almanac of American Politics is a comprehensive and primary resource for understanding the American political landscape. The book is organized alphabetically by state, and further, by congressional district within each state. In-depth profiles of every governor, Senator, and House members are provided along with updated demographic information for every state and voting district. Users of this book will find analysis of the mid-term elections in 2014 and a breakdown of votes cast for the Presidential election in 2012. New to this edition are sections providing campaign finance details for candidates, including Super PACs, and an overall analysis of voter turnout. More than 60 state and congressional maps are provided as visuals to help those interested in American politics to understand how the American people vote in elections. The first edition of this book was originally published in 1972, and has been updated on a bi-annual basis to its current 2016 edition. This book includes an index that is extensive and allows users to easily locate the place or person being searched. The authors are prestigious in the area of American politics and have contributed their expertise to National Journal and Congressional Quarterly. They have also won awards such as Everett McKinley Dirksen Award and Carey McWilliams award. This book is the only one of its kind that has extensive analysis of American politics in all 50 states within one volume. This book is essential for anyone who is a politics watcher and wants the ultimate access to information about American Politics.
Summing Up: Highly Recommended. Academic and Public Libraries.
~A.M. Keith, University of Kentucky
Social & Behavioral Behaviors: U.S. Politics

REFERENCE

Fayaz, Ahmed. Encyclopedia of tropical plants: identification and cultivation of over 3,000 tropical plants. Firefly Books, 2011. 720p bibl indexes ISBN 9781554074891, $75.00

This encyclopedia is the first reference guide for tropical plants and features over 3,000 species that represent the major tropical plant groups from all over the world. The plants in this book are organized in their taxonomic categories: order, family, genus, and species. This arrangement allows users to find information on specific tropical flowers and also allows for easy comparison to similar flowers, as opposed to other books on the subject arranged by alphabetical genus name. There are more than 3,000 full-color illustrations that give visuals of the tropical flowers being described and explained. This book contains a glossary and indexes that represent both common names and scientific names of plants that are both extensive and thorough. Other information presented in this book include natural habitat, blooming season, and descriptions of each plant’s parts. The author draws attention to how important cultivation is, due to many tropical plants being threatened by habitat destruction. A references section in the book supplies a bibliography of the works used to build the extensiveness of the encyclopedia. This book was published five years ago and is comparable to The Kew Tropical Plant Families Identification Handbook (Royal Botanic Gardens, 2014, $35.00), even though not as current, more expensive, and does not have each chapter written by an expert on the particular species. Being the first guide for identification of tropical plants, this book would fit well into any library botany collection and will be best used by those who are plant enthusiasts or those lacking valuable information on tropical plants. Summing Up: Highly Recommended. Researchers, professionals, and general readers.
~A.M. Keith, University of Kentucky
Interdisciplinary – Food and Agriculture

Reference Services Evaluation

Introduction: In order for libraries to remain relevant in a constantly changing technology age, they need to offer reference services online. These services are known as virtual reference services and take on the forms of instant messaging, email, telephone, text messaging, and videoconferencing. Chow & Croxton (2014) state, “usability metrics are a good predictor of user preferences centered on high return on investment, speed of transaction, convenience, and minimal effort” (p.309). Through the use of online reference services, patrons have a more accessible way to find information and resources, however; these online reference services should be easy to find, navigate, and use.

Reference Service: This evaluation will focus on the usability of online reference services within two academic universities. The online reference services being studied are instant messaging chat, email, telephone, text messaging, and Skype. The evaluation’s goal is to assess which online reference service is preferred by students when rating the ease of usability.

Participants:

• This evaluation will span a five month period during the academic year, so all students enrolled within the two academic universities will be able to participate. The group of students incorporated into the study are: freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate, and doctoral.
• Study participants are selected by random selection from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. A total of 31 students were chosen for this study.
• The results of this study will represent which online reference services are used most often by students in regards to their usability. Chow & Croxton (2014) state, “If user preferences for particular reference services are an indicator of the actual usability of these services, one may expect the usability ratings to mirror that which is preferred” (p. 313). As a result, the study results may not reflect the entire population, but may give a good indication as to which online reference services college and university students choose to use in terms of usability.

Data Collection Methods:

• A weakness to this study is, students will do a usability survey on their own instead of a controlled testing environment. This study is reliant on the fact that students actually research all five online reference services and complete the questions accurately and honestly. Another weakness is the redundancy of questions within the online reference services where library staff begin to recognize the students participating in the study, due to the low participation size.
• The strength of this study allows researchers to see the correlation between usability of these online reference services and satisfaction rate of the students. Chow & Croxton (2014) state, “the higher the usability, the more highly rated the reference service was (p.319).  The usability evaluation is also quicker, cost effective, and practical to conduct.
• A survey will be distributed to all of the participants in the study consisting of ten questions. The participants will rate each of the online reference services for preference and usability. Two questions per service will be supplied, totaling ten, consisting of a quick fact question and research question. Quick fact questions are questions considered to be questions like “What time does the library close”? Research questions are considered as “How do I cite my paper in APA format”?
• In addition to a survey, records can be kept off all online transactions in the reference service such as name, date, and time. All identifying information will be removed before concluding the research.
• The instructions of the study along with the survey can be pilot tested with graduate students to consider the study’s validity, construction, and ways to revise for easy understanding. The graduate students who participate in the pilot study will not be considered for the actual study.

Environment:

• The locations collecting the information in this study will be two academic universities who provide four main online reference services.
• Since the schools are evaluating services provided online, the participants will be notified about the goals and instructions of the evaluation project through email, one of the online reference services provided.
• There are currently no other evaluation projects being conducted that could be consolidated with this reference service evaluation.

Personnel:

• Librarians in the two academic libraries will be trained to provide participants the purpose of the evaluation being conducted. They should have knowledge of all survey questions being asked, so they can clear up any confusion a participant may have.
• Librarians should also be trained in how to in-put information from the surveys into the software being used to analyze the evaluation.
• The librarians should participate in a workshop that provides the proper ethics and procedures when conducting an evaluation.
• Librarians should have this knowledge already, but should be reminded to keep online reference interviews private by removing any identifying information from the interaction.

Equipment and Supplies:

• The specialized equipment and supplies needed to collect, analyze, and communicate the project’s evaluation findings are as follows:

Survey services: Survey Monkey, Type Form, and Google Forms. These are free survey services, and there are others with a limited trial but are ultimately pay per survey.

Software for Managing and Analyzing Data: This could primarily be done through Microsoft Office Suite, but other software could be purchased if needed.

• Funding will be obtained by grants written by library staff to obtain all materials necessary to conduct this evaluation. Even though this evaluation should be relatively cost effective and cheap, funds should be secured for further studies and research.

References:

Chow, A. S. & Croxton, R. A. (2014). A usability evaluation of academic virtual reference services. College & Research Libraries, 75(3): 309-361

I am providing a video giving instructions on how to use the Beanstack Database provided through Lexington Public Library. Beanstack is free database provided through public libraries that help parents and children find books and mobile apps based on children’s interests. The ultimate goal of the Beanstack Database is for children to be literate and on grade level by the time they enter the third grade. All books recommended through this database are freely available in the public library carrying the database. I hope this video is beneficial for parents with children who would like to improve their children’s literacy and learning skills through librarian recommended books and activities. Thank you for watching.

American Revolution: Research Sources for Students, Educators and Librarians

The American Revolution occurred between 1765-1783, which eventually led to the Revolutionary War from 1775-1783. The thirteen colonies gained their independence from Great Britain by the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. This information portal is intended for students, educators, and librarians to have a central place for finding resources on all aspects of the American Revolution. Within this pathfinder, sources can be found about the events leading up to the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the  war’s aftermath. Biographies will also be included so those researching will have relevant information about the persons who had the greatest impact in the forming of the United States of America.

BROWSING: 

When doing research, it is important to know how resources are organized. The two most popular methods of organization within libraries are the Library of Congress Classification System (LC) and the Dewey Decimal System. Below is a list of call-numbers for both systems and subject headings from LC to help those researching the American Revolution find their resources more easily and efficiently.

Subject Headings

• United States — History — Revolution, 1775-1783 — Biography: This heading is useful when searching specific people who had the largest impact leading up to, during, and after the war for independence.
• United States — History — Revolution, 1775-1783 — Battlefields: This heading is useful to find resources on the most relevant battles and their battlefields during the American Revolutionary War.
• United States — History — Revolution, 1775-1783 — Causes: This heading is useful to find resources regarding the escalation of hostilities between Great Britain and the thirteen colonies leading to the American Revolution.
• United States — History — Revolution, 1775-1783 –Participation: This heading is useful in finding resources related to who participated and was an overall part of the American Revolution, both Loyalists and Patriots. Also, this is a good heading to search the different countries involved in the revolution.
• United States — History — Revolution, 1775-1783 — Religious Aspects: This heading is most useful to find resources about the Catholic, Christian, Quaker, etc. movements during the American Revolution.

Call Numbers:

Library of Congress Classification System

E – History of America

• 151-904 – United States
• 201-298 – The Revolution, 1775-1783
• 300-453 – Revolution to the Civil War, 1775/1783-1861
  •  300-302.6 – General
  • 302.1 – Political history
  • 302.5-302.6 – Biography (Late eighteenth century)
  • 303-440.5 – By period
  • 303-309 – 1775-1789. The Confederation, 1783-1789

Dewey Decimal Classification System

• 973 – United States History
• 973.3 – American Revolution and Confederation, 1775-1789
• 921 – Individual Biography

REFERENCE SOURCES:

• Bullock, S.C. (2003). The american revolution: a history in documents. New York: Oxford University Press. University of Kentucky call number: E203.B95 2003

The author of this reference source uses primary documents to show how common men and women worked together and played important roles in defining the new United States. This book explores how the thirteen colonies broke free from Great Britain’s monarchy rule, fought and won the Revolutionary War against the most powerful country in the world, and worked to establish a successful government as seen by the Founding Fathers. Students, educators, and librarians can use this resource for all facets of the American Revolution to research the events that led to war and formed the United States of America.

• Hanning, B. (2009). American revolutionary war leaders: a biographical dictionary. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. University of Kentucky call number: E206.H266 2009

This dictionary provides military and political biographical entries for the leaders responsible for the establishment of the United States. Reference librarians located within the thirteen original colonies helped gather information for this dictionary by supplying information for the individuals entries not as well known but still important in the American Revolution. The entries are listed in alphabetical order and and include a full biography from birth to death where available. An index is supplied at the end of the book for easy navigation and a further reading section allows students, educators and librarians to explore other resources regarding the American Revolution.

• Hanning, B. (2008). Chronology of the american revolution: military and political actions day by day. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. University of Kentucky call number: E209.H37 2008

This reference source includes information from the first battle at Lexington and Concord to the formation of a single regiment military in 1784. Writings in this book follow a day-to-day account of battles on the battlefields to the speeches and votes in the Continental Congress. This book also includes information about the military forces of both the American and British so researchers can compare back and forth intelligence and influence in the course of combat. Students, educators, and Librarians will find this a thoroughly researched reference source that is easily navigable through a detailed index and chronological frame of reference.

• Mays, T.M. (2010). Historical dictionary of the american revolution. 2nd edition. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. University of Kentucky call number: E209.M36 2010

This book includes an introductory essay for researchers, which leads into a chronological exploration of the historical, political, social and economic background of the time period. A subject arranged bibliography, maps, and biographies help researchers understand the diplomacy of the time when the thirteen colonies were becoming the United States of America. This reference book includes entries on: battles, war generals, forts, treaties, diplomats, individual states (colonies), Continental army, and warfare. Copies of the Declaration of Independence and Treaty of Paris are included in this reference book allowing it be a highly recommended resource for academic libraries.

• Smith, M.D. (2015). The world of the american revolution: a daily life encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC. University of Kentucky call number: E163.W67 2015

This two volume encyclopedia covers the time between 1774-1800, and delves into several different aspects of life for those living in the newly formed United States of America. The encyclopedia summarizes the thoughts and feelings of ordinary people during a time of social, political and economic turmoil such as: arts, food and drink, clothing, apprenticeships, and military training. Being highly recommended for both high school and college students, this resource focuses on the ideals of daily life and helps students identify with American life at the end of the 18th century.

E-RESOURCES:

• Coffman, S. (2012). Words of the founding fathers: selected quotations of franklin, washington, adams, jefferson, madison, and hamilton, with sources. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. Stable URL: http://www.ebrary.com.exprozy.uky.edu/lib/kentucky/detail.action?docID=10590372&p00=words+founding+fathers%3A+selected+quotations+franklin%2C+washington%2C+adams%C+jefferson%2C+madison%2C+hamilton%2C+sources

This book is a collection of quotes and documents credited to the six men mentioned within its title. The men focused on in this book were six of the most influential Founding Fathers of the Revolutionary Era. Topics covered in this book include: religion, republican government, constitution, education, commerce, and the disenfranchised populations.  Students, educators, and librarians can use the quotes and documents provided within this book to understand the context and philosophy of the Revolutionary Era.

• Cogliano, F.D., & Phimister, K.E. (2010). Revolutionary america, 1763-1815: a sourcework. Florence, KY: Routledge. Stable URL: http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/lib/kentucky/detail.action?docID=10416526&p00=american+revolution

This book is a collection of primary sources divided into chronological chapters that allows students, educators, and librarians to gain knowledge about the experiences of the people struggling to build up the United States. A companion website is available ( http://www.routledge.com/textbooks/revolutionaryamerica ) for students and educators to find full-text documents and valuable online sources.

• Humphrey, C.S. (2011). Voices of revolutionary america: contemporary accounts of daily life. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood. Stable URL:                                                               http://site.ebrary.com.exproxy.uky.edu/lib/kentucky/detail.action?docID=10468929&p00=american+revolution

This book describes the daily lives of the people in the colonies as they adapted to political and military conflicts between 1775-1783. This resource contains chronological events of the era, and a bibliography and glossary allow students, educators and librarians to find extra resources for topics of the Revolutionary Era.

• Newman, S.P., & Onuf, P.S. (2013). Jeffersonian america: paine and jefferson in the age of revolutions. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press Stable URL: http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/lib/kentucky/detail.action:docID=10778407&p00=american+revolution

This book is a compilation of essays offer information regarding Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson ideals and careers. These essays will help students, educators, and librarians  understand the relationships between these two men and the population of their times. These men helped introduce the age of the democratic revolution. An index is provided to make this resource more user friendly for researchers.

• Shain, B.A. (2014). Declaration of independence in historical context: american state papers, petitions, proclamations, and letters of the delegates to the first national congresses. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Stable URL: http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/lib/kentucky/detail.action?docID=10881061&p00=american+revolution

The author of this book presents documents from the First Continental Congress to help researchers better understand the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. The documents included are petitions, state papers, declarations, resolutions and proclamations. Alphabetical bibliography and index are also provided for easy navigation and further investigative readings.

• Zagarri, R. (2014). Woman’s dilemma: mercy otis warren and the american revolution. (2nd edition). Somerset, NJ: Wiley. Stable URL: http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/lib/kentucky/detail.action?docID=10962107&p00=american+revolution

This book is a biography of Mercy Otis Warren, one of the most influential women during the American Revolution. She wrote political poems against royal rule in the state of Massachusetts. Mercy Otis Warren urged her fellow patriots to resist British infringements on the rights and liberties of the colonists.

DATABASES:

Use of Databases:

To use both EBSCO Academic Search Complete and EBSCO America: History and Life,users must know how to conduct a search. Once the user is in the database they can choose to do a “Basic Search” or “Advanced Search”. The user can use Boolean operators such as OR, NOT, and AND to link search terms, and limit searches to specific titles. Topics can also be searched by grouping terms together using parentheses. From the help page, the user can find information how to conduct searchable fields such as the author, subjects, keywords, titles, and abstracts.

• EBSCO America: History and Life

America: History and Life provides journals, abstracts, review and dissertations providing information on the history of both the United States and Canada from the prehistoric era to the present. Many of the journals in this database focus on the social sciences and humanities.

Subject Headings: This database does not have a thesaurus, but has CLIO Notes (located at the top of the page) to help find other terms. These were the terms supplied, by clicking on CLIO Notes, as the subject headings for the American Revolution:

• Armed Rebellion
• Declaration of Independence
• Revolutionary Society
• Victory, Peace, and the Aftermath

Keywords: Also found on the CLIO Notes page are narrower terms, located under each subject heading, for searching information about the American Revolution. Some of the keywords that can be used to help narrow down American Revolution research are;

• Lexington and Concord
• Bunker Hill to Saratoga
• The Second Continental Congress
• Thomas Paine and Common Sense
• Abigail Adams
• Slavery and the Revolution
• Women and the Revolution
• Articles of Confederation

EBSCO Academic Search Complete

Academic Search Complete is designed for academic institutions and contains a collection of peer-reviewed journals, periodicals, abstracts, and reports. This database covers many fields of study and offers many information sources for each of the fields.

Subject Headings: When searching for American Revolution in Academic Search Complete, the thesaurus terms provided on the right side of the page consist of:

• American Loyalists
• Colonies
• Military History
• Political Science
• Democracy
• Generals
• Liberty
• Fourth of July
• Eighteenth Century
• Founding Fathers of the United States
• Loyalists
• Patriotism
• Revolutionaries

To search the thesaurus in Academic Search Complete, begin by selecting “Subject Terms” at the top of the page. The choice options for the thesaurus search are: term begins with, term contains, and relevancy ranked. Type in the text box the topic the thesaurus is supposed to search for relevant thesaurus terms, and select which terms to add to the search by using the Boolean phrases OR, AND, and NOT.

Keywords: These term may help narrow searches for the American Revolution with in the Academic Search Complete database. When these search terms terms are combined with each other, they can help provide more focused results.

• Sons of Liberty
• Boston Massacre
• Boston Tea Party
• Minutemen
• First Continental Congress
• Articles of Confederation
• Shay’s Rebellion

PERIODICAL RESOURCES:

• Journal of the American Revolution

-Current Frequency: A new edition is printed annually

This journal is nationally recognized and strives to publish thoroughly researched articles and editorials that will be pleasing to read by students, educators, and librarians. It is known for its accuracy and is the leading journal source of information about the American Revolution. Information for this journal can be found at: http://allthingsliberty.com

• Journal of Early American History

-Current Frequency: Three times per year

This is a peer-reviewed journal that strives to publish articles with a scholarly understanding of how America became colonized and moved toward becoming the United States. This journal offers multitudes of information about early American History for a broad audience. This journal can be found at this website: http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/18770703

• Early American Studies

-Current Frequency: Three times per year

This journal is sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania, and original research is published on a wide range of topics involving the history and culture of North America, especially mid-Atlantic states through 1850. This journal can be found through the Project Muse Database: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/early_american_studies_an_interdisciplinary_journal/

• The American Historical Review

-Current Frequency: Five issues per year

This journal is the official publication of the American Historical Association. It targets students and educators interested in all facets of American history and is highly respected as a general historical journal. More information on this journal can be found at: http://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/american-historical-review

WEBSITES:

• Portraits in Revolution:  http://www.americanrevolution.com/

This website from PortRevolt provides an extensive overview of the American Revolution and Revolutionary War. It discusses topics such as biographies, government documents, maps, artifacts, and personal perspectives.

• The History Place – American Revolution:  http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/index.html

This website provides and indexed page informing researchers regarding the time period before, during and after the American Revolution. The five topics a person on this website can choose are: Explorations and Early Colonial Era, The English Colonial Era, Prelude to the American Revolution, The American War for Independence, and A New Nation is Born.

• The American Revolution – The Glorious Cause for American Independence:  http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/

This website allows researchers to find lists for battles, people, documents, commanders, and events. A message board is also provided so experts can answer questions a researcher may have. Further reading suggestions are also provided for continuing the study of the American Revolution.

• The Charters of Freedom – A New World is at Hand:  http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html

This website provides the government documents that came into existence during the American Revolution like the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. This site also describes the impacts of the making and impact of charters.

DATABASE ANALYSIS

Two Databases Being Analyzed:
– EBSCOhost
– ProQuest

PART I: Content Analysis

When performing research, whether it be a professional, student or other patron, the knowledge of using databases is essential. Understanding a database’s functions and capabilities allows patrons to find the most relevant and accurate articles. Two of the most popular databases used today are EBSCOhost and ProQuest. When evaluating these two databases together, it is important to compare their scope, authority, accuracy, arrangement, and any special features these databases may include to help in the research process. The next sections will compare both of these databases by using the factors previously mentioned.

SCOPE

EBSCOhost provides a broad coverage and access to multiple databases. A complete list of searchable topics, such as, business, law, humanities, medicine, science and many more are provided. Each of the individual databases supplied within EBSCOhost features different resources that have a wide range of publication dates. Some of the available source types within EBSCOhost include full-text articles, case studies, abstracts, patents, essays, court decisions, research reports and many more.

ProQuest also provides a broad coverage but gives access to multiple databases sorted into seven different categories: the arts, dissertations and theses, health and life sciences, literature and language, news and newspapers, science tech and medical, and social sciences. When conducting a search, the database provides among its resources: periodicals, dissertations, abstracts, indexed historical newspapers, scholarly journal articles, and government documents.

AUTHORITY

EBSCOhost is affiliated with EBSCO Information Services, which is a division of EBSCO Industries and was founded in 1944 by Elton Bryson Stephens, Sr. EBSCO Information Services provides a wide range of library database services for libraries and research corporations. EBSCO won the Environmental Merit Award in 2008 and the Special Library Association recognized the company as the “Green Champions” in 2009 for their efforts to promote positive envrionmental initiatives. The Stephens family has also been recognized for the philanthropic efforts through their databases.

ProQuest was founded in 1938 in by Eugene Power. It was formerly known as University Microfilms. ProQuest has also won awards in previous years and has grown to become one of the most popular databases used today. This database provides authoritative content that serves universities, research corporations, and the general public.

ARRANGEMENT

EBSCOhost is arranged alphabetically by database. Under the name of each database is a description of what users will find when conducting their search. For example, Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia is the name of the database. The description explains that the encyclopedia provides many entries covering a variety of subjects. Also provided is a “more information” section that when pressed allows the user to get a full description of each database.

ProQuest is arranged by using seven categories. A user would first choose the category they would find most relevant for their search, or they would choose the list view option for an easier view of all databases available. Within each of these categories is an alphabetical list of databases a user can scroll through. Users can also choose whether they would like to read abstracts or full peer-reviewed articles.

ACCURACY

EBSCOhost is a well used database in the academic world as well as some public libraries. The company who supplies EBSCOhost is comprised of many librarians that cover all facets of the research world including health services, education, and business. As the company employees a plethora of expertise in a variety of different areas, it can only prove the authority of EBSCOhost is of the highest quality.

ProQuest provides specialists in the various fields and contains journals which are peer-reviewed. The databases are regularly inspected for complete accuracy by those who have expertise in the accessible fields. ProQuest is associated with The Associated Press and has connections with academic libraries, who also help provide credibility by the use of faculty members to the authority of each database provided. ProQuest tries to provide information in each of their databases of the highest and accurate quality.

Special Features

EBSCOhost is not a platform that is not free for general users but is contracted out to academic libraries. It provides a full list in alphabetical order of all databases accessible. There is also a tab provided that a user can click for “more information”. Within the “more information” page the database can be explored and the user can learn how to best search for research topics. The categories cover information about the database, searching tips, Boolean operators, grouping terms together using parentheses, searchable fields, definition of fields, thesaurus authority file, and index browsing, copyright and restrictions of use, and who to contact if there are issues within the database in use. All of these features help the user find their information and as quickly and efficient as possible.

ProQuest is also an academic database not free for use by general users. The database provides seven categories in which the databases are divided. To find more information the user must click on the database needed while in list view. For example, American Periodicals provides search tips, subject topic coverage, a title list, a summary of the database, and a more information category. When the user goes to more information, the user will find a further detailed description of the database including a timeline of the history of American Periodicals and how these articles are digitized. ProQuest provides an easy way to navigate by providing a user friendly interface to see all databases provided.

PART II: SEARCH ANALYSIS

EBSCOhost: GreenFILE
GreenFILE is a multidisciplinary database that covers the environment in a variety of disciplines not limited to agriculture, education, and health and technology. Topics included in the database cover pollution, renewable energy, recycling and how to handle the ever changing global climate change. The database provides indexes and abstracts for over 538,000 records, along with providing Open Access full text for more than 5,800 record.

ProQuest: Sustainability Science Abstracts
Sustainability Science Abstracts covers societal issues involving natural resource management. The database also explores every aspect of sustainable development and the human population. The information supplied is rather current as the coverage is from 1995 to the present.

Record Structure:
GreenFILE provides searchable fields that include:
– AB Abstract
– AN Accession Number
– AR Author Phrase
– AS Author-Supplied Abstract
– AU Author
– CS Cover Story
– DE Subject
– DT Date of Publication
– IB ISBN
– IL Illustrations
– IP Issue
– IS ISSN
– IX Index
– JN Journal Name
– MH Subjects
– PG Number of Pages
– PT Document Type

Sustainability Science Abstracts provide searchable fields that include:
– AB Abstract
– AN Accession Number
– AU Author
– DF Document Feature
– FT Document Text
– TI Document Title
– DTYPE Document Type
– ISBN for ISBN
– ISSN for ISSN
– ISS Issue
– LA Language
– LOC Location
– PER Person
– PD Publication Date
– YR Publication Year
– PUB Publication Title
– STYPE Source Type
– SU Subjects
– LUPD Last Update Date
– VO Volume

These search fields in both databases are available for a basic search.

Advanced Search
Both EBSCOhost and ProQuest allows users to search by using Boolean phrases such as AND, OR, and NOT. Both have the use of proximity operators within their search queries.

GreenFILE allows users to do an advanced search by applying related words, searching within the full text of the articles, and applying equivalent subjects. There is also an option for a smart search within this database that allows for the search of paragraphs, phrases, and sentences within articles. Sustainability Science Abstracts allows users to conduct an advanced search by publication date,abstract, author, document text, and document title. This database seems a little more limited in the advanced search but will still supply valuable resources.

Both databases allow for wildcards with in their advanced search queries. The most used symbols are * and ?. These allow users to find all possible word variations for the term in their search.

Limits/Filters/Options:
GreenFILE allows users to limit their searches by searching for full text articles, scholarly peer reviewed journals, publication date, type of document, publication type, cover story, number of pages, and image quick view types (photographs, maps, etc.) Sustainability Science Abstracts allows for further search options such as source type, document type, language, and allows duplicates to be included in the search by clicking an opt-in button.

Controlled Vocabulary
GreenFILE uses stop words such as “the”, “and”, and “for”. EBSCOhost provides a thesaurus authority file that provides a list of controlled vocabulary terms that allows users a more effective search. Sustainability Science Abstracts provides a thesaurus that provides a list of controlled vocabulary terms.

Sorting Options
GreenFILE is sorted by relevance and within oldest to newest publications or vice versa. The user is able to sort through the publications by “Alphabetical”, “By Subject & Description” or “Match Any Words”. Keywords can also be used for relevancy ranked results. Sustainability Science Abstracts is sorted by relevance, oldest to newest publications, and newest to oldest publications.

Command Line Searching
GreenFILE does not offer command line searching through the EBSCOhost database. Sustainability Science Abstracts does offer command line searching by going through the advanced search. Command line can be chosen above the search box that then supplies the user with a text box and options of entering a search strategy that can cross multiple fields for more thorough results.

This webpage was constructed to help students and professionals alike become more aware of how they deal with and understand reference services as a whole. It is the goal of information professionals to help their patrons through the information seeking process. Reference services begin with the initial interview questions, finding the proper database to use, searching the database properly, and finally making sure the patron is satisfied with the information that has been found. As someone who has worked a very limited time at a reference desk in a public library, these resources helped me to develop the skills to evaluate and plan reference materials and services for the library’s many patrons with information seeking needs. Through the resources provided on this page, I also gained more understanding regarding the importance of a complete reference interview and thorough information searches.

The information portal focusing on the American Revolution is the most comprehensive piece that would be most beneficial to library patrons. The portal I constructed provides multiple ways of finding information on one topic in a singular place, making the information search easier for those patrons not familiar with the process. Some of these resources are written materials found through the library’s catalog, e-resources found online, periodicals, websites, and database searches. I provided the user with subject headings to begin their searches as well as how to narrow down database searching. Through the use of this information portal, patrons should be able to find resources to cover their needs when finding specific information about the American Revolution.

In addition to the information portal, I provided evaluations for four different reference sources. Each of the evaluations were written like reviews and included details depending on the type of reference source being evaluated. Reference sources must include all or most of the criteria listed, also depending on resource type, in order to be considered a reputable source for use by professionals and patrons alike. The resource materials I reviewed were The Almanac of American Politics, Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants: Identification and Cultivation of  Over 3,000 Tropical Plants, A Historical and Etymological Dictionary of Sign Language: the Origin and Evolution of More than 500 Signs, and The Routledge International Handbook of Children, Adolescents and Media. The main criteria used for reference source evaluations are: format, scope, relation to similar works, authority, accuracy, sequence of arrangement, special features, and cost. By evaluating reference sources, professionals and other doing research are more likely to find the best resources.

To have a complete and comprehensive reference service, an information professional must have knowledge of databases and how to search them. I provided an analysis of both ProQuest and EBSCOhost to compare and contrast their uses. The comparison discussed both databases in terms of scope, authority, accuracy, arrangement, and each of the databases special features. To go more in-depth I provided an analysis of EBSCOhost GreenFILE and ProQuest: Sustainability Science Abstracts to show there are multiple places to obtain information on a similar subject area.

Finally, I provided both reference service evaluation and plan to help information professionals have a better understanding of patrons and themselves in terms of providing the best reference services possible. These tools helped me to better understand how to assess information needs and the best way to develop and incorporate a plan based on those needs. Both my evaluation and plan dealt with incorporating an online reference librarian to help patrons find their information quicker and anonymously.

Hopefully, these tools and resources will be able to help students, educators and professionals understand the importance of reference services. These materials may be used as a foundation to build upon when coming up with reference service planning, evaluating, and finding reference materials for information seeking. Through the use of reference services, libraries promote life-long learning to their communities. I hope these information tools and materials will be beneficial for libraries and other institutions, even though the main purpose of this webpage is to promote reference service in libraries, whether they be public, academic, or special libraries.