Page 138 - DLIS105_REFERENCE_SOURCES_AND_SERVICES

Unit 12: Some Important Information Centers

containing 10 million full-text and full-image articles in most subject fields. Libraries have an option Notes
to select databases based on their needs. Some of the more important databases included in
FirstSearch are:
ABI/INFORM
Applied Science & Technology Abstracts
ArticleFirst: index to articles in 12,500 journals
BasicBIOSIS
Geobase
ContentsFirst: Tables of contents of 12,500 journals
Disclosure: Financial reports of publicly owned companies
Education Abstracts: database of articles in education
Eventline: Schedule of conventions, exhibits, etc., world wide
Microcomputer Abstracts: Articles in computer applications
Periodical Abstracts: Index to articles in 1500 multidisciplinary journals
Proceedings: Index to conference proceedings
WorldCat: Catalogue of over 32 million book and other library resources
WorldScope: Financial reports on companies world wide.
The size and period covered in FirstSearch varies between the individual databases but many include
data going back as far 1980. The FirstSearch facilitates search across multiple databases through its
simple menu-driven search interface. Full image articles from Electronic Collections Online journals
are linked to corresponding citations in databases throughout the FirstSearch service. Subscribers
to FirstSearch may also place their orders online for articles that are not accessible to them.
Question Point: Cooperative Virtual Reference Service

A collaborative project of the Library of Congress and OCLC, QuestionPoint offers more than 7,000
question-and-answer sets from a database built from reference transactions. Its interface is available
in 10 languages, and is used by more than 1,000 libraries in 20 countries. QuestionPoint helps libraries
to manage their reference transactions, both online and in-person. Robust administrative tools
available through Question Point allow libraries to route questions and manage other reference
transactions locally, regionally and nationally. It provides statistical reports to make management
decisions, demonstrate trends for funding proposals and measure user satisfaction levels. OCLC’s
Question Point interface can be added to the library’s Web site so as to provide access to quality
online reference assistance at any time of day. Users get online help through familiar online channels
such as e-mail or a chat window. Question Point assistants can even “share” their solution with a
technology that safely and securely gives them remote access to a user’s desktop.
CONTENTDM: Digital Content Management Software

CONTENTdm is comprehensive digital management software. It provides tools to organize, manage,
publish and search digital collections on the Web. It is a flexible, multifunction software package
that handles all document formats including PDFs, images, video and audio files. CONTENTdm
offers a scalable solution that can be upgraded based on user’s needs. Its functionality allows a user
to create collections quickly and easily using a simple point and click interface.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 133