Page 106 - DLIS006_INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES

Unit 5: Alerting and Bibliographic Services

user. This practice was in vogue when IT tools and techniques were not readily available. Notes
But with developments in information and communication technology, this method is
generally not preferred as it is laborious and time consuming. The user wants information
instantaneously, while checking sources manually involves lot of time. Secondly, the
source may not be available locally; therefore the bibliography compiler or librarian
needs to visit libraries where such sources are available.
2. Searching using Information Technology (IT) Tools and Techniques: With the advent of IT,
distances have been bridged. The availability of information is no more limited to
developed countries. The yawning gap between information rich and information poor
countries narrowing down. Access to information has become not only become a global
phenomenon, but also barriers like time and place have also more or less overcome. The
INTERNET facilitates everyone who has access to it to search and retrieve information.
There is plethora of information available on the INTERNET. There are thousands of
databases available on the Net. Besides lot of databases are also available in the CD-ROM
format. To put it in simple words, IT has made several products, librarian could search and
access literature and make it available to the end user in the shortest possible time using
electronic or digital resources. These resources could be tapped either on-line; or using
CD-ROM, etc. on which the data is mounted.

This type of literature search is in vogue these days, as conducting literature search using such
tools and techniques facilitate the following:

Easy Access to the literature
Access to varied resources

Effective and efficient way of searching
No time or location barriers (one can make a search whenever one wants, as one does not
have to ensure the working timings of other libraries if the source is not available locally,
distances to be covered for travelling are also obviated)
Timeliness of providing the service

Currency of the data (the information in on-line mode is updated more or less frequently,
hence the current nature of the information is ensured, which is not the case with printed
documents. As on an average the printed documents would be not less than a year or two
old).
Above all, the user satisfaction is another important aspect. (Since the time lag is minimum;
accuracy and currency of the data is high; communication is fast).

Steps Involved

Intricacies in the Steps involved in literature search may vary from person to person depending
upon the searchers personal skill and expertise; however the general steps followed are more or
less same that we shall be discussing here. There are many points to consider in making an
effective literature search.

Ascertain the purpose, scope, depth and precise field of enquiry: This may entail a dialogue
between the user and the information specialist. A quick assessment of the nature and
extent of the enquiry will show whether the search is for specific factual information or for
a few select references, or for a comprehensive bibliographical search, usually the
requirement of a research worker. After the parameters of a query are fully understood,
the second step would follow.

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