Follow up to Research Guidance...

[Elisabeth Roche]

It's not early, its very late. <grin> But no reason not to do something
anyway, I always say!

I just think, oh so fondly, of USC's greatest web work, thanks again to
Eileen Flick for lovely government docs, *way early* in WWW lifetimes.
http://www.usc.edu/Library/GovDocs/

Elisabeth Roche Roche Internet Resources and Research Tucson, AZ
(520)320-5933 eroche at sinsaaz.com
serendipity RULES!

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At 07:06 PM 1/15/98 -0800, you wrote:
>It appears I have ruffled some feathers here with the use of "lame".
Excuse me.
>
>What I wanted to discuss was research guidance.
>
>Few libraries websites link to the free commercial-quality databases on the 
>Net: USPTO, LOCIS, Medline, AGIP, MOCAT, and others. Few Libraries have 
>links to the primary resources for various Internet formats like zines, faqs 
>& mailing lists. Few libraries link to the United Nations, Country profiles 
>online, national statistical agencies...
>
>This is what I mean by research guidance.
>
>I personally don't expect each individual library to organize the Internet 
>for me. I already know the large library consortiums are working on this 
>issue and in 6months to a year will come out with a solution for library 
>websites. BUBL is one example of an effort already online. What is perhaps 
>missing is an understanding of just how beautiful it could be (and some day 
>will be). As research tools online strengthen, certain definitive resources 
>are emerging which will help you find things online and off.
>
>The strongest words come from Wilfred Drew: "I don't understand the point of 
>your site."
>Mr Drew created one of the definitive starting places for agriculture 
>research online: a guidebook called  "Not Just Cows". This guide belongs on 
>the websites of most agricultural libraries in the world.
>
>Now, are there links which belong on other library websites? Links to 
>commercial quality databases? Links to national statistical agencies? Some 
>libraries will decide, yes - and from this comes the difficulty of creating 
>and maintaining a large list of links to resources useful to their patrons. 
>Others decide, no. A link to three or four search engines appears to be the 
>norm where I live.
>
>Of course libraries publish their own card catalogue - and are responsible 
>for many of the best tools for effective research online... This is not the 
>same thing as providing research guidance from their website.
>
>Most libraries will wait till CARL or UMI come out with a commercial product 
>to guide patrons through research online. Is there room for someone like 
>myself to come in early, and under, to start the market?
>
>David Novak
>david at cn.net.au                                 The cn.net.au
>http://cn.net.au                                Research Site
>
>
>
>