tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4280274159041790516.post4189999863029499954..comments2011-02-25T14:57:16.588-06:00Comments on Resource Discovery at UW Libraries: Next Generation Resource DiscoveryKelli at College Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04865650667615644640noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4280274159041790516.post-13795617698204961832008-01-18T17:13:00.000-06:002008-01-18T17:13:00.000-06:00Wow! The thing I am struck by is how very differe...Wow! The thing I am struck by is how very different each of the three previous commentors typically begin a search strategy. <BR/><BR/>I probably shouldn't admit this, but I'm usually not researching anything formally. I'm 'investigating', or just curious, or following up on an article someone recommended -- and then following links from that as my interest strikes. <BR/><BR/>So I am usually starting from a recommendation and checking the bibliography and links from that. I definitely build on the work of others. I rarely just formally start a search on an topic where I have no point of reference to start with. Because without this, the world is overwhelming.<BR/><BR/>But I do have one pet peeve. Whatever method I use, it's got to be simple and FAST. If documents take me 30 seconds to open, they go down in my estimation. And for some unknown reason, they don't get read as often. And if a website persists in being slow, I stop using it. I've got other things to do!<BR/><BR/>I in general don't want comprehensiveness on a topic--I don't have all year and I'm not an academic. I either want 'the best' (i.e. someone else to make a judgement for me that this is the best information on this topic) or I want a summary giving me succinctly all the viewpoints. <BR/><BR/>So for my purposes, starting with people, document or websites that I know are 'expert' in this area save me time. It's worth it to me if some website has added value and said this document is worth your time on this topic. Conversely, relevance ranking as google does, APPEARS to work, quite often for my general needs, although I've certainly seen it fail when I know exactly what I want and can't get that site to 'float' to the top.<BR/><BR/>I should add, that quirky funny writing will often suck me in as I get interested in the authors viewpoint for it's own sake.<BR/><BR/>And yes, I often use plain old google to get info on say 'water purification systems' because I'm starting to explore buying one and want to know their differences. I'm continually amazed at the range of documents that return on consumer topics like this. Could I have used ask.com or a blog or consumers digest instead of plain old google? Yes, and sometimes I do. Like just now I tried Ask.com. <BR/><BR/>But perhaps I failed to mention how lazy I am?Sue D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16376206538392887981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4280274159041790516.post-5567706827048665452008-01-14T13:00:00.000-06:002008-01-14T13:00:00.000-06:00If I'm doing something for my life outside of work...If I'm doing something for my life outside of work/school I generally begin with some aspect of Google. Mostly because it seems to be a good place to begin for almost everything. I also ask people who I think are knowledgeable to recommend things to me. <BR/><BR/>In addition I keep tabs on some of my favorite things via my de.lic.ious bookmarks collection and I use this for both work/school and non work/school- related searching.<BR/><BR/>For course-related research I generally start with the Subject approach to the E-Resource Gateway, though my classmates, once they discover I am a librarian, complain about how complex the approach to all our databases is. They also wish we had books online as much as we have full-text articles online (This is true, I swear!)<BR/><BR/> I know we are all still longing for the One Great Database in The Sky. I hope this Resource Discovery effort will nudge us a little farther along the road.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05130109997169678830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4280274159041790516.post-38848690118071899202008-01-14T11:50:00.000-06:002008-01-14T11:50:00.000-06:001. "HEY, PETE! How do I do X?"2. Do we have a book...1. "HEY, PETE! How do I do X?"<BR/>2. Do we have a book in LTG that will tell me how to do X?<BR/>3. <Ctrl>+<T>, <Tab>, Google search from Firefox for doing X<BR/>4. Somewhere from the library home page.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10221707325903281249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4280274159041790516.post-47628837728427466112008-01-14T11:43:00.000-06:002008-01-14T11:43:00.000-06:00If I have no compelling reason to choose some othe...If I have no compelling reason to choose some other entry point, I typically begin a wide-open topic search at ask.com. <BR/><BR/>I am assured that whatever I find will be immediately available without having to jump through hoops, and a reasonable proportion of the time, I can satisfy my need in three searches or fewer.<BR/><BR/>For a specifically profession-related search, I often go to liszen.com, a Google Custom Search engine that searches librarian weblogs. Information from weblogs is usually more current than the professional literature, and it filters the said literature to what is actually worth reading.<BR/><BR/>Just to get the ball rolling!Dorotheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04140402663592388379noreply@blogger.com