For this last search, I decided to try once again the same question I have been searching, and I am hoping that Academic Search Complete will contain some useful articles.
Naïve Question: I would like to implement virtual reference services for my school library. What do I need to know and consider?
Facets | virtual | Reference services | School library |
My initial terms | digital, online | media center | |
Thesaurus terms | Electronic reference services, online information services | reference services | school libraries |
I really struggled with the virtual facet because there are so many different terms that are somewhat related. When browsing through articles, I found that many of the terms were used interchangeably, so I had to eliminate the ones that did not appear to retrieve pertinent information. In addition, the narrower subject headings also use the idea of the reference facet. This surely will affect my search, especially since this facet will most likely be the one to start the search.
Subject Headings: | Results: |
Electronic reference services | 344 |
Online information services | 13,243 |
Reference services | 1,628 |
School libraries | 3,490 |
Since I am conducting a specific facet first search, I would add electronic reference services to reference service since these retrieved the smallest number of results. Since this is redundant, I will eliminate reference services as a facet for the time being. Instead I will add the next facet school libraries.
SS1: electronic reference services AND school libraries (subject terms search) Results: 2
Notes: These documents do support the question. However, I am hoping to find more articles on the topic. At this point, I will go ahead and add the redundant reference services facet back in to the equation to see if that will add more hits.
Church, A. (2006). YOUR LIBRARY GOES VIRTUAL: Promoting Reading and Supporting Research. Library Media Connection, 25(3), 10-13. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
SS2: (electronic reference services OR reference services) AND school libraries (subject terms search) Results: 24
Notes: This search brought up a few somewhat related topics, but none that directly addressed the question. I am sure that this search will not yield much more, but I will still add the last facet. At this point, I doubt I will find an article that will have both electronic reference services and online information services as subject headings, but I will still leave the initial subject heading in the search because I included the OR operator with reference services.
SS3: (electronic reference services OR reference services) AND school libraries AND online information services (subject terms search) Results: 1
Notes: As I expected, adding the last facet did not help at all! The one article it brought up is one of those somewhat related articles, and it was published almost 15 years ago. The only thing left to do in order to salvage this search is to remove the first set of subject headings.
SS4: school libraries AND online information services (subject terms search) Results: 18
Notes: Although I deviated some from the strategy, I am pleased to find that this search did retrieve a few more articles that are worthwhile in addressing the original naïve question. However, the best overall article is still the one I retrieved and cited in the initial search.
Warlick, D. (2005). Building Web Sites That Work for Your Media Center. Knowledge Quest, 33(3), 13-15. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Reflection: Unfortunately, this search strategy was the hardest one for me. I had to deviate from the strategy right away at the beginning and then again at the end in order to make it work for me. The most difficult part was making the connection between reference services and virtual capabilities since the subject headings overlapped. This might be a good thing in a different type of search, but it definitely created some roadblocks with this strategy.
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