Week+6+Technology+Rocks+Part+1


 * Week 6: Technology Rocks Part 1**

Collection development in school libraries includes online databases in addition to books, AV materials and magazines. With online databases, the librarian often must set up a trial of the database, negotiate a price and license terms and establish access to the database. As you are reading these articles, please consider the role databases play in your school library. How much of your budget do you allocate to databases? How do you/would you teach/introduce databases to your students?
 * Database Evaluation**

Donham, p. 156-161. Plus the following articles:
 * Readings**

Peter Webster. Library Journal, Jan2006 Net Connect, Vol. 131. The article outlines a series of trends, tools, and initiatives are aimed at improving electronic resource management.

Carol Tenopir. “Evaluating Online Systems.” Library Journal, June 1 1998. While a bit dated, the article includes some valuable principles for evaluation.

Also look at these two articles on a related area: audio resources. Feel free to post comments/reactions to these articles in the discussion area.





At our face2face session, I handed out a notice from the Secretary of State's Office regarding databases. Please log in using the codes in the notice and look at any one database. (Note: many databases have a second set of login/password combinations on the fact sheet about the actual product.) Post your reactions to the database. It might be helpful to apply some of the same criteria you use for the Database Evaluation Assignment detailed below.
 * Discussion Posting**

Email online discussion self-assessment score for Week 5. Due 10/22/11.
 * Assignment**

With the information from the articles you read this week, plus any additional information you have from experiences in your library or from web pages (hint, you can find great database evaluation checklists through Google), please develop a list of at least one dozen (12) items that you would want to know from a database vendor.
 * Database Evaluation**
 * Due Saturday, October 29, 2011 at midnight**

This checklist must be your own. Please do not copy and paste a full checklist from a web page. You can use the information you learn online, but pointing to a website checklist will not earn full credit for this assignment. Also, please give credit where credit is due (APA style).

Once you have developed your checklist, please use your checklist to evaluate TeachingBooks.net for consideration/purchase in your library (real or fictional). You can check out TeachingBooks.net on the NLU webpage at: http://www.nl.edu/library. Click on Article Search and then scroll down and choose additional databases. TeachingBooks.net should be there. If you would like, you can set up a trial of TeachingBooks.net for your school library.

Your checklist should give you an idea of whether TeachingBooks.net would be a good fit for your school library. Your checklist and evaluation of TeachingBooks.net should be emailed to me at linda.diekman @nl.edu with a copy to lmdiekman@sbcglobal.net.