Week+7-+May+22

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**

These two short articles are attached as .pdf files below. Peter Webster. “Bit by Bit.” Library Journal, Jan2006 Net Connect, Vol. 131.
 * Readings**

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 read the articles handed out at our May 15th session.

There is no online discussion this week.
 * Discussion

Assignment**
 * Database Evaluation Checklist and Application (10 points)**
 * Due: Sunday May 30, 2010, 5pm**

With the information from the articles you read this week, plus any additional information you have from experiences in your library or other sources, please develop a list of at least one dozen (12) items that you would want to know from a database vendor. You will find a number of database evaluations available online (try a Google search!) to use as examples. 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 access 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. If you use Word, please save as a .doc file or .pdf.


 * //Evaluation Criteria://**


 * Two forms are submitted. One is a “blank” Database Evaluation Checklist. One is your Database Evaluation Checklist completed with the evaluation of Teachingbooks.net.
 * Database Evaluation Checklist includes at least 12 items.
 * Teachingbooks.net is evaluated using the checklist you created.
 * Sources for the Database Evaluation Checklist are cited in correct APA style.