LIS 2004 INTERNET RESEARCH
COURSE INTRODUCTION
Is Everything On the Internet?
Has the Internet and the World Wide Web replaced libraries? Since the creation of the
Web in 1989, the phenomenal growth of the Internet has provided an astounding global
connection of information and communication networks. The digital content of the Web
continues to grow, but most Web content was created in the last few years.
Libraries have a long history of providing information resources to support the needs of
researchers. Many libraries contain information resources that extend back to antiquity
and much material that was created in the 19th and 20th centuries. Although the Web
offers information resources not found in libraries, and the Internet provides
communication tools that may be used to gather information in a timely manner, the best
use of Internet or Web resources is often as a complement to library resources.
Traditional library resources may also provide a context for current digital resources.
Libraries today provide information in many physical formats, most of which has not
been digitized and made available on the Internet, but libraries are also developing a
virtual world of online databases, reference services, directories of web content,
instructional tools for information literacy and guides to the use of the Internet. There
are various definitions of the terms "virtual library", "digital library", or "online library",
but these are terms often used to describe libraries in the Information Age that organize
and provide access to vast numbers of digital information resources scattered throughout
cyberspace.
A simple search with a Web search engine or a virtual library portal such as LINCCWeb
may instantly produce a huge number of print and digital resources on any particular
research topic. Therefore, if you jump into searching without any preparation, you may
find yourself overwhelmed by the variety and complexity of search tools and the retrieval
of thousands of documents, many of which may be superficial or irrelevant to your topic.
If you truly want to plumb the depths of the sea of information offered by virtual libraries
and the Internet, you need some in-depth navigation skills. Planning your research
project, deciding when it is appropriate to supplement traditional library resources with
Internet resources, focusing on the appropriate search tools, using specific search
commands and operators, and evaluating the resources you retrieve can save time and
produce high-quality results.
The Internet can extend the resources in your local library and help you with a number of
research tasks, including:
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Using electronic mail to get information from experts in response to your
questions
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Browsing or participating in worldwide discussion groups on thousands of topics
Connecting to libraries all over the world to locate materials in their collections,
which may be borrowed through your local library via interlibrary loan
Obtaining information from local, state, and federal government agencies,
organizations, and professional associations via their Web sites
Accessing online reference materials, electronic books, journals and newspapers
to find the latest information, news reports and articles
Participating in an interactive online conference or training tutorial
Using an online chat service to communicate with a reference librarian
Many people think of the Internet as being ubiquitous. It is likely to become more so in
the future. Although computers are now the primary means of accessing the Internet,
other devices are being used, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, and pagers,
which can send and receive e-mail and access the Web. Soon, a variety of appliances,
including your car or your TV set, may be connected to the network, communicating with
each other, and providing access to information. The information literacy skills addressed
in this course have become necessary survival skills in a fully-connected digital world.