Deb Baker – Interim Reference Librarian
The internet is full of valuable information — and useless junk. How to discern the difference? If you’ve attended library instruction classes at Ohrstrom you’ve probably learned tips for evaluating web pages. For a quick reminder (courtesy of the Olin and Uris Libraries at Cornell University) you can visit (and bookmark) this page.
For times when a librarian isn’t close at hand there are two websites that are particularly helpful at pointing you in the right direction. On the Ohrstrom website under “Other Resources” on the Catalog tab, you can find links to the Internet Public Library and Librarians’ Internet Index. Both offer a collection of links to librarian tested websites covering nearly every subject.
The Internet Public Library website includes collections of links chosen especially for teens and kids, as well as a wide variety of reference tools. These include a list of census and demographic data sites, and subject selections such as a collection of literary criticism sites. IPL’s pathfinders, created to aid both online and library research, are well designed and thorough.
The Librarians’ Internet Index website adds dozens of new sites every week, and you can learn what’s been added by subscribing to “New This Week” by email or RSS. It has 20,000 websites listed in 14 categories and 300 subcategories. Both IPL and LII offer basic and advanced search options as well as online search tutorials.
Save these useful links, or refer back to the Ohrstrom Blog’s collection of “Research” links in the sidebar.
HELFUL FOR: Life, the Universe, and Everything; classes in all areas of the SPS curriculum
FUN FOR: library nuts, bookworms, curious types, everyone with an interest in anything
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