Finding Information on the Internet
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The Montvale Free
Public Library Finding Information on the Internet |
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Whether you are new to the Internet or a seasoned surfer, you may need some help finding the perfect web site to answer your question. Your Reference Librarian offers the following advice. If you need more help, send me an e-mail or call the library (201-391-5090) and ask for George.
Think of the organization, government agency, academic institution, or association that is interested in your topic. Go directly to the source! The people deeply interested in the same information you are looking for are likely to provide the most recent and most reliable information. If you want the population of Montvale, go to the Census Bureau's web site. If you are looking for background information on a doctor, go to the American Medical Association. To find these web sites, use a search engine such as Google. Once you get to a web site, look for a site map, index, or search feature which will let you find what you're looking for. You will also find that these organizations, agencies, and associations have already pulled together links to other relevant sites on the Internet! In this manner, you eliminate the 99.9% of the Internet which won't help you.
Someone probably reviewed the best web sites already! Newspapers, magazines, radio and television programs all regularly review web sites on specific subjects. Watch for them. You can also search for newspaper and magazine articles at the library (or from home if you have access to the Internet and a valid library card. Try InfoTrac Web). A review does not ensure that the content of a web site is 100% accurate, but it is better than accepting random "hits" from a search engine. BCCLS own collection of Internet Reference Sources is also worth a look. The Useful URLs Database has an extensive collection of links, arranged by Subject or Title; you can also search using Dewey or Library of Congress Call Numbers.
Identify those responsible for the information. Anyone with access to the Internet can publish on the Internet in some form. There are countless web pages, newsgroup messages, and e-mail messages that contain false information. Be careful. Exercise good judgment.
What type of web site are you looking at? Look at the three letter
extension
in our address.
http://www.bccls.org/montvale The "org" indicates that our web
site is part of a non-profit organization.
www.rutgers.edu - the "edu" indicates an educational/academic web site.
www.ford.com - the "com" indicates a commercial/for-profit web site.
www.nasa.gov - the "gov" indicates a government web site.
