Database - LS 5013-20 - Competency #6

Our task this week was to conduct four different searches, each from a different database, and to provide a hit for each search performed.

My first search was a Building Block search through the database Academic Search Complete from the vendor EBSCO Host. I was successful in this search in that I was quick to correctly connect my Boolean search operators and correctly choose the operative terms from my search query, "I'd like to find ways to get teens more involved in public libraries, hence their communities." I chose to search in English only, in the entire text for these terms, and applied related words (or searched for synonyms) as well. The fifty-first hit in my search out of three hundred twenty-seven results was an appropriate match for my query.

Feinberg, S. & Keller, J. R. (2010, April). Designing space for children and teens in libraries and public places. American Libraries, 2010, 41(4), 34-37. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete, EBSCO Host. Retrieved from http://online.twu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_22_1

My second search was a Successive Fractions search through the database Library Lit from the vendor Wilson Web. In this search I used truncation on my three terms to include plurals and other word endings. I also asked these terms to be found anywhere in the text of the items searched. I received three thousand nine hundred and eighteen results and found a relevant article in the seventh hit.

Peowski, L. (2010, Winter). Where are all the teens?: Engaging and empowering them online. Young Adult Library Services, 2010, 8(2), 26-8. Retrieved from Library Lit, Wilson Web. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2089/hww/results/external_link_maincontentframe.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.42

Citation Pearl Growing was my third search through the database Project Muse. I did not find a vendor for Project Muse. In this search I chose two of my terms connected with the Boolean operator AND in singular form. I chose for the search to be in all fields with text. One thousand forty-nine results emerged from my search. The second hit had listed under its subject headings, "Libraries and teenagers -- United States -- History -- 20th Century". This subject I chose to snowball with and received a list of fifty related subjects. The first subject, matching my original subject heading choice, had only one article listed, which did satisfy my original query.

Agosto, D.E., Paone, K.L., Ipock, G.S. (2007, Fall). The female-friendly public library: Gender differences in adolescents' uses and perceptions of U.S. public libraries. Library Trends, 56(2), 387-401. Retrieved from Project Muse. Retrieved from http://online.twu.edu/webapps
/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_22_1

I had saved the final search, Specific Facet First, for the end, being concerned I would not be able to find an appropriately matched item for my query since my most specific term, teen, has very broad connotations. I used the database WorldCat through the vendor First Search. The first terms I used, "teen AND teenager AND teens", I searched for in keywords in the English language and ranked them by relevance. This was successful in finding three hundred and thirty results. The term I deemed as the next most Specific Facet First was "involvement", which retrieved twelve hundred results. I then tried the term "library", which retrieved two hundred fifty six thousand eight hundred and ninety results. There were no hits matching my query. I will list the first hit from "teen AND teenager AND teens".

Burns, J. (2010). Teenology: The art of raising great teenagers. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House.

Focusing on my resulting hits, I would choose either the Successive Fractions or the Building Block models to perform searches in the future. I do not feel comfortable conducting a Specific Facet First search nor do I feel it is precise enough to locate desired information unless the term is awfully explicit.

(Apologies for the formatting of the above book and articles - I cannot find a tab or ruler choice.)