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College of Education

School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 – 2016/2017

INFS 321

Information Sources

Session 4 – Fact Sources

Lecturer: Prof. Perpetua S. Dadzie, DIS

Contact Information: [email protected]

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Session Overview

Slide 2 Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS

At the end of the session, the student will be able to :

•State what fact sources are

•Indicate usefulness of fact sources such as almanacs, yearbooks, handbooks, manuals and directories

•State similarity or differences between almanacs and

yearbooks

•Indicate criteria for evaluation

Session Outline


The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows:

• Topic One : Overview of fact sources

• Topic Two : Uses of fact sources : Almanac, yearbooks, handbooks, manuals

• Topic Three : Uses of fact sources : Directories

• Topic Four: Evaluation criteria for fact sources

• Topic Five:

Reading List


• Kumar, Krishan (2006) Reference Service 5th ed. Delhi: Vikas Publishing House;Chapters 13 & 16

Topic One

FACT SOURCES


Overview of Fact Sources

• Reference works that provide concise factual information about many things

• current and historical events

• organizations

• people and things

• countries and governments

• statistical trends

Information available in these tools almost always available in other sources.


Overview of Fact Sources 2

• Have in common a convenience of use which other tools do not have.

• Examples include: almanacs, yearbooks, manuals

• most often single volumes which summarize and synthesize large amounts of data.

• often fastest and easiest way to locate concise facts or summaries.

• Because of concise information, not as useful if detailed or analytical discussion is sought or primary sources are required.

• Usually shelved close to reference desk and Prof. P.S.uDadsziee, DIdS in the ready reference pSrlidoe

7cess

Almanacs

• Compendium of useful factual & statistical information, retrospective as well as current covering local, state, national & international affairs.

• A compendium of useful data and statistics relating to countries, personalities, events, subjects and the like

• specific-entry encyclopedia stripped of adjectives and adverbs • first appeared in 16th and 17th centuries as calendars and astronomical data.


Almanacs 2

• Book arranged chronologically covering information concerning rising & setting of moon, periods of low & high tides, calendar of holidays & miscellaneous information.

• Now, undergone many changes • contains sports, entertainment, practical

information such as zip codes and first aid treatment, business addresses

• have retrospective facts and statistics; full of bits of data

• issued annually Slide 9 Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS

Yearbooks

• Annual volume of current information in descriptive and /or statistics form

• annual compendium of data and statistics of a given year

• present facts and statistics for a single year usually year preceding publication date

• purpose -reĐord year’s aĐtivities ďy ĐouŶtry, subject or specialized area.

• Encyclopedia often issue yearbooks


Yearbooks 2

• include chronology of year, biographies of newsmakers, obituaries, sports news, current statistical data and articles about events of the year.

• Contain longer descriptions of events, more analysis and evaluation, articles are almost always signed.

• yearbooks that focus on a single topic or theme are similar to handbooks • provide information about people, event and trends in single area.


Yearbooks 3

Yearbooks which are supplements to Encyclopedias •Aim to keep basic set up to date •Bring out summary of major events that took place during year •Sets of supplement information give comprehensive view of events or trends of events over period of time.


Yearbooks 4

• Not always that information in supplementary gets into revised encyclopedia –serve useful purpose in large library

• Useful to answer fact type questions relating to events, biographies, obituaries, current statistics, summaries of sports, events, news pictures of year

• Limitation: compiled in limited time may be less authoritative and lack proper perspective.


Yearbooks Versus Almanacs

• Yearbooks and Almanac similar - ready sources of information in terms of scope & use

• Almanacs general in scope

• Yearbooks confined to subject or given area or region

• But supplement to encyclopedia which appears as yearbook would be general in scope

• Year book –compendium of current information

for previous year. • Almanac information from previous year retrospective information – may or may not be in Prof. P.S.yDaedziea, DrISbook

Slide 14

Handbooks

• Compilation of miscellaneous information in compact & handy form • May contain data, procedures, principles, table, graphs, diagrams illustrations • Reference work that serves as a guide to a

particular subject or a ready-reference source for given fields of knowledge. Scientist & technologists use handbooks

• large amount of information about subject is often compressed into a single volume.


Manuals

• Manual – an instruction book which

provides instructions on how to perform

job or do something by means of specific

and clear directions

• handbooks and manuals used interchangeable

• have one thing in common – limited scope


Compendium

• Brief summary of a larger work or of field of knowledge. Eg the Statistical Abstract of the

United States

• Almanacs and yearbooks have many

qualities- lumped together as

compendiums.


Topic Two

USES OF ALMANAC & YEARBOOKS


Uses of Almanacs & Yearbooks

Currency – users turn to yearbooks or almanac for relatively recent information on a subject or personality. Brief facts : where a single figure or a fact is required, normally without benefit of explanation, the almanac is useful. Trends: Because of the currency, they indicate trends in the development. Scientific advances are chronicled, as are the events, persons and places of Proif.mP.S.Dapdzieo, DISrtance over the previouSlidse 19

year.

Uses of Almanacs & Yearbooks 2

Informal index : They cite sources of information and thus can be used as informal indexes. For example, a patron interested in retail sales will find general information in any good almanac or yearbook. Directory and Biographical information : Almanacs and yearbooks include material also found in a directory. For example, a yearbook in a special field may well include the names of the principal leaders in that field, along with their addresses and perhaps a short biographical sketches.


Uses of Almanacs & Yearbooks 3

• Browsing : Masses of unrelated, frequently

fascinating bits of information are always

crammed into the odd corners of almanacs and

yearbooks. Many users discover additional information by browsing.


Topic Three

DIRECTORIES


Definition & uses of Directory

• ALA Glossary of Library Terms • “a list of persoŶs or orgaŶizatioŶs, systeŵatiĐally

arranged, usually in alphabetical or classified order, giving address, affiliations, etc for individuals, and address, officers, functions and similar data for organizations.

• Purpose i) FiŶd out iŶdividual’s or a firŵ’s address or telephoŶe number ii) full name of individual, firm or organization; iii) desĐriptioŶ of partiĐular ŵaŶufaĐturer’s produĐt

or service

Definition & uses of Directory 2 iv) name of the president of a particular firm, or head of a school

v.limited, but up-to-date, biographical information on an individual,

vi.historical and current data about an institution, a firm or a political group,

vii.data for commercial use, such as selecting a list of individuals, companies or organizations for a mailing in a particular area

viii.random or selective samplings in a social or commercial survey, for which they are basic sources.

Selection Process for Directories

• Based on community, location of the library, budget

and cost of the various directories.

• Electronic options Another consideration for selection- eg. CDROM, online database, or a free database on Internet.

• Electronic source - more current information than their print counterparts.

• Allows keyword searching.

• Ability to combine fields or terms using Boolean logic.

Selection Process for Directories 2

(http://www.ipl.org/ref)

• Cost involved for hardware, software and online service charges.

• Need to weigh issues against advantages of speed and the currency of information accessed.

• Directories free on Internet- Affects which directories are selected for purchase for reference collection.

• Provide a link at public terminals to a free

directory on Internet and cancel order for a print version.

• Yahoo (http://dir.yahoo.com/reference.

• IŶterŶet PuďliĐ Liďrary’s RefereŶĐe CeŶtre

http://www.ipl.org/ref



















http://dir.yahoo.com/reference

Types of Directories

Directory, The Foundation Grants Index,

• Directories of Directories Directories in Print, International Directories in Print, Organizations

Master Index

• Library Directories Directory of Special Libraries

and Information Centres,

• Publishing and Book Trade Directories Literary Market Place

• Education/Research Directories The World of Learning, Commonwealth Universities yearbook

• Foundations and Grants Directories The Foundation

Types of Directories 2

Directory

• Business Directories The StaŶdaƌd & Pooƌ’s Registeƌ of Corporations, Directors and Executives, Surf Publications

• Association Directories - Questions about addresses, telephone numbers etc Encyclopedia of Associations: National Organizations of the US

• Government Directories -. Worldwide Government Directory, Washington Information Directory

• Telephone and Fax Directories - to find names, addresses etc Ghana Telephone Directory • Facsimile transmission devices (fax machines) The

AT&T Toll-Free 800 Directory, The National Fax

Topic Four

EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR

FACT SOURCES

Prof. P.S.Dadzie, DIS Slide 29

Evaluation

Electronic versions-greater flexibility and ease of use.

• Authority – reputation of publisher, editor , compiler

• Scope – purpose of work, year of coverage, Currency

– Fact books should be continually updated, comprehensive within their stated scope

• Accuracy – Test accuracy by reading reviews written by knowledgeable reviewers, compare data in different sources

• Indexing – index should be helpful, accurate and internally consistent in style • Uniqueness - always a certain amount of overlap in

reference collections • Format - should be organized in a logical manner;

Important General Sources

Familiar Quotations;

• Almanacs – The World Almanac and Book of Facts , Information Please Almanac, , The Weather Almanac, Information Please, 1999. Available [Online]:

<http://www.infoplease.com/ Yearbooks – Britannica Book of the Year, Facts on File,

Euƌopa Woƌld Yeaƌ Book, The StatesŵaŶ’s Yeaƌ- Book

• Handbooks – The Guinness Book of Records, The Chicago Manual of Style, The MLA Handbook for Wƌiteƌs of Reseaƌch Papeƌs, EŵilǇ Post’s EtiƋuette, The Oǆfoƌd DictioŶaƌǇ of QuotatioŶs; Baƌtlett’s

http://www.infoplease.com/

http://www.infoplease.com/

Activity

Visit any library and examine the following:

Directory: The Europa World of Learning

Almanac: The World Almanac and World of Learning

Yearbooks: The Statesmans’ Yearďook

The Yearbook of the Commonwealth Africa South

of the Sahara


References

• Kumar, Krishan (2006) Reference Service 5th ed. Delhi: Vikas Publishing House;Chapters 13 & 16

• Katz, A. William (2002) Introduction to Reference, Work Vols. I Ch.8 pp. 277-321


Documents

INFS 321 Information - WordPress.com...information concerning rising & setting of moon, periods of low & high tides, calendar of holidays & miscellaneous information. •Now, undergone