Pathfinder Project:

You are expected to choose a library setting  for this exercise.  Feel free to choose a  library that you are familiar with or work in.   Once you have selected your setting, choose a topic, outside of library science, and be prepared to design a pathfinder which will demonstrate the breadth of tools available in the chosen library setting.  Notify the instructors of  your library setting and topic selection by the end of the third weekend class (earlier via phone, e-mail or mail is preferred).

The end result should give patrons a global view of all the various forms/types of  materials available to them at that local library covering their topic  (i.e. computerized databases, books, indices, etc.)   Provide examples of alternate search strategies, as appropriate.  For example, I'm preparing a glueballs pathfinder for Carnegie Mellon University.  When I search a database like the Readers’ Guide, a simple, one word strategy is all that is needed.  However, I’d receive thousands of hits in a specialized scientific database searching just a single word  and would need to provide a different strategy for successful information retrieval.   I intend to warn them of the amount of literature that may be found and give them examples of how to narrow their search.  I also plan to include a narrative of our existing print reference tools as a marketing effort for their usage.

We’ll be looking for completeness, creativity and marketing throughout the pathfinder.

The second part of this assignment is to utilize all or a portion of the pathfinder to develop a bibliographic instruction class for a group of patrons that would typically make use of your chosen library setting.  The class and instructors will place themselves in the role of the intended audience.  In the interest of time, please keep your prepared remarks to 15 minutes.  Class presentations are due Sat., Nov. 9th.

We’ll be looking for a lively, interactive, "audience appropriate" presentation that promotes your library setting.