School of Information Management & Systems.   Spring 2004.
285 Design of Library Services.   Michael Buckland.

Assignment 4: Indexes to Library Literature. Due Feb 13.

Note: This is a shortened version version of the 245 assignment Abstracting and indexing services. If you have done that, there is no need to do this version.
Abstracting and indexing services provide information on new publications: especially articles in new issues of journals. Indexing services list items, usually with some kind of subject descriptors; abstracting services add brief summaries ("abstracts") of the article, book, or report being described. The assignment is to examine, compare and contrast:
Library and Information Science Abstracts MAIN Z671.L593, and
Library Literature (through June 1997 only) MAIN Z666.L5.
They are shelved on the south-east corner (in the direction of the campanile) of the lowest level of the MAIN library stacks. The latest, unbound issues of LISA is the current periodicals room. The paper version of LL is no longer received.

Consider the different aspects of such an alerting service:
- Definition of scope
- - By subject area
- - By forms of literature (journal articles, books, technical reports, websites....)
- - By language and /or country of publication
- The descriptions provided ("entries")
- Access: How can the items be searched?
- - What is the primary arrangement? By subject, by author, by title?...
- - How many other different approaches are possible?
- - Is subject access provided? If so, how?
- How frequently updated? How cumulated?
- How would you assess how up-to-date are these announcements?
- Other comments?

1. Examine and compare the print versions LISA and LL.   Make notes.

2. Find a recent issue of LISA in the current periodicals area and make a note of any recent item you find that looks interesting.

3. Try using the online versions, available if you use a Berkeley IP address. Go to the Library Home Page library.berkeley.edu, then, in center, click on "Electronic Indexes and Abstracts", then click in "L" and scroll down to find them. Else try the WebSpirs Silver Platter service for LISA and LL. Note that the campus license allows very few simultaneous users, so try to do this well before the due date.
What are the principal differences between using the online version and using the printed versions?   Make notes to discuss in class.

Collaborating on this assignment is recommended.