[LM_NET] HIT: Evaluating databases

[Shonda Brisco <sbrisco@GMAIL.COM>]

Thanks to everyone who sent suggestions for what they look for when
they select a database for their libraries.  My original request is
listed here and below that is the list of features that are considered
or preferred when a selection of a database is made (some individuals
gave examples---over and over again---of which databases had "good"
and "bad" features, so I included those for your consideration,
discussion, or rebuttals).

The list of features preferred are in no particular order--- if you'd
like to participate in a "most important database feature" survey, let
me know and I'll create a survey and you may choose the "top 10
database features" (or something similar) and I'll repost the final
responses.

*******************************************************
My original question:

I'm compiling a list of things that most librarians look for when they
evaluate subscription databases.  While price is always a
consideration, I'm not going to make it a major point for choosing a
database.  Right now, I'm creating a list of things that I would
automatically assume would be included in a database such as:  email
capabilities, printing, citation information, searching techniques or
examples provided, access from home and school, tutorials for using
the database, subject content of the database, how many full text vs.
abstracts it contains, etc.

With all of these listed as a "given" that I would probably find from
most databases, I am now looking for the things that make a BIG impact
with you as a librarian.  What have you seen lately from some of the
databases that make you "excited" about them?  What features do you
find in SOME databases but not in others?  What features would you
WANT in your databases (if you had the opportunity to add those
features)?

*******************
Responses:



• Email capabilities.

• Citation examples and choices available and formats used by the
database are easily determined and are common among most users (MLA,
APA, Chicago, Turabian, etc.). Examples shown should indicate which
format is used (and be correct based upon the most current edition of
the style manual.)

• Searching techniques or examples provided for instruction or
individual review.

• Access from both home and school.

• Printing capabilities are user-friendly (ProQuest's Historical
Newspapers was noted as having great content but was considered as
having a "user-unfriendly" printing capability which frustrated
students and thus limited the use of the database.)

• Tutorials for using the database (video formats of tutorials preferred)

• Subject content of the database is obvious or can be found easily.

• Full text rather than abstracts

• PDF formats of the original articles in print for science magazines
/ journals.

• Easy navigation.

• Easy log-on (and persistent links). Single-step login to databases
from intranet.

• Federated searching capabilities.

• Contents are aligned to state and / or national standards.

• Lexiles available for differentiated learning.

• Dual language features available.

• Readability and the "look" of the databases---organization, page
lay-outs, etc.

• Intuitive search features for beginning users.

• Use of "tab features" to access pages with different formats:
full-text, abstracts, magazines, scholarly / peer reviewed sources,
images, primary sources, video / audio, etc.

• Databases which contain "unique" subjects or hard-to-find
materials--- examples given were:  Journey Back in Time (newspapers
going back to the 1600's) and Rosen's Teen Health and Wellness
database (with over 700 video clips about health).

• Dates of the back issues / archives (how far back does the coverage go?)

• Scope (how many different subject areas will be able to use the database?)

• Unique features that no other database provides (Grokker's visual
search element within the EBSCO and Gale databases is one example)

• Currency (how current are the journals, newspapers, magazines, etc.,
and how soon are they made available within the database?

• Use of visual media such as videos, television clips, etc.)

• Boolean search capabilities.

• 2.0 interactive-ness for users (one example cited as a good example
of interactive 2.0-ish features is Rosen's Teen Health and Wellness
database which provides teenagers the ability to send health questions
to a doctor or post anonymously to a bulletin board to gather
information from a reliable source while utilizing the database.)

• Ease of access to library user stats (Gale was offered as a good
example of a product that provides library database administrators
with user stats through a monthly email --- rather than requiring
library database administrators to access other websites using unique
passwords in order to access user stats.)

• Unique features such as "article summary" capabilities. (SIRS was
offered as a good example of a database that provides a summary of an
article which allows users to quickly determine if the content might
be useful for their research.)

• Descriptors for articles (allows users to quickly locate additional
materials).

• Teacher-librarian support materials for teaching information literacy skills.

• Alternative databases for younger users.

*******************

Thanks again!

~Shonda

-- 
Shonda Brisco, MLIS
Library Media / Technology Specialist
Digital Bookends wiki / blog:
http://digitalbookends.pbwiki.com
http://shonda.edublogs.org/
sbrisco@gmail.com

Resources for Texas School Librarians:
http://txschoollibrarians.ning.com/
http://txschoollibrarians.wikispaces.com/

"Digital Resources" columnist
School Library Journal

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