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1. This article was downloaded by Simmons College On 15 September 2009 Access details Access Details subscription number 906167225 Publisher Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number 1072954 Registered office Mortimer House 37 41 Mortimer Street London W1T 3JH UK College amp Undergraduate Libraries Publication details including instructions for authors and subscription information http www informaworld com smpp title content t792303993 Re Thinking the Library Pathfinder Jim M Kapoun a Reference Librarian St Mary s College of Maryland St Mary s City MD 20686 Online Publication Date 21 April 1995 To cite this Article Kapoun Jim M 1995 Re Thinking the Library Pathfinder College amp Undergraduate Libraries 2 1 93 105 To link to this Article DOI 10 1300 J106v02n01_10 URL http dx doi org 10 1300 J106v02n01_10 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use http www informaworld com terms and conditions of access pdf This article may be used for research teaching and private study purposes Any substantial or systematic reproduction re distribution re selling loan or sub licensing systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date The accuracy2. HEADINGS BOOKS CATS is our computer card catalog CATS searches by Author Title and Subject At the flashing cursor gt type in the author title or subjects see examples gt au tan amy last name first gt ti the joy luck club gt su women social conditions from LC Subject Headings LOCATION gt To the left of the Circulation Desk on the Tables marked CATS HELPFUL HINT Press F1 for on line help or consult the USER S MANUAL to the right of each CATS terminal REFERENCE MATERIAL The following is a small sample of reference material that may help you in finding and defining the field of women s studies Literature Guides Call Number Item Ref Women s Studies a recommended core bibliography Z7964 1980 1985 F44 A listing of books that deal with women s studies and L63 issues from the dates listed above 1987 Ref Women of Color in the United States a guide to the Z7964 literature U49 Covers major areas on women s studies while exploring R4 African Asian Hispanic and Native American women 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By Jim M Kapoun 103 Bibliographic Guides Ref Modern American Women Writers PS151 The volume brings together critical and biographical M54 essays of 41 representative women writers who have pub 1991 lished in the U S since the 1870s Ref Current Biographical Yearbook CT100 Presents articles on people who are prominent
3. an excellent place to look at recent information on Women s issues Consult the Red Index Binder and look for your subject in this case look under WOMEN LOCATION gt The PAMPHLET FILE is to the right of the REFERENCE AREA in 7 file cabinets The Red Index Binder is located on the desk to the left of the file cabinets HELP HELP When in doubt always ask the library staff HOURS SEMESTER IMPORTANT NUMBERS M TH 8 00AM 11 00PM Reference Desk 222 4545 Friday 8 00 AM 5 00PM Reference Librarians Sat NOON 8 00PM Joe Abram 222 0234 Sun NOON 11 00PM Sue Jones 222 0235 HOURS SUMMER INTERSESSION Betty Smith 222 0236 M F 8 00AM 5 00PM Circulation Desk 222 4040
4. for all the pathfinders that the library produces Some pathfinders have no location codes Others lack information about finding information in a catalog an index or a government document Some list relevant subject headings Some do not The front side of a history guide lists resources while the front of a psychology guide lists journals Having a consistent format will e create a blueprint to help mass produce pathfinders on many subjects e provide continuity to each guide and e ensure that major resource areas and tools i e catalogs indexes journals etc are listed Select a format that is easy to follow and produce Tailor the design to the library s resources budget staff and collection The key is to construct a unified consistent format con sonant with current and future resources Allocate sufficient staff time It takes an experienced librarian eight to ten hours to prepare a pathfinder or more if the pathfinder is significantly longer Thompson 1985 224 With the increasing demands on librarians the danger lies in producing pathfinders quickly without careful planning At 00 50 15 September 2009 Simmons College Downloaded By 96 COLLEGE amp UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARIES One librarian expressed to me the following I do them path finders because I have to but I do not really have the time or the know how to make them really good To this I replied If you lack the time and knowledg
5. individual styles of performing research A pathfinder s scope Is broad and is reviewed after the initial creation A pathfinder must Be easy to read and be evaluated by librarians and the public The professional challenge of creating pathfinders is to provide documents that enhance reference or public service with clear timely and readable information 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By Jim M Kapoun QUICK BIB Breivik Patricia Planning the Library Instruction Program Chicago American Library Association 1982 Peterson Lorna and Jamie W Coniglio Readability of Selected Aca demic Library Guides RQ 27 Winter 1987 233 239 Stevens Charles H et al Library Pathfinders A New Possibility for Cooperative Reference Services College and Research Libraries 34 January 1973 41 46 Thompson Glenn J and Barbara R Stevens Library Science Students Develop Pathfinders College and Research Library News 46 May 1985 224 225 APPENDIX A UNIVERSAL PATHFINDER FORMAT GUIDELINES 99 The following is an example of a universal format that all types of aca demic libraries could use for pathfinders Pathfinder Format Example I Decide on ONE header or title for each document for example Il M 1 User Guide to American History at ABC College 2 A Pathfinder to American History Resources subject For example In three to four sen
6. al location Always list library operation hours and any relevant service information APPENDIX B SAMPLE PATHFINDER The following is an example of a Pathfinder using the guidelines in Appen dix A MIDWEST STATE COLLEGE LIBRARY USER GUIDE TO WOMEN STUDIES RESOURCES Introduction to WOMEN S STUDIES RESOURCES at the library Women s studies is a comprehensive study of women in history society science business politics sports and literature Doing any research on Women s studies in the library requires patience and precise subject catego ries This guide will help locate and begin an investigation on women s studies covering books indexes periodicals bibliographies and pamphlets SUBJECT HEADINGS To develop subject ideas consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings volumes This large 4 set volume lists subject headings that you can use in our card catalog and various indexes By using these volumes you can determine the precise heading under which information your subject can be searched 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By 102 COLLEGE amp UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARIES Key to the codes gt USE look under the subject listed UF used for a subject substitute BT broad term broaden the subject NT narrow term narrows the subject RT gives related subjects SA see also another subject LOCATION gt To the right of the REFERENCE DESK on the Table marked LC SUBJECT
7. ated on any Index Computer station behind the CATS computers use for information about women and business 1987 to date Humanities Index located in the INDEX AREA directly behind the In dex Computer Stations use for information about women in the humanities 1974 to date Periodical Abstracts located on any Index Computer station behind the CATS computers use for general information about women 1987 to date Reader s Guide located in the INDEX AREA directly behind the Index Computer Stations use for general information about women 1890 to date Social Science Index located on any Index Computer Station behind the CATS computers 1989 to date AND located in the INDEX AREA directly behind the Index Computer Stations 1965 to date use for social science information on women REPRESENTATIVE TITLES OF JOURNALS Feminist Studies v 19 1993 to date Graduate Women v 79 4 1985 v 82 5 1988 changed to OUTLOOK Outlook v 83 1989 to date Psychology of Women Quarterly microfilm v 6 1981 to date Sign A Journal of Women in v 15 1989 to date Culture and Society LOCATION gt The current year of all journals are located on the main floor in the EAST WING follow signs from Reference Desk Back issues are located on the GROUND FLOOR Microfilm is located on the main floor in the East Wing 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By Jim M Kapoun 105 PAMPHLETS The Pamphlet File is
8. cted pathfinders can provide support for reference service and bibliographic instruction They supplement and orga nize bibliographic information reinforce development of appropri ate search strategies and provide knowledge of basic library ser vices A good definition comes from Charles H Stevens s et al article on pathfinders The Library Pathfinder is a kind of map to the resources of the library it is an information locator for the library user whose search for recorded materials on a subject of interest is just the beginning A compact guide to the basic sources of informa tion specific to the user s immediate needs it is a step by step instructional tool that will if followed place before the user those items that the most skilled reference librarian would suggest as basic to an initial investigation to the topic Ste vens 1973 41 Pathfinders are readily available in public service areas Librari ans use them liberally in instruction and orientation classes and to help answer general reference questions Frequently however they are underused or out of date and end up as scrap paper or great tools for killing spiders Although pathfinders are useful as instruc tional or reference tools they can fall short of Stevens s goal because of their purpose format use scope and readability DEFINITION AND PURPOSE According to Stevens pathfinders should include a map an information locator and subject headings appr
9. e why do you HAVE to create them in the first place Most librarians I asked claim they have to produce them because it is part of their job whether stated in a job description or not Does this mean that everything in the library must be docu mented on a pathfinder or that a sign of a busy or good librarian is the number of pathfinders s he produces Of course not Before starting a pathfinder ask several critical questions e Am I required to make pathfinders e Can I construct a good document in a timely manner e Is a pathfinder necessary on this topic In one library staff construct pathfinders as an alternative to pub lic service contact While visiting a small college library I stopped at the reference desk to ask a question The librarian on duty said nothing and gave me a pathfinder to answer the question After paging through the six page guide which took several minutes I found the answer to my question one that would have taken only seconds to answer at the reference desk It probably took a librarian more than eight hours to produce the pathfinder In this case it was not time well spent Pathfinders are NOT substitutes for human contact no matter how busy one may be on the reference desk USE Often pathfinders are designed as guides for information gather ing and include specific research steps A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire in the mid 1980s found that many users thought path
10. finders were unsatisfactory because they provided specific references to information and did not allow stu dents to develop their own search strategies Thompson 1985 224 225 Pathfinders should not dictate a single correct way to perform topical research Instead they should facilitate individual styles of information gathering Even if patrons have no developed style of research a pathfinder s purpose is to provide avenues of awareness A pathfinder should offer suggestions not formulas 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By Jim M Kapoun 97 There can be a danger in using pathfinders in bibliographic instruction classes What message is sent to a class when the instructor grabs twenty pathfinders from a display and distributes them It may demonstrate a lack of preparation time that good bibliographic instruction requires A specific user guide that is tai lor made for each class assures students that the instructor cares and has spent time on preparation for the class General pathfinders do not take the place of detailed user guides designed for course spe cific instructional sessions SCOPE AND READABILITY All documents are problematic to write edit and update even on a computer The first version however is only the beginning Production is a continuous venture Updating reviewing acquisi tions and weeding are ongoing sometimes monthly processes A major consideration in p
11. in the C8 news national and international sciences art labor and industry Encyclopedias Handbook Dictionaries Ref Women s Atlas of the United States G1201 This resource outlines the major subject of sociology to El economics involving women in America Informative maps G5 and text chart aspects of daily life for women in America 1985 Ref Women s Studies Encyclopedia HQ1115 This 3 volume set covers various aspects of women and W645 the American experience It incorporates feminist approach 1989 es and opinions Ref Statistical Handbook on Women in America HQ1420 This almanac covers the day to day events and accom C55 plishments that comprise women s history in the 20th cen 1987 tury LOCATION gt All of these listed are located in the REFERENCE SECTION which is directly behind the REFERENCE DESK HELPFUL HINT This list is a small representation of titles we own Check CATS for complete listing or browse the shelves around the call num bers listed above INDEXES AND ABSTRACTS An index or abstract index plus journal summary is a listing of citations that direct you to specific journal articles SPECIFIC JOURNAL ARTICLES WILL NOT BE FOUND IN CATS A basic entry includes 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By 104 COLLEGE amp UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARIES author title of the article title of the journal volume number date pages Indexes and Abstracts ABI Inform loc
12. ndex is a listing of citations that direct you to spe cific articles in journals A basic entry includes author title of the article title of the journal volume number date and pages b List relevant indexes and abstracts to the subject give a brief explanation and locations For example America History and Life is an abstracted index to articles books book reviews and dissertations It is located on index table 4 main floor in the Periodicals Area You may want to insert a brief guide to its use here 2 Periodicals Magazines and Journals a Give a representative list of journals on your covered sub ject For example List journal name a brief description call number and library holdings format 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By Jim M Kapoun 101 VI Special Features 1 Include the possible use of government documents maps atlases pamphlets etc For example The Pamphlet File contains several subjects relevant to the Civil War Consult the Pamphlet File Subject Guide for appropriate subjects The Pamphlet File is located to the right of the reference desk in ten file drawer cabinets 2 Some guides could incorporate a library physical map detailing locations Placement of the map could be here or at the beginning but should be consistent for all user guides VII Include contact people library department s complete with phone and office numbers and physic
13. of any instructions formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources The publisher shall not be liable for any loss actions claims proceedings demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By College amp Undergraduate Libraries Re Thinking the Library Pathfinder Jim M Kapoun ABSTRACT Pathfinders help library patrons find information learn about library resources and physical space and develop research strategies They can be poorly constructed excessively detailed and inconsistently formatted Some cover too many topics and include forced research strategies that make them difficult to read This article offers a format and construction guide to aid librarians in preparing readable useful pathfinders KEYWORDS Pathfinder pathfinder format pathfinder instruction construction of pathfinders Jim M Kapoun MDIV Luther Seminary St Paul MN MLS University of Wisconsin Madison is Reference Librarian at St Mary s College of Maryland St Mary s City MD 20686 College amp Undergraduate Libraries Vol 2 1 1995 1995 by The Haworth Press Inc All rights reserved 93 At 00 50 15 September 2009 Simmons College Downloaded By 94 COLLEGE amp UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARIES Well constru
14. opriate for an initial investigation of a topic Stevens 1973 41 42 Pathfinders should direct patrons to all types of information on a particular subject by listing not only subject headings but also indexes abstracts and relevant supplemental materials Breivik 1982 76 77 Basically well constructed pathfinders have two key elements compactness and basic informational resources Many pathfinders include multiple pages of exhaustive informa tion with extensive bibliographies Such bibliographies are useful tools for research They provide resources to perform in depth 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By Jim M Kapoun 95 investigation guide users through complex search methods and illustrate appropriate resources They are not however pathfinders Pathfinders are not exhaustive guides to the literature They are not accession tools They are not bibliographies Pathfinders are designed for beginners who need help finding the fundamental literature of a subject Stevens 1973 41 FORMAT Pathfinders can vary in design and format Accordingly this section does not provide specific instructions for writing a path finder Guidelines for a universal format and a sample pathfinder are in Appendix A and B respectively What follows instead are general considerations to make pathfinders more effective Establish a consistent format and content The first rule is consis tency Use the same design
15. roducing a pathfinder is the commitment to updating and revision Select topics consistently Producing several pathfinders on a current event may be counterproductive Planning includes careful topic selection with sensitivity to lasting value academic func tional usefulness and available resources Evaluate scope Consider production and the quantity needed Produce a small test amount and monitor usage An empty slot in the display case however does not guarantee a popular pathfinder Librarians need to be observant and pay attention to how people physically use pathfinders i e for research scrap paper or coast ers and notice how many end up in a waste basket or recycling bin Define cost in terms of staff time and supplies Time is a valu able commodity especially for busy reference or instruction librari ans Time factors include the initial production updating revising and evaluation of usefulness Supply expenses include paper ink and copying costs Librarians should challenge themselves with questions on conservation of resources and the environment Pro duction in alternative non paper media might be considered Control the use of jargon While library pathfinders are not easy to write they sometimes are even harder to read Lorna Peterson and Jamie Coniglio in their article on readability of pathfinders user guides describe typical communication problems Library hand 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmon
16. s College Downloaded By 98 COLLEGE amp UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARIES books guides pathfinders are not easy to write or to read Many things described in them are inherently complicated to explain Peterson 1987 236 Terms such as tracing Boolean bib liographic or citation need simple explanations A pathfinder is only usable if the people reading it can understand and comprehend its language Peterson and Coniglio conclude It only seems appropriate that locally produced library guides so dili gently prepared and universally prevalent attain their purpose and be readable effective materials for patrons Peterson 1987 236 SUMMARY Pathfinders are an integral part of reference and instruction ser vices Because they entail much work and effort to produce the impetus for producing them should not come from the pressure to produce or create them just to create them Librarians need to weigh and consider all facets production format construction content use scope and readability before beginning To conclude A pathfinder is not An exhaustive bibliography of primary access tools A pathfinder is A beginning map to library services and resources A pathfinder s purpose Is to educate about the basic resources for select topics A pathfinder s format Is simple and direct not a substitute for human service or instruction A pathfinder is used To facilitate
17. tences provide a brief description of the resource Many resources are available for the study of American His tory in the ABC library They cover books indexes govern ment documents periodicals bibliographies and pamphlets This guide lists the resources to conduct research in American History List appropriate tools to find Subject Headings For example Use The Library of Congress Subject Headings books to research subject headings for possible use in CATS our on line 00 50 15 September 2009 At Simmons College Downloaded By 100 COLLEGE amp UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARIES catalog or in indexes They are on the tables where CATS is located main floor left of circulation desk IV Books 1 Describe your card catalog give a brief statement on its use For example CATS is our computer card catalog At the flashing cursor gt type in author title or subjects e g au Jefferson Thomas ti The war of 1812 sub Vietnam conflict CATS is located to the left of the circulation desk and PRESS F1 for on line HELP or consult the User s Manual to the right of each CATS terminal 2 Prepare a representative list of core reference titles including encyclopedias dictionaries handbooks bibliographies atlas etc Give the physical location and call numbers of the materials V Periodicals 1 Indexes and Abstracts a Describe what an index is and the basic components of a citation For example An i
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