Information Literacy Module 5 Electronic information sources I
- 1 Electronic
information sources I
The topic of EIS is very broad; therefore, we have divided it. In this module we will explain
the categorization of electronic information sources, and deal with libraries’ electronic
indexes. You will need the knowledge you acquired in the module How to search for
information.
Basic terms:
Electronic information source - EIS - a source of information stored in electronic form
Electronic index - an index containing entries in machine-readable form
Union catalogue - a catalogue of a group of libraries sharing one automated library
system and a catalogue within the framework of this system
Bibliographic entry - a collection of data on a given document, created by means of
specific library methods. Physical and content description of a document allows for its
identification.
ISBN - international standard book number assigned to books and other publications for
the purpose of their unambiguous international identification and the identification of
their publishers. ISSN system - international standard serial number assigned to
documents for the purpose of their unambiguous international identification.
Location number - a numeric or alphanumeric expression indicating the place where a
given library unit is stored in the library stock.
Contents
1. MODULE INTRODUCTION
2. THEORETICAL INTRODUCTION
2. 1 EIS TYPES AND EXAMPLES
3. TIPS AND HINTS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH EIS
4. ELECTRONIC LIBRARY INDEXES
4. 1 THE CONTENTS OF AN ELECTRONIC INDEX
5. UNION LIBRARY CATALOGUES
5. 1 UNION CATALOGUE OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC (CASLIN)
5. 2 CZECH NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
5. 3 ARTICLES FROM CZECH NEWSPAPERS, PERIODICALS AND ANTHOLOGIES-ANL
5. 4 UNIFORM INFORMATION GATEWAY
5. 5 KARLSRUHE VIRTUAL CATALOGUE KVK
6. MODULE SUMMARY
Information Literacy Module 5 Electronic information sources I
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use and surely will continue to use electronic information sources both during your
studies and in everyday life. This topic is very broad, and it is therefore divided into three
modules. In this module you will be acquainted with the basic concepts, and will learn
what electronic information sources (hereinafter EIS) are. You will learn to work with
electronic indexes of one or more libraries, see that there are interfaces for the search in
more indexes at once, and that indexes offer web services 2.0.
This text will help you in the process of learning new information and will expand the
interactive lecture.
1. MODULE INTRODUCTION
This text will provide you with basic theoretical information on electronic information
sources and with practical demonstrations of electronic indexes. You have surely seen
electronic indexes of libraries before; can you really search in them effectively, though?
We believe that this module will help you find satisfactory entries in a shorter period of
time.
2. THEORETICAL INTRODUCTION
What can we imagine under the concept of EIS? Let us start with the term database,
which is defined as a set of information, a data file on a memory medium. We can picture
a database as a filing cabinet or a card index, which is its predecessor. EIS are (same as
conventional printed sources) sources/resources of information. They are stored in
electronic form and are available, above all, in computer network environment or via
memory media (e.g. on CD-ROMs, DVDs).
2. 1 EIS TYPES AND EXAMPLES
There are various viewpoints on the EIS division.
From the viewpoint of types, we distinguish among
 online catalogues (e.g. library catalogues),
 subject portals,
 digital libraries,
 e-books,
 e-journals...
From the viewpoint of technical accessibility, we distinguish between
 online access and
 offline access.
From the viewpoint of thematic and subject division, we distinguish between
 single-subject sources and
 multi-subject (polythematic) sources.
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3. TIPS AND HINTS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH EIS
Before you enter an online catalogue, a database or another EIS, you should know what
you want to search for. It will pay off if you devote some time to analysis and think about
the following:
 topic,
 time delimitation,
 language limitation,
 geographic limitation,
 keywords.
4. ELECTRONIC LIBRARY INDEXES
A library index is an ordered catalogue (list) containing basic bibliographic data on a given
library’s stocks, and information on the location of individual copies. It may be either a list
of stocks of one library or a so-called union catalogue, which contains stocks of more
libraries. Card indexes have been replaced by electronic indexes. However, entries to be
found only in card indexes still exist.
4. 1 THE CONTENTS OF AN ELECTRONIC INDEX
1. Bibliographic data
Descriptive data, formal data on a certain monograph, journal, article, e-book etc. owned
by a particular library.
Descriptive data are the following:
 Author,
 Title,
 Publisher,
 Length,
 ISBN, ISSN.
2. Bibliographic entry
A collection of data describing documents. In the case of library indexes, it also contains
location data, i.e. information as to the location of a particular title and its copies. A
bibliographic entry contains only reference (descriptive) information, not full texts.
Example (location data)
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5. UNION LIBRARY CATALOGUES
Union library catalogues are important information resources. In the following section,
you will get acquainted with some of them in greater detail. However, not all union
catalogues are listed here.
5. 1 UNION CATALOGUE OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC (CASLIN)
It contains data on documents stored in the stocks of Czech libraries and institutions. The
entries retrieved will give you information on availability and the library or libraries where
you can borrow the required document, that is ask your library for a loan via ILS.
http://www.caslin.cz
http://aleph.nkp.cz
5. 2 CZECH NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
It is an important information resource containing entries on documents issued in the
Czech Republic.
http://aleph.nkp.cz/cze/CNB
5. 3 ARTICLES FROM CZECH NEWSPAPERS, PERIODICALS AND ANTHOLOGIES –
ANL
A union database of selected articles and essays found in periodical documents issued in
the Czech Republic. The system is being gradually expanded.
http://aleph.nkp.cz/cze/ANL
5. 4 UNIFORM INFORMATION GATEWAY
The UIG portal enables users to search through various Czech and foreign sources from
one point and by means of one search query. The list of sources is published at (link).
Unlike the Union Catalogue of the Czech Republic, it searches through some foreign
library catalogues as well.
http://www.jib.cz
5. 5 KARLSRUHE VIRTUAL CATALOGUE KVK
Have a look at the union catalogue of German, Austrian, Swiss and other foreign libraries.
It works in a similar way to UIG.
http://www.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/kvk.html
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6. MODULE SUMMARY
In this module you became acquainted with the basic categorization of electronic
information sources. You have learned what an electronic index is, and you have learned
to use it both for search and for other services. You have learned of the existence of
union catalogues and other search tools.
Points to remember:
If you need to find out whether a document can be found in a particular library, search in
the electronic index of the given library.
In case the document is relatively old, go to the library website and check since when its
electronic index has existed.
If you want to find out whether the document is anywhere at Masaryk University, search
in the MU union catalogue.
If you search for a document in any library, use the Union Catalogue of the Czech
Republic or UIG or Czech National Bibliography, or any other union catalogue.