Electronic Resources in Transportation: Electronic Resources in Transportation: There are Lots of Signs on the There are Lots of Signs on the Information Superhighway but Information Superhighway but

Where is the Information I Where is the Information I Really Need*? Really Need*? *without hitting a lot of roadblocks *without hitting a lot of roadblocks

and detoursand detours

Bonnie OsifBonnie OsifPenn StatePenn State

bao2@psu.edubao2@psu.edu

OverviewOverview

• Electronic ResourcesElectronic Resources– DatabasesDatabases– Search EnginesSearch Engines– GatewaysGateways

• Tools to help you locate Tools to help you locate information and resourcesinformation and resources

– RSSRSS– Blogs, etc.Blogs, etc.

Fee DatabasesFee Databases• CompendexCompendex• NTISNTIS• TRIS* TRIS* (also available for free through the NTL)(also available for free through the NTL)

• ITRDITRD• Web of ScienceWeb of Science

Database ServicesDatabase Services

• Advanced SearchingAdvanced Searching• Full text Full text • Ordering optionsOrdering options• AlertsAlerts• RSSRSS• Search assistanceSearch assistance

CompendexCompendex

Free DatabasesFree Databases• TRIS TRIS (ntl.bts.gov)(ntl.bts.gov)

• Google Scholar* Google Scholar* (scholar.google.com)(scholar.google.com)

• DoE Information Bridge DoE Information Bridge (http://www.osti.gov/bridge/ )(http://www.osti.gov/bridge/ )

• Civil Engineering Database Civil Engineering Database (cedb.asce.org)(cedb.asce.org)

• TLCat TLCat (ntl.bts.gov)(ntl.bts.gov)

• Specialized Google Meta Specialized Google Meta Search Engines*Search Engines*

Full text ResourcesFull text Resources• Transportation Statistics Transportation Statistics

(www.bts.gov)(www.bts.gov)

• Bibliographies Bibliographies (ntl.bts.gov, (ntl.bts.gov, dotlibrary.dot.gov)dotlibrary.dot.gov)

• Federal laws Federal laws (http://thomas.loc.gov/)(http://thomas.loc.gov/)

• Fee based servicesFee based servicesFor additional resources see For additional resources see

www.libraries.psu.edu/eng/www.libraries.psu.edu/eng/webinar.htmlwebinar.html

•

Web “Layers”Web “Layers”

Links are found by search

engine spiders “traditional web”

Dynamic pages, not open to spidering

General Search Engines General Search Engines

• www.google.com (1)www.google.com (1)• www.yahoo.com (2)www.yahoo.com (2)• http://www.msn.com/ (4)http://www.msn.com/ (4)• www.ask.com (8)www.ask.com (8)• scholar.google.comscholar.google.com

(indicates December 2007 ranking in use statistics from http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?(indicates December 2007 ranking in use statistics from http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2018)press=2018)

Metasearch EnginesMetasearch Engines

• www.dogpile.comwww.dogpile.com• www.clusty.comwww.clusty.com• www.mamma.comwww.mamma.com• www.surfwax.comwww.surfwax.com• www.kartoo.comwww.kartoo.com

Deep Web SearchingDeep Web Searching

• www.completeplanet.comwww.completeplanet.com• turbo10.comturbo10.com• directory.google.comdirectory.google.com• www.scirus.comwww.scirus.com

For more information see - For more information see - http://websearch.about.com/od/invisibleweb/a/ihttp://websearch.about.com/od/invisibleweb/a/invisibleweb.htmnvisibleweb.htm

Sample Page - ScirusSample Page - Scirus

Gateways – a short listGateways – a short list

• TRB TRB (www.trb.org)(www.trb.org)• NTL NTL (ntl.bts.gov)(ntl.bts.gov)• Minnesota Dept. of Minnesota Dept. of

Transportation Transportation (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/library/)(http://www.dot.state.mn.us/library/)

• Thomas Thomas (thomas.loc.gov)(thomas.loc.gov)• Science.gov Science.gov (www.science.gov)(www.science.gov)

NEW TOOLS YOU CAN USENEW TOOLS YOU CAN USE

Building Your Collections Building Your Collections

• Databases – Databases – subject and dates searchessubject and dates searches

• BibliographiesBibliographies• ““New in the library” listsNew in the library” lists• Commericial sites Commericial sites • Blogs, list servsBlogs, list servs

Search HelpsSearch Helps• Research tutorials/guidesResearch tutorials/guides– InfoPeople InfoPeople ((www.infopeople.org/search/index.html)www.infopeople.org/search/index.html)

– Laura Cohen’s guides Laura Cohen’s guides (http://www.internettutorials.net/)(http://www.internettutorials.net/)

– Bare Bones 101 Bare Bones 101 (http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/bones.shtml)(http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/bones.shtml)

• Help pages/FAQs Help pages/FAQs • TRB LibraryTRB Library

• Your Transportation Your Transportation Librarian Networks!Librarian Networks!