I’ve been talking with a few people about the idea of the database lists linking to instructions for RSS/email current awareness alerts for each database/provider (similar to the way we currently have an “Endnote” line in eg ABI/INFORM global). Each database does something different and frequently non-intuitive so having instructions in a standard place would be very useful.
There are some questions about whether/how best to do this. What do people think about:
- Is it worth while? (would it make the database record too much more complicated? could it better go somewhere else?
- If it would go in the database lists where would it go? (as part of the ‘help’ line? as a separate line, similar to the separate ‘endnote’ line? what’s the best way of organising these database records?)
- what would be the best wording for a link? (“staying current” is used on all the subject guides – should it be the same? is that the most user-friendly phrase?)
- what’s the best way of sharing the load of creating instructions for each database/provider? (I’ve done Engineering and some multidisciplinary databases at file://K:\information_services\Current_awareness\Current_Awareness_using_Engineering_Databases.doc and would be happy to put instructions from various sources into a consistent format for the web.)
- what other issues/concerns might there be?
Looking forward to hearing all thoughts….