Library Guide Specifications

The original concept of a library guide was to provide library users a starting point from which to begin research in a particular subject area. The GTCC Library guide specifications follow this original concept. The main objective of the guides we develop is to provide our students with a jumping-off place from which to begin their research. The GTCC Library guide is not meant to be an exhaustive subject guide but rather a selective and core group of online resource links in a particular area or curriculum.

There are two primary reasons why our guides are not exhaustive:

Overwhelmed and confused students

From our observations here in the library, students become both overwhelmed and confused with so many choices in the number of periodical databases and Internet sites to search. Students who come to the Reference Desk because they are not sure where to start searching are more than happy when our Reference Librarians suggest one or two Internet sites to search on a particular topic. Students usually find more than enough articles or information from the few resources that we recommend.

Maintenance issue

GTCC Library does not have the manpower to both develop and maintain exhaustive subject guides especially considering the following facts: the number of web sites out there is immense and continues to grow every day; and web site addresses change all the time.

Because of the above factors, the GTCC Library believes that these guides should include no more than 50 Internet resource links and is prepared to develop and maintain guides that contain up to 100 links.