LIS 7011 Information Needs and Information Seeking
Information about searching, databases, and statistical resources
Research & Instruction Librarian
Part III: Databases
Discovery and Academic Search Complete are great places for general research, but if you are looking for specialized information, you should use subject-specific databases. The following is a list of databases that LSU subscribes to that are focused on library and information science. Using these databases gives you focused, relevant results.
Why have I included a database that focuses on retrospective information? Literature Reviews. If you want to understand a topic or technique, you need to know its history.
Keep in mind that while these are focused on LIS, other databases also contain information about LIS. You can find a list of some of these by filtering the list of databases on the LSU Libraries web site by subject.
- Information Science & Technology Abstracts (ISTA) This link opens in a new windowInformation Science & Technology Abstracts is a leading database in the areas of information science. ISTA indexes journal articles from more than 450 publications plus books, research reports, and conference proceedings and patents, with ongoing comprehensive coverage of the most important periodicals in this field. Coverage dates back to the mid 1960s.
- Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new windowLibrary, Information Science & Technology Abstracts,(LISTA) indexes more than 600 periodicals, plus books, research reports and proceedings. Subject coverage includes librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more. Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s. Non-LSU Affiliates may click here for access a limited version of LISTA for free.
- Library Literature & Information Science Full Text (H. W. Wilson) This link opens in a new windowReflecting the latest trends in a rapidly evolving field, this database indexes English and foreign-language periodicals, selected state journals, conference proceedings, pamphlets, books, and library school theses, plus over 300 books per year. This invaluable resource delivers full text articles cover to cover from over a hundred select publications. PDF page images of the full text articles bring researchers charts, graphs, photos, and other valuable graphical information. Providing enhanced access to your periodical collection, this database also steers users to valuable information on the Web with hotlinks to sites mentioned in articles.
- Library Literature & Information Science Retrospective: 1905-1983 (H. W. Wilson) This link opens in a new windowSearch the content of over 1,200 periodicals back as far as 1905. Nearly 80 years of citations document all the innovations, controversies, and people that shaped modern librarianship.