My first LibGuide

I’ve managed to make my first LibGuide, otherwise known as a pathfinder or guide.  It was a requirement for my current course INF406 “Information Sources and Services”, which to be honest I enjoyed so much that I’ve decided to change the way I’m going on this degree from “youth and adult services” to a more digital and reference librarian bias.

Once I got my assignment I asked at school if there was anyone who wanted / needed a pathfinder and the Economics head asked for one on Development Economics.   I have to admit that Economics was never my favourite subject, neither in my undergraduate degree nor in my MBA.  Well, I liked and was terribly interested in the concepts and case studies, but hated the graphs and so called “academic rigour” that was applied to something that I found totally behavioural and that didn’t follow any of the supposed “rules” or “theories”.   Luckily things have moved on somewhat and it was quite a fascinating process deciding what to include and leave out of the pathfinder.

I was terribly (and luckily) constrained by the demands of the assignment that it was kept to 20-25 information sources, included at least 5 journal articles and 2 books and a limit of 2500 words. Otherwise it would have grown like topsy – speaking of which, Topsy.com is a rather nice new social media tool where you can agglomerate what’s happened on the web within a specified time frame… cool for some time wasting if you’re not busy researching anything else (try “chinese” and “homework” for some fun).

Anyway, here is my “official” libguide, which was submitted and the “unofficial” one, or rather the one the school will use which is much more extensive.  There are some pretty cool videos – and I’ve found a new favourite economist – Esther Duflo! Check her out.

I’ve learnt a TON by doing this. After I’d submitted a fellow student and experienced reference librarian who is a LibGuide ace – and taught me how to use it, showed me hers – I have a way to go yet, baby steps!