4.3 Where to Look for Information?
Search Engines, Catalogues and Databases
Various online tools exist that can help you search for information effectively. This video will explain what is library database and why should you use them (1:22).
According to the Continuum pour le développement des compétences informationnelles en bibliothèque scolaire (2021), students should be given the opportunity to explore how to conduct effective searches in a library catalogue using keywords starting in Elementary Cycle 1.
By Elementary Cycle 2, students can be introduced to search engines (still as a class) by explaining the various tools and search modes used by these sites.
It is only in Elementary Cycle 3 that students will learn about Boolean operators and be introduced to advanced search parameters.
Definitions and Examples
Search Engine
Before you start searching for information online, it is important to understand how search engines work. Moreover, there are many search engines available. This will be an opportunity to discover several of them and their unique features.
List of the most popular search engines:
Library Catalogues
A library catalogue is a descriptive list of all the materials held in a library including books, periodicals, government publications, audiovisual materials, theses, reports, etc.
The main library catalogues used in schools are the following:
4.3.1 Participant Booklet
It is your turn to explore! You have just discovered a multitude of sites you can search. Some of these sites are well known, while others are less so. We invite you to explore them all. Who knows, you may find some new favourites!
Write down (you can also bookmark or create a digital board) your discoveries in your participant booklet so you can refer to them later.
Tip
Many digital tools allow you to create bulletin boards that you can use to organize information and keep track of it more easily (e.g., Padlet, Linoit, etc.).