the ipl project - drexel universityac559/eport/artifacts/iplproject.pdfthe first site i visited was...

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THE IPL PROJECT

Angela Cook

INFO 511 June 12, 2007

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Question Log 1 ………………………………2-6

Question Log 2 ……………………………7-11

Question Log 3 ……………………………12-16

Question Log 4 ……………………………17-21

Question Log 5 ……………………………22-27

Question Log 6 ……………………………28-33

Question Log 7 ……………………………34-40

Reaction ……….………………………41

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QUESTION LOG 1

Question > Needed by: no need by Question: I was told there was a black outlaw in the Old West who killed more people that Jesse James. I would like to get more information about this person if he exists. name: Pamela from: [email protected] confirm: [email protected] location: Tallahassee, FL area: History reason: My friends and I would like to know. school: No sources_consulted: none

Question Transcript:

*** New responses start here ***

1: Set STATUS to ACCEPTED Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:28:01 by Michaela Willi Hooper ([email protected])

2: CHANGE SUBJECT to "HIS: Black outlaw who killed more people than Jesse James (no need by)" from "HIS: I was told there was a black outlaw in the Old West who kill (no need by)" Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:28:01

by Michaela Willi Hooper ([email protected])

3: SENT standard message "accept-sources" to Author Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:28:01 by Michaela Willi Hooper ([email protected])

4: TRANSFER to refsource.cat from incoming.cat Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:28:01 by Michaela Willi Hooper ([email protected])

5: CLAIMED Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:31:37 by William Fliss ([email protected])

6: UNCLAIMED Sat, 28 Apr 2007 18:45:50 by William Fliss ([email protected])

7: CLAIMED Sat, 28 Apr 2007 19:37:30 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

8: Re: HIS: Black outlaw who killed more people than Jesse James (no need by) (sent to original author) Wed, 02 May 2007 23:23:21 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

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Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, Thank you for your question about a black outlaw who killed more people than Jesse James. I found your question very interesting and I enjoyed learning all about the outlaws of the American West! I found some resources that I hope will help you with your question. My search found a very famous black outlaw, "Cherokee Bill." Cherokee Bill's real name is Crawford Goldsby. Unfortunately, I did not find any source that says that Cherokee Goldsby killed more people than Jesse James. You can find information about Cherokee Bill and the number of people he killed at these sites: National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/fosm/historyculture/cherokee-bill-outlaw-trail.htm Legends of America http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-CherokeeBill.html The Wild Wild West http://www.gunslinger.com/goldsby.html I began my search by starting at the website of the National Park Service website, which I have used in the past. My search strategy was: 1. Go to the National Park Service website http://www.nps.gov/ 2. Type the words "black outlaw" in the search box, located in the center of the web page 3. Click on the second search result I would recommend that once you have viewed the results, that you return to the search box and type "Cherokee Bill" to see more results. My next step was to search for additional information on the website of Answers.com. I found the website Legends of America through this search. My search strategy was: 1. Go to Answers.com http://www.answers.com 2. Type "black outlaw" and "west" in the search box, which is located in upper-right corner of the web page 3. Click on the fifth search result, "The Complete List of Old West Outlaws" 4. This will bring you to the website "Legends of America" 5. Scroll to the bottom of the list & click on the link for "Crawford 'Cherokee Bill' Goldsby, (1876- 1896)" I also found the website, "The Wild Wild West," by searching Answers.com. My search strategy was:

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1. Go to Answers.com http://www.answers.com 2. Type "black outlaw" and "west" in the search box, which is located in upper-right corner of the web page 3. Click on the seventh (7th) search result 4. This will bring you to the website MindStationX, "Black Pioneers, Settlers, Cowboys & Outlaws" 5. Scroll down to the the bottom of the page and select the link for "Cherokee Bill" If you would like to learn about Jesse James and read an estimation of the number of people he killed, visit the Legends of America website and read their article "Jesse James Folklore Her or Cold-blooded Killer" http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-JesseJames7.html I found this information the Legends of America website when I was searching for information on Cherokee Bill. To find the Jesse James article: 1. Go to the Legends of America website http://www.legendsofamerica.com 2. Type "Jesse James and Outlaw" in the search box, located in the upper-right corner 3. Select the link for "Jesse James: Folklore Her or Cold-blooded Killer" 4. The estimate of how many people Jesse James murdered is on the seventh page. Or you can visit the Wikipedia website to see another estimate of how many people Jesse James killed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_james To find this information: 1. Go to the Wikipedia website http://en.wikipedia.org 2. Type "Jesse James" in the search box, located in the right corner of the page, about half-way down 3. This will bring you to a site for Jesse James 4. The number of people it is estimated that he killed is listed in the section "Early Life" Another interesting site that you might want to look at is: Learn History "Law-breakers of the West" http://www.learnhistory.org.uk/west/lawbreakers.ppt The Learn History website is one of my favorites; it has ALOT of information about history. I found information about "Cherokee Bill" by navigating through the website categories 1. Go to the Learn History website http://learnhistory.org.uk/website/

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2. Under "Topics," click on the link for "American West" 3. On the right side of the screen, click on the link for the "Law-breakers of the West" This PowerPoint presentation compares the outlaws of the Wild West; you can compare Cherokee Bill to Jesse James! If you are interested in this subject, you can also learn more by visiting the website for the Black American West Museum: http://www.blackamericanwestmuseum.com/ Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL!

Question Analysis I spent roughly four hours on this question. [You want to aim for the 45 minutes to an hour time limit eventually – though of course there are definitely some questions that will take longer than this to answer.] I spent a lot of this question because I wanted to ensure that my finding that there was not a black outlaw who killed more people than Jesse James was correct. Subsequently, I spent a lot of time browsing the sources to compare the different black outlaws to find out who killed the most people and than compare the number of Cherokee Bill’s murders to that of Jesse James. I found browsing more effective than searching because using search terms like “African American” or “black outlaw” consistently resulted in sources and information that was not relevant. The search success improved dramatically once I identified Cherokee Bill as the black outlaw who committed the most murders. [Absolutely – having an actual name can make searching much easier!] I started my search in the IPL’s History subject collection. I searched by region and era, which led me to collections for the categories American West and African American-History. Some sources I consulted, but did not use were the PBS’s The West, the HistoryNet, the American West, Western Outlaw Lawman History Association, and the Oklahoma State University Library’s web page on the Wild West. After I identified the most famous black outlaw, I tried to gain additional information about Cherokee Bill by searching his name in several of the IPL’s biography sources, including African American History and Black History: Biographies, but these sources did not provide any information. I am satisfied with the answer because I conducted a thorough search. I think part of the reason the search went well was that I conducted my search with the assumption the outlaw existed and because I became increasingly interested in the topic. I’m not sure how I would approach this question differently; the time-consuming aspect of it was identifying a name and I don’t know how I could have accelerated that process.

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QUESTION LOG 2

Question > Needed by: 05/14/2007 > > Question: > need to know why pea seeds wont grow in vinegar and water? > > name: kiarrah > from: [email protected] > confirm: [email protected] > location: roosevelt,ny > grade: 4 > area: Science > school: Yes > length: HalfPage



1: Set STATUS to ACCEPTED Sat, 12 May 2007 16:47:23 by Douglas Baldwin ([email protected])

2: TRANSFER to refsource.cat from incoming.cat Sat, 12 May 2007 16:47:23 by Douglas Baldwin ([email protected])

3: CLAIMED Sat, 12 May 2007 18:54:04 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

4: Re: SCI: youth: need to know why pea seeds wont grow in vinegar and water? (need by 05/14/2007) (sent to original author) Sun, 13 May 2007 20:18:48 by Angela Cook ([email protected]) Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, Thank you for your question about why peas do not grow in vinegar and water. I found your question very interesting and I enjoyed learning all about seed germination! I found some resources that I hope will help you answer your question. While I was researching this topic for you, I learned some words that helped me find information about why peas do not grow in vinegar and water. These words include ‘pH’ and ‘acidity’ and ‘seed germination.’ Most of the search results focus on the impact of ‘pH’ and ‘acidity” on plant growth.

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You can find information about how acidity of vinegar impacts the growth of peas at the websites: 1. National Gardening Association Perfecting Your Soil For Peas http://www.garden.org/foodguide/browse/veggie/peas_getting_started/465 The reason why peas won’t grow with vinegar is under the heading “pH.” The second paragraph explains the impact of acidic soil on peas (pay attention to the last sentence of the paragraph!). 2. Mad Scientist Botany Questions “What type of effects could vinegar have on a plant watered with it?” http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/apr99/925580020.Bt.r.html 3. Mad Scientist Botany Questions “Beans” http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/nov98/910370773.Bt.r.html 4. Chem4Kids.com “Acids and Bases are Everywhere” http://www.chem4kids.com/files/react_acidbase.html 5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “Acid Rain Experiments – Experiment 1 – Measuring pH” http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/education/experiment1.html Here is how I found these sites: The first site I visited was the National Gardening Association. I found this website on the IPL’s website. The search strategy I used was: 1. Go to the Internet Public Library’ www.ipl.org 2. Type "Gardening” in the Search box located in the upper-right corner 3. Click on the link for the National Gardening Association http.www.garden.org 4. Search “peas” in the Search box, located in the upper left-hand corner 5. On the Search results page, click on the “More Results” 6. Select “Perfecting Your Soil for Peas”

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I also searched the Mad Scientist website, one of my favorite science websites. My search strategy was: 1. Go to the Mad Scientist Website http://www.madsci.org/ 2. Type the words "plants” and vinegar” in the Search Box, located on the left corner of the website 3. Click on the third result “Re: what type of effects could vinegar have on a plant watered with it?” To see the second Mad Scientist you should follow the first two steps listed above. For your third step: 3. Click on the sixth search result “Re: BEANS” To learn about vinegar and its pH, I visited the Chem4Kids Website. I located this website on the IPL’s website, in its KidSpace section. 1. Go to the IPL’s website www.ipl.org 2. Click on KidsSpace, on the left side of the webpage 3. Click on the ‘Math and Science’ link, located in the second row, on the right side of the screen 4. Under “Subheadings,” click on ‘Physics & Chemistry’ 5. Scroll down and click on the link for the Chem4Kids website 6. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and type “vinegar” in the search box 7. Click on the link for the article "Acids and Bases Are Everywhere" Another website that explains the pH of vinegar is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This site was recommended to me by a science teacher. 1. Go to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website http://www.epa.gov/ 2. Type the words “vinegar and pH” in the search box located at the top of the website 3. Click on the link “What is pH” If you would like to do a science project on this topic, the EPA’s website provides directions for a project about the impact of acid rain on plants, using vinegar to represent the acid rain. I found this website when investigating the pH of vinegar. Experiment 7 - Observing the Influence of Acid Rain on Plant Growth http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/education/experiment7.html

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To find this website, 1. Follow the steps above 2. Click on the topic “Educational Resources” on the left side of the webpage 3. Click on the topic “Science Experiments” 4. Click on the topic “Experiment 7—Observing the Influence of Acid Rain on Plant Growth” I also found an interesting article about how farmers are using vinegar to help fight weeds. You can locate this article at: Sci4Kids http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/weirdscience/story8/vinegarspray1.htm I found this article in the KidsSpace section of the IPL 1. Go to the IPL’s website www.ipl.org 2. Click on KidsSpace, on the left side of the webpage 3. Click on the ‘Math and Science’ link, located in the second row, on the right side of the screen. 4. Under ‘Subheadings,’ click on ‘Plants’ 5. Scroll down and click on the link for the Sci4Kids website 6. Click on the cartoon magnifying glass and frog to go to the ‘Weird Science’ section 7. Click on the link for the article “Vinegar, More than just a Salad Dressing?” I hope these websites answer your question. If you need help reading any of the websites, you should ask an adult for help. Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL! Question Analysis I spent four hours on this question. This question, though not complicated in itself, was difficult for me because most of the resources I located were not age-appropriate and the resources tended to address the concepts, rather than specifics, of the patron’s requests. I addressed this challenge by including the terms that explained those concepts in my explanation of my search strategy to the patron. I initially used www.Answer.com to do an informal search of different terms and combinations of those terms. I found early on that searching “peas” and “vinegar” did not lead to any relevant sources. Unfortunately, searching “pH,” “acidity,” “seed germination,” and/or “plants” led me to good information, but information which was very adult in terms of the language and content (such as scientific studies). Some sources I consulted, but did not use were the Botanical Society of America, US Department of Agriculture, the Garden Helper, and About.com. As noted, I searched

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the IPL’s KidSpace and ScienceFair. I looked through almost all of the KidSpace sites on Earth Science, Plants, as well as other categories, and I really did not find them to be helpful. By the time I finished the question, it became clear to me that there was more than one layer to this answer – part of my frustration with the sources were that they only addressed one aspect of the answer, such as pH or acidity, and not the second, the pH’s impact on bacteria that helps the peas grow. I found out about the second aspect of the answer by searching gardening sites in IPL. I am satisfied with the answer, but still wish I could find that resource that states, “peas don’t grown in vinegar and water because…” If I had the opportunity to redo this question, I would start with gardening information sources, rather than the science sources. I spent a lot of time in the IPL’s KidSpace looking for a scientific answer to the question. Browsing the gardening subject collection, in contrast, led me to a good answer pretty quickly.

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QUESTION LOG 3

Question Needed by: no need by Question: Should there be no Saturday activities at school? (plz kindly give as many points as you can and also some evidence) name: emma from: [email protected] confirm: [email protected] area: Other reason: for debating



1: Set STATUS to ACCEPTED Sun, 20 May 2007 10:18:51 by Aimee Haley ([email protected])

2: SENT standard message "accept-sources" to Author Sun, 20 May 2007 10:18:51 by Aimee Haley ([email protected])

3: TRANSFER to refsource.cat from incoming.cat Sun, 20 May 2007 10:18:51 by Aimee Haley ([email protected])

4: CLAIMED Sun, 20 May 2007 12:42:27 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

5: Re: MSC: Should there be no Saturday activities at school? (plz kind (no need by) (sent to original author) Sun, 20 May 2007 21:25:59

by Angela Cook ([email protected])

6: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Sun, 20 May 2007 21:25:59 by Angela Cook ([email protected]

Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, Thank you for your question about finding resources on the topic of whether or not schools should have activities on Saturdays.

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I found some resources that I hope will help you answer your question. While I was researching this topic for you, I found using the phrase “out of school time” very helpful in finding websites that discuss weekend activities at schools. You can find viewpoints about the benefits and disadvantages of schools having Saturday activities at these websites: A. Public Agenda “All Work and No Play” http://www.publicagenda.org/research/pdfs/all_work_no_play.pdf B. U.S. Department of Education “When Schools Stay Open for Late: An Evaluation of 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.” http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/cclcfinalreport/cclcfinal.pdf C. Public/Private Ventures “Challenges and Opportunities in After-School Programs: Lessons for Policymakers and Funders” http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/120_publication.pdf Though this article uses the term “after-school programs,” if you refer to its footnotes on page 17, it notes that they are using this term to also include activities/programs held on the weekend. D. National Institute on Out-of-School Time “2007 Fact Sheet” http://www.niost.org/publications/Factsheet_2003.PDF E. The Future of Children “The Role of School in Children’s Out-of-School Time” http://www.futureofchildren.org/usr_doc/vol9no2Art10.pdf F. The Rand Corporation “RAND study finds school playgrounds and athletic facilities are an untapped resource in fight against childhood obesity” http://www.rand.org/news/press.07/04.19.html This article discusses the health benefit of children having access to school facilities on the weekend.

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G. After School Alliance “The Cost and Benefits of After School Programs” http://tinyurl.com/2ybuzu http://rose.research.claremontmckenna.edu/publications/pdf/after_school.pdf This article addresses after-school programs, but it presents arguments that also apply to Saturday activities. The search strategies I used to locate these sites are: A. Public Agenda “All Work and No Play” 1. Start out at the IPL’s website: www.ipl.org 2. Select the category “Education,” located on the right side of the web page 3. Select the sub-heading “Education News” 4. Select the link “AFT News” 5. Type “Weekend Activities” in the Search box

6. Select the second search result, “AFT - Pubs-Reports – American Teacher - February 2005 – Roundup”

7. Scroll down to the bottom of the article to select the link for the full report B. U.S. Department of Education “When Schools Stay Open for Late: An Evaluation of 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.” 1. Go to the IPL’s website: www.ipl.org 2. Select the heading “Education,” located on the right side of the web page 3. Select the sub-heading “U.S. Department of Education”

4. Search “extended school hours” in the Search Box, located in the upper-right hand corner of the web page 5. Select the first search result, “When School Open for Late: An Evaluation of 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.”

C. Public/Private Ventures “Challenges and Opportunities in After-School Programs: Lessons for Policymakers and Funders” 1. Go to the IPL’s website: www.ipl.org 2. Select the heading “Education,” located on the right side of the web page

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3. Scroll down the list and select the link for "ERIC: Education Resources Information Center" 4. Search the terms “after-school programs” and "secondary schools" and "youth programs" in the Search Box 5. Select the fifth search result which is the link for the artcicle 6. To see the full-text article, select the ERIC full-text link D. National Institute on Out-of-School Time “2007 Fact Sheet” 1. Go to the search engine Ask.com http://www.ask.com/ 2. Search the phrase “Out of School Time” 3. Select the first search result “National Institute on Out-of- School Time” 4. Click on the link ‘Want the Facts?’ for the PDF located on the website’s right hand corner E. The Future of Children “The Role of School in Children’s Out-of-School Time” 1. Go to the IPL’s website: www.ipl.org 2. Type “children” and “school” in the Search Box 3. Scroll down the results and select the “Future of Children” under the sub-heading Magazines 4. Type “out of school time” in the search box, located on the right side of the web page 5. Select “The Role of School in Children’s Out of School Time” There are several other resources on this webpage that you might want to browse. F. The Rand Corporation “RAND study finds school playgrounds and athletic facilities are an untapped resource in fight against childhood obesity” 1. Go to the IPL’s website: www.ipl.org 2. Select the heading “Education” 3. Select the sub-heading “K-12 Education” 4. Select the sub-heading “Education Reform” 5. Select the link for “Rand Education” 6. Type “weekend activities” in the search box 7. Select the first search result “News Release: RAND Study Finds School Playgrounds and Athletic Facilities Are an Untapped Resource in Fight Against Childhood Obesity.” G. Afterschool Alliance The Cost and Benefits of After School Programs 1. Go to the IPL’s website: www.ipl.org

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2. Select the heading “Education,” located on the right side of the web page 3. Select the sub-heading “K-12 Education” 4. Scroll down and select the link for the Afterschool Alliance 5. Select the link for “Research” 6. Select the link for “Research Links” 7. Scroll down the list and select the link for the article I hope these websites provide you with the resources you need for your debate. Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL! Question Analysis I spent over three hours on this question. Like my previous question “why peas don’t grow in vinegar and water,” it was only after I spent some time searching that I found the search phrase “out of school time which led to more relevant search results than the using the words “Saturday” or “weekend.” I also probably spent additional time searching, like the previous questions, because the sources I located don’t specifically use the language of the patron and instead present overall concepts that can be used by the patron in his/her debate. Some of the sources I consulted, but did not use, to answer this questions were Parenting, About.com: Parenting, the Education Trust, Education Week, Education News, Family Education Network, U.S. Department of Education, Parent Involvement in Education, School: the Story of American Education, National Coalition for Parental Involvement in Education, NEA: No Child Left Behind, Parent Involvement PTA, About.com: Secondary School Educatiors, ERIC: Education Resources Center, Small Schools Project. Because the patron noted that the purpose of the question was for debating, I also tried using some of the IPL’s debating resources, such as Debate Central and Database: the Online Debate Topic Database, but this was not a topic in the either databases. It really took me some time and effort to find sources to provide the patron. Though in the end I relied heavily on the IPL’s sources, I spent much time using sites and search engines such as Google, Clusty, Answer.com, and Infoplease to identify good sources. I am not perfectly satisfied with this answer, and I think, in retrospect, I should have asked the patron for clarification. I approached the question as identifying the pros and cons of having Saturday activities at schools, but it does seem as though the patron may have wanted only arguments against Saturday activities, of which there were very few sources.

QUESTION LOG 4

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Question > Needed by: no need by > > Question: > i want to know about new linear progeraming in world? > > name: mona > from: [email protected] > confirm: [email protected] > area: Science > reason: i want to use in my university



1: Set STATUS to ACCEPTED Sun, 20 May 2007 10:23:18 by Aimee Haley ([email protected])

2: CHANGE SUBJECT to "SCI: new linear programming? (no need by)" from "SCI: i want to know about new linear progeraming in world? (no need by)" Sun, 20 May 2007 10:23:18

by Aimee Haley ([email protected])

3: SENT standard message "accept-sources" to Author Sun, 20 May 2007 10:23:18 by Aimee Haley ([email protected])

4: TRANSFER to refsource.cat from incoming.cat Sun, 20 May 2007 10:23:18 by Aimee Haley ([email protected])


6: Re: SCI: new linear programming? (no need by)FOLLOWUP message (only visible to IPL librarians) Tue, 22 May 2007 05:53:11

by Malissa Ruffner ([email protected])

Student has requested an extension. Please do not unclaim. 7: Re: SCI: new linear programming? (no need by)FOLLOWUP message (only visible to IPL librarians) Wed, 23 May 2007 22:19:55 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

Hi. I will be done with this question by Friday. Thank you for the extension. 8: Re: SCI: new linear programming? (no need by) (sent to original author) Fri, 25 May 2007 18:30:12

by Angela Cook ([email protected]) Bottom of Form 9: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Fri, 25 May 2007 18:30:12


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Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, Thank you for your question about sources of information about new linear programming in the world. I found some resources that I hope will help you answer your question. You can find information regarding new innovations around the world in linear programming at these sites: A. Frequently Asked Questions Optimization Technology Center of Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory Q2. "Where is there good software to solve LP problems?" http://www-unix.mcs.anl.gov/otc/Guide/faq/linear-programming-faq.html - Q2 B. Optimization Technology Center Optimization Software Linear Programming http://www-fp.mcs.anl.gov/otc/Guide/SoftwareGuide/ C. OR/MS Today Linear Programming, Software Survey http://www.lionhrtpub.com/orms/orms-6-05/frsurvey.html D. Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Recent Developments in Linear Programming Software & Its Applications http://meetings.informs.org/SD97/TALKS/SB05.html E. Optimization Online Linear, Cone and Semidefinite Programming Submissions - 2007 http://www.optimization-online.org/ARCHIVE_CAT/LINSDP/2007.html F. Faculty of Mathematics, University of Vienna A. Nieumaier's Page on Global Optimization http://www.mat.univie.ac.at/~neum/glopt.html G. Wolffram MathWorld Linear Programming http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LinearProgramming.html

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I started my search for information about linear programming developments in the world at the Internet Public Library’s website. The search strategies I used to locate these sites are: A. Frequently Asked Questions Optimization Technology Center of Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory Q2. "Where is there good software to solve LP problems?" 1. Start out at the IPL’s website: www.ipl.org 2. Search “linear programming” 3. Select the first result “Linear Programming FAQs” 4. Select the link for “Linear Programming” 5. Select the link for “Q2. ‘Where is there good software to solve LP problems?” There is abundance of information about linear programming, software development, and reference links on this page. The website is sponsored by the Optimization Technology Center (OTC), which I searched to find additional information. The link is broken, however, so please paste the link I provided to access the website. B. Optimization Technology Center Optimization Software Linear Programming http://tinyurl.com/2t7a99 http://www-fp.mcs.anl.gov/otc/Guide/SoftwareGuide/Categories/linearprog.html 1. Paste the link for the web site into your browser 2. Select the link for “Software Guide” 3. Select the link for the Category “linear programming - solvers and analysis aids” I also found the website of OR/MS Today by reading through the Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory’s “Frequently Asked Questions” website. OR/MS Today is the magazine of the Institute for Operation Research and the Management Science, an association listed on the IPL’s website. C. OR/MS Today Linear Programming, Software Survey http://www.lionhrtpub.com/orms/orms-6-05/frsurvey.html I would recommend that you search the magazine for “linear programming” to find additional information. The search button is located on the left side of the web page. After I reviewing the magazine, I navigated to the association’s website.

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D. Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Recent Developments in Linear Programming Software & Its Applications http://meetings.informs.org/SD97/TALKS/SB05.html 1. Click on the link for the OR/MS Today, located in the upper-left hand corner of the website. 2. Click on the link for Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, located on the top of the website 3. Search “linear programming” and “developments” 4. Select the first search result Recent Developments in Linear Programming Software & Its Applications I returned to the Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory’s “Frequently Asked Questions” website to investigate some of its other links and I found this website: E. Optimization Online Linear, Cone and Semidefinite Programming Submissions - 2007 http://www.optimization-online.org/ARCHIVE_CAT/LINSDP/2007.html 1. Click on the link Search, Browse the Repository 2. Under the category ‘Browse by Area,’ select Linear, Cone and Semidefinite Programming 3. Select the link for the year 2007 This page provides you with abstracts and links to new papers on linear programming, and other optimization topics. To find some additional sources of information, I searched the online dictionary and encyclopedia website Answers.com. I found the website: A. Nieumaier's Page on Global Optimization, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Vienna http://www.mat.univie.ac.at/~neum/glopt.html 1. Go to the website Answers.com http://www.answers.com 2. Search the phrase "global optimization" 3. Scroll down to the bottom of the search results and select the exterior link for the website. I also found this site on Answers.com: G. Wolffram MathWorld Linear Programming http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LinearProgramming.html

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1. Go to the website Answers.com http://www.answers.com 2. Search the phrase "global linear programming" 3. Select the link "linear programming (in mathematics) under the category 'Did You Mean' 3. Scroll down to the middle of the search results and select the exterior link for the website, under 'Best of the Web' While it does not provide information about new linear programming, you may also want go to the website of the "father" of linear programming: George Dantzig Memorial Website http://www2.informs.org/History/dantzig/bio_gass.htm I located this website by browsing the website of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences. http://www.informs.org/ I hope these websites help answer your question; I would recommend that you browse and search each of the websites because each provides links to other resources, an abundance of information, and helpful vocabulary tools for searching specific aspects of linear programming. Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL! Question Analysis I spent three hours on this question. There were many sources on the topic of linear programming, but I feel like my lack of personal knowledge on the subject was a disadvantage in answering this question. While I did not know much about the topics of other questions I answered I never felt like my lack of knowledge hindered my ability to answer the question. In this case, however, I feel like a better understanding of linear programming and its hundreds of components would have strengthened my response. I started my search at the IPL, where I immediately located a source, “Frequently Asked Questions” from the Optimization Technology Center of Northwestern University that provided many links to very good sources. Some sources that I consulted, but which I did not use include TechSearch, the University of Tennessee Math Archives, as well as several journals. This was the first search that I did that seemed to lead towards many journals that were membership only.

I am satisfied with my answer because I provided the patron with sources that would answer his question, and also provide resources for the future. Something I would have done different is that I would ask the patron if he wanted information sources that focused on linear programming in math, computers, and economics. I tried to provide sources that addressed all three subjects.

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QUESTION LOG 5

Question Needed by: 05/31/2007 Question: I want to know divergent view points on Advocacy in libraries and some good sources on Advocacy in libraries. I know about ALA & other organizations. name: sri from: [email protected] confirm: [email protected] location: chicago area: Library reason: For my Library science course school: No sources_consulted: I have checked the ALA website.



1: CHANGE SUBJECT to "LIB:Need divergent viewpoints regarding library advocacy (need by 05/31/2007)" from "LIB: I want to know divergent view points on Advocacy in librarie (need by 05/31/2007)" Sun, 27 May 2007 13:34:35

by Lauren Obenour ([email protected])

2: Set STATUS to ACCEPTED Sun, 27 May 2007 14:57:07 by Lauren Obenour ([email protected])

3: TRANSFER to refsource.cat from incoming.cat Sun, 27 May 2007 14:57:07 by Lauren Obenour ([email protected])


5: Re: LIB:Need divergent viewpoints regarding library advocacy (need by 05/31/2007) (sent to original author) Mon, 28 May 2007 16:41:35

by Angela Cook ([email protected]) 6: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Mon, 28 May 2007 16:41:35


7: Re: [ref#11996154] LIB:Need divergent viewpoints regarding library advocacy (need by 05/31/2007) Mon, 28 May 2007 20:44:08

by satyavolu sreedevi ([email protected])

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Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, Thank you for your question about sources of information for divergent viewpoints on advocacy in libraries and sources of information on advocacy in libraries. I found some resources that I hope will help you answer your question. I started my search for information about library advocacy at the Internet Public Library’s website by searching the terms “library advocacy.” Internet Public Library www.ipl.org I browsed the search results to find the most relevant sites. Websites that provide advocacy resources and viewpoints include: 1. Library Juice http://libraryjuicepress.com/blog/index.php?s=advocacy I searched the Library Juice website for the term “Advocacy.” Please make sure to use the links on the left side of the page because these links also address advocacy information and viewpoints. 2. Library Journal http://www.libraryjournal.com/search/siteall?q=Advocacy I searched this website for “Advocacy.” Under the category of “Libraries and Librarians” there are additional links to advocacy content, such as the subcategories of “Funding,” “Legislation,” and “Opinion.” 3. Library Underground http://www.libraryunderground.org/activism.htm This website consists of links to progressive and radical librarian/library websites. I would also recommend that you navigate to the home page and select the link for “Personal Home Pages” and browse some of the personal web pages listed for individual opinions regarding advocacy and library politics. 4. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions http://www.ifla.org/V/iflaj/index.htm

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I searched this journal for “Advocacy,” which returned hundreds of relevant search results. Here is a tiny link to the results: http://tinyurl.com/29spv3 And here is the full link: http://www.google.com/custom?q=advocacy&safe=strict&cof=GALT%3A%23CC0000%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.ifla.org%3BVLC%3A%23666633%3BAH%3Aleft%3BBGC%3AWhite%3BLH%3A106%3BLC%3A%23990000%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.ifla.org%2Fimages%2Fiflas.gif%3BALC%3A%23666699%3BLW%3A96%3BT%3A%23007B00%3BGIMP%3ARed%3BAWFID%3A4e7b40884c7332ee%3B&domains=ifla.org&sitesearch=ifla.org 5. Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Key Issues http://www.arl.org/issues/ After I selected the link to the ARL website from the IPL search results, I selected the link on the ARL website for "Key Issues," which provides links to several of the organization's advocacy issues. I searched one of the search results, Library Spot, from the search of the IPL’s website to find additional resources. 6. Library Activism and Social Responsibility http://www.libraryhq.com/activism.html To find this site, I selected this website from the IPL search results: Library Spot http://www.libraryspot.com/ I selected the link for “Librarian’s Shelf,” on the Library Spot website. Under “Librarian’s Shelf,” I selected the following website: LibraryHQ Resources http://www.libraryhq.com/resources.html From the home page, I selected the link for “Library Activism and Social Responsibility,” which provides multiple links for relevant sites. I found additional sites by searching the Open Directory Project website. Open Directory Project http://www.dmoz.org/

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I searched the terms “libraries” and “advocacy.” I browsed the search results and found the following websites to be relevant: 7. Americans for Libraries Council (ALC) http://www.americansforlibraries.org/ This organization and its website is dedicated to national advocacy for libraries. From this webpage, I navigated to the Act for Libraries Council's website, by selecting the link provided on the ALC's home page: 8. Act for Libraries http://www.actforlibraries.org/ This website provides examples of advocacy, strategies, and “Hot Topics.” I also found this site through my DMOZ search: 9. Friends of Libraries U.S.A. Advocacy http://www.folusa.org/advocacy/index.php I followed the link from the DMOZ search, and once at the home page, I selected the link for “Advocacy.” Another site I located through searching DMOZ is: 10. Library Lovers’ Month http://www.librarysupport.net/librarylovers/ This is a website advocating greater appreciation and recognition of libraries. From the Library Lovers’ Month website, I navigated to the website of the “Wisconsin Library Associates Advocates.” The link for the Wisconsin Library Association is provided on the homepage of the Library Lovers’ Month; the website address is provided above. Once at the Wisconsin Library association’s website, I selected the link for “Legislation” on the website. 11. Wisconsin Library Association http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/ Another relevant site I found through searching DMOZ is: 12. TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home http://www.teleread.org/

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This site is a digital libraries’ advocacy site; select the link for “Plan” to see the organization’s advocacy for digital libraries. The link for “Blog” also provides points of view on library advocacy. I also searched the website for “advocacy” and here is a tiny link to the search results: http://tinyurl.com/37z2fl Here is the full link to the search results: http://search.freefind.com/find.html?id=4672010&pageid=r&mode=ALL&n=0&query=advocacy I also visited the Conservative Librarian website, which is a website that I had previously visited and found very interesting. The website provides a conservative viewpoint on library issues and advocacy: 13. Conservative Librarian http://www.shush.ws/ I saw that you are from Chicago; you may want to look at the website of the Illinois Library Association, which has an active advocacy arm: 14. Illinois Library Association http://www.ila.org/advocacy/index.htm I hope these websites are sources that you find useful; I would recommend that you browse the websites because each provides links and an abundance of information. Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL! IPL Comments

Dear Angela, You received a very nice ???thank you??? from an IPL patron! Reference Sources Questions TBA, article 11996154: Subject: LIB:Need divergent viewpoints regarding library advocacy (need by 05/31/2007) Re: http://qrc.ipl.org:7700/view/refsource.cat/11996154?&start=7#7

Dear Angela, Thank you so much for your prompt response. I really appreciate your help. I have checked some of them, they all seem to be really good sources, just a lot of information. Thank you once again for all

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your great work. Now I know when I have trouble finding something, where to go. With regards [patron signed name] Cathay Crosby Assistant Director, User Services Internet Public Library - Drexel University 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia 19104 215-895-6628 [email protected]

Question Analysis I really enjoyed answering this question, would took me approximately two hours. Much of that time was spent comparing different websites and deciding which ones to include in my response. I wanted to include resources that were outside of the mainstream library science websites because the patron had already consulted the ALA’s website. This was also the first search where I really felt comfortable relying primarily on the IPL’s resources. When I was answering previous questions, the IPL’s resources did not always seem comprehensive or helpful; the resources they provided in this subject, though, were excellent from my perspective. Most of my search centered on browsing the sources provided by searching the IPL for “library” and “library science.” As noted, I tried to find sources that represented divergent viewpoints and perspectives on advocacy, which required a lot of browsing. I also searched DMOZ, which provided several good resources. Lastly, I provided the patron with links to some website that I was familiar with as voicing alternate viewpoints. I am very satisfied with my answer because I provided the patron with a diversity of sources. I was also really proud when I received the email with the patron’s comments – it really made all my work on all of the questions really rewarding.

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QUESTION LOG 6

Question Needed by: 06/3/2007 Question: What are the natural Habitats of Trinidad & Tobago and I need images to show also I need a map with all the natural habitats highlighted name: Chloe Jorcil- Perrott from: [email protected] confirm: [email protected] location: Vistabella area: Other reason: this is for a school project on habitats of trinidad & tobago school: Yes sources_consulted: none



1: Set STATUS to ACCEPTED Wed, 30 May 2007 18:06:05 by Linda Writer ([email protected])

2: CHANGE SUBJECT to "GEO: Geo: I need information , images, and a map about the natural habitats of Trinadad and Tobago, with the natural habitats highlighted on the map. (need by 06/3/2007)" from "MSC: What are the natural Habitats of Trinidad & Tobago and I nee (need by 06/3/2007)" Wed, 30 May 2007 18:06:05

by Linda Writer ([email protected])

3: SENT standard message "accept-sources" to Author Wed, 30 May 2007 18:06:05 by Linda Writer ([email protected])

4: TRANSFER to refsource.cat from incoming.cat Wed, 30 May 2007 18:06:05 by Linda Writer ([email protected])

5: CLAIMED Wed, 30 May 2007 18:13:11 by Martina Soden ([email protected])

6: UNCLAIMED Thu, 31 May 2007 10:31:49 by Martina Soden ([email protected])

7: CLAIMED Fri, 01 Jun 2007 19:11:08 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

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8: Re: GEO: Geo: I need information , images, and a map about the natural habitats of Trinadad and Tobago, with the natural habitats highlighted on the map. (need by 06/3/2007) (sent to original author) Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:34:08 by Angela Cook ([email protected]) 9: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:34:08


Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, Thank you for your question about the natural habitats of Trinidad and Tobago. I found your question very interesting and I enjoyed learning all about the habitats of Trinidad and Tobago! You can find information, images, and maps for the habitats of Trinidad and Tobago at these sites: 1. Library of Congress Country Studies Commonwealth of the Caribbean Islands http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cxtoc.html Please scroll down the list to the link for Chapter 3: Trinidad and Tobago. Under this link, you can learn about the habitats of Trinidad and Tobago by selecting the links for “Geography” and “Livestock, Fishing, and Foresty.” These sites cannot be bookmarked, so I cannot provide you a direct link. 2. Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Biodiversity Clearinghouse Trinidad and Tobago Biodiversity http://trinbagobiodiversity.gov.tt/trinidad-tobago-biodiversity/index.htm 3. The Caribbean Agricultural Science and Technology Network System Land and Water Resources Trinidad and Tobago http://www.procicaribe.org/networks/clawrenet/reports/z_tt/tt.htm As you read through this site, you will see links to several maps that show the ecosystems of Trinidad and Tobago. Here are some direct links: *Map 2.1.1: Geomorphological map http://www.procicaribe.org/networks/clawrenet/reports/z_tt/ttmp211.htm

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*Map 2.3.1: Location of coastal wetlands in Trinidad and Tobago http://www.procicaribe.org/networks/clawrenet/reports/z_tt/ttmp231.htm Another great map of Trinidad and Tobago habitats can be located at:: Food and Agricultural Organizations of the United Nations Ecological Zones http://www.fao.org/forestry/site/19971/en/tto/ 5. Answers.com Ecology of Trinidad and Tobago, Wikipedia http://www.answers.com/topic/ecology-of-trinidad-and-tobago http://www.answers.com/topic/trinidad-and-tobago-dry-forests 6. Encyclopedia Britannica Trinidad and Tobago http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9117403/Trinidad-and-Tobago This article has seventeen pages; make sure you use the navigation button at the bottom of the page to make sure you see each page of the article. And lastly, here are some sites that include pictures of Trinidad and Tobago’s habitats: 7. National Geographic Trinidad and Tobago Here is a tiny URL to the site: http://tinyurl.com/2vkjxq Here is the full URL http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/nt/nt0171.html 8. Environment Tobago http://www.scsoft.de/et/et2.nsf/HomepageNav?OpenNavigator&Query=BW=H 9. Wild Trinidad & Tobago http://www.wildtandt.com/environs.asp

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I started my search for these sites at the Internet Public Library. The strategy I used to find the Library of Congress, Country Studies source was: 1. Go to the Internet Public Library’ www.ipl.org 2. Select the link for Subject Collections 3. Select the category Regional and Country Information 4. Select the sub-heading “Caribbean” 5. Select the link for “Americas: Country Studies” 6. Select the link for “Caribbean Islands” I also found the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Biodiversity Clearinghouse Trinidad and Tobago Biodiversity and Environment Tobago sources through the IPL’s website: 1. Go to the Internet Public Library’ www.ipl.org 2. Select the link for Subject Collections 3. Select the category Regional and Country Information 4. Select the sub-heading “Carribbean” 5. Select the resource "Library of Congress Portals to the World for Iberia, the Caribbean, and Latin America" 6. Select the link for “Trinidad and Tobago” 7. Select the link for “Environment and Geography” The link for this website does not work, however, so please paste the link I provided into your browser to access the website. I found the Caribbean Agricultural Science and Technology Network System through the resource, DMOZ, the Open Directory Project: 1. Go to the website of the DMOZ, the Open Directory Project 2. Select the link for “Regional” 3. Select the link for “Caribbean” 4. Scroll down and select the link for “Science and Environment”

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5. Select the link for the “Caribbean Agricultural Sciences and Technology Network Systems” 6. Underneath the category “CLAWNET” on the top of the page, select the link for Publications and Information Products 7. Select the link for “Trinidad and Tobago” From this site, I navigated to the Food and Agricultural Organizations of the United Nations Ecological Zones: 1. Select the link for “Home” in the right-hand corner 2. Select the link for “FAO homepage” under “FAO links” 3. Select the link for “Country Information” on the left side of the page 4. Select “Trinidad and Tobago” from the pull-down list under “Select a Country” 5. Under “FAO Fields of Expertise,” select “Forestry” 6. On the left side of the page, click on the link for “Ecological Zones’ Lastly, I went to Answers.com to find additional information: 1. Go to Answers.com website www.Answers.com 2. Search the words “Trinidad and Tobago and Habitats” 3. Select the search results "Trinidad and Tobago – Encyclopedia Britannica" and "Ecology of Trinidad and Tobago - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia" I also located the site for Wild Trinidad and Tobago during this search, by browsing the search results. I hope these websites answer your question. Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL!

Question Analysis I spent two hours on this question. The question took longer than I anticipated because while I easily located general maps of Trinidad and Tobago, most of my searching time was spent locating maps that showed habitats. My difficult finding a good map was compounded because many of the maps that did show habitats were interactive, and I didn’t feel comfortable sending links to these maps to the patron because they are not always easy to use, they do not have good legends, and do not print correctly. I primarily used the IPL’s sources to answer this question. Different subjects I searched within the IPL included Regional and Country Information, Geography, and Ready Reference. I also consulted DMOZ, InfoPlease, and Answers.com for additional information. I was somewhat disappointed in some of the sources that were identified as Science and Environment sites in both DMOZ and the IPL because they were either too specific or low on science and environment content. The Library of Congress Portals to the World for Iberia, the Caribbean, and Latin America, however, was an

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excellent source that provided links to several good sources. Lastly, I was surprised by both how much information the UN website has, but also, how difficult it is navigate to its inner depths. I am satisfied with my answer because I provided the patron with sources that fulfilled all three parts of her request. I also enjoyed this question because it provided me an opportunity to search not only for information sources, but maps. If I was to do anything different, it would be to locate sources that provided all three components of the patron’s question rather than providing multiple sources to fulfill the different components.

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QUESTION LOG 7

Question Needed by: 06/5/2007 Question: What are the budgetary / financial guidelines for Non-for Profit Organizations in the State of Illinois? name: brown brown from: [email protected] confirm: [email protected] location: Chicago area: Business reason: To set-up line items appropriately in a non-for profit organization budget. Also, to info Parent Teacher Organization officers what the Illinois guidelines are for non-profit organizations selling merchandise for the organization to cover operating costs. school: No sources_consulted: none



1: Set STATUS to ACCEPTED Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:38:39 by Douglas Baldwin ([email protected])

2: SENT standard message "accept-sources" to Author Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:38:39 by Douglas Baldwin ([email protected])

3: TRANSFER to refsource.cat from incoming.cat Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:38:39 by Douglas Baldwin ([email protected])

4: CLAIMED Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:44:27 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

5: Re: BUS: What are the budgetary / financial guidelines for Non-for Pr (need by 06/5/2007) (sent to original author) Sun, 03 Jun 2007 12:39:57


6: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Sun, 03 Jun 2007 12:39:57 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

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7: Re: BUS: What are the budgetary / financial guidelines for Non-for Pr (need by 06/5/2007)FOLLOWUP message (only visible to IPL librarians) Sun, 03 Jun 2007 12:57:58

by Malissa Ruffner ([email protected]) 8: Re: BUS: What are the budgetary / financial guidelines for Non-for Pr (need by 06/5/2007) (sent to original author) Sun, 03 Jun 2007 15:26:05


9: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Sun, 03 Jun 2007 15:26:05 by Angela Cook ([email protected])

Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, Thank you for your question about budgetary/financial guidelines for not-for-profit organizations in Illinois. I found several sites that provide information about Illinois State and Federal laws for nonprofits, as well as sample line-item budgets for a PTA organization. I started my search at the Internal Revenue Service, to find out resources about federal tax guidelines for nonprofits. I selected the link for “Charities & Nonprofits,” which led me to the following sites: 1. On-line Workshop Workshop for Exempt Organizations http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=166625,00.html 2. Tax Information for Other Non-Profits http://www.irs.gov/charities/nonprofits/index.html On the web page “Tax Information for Other Non-Profits” I selected the link “State Links” and then “Illinois” to find nonprofit laws and regulations for Illinois. I located the following sites: 3. CyberDrive Illinois Not-For-Profit Corporations Here is a tiny URL to the site: http://tinyurl.com/6949v And here is the full URL: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/business_services/publications_and_forms/nfp.html

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4. Illinois Attorney General Building Better Charities http://www.ag.state.il.us/charities/index.html Scroll down to the section “More Information for Charitable Organizations and Professional Fund-Raisers.” Here are direct links to information from this page: 6. Filing Requirements http://www.ag.state.il.us/charities/file_require.html 7. Registration and Annual Report Forms http://www.ag.state.il.us/charities/register_report.html 8. Rules and Statutes http://www.ag.state.il.us/charities/rules_statutes.html I also searched the IPL for the word “nonprofit” and located the following resources: 9. Free Management Library Basic Guide to Nonprofit Management Here is a tiny URL to the webpage: http://tinyurl.com/2jbjrk And here is the full URL: http://www.managementhelp.org/finance/np_fnce/np_fnce.htmttp://www.managementhelp.org/ To find information regarding PTA budgets, I started at the National PTA website: 10. Local Leaders Unit http://www.pta.org/local_leadership_resources.html 11. Fundraising http://www.pta.org/local_leadership_program_1117228404828.html

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12. PTA Local Leadership Program http://www.pta.org/local_leadership_program_1117228420828.html Additional resources on this site are for members only, so if your PTA is a member, I would recommend that you contact them to benefit from their financial and budgetary tools. While I was not able to locate PTA budgets specific to Illinois, I did locate three sample PTA budgets through a Google search of “sample PTA budgets:” 13. Nevada PTA Incoming Officer’s Guide http://www.nevadapta.org/Incoming%20Officers%20Guide%2006-07.pdf 14. California State PTA Budget http://www.capta.org/sections/resources/downloads/Toolkit2005-09- 15. SamplePTABudget.pdf Fremont Council PTA http://www.fremontcouncilpta.org/pdfs/EasyPTABudget.pdf I also searched a source, the Nonprofit Financial Center, that I have personally used in the past, and located the following resources: 16. Nonprofit Financial Center Frequently Asked Questions http://www.nfconline.org/main/info/faq.htm 17. Nonprofit Financial Center Online Guides Budget and Cash Flow http://www.nfconline.org/main/info/guides.htm To find these resources I selected the link for “ Information Resources,” which led to the two sites above. In the Frequently Asked Questions, I followed the link to this website:

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18. CPAs for Public Interest, Illinois CPA Society Resources & Links http://www.cpaspi.org/CPAsPI/resources/resources_links.htm At this site, I selected the link for Resources & Links. There are several topics that help answer your question. Here are some direct links: 19. Accounting/Finance for Not-for-Profits http://www.cpaspi.org/cpaspi/onboard/resource.htm#b2 20. Budgets http://www.cpaspi.org/cpaspi/resources/budgets.htm I also searched my favorite nonprofit resource site, Idealist: 21. Idealist Nonprofit FAQ Management, Accounting Here is a tiny URL to this webpage: http://tinyurl.com/2tzw4d And here is the full URL: http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/FAQ/CategoryViewer/default?category-eid=28-64&sid=94227318-78-Icq To find this information, I selected the link “Find” and then “Nonprofit FAQ.” I then selected “Management” and “Accounting.” I hope these websites help answer your question. Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL! Answer Angela, Your answer to this question: Reference Sources Questions TBA, article 11996538: Subject: BUS: What are the budgetary / financial guidelines for Non-for Pr (need by 06/5/2007)

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http://qrc.ipl.org:7700/view/refsource.cat/11996538? was wonderfully comprehensive. I feel almost silly asking you to go back and check on links in #9 and #14. Could you send a short follow-up response to the patron with corrected links? Really, it was a great answer! Malissa Revised Answer Hello from the Internet Public Library, I recently provided you sources of information about Illinois State and Federal laws for nonprofits, as well as sample line-item budgets for a PTA organization. Two of the links provided, however, were incorrect. Please use these revised links to access the two websites: 9. Free Management Library Basic Guide to Nonprofit Management http://www.managementhelp.org/finance/np_fnce/np_fnce.htm 14. California State PTA Budget Here is a tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/3b5uuj And here is the full URL: http://www.capta.org/sections/resources/downloads/Toolkit2005-09-SamplePTABudget.pdf I hope these websites help answer your question. Please write us back if you still need more help or have more questions. Thanks for visiting the IPL and my apologies for the incorrect links!

Question Analysis I spent one hour on this question. To complete the question I used some sources that I was familiar with, such as www.Idealist.org and www.irs.gov . I searched the IPL’s nonprofit resources and after failing to locate any sample PTA budgets through the national and state PTA website, a simple Google search located several relevant budgets. I really felt that the IPL’s resources on this subject were extremely helpful.

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I wanted to provide the patron with many resources because I think that the patron would benefit from having many different sources of information to consult. For instance, I felt it was important to provide federal, state, and nonprofit sources of information to satisfy the request for sources about Illinois guidelines for business income. I also tried to make reading my answer and search strategy easier to read by the patron, based upon your comments and reviewing some of the other answers provided by IPL volunteers. I felt comfortable making the question easier to read because the question was for sources, rather than exact answers. I am satisfied with my answer because I provided the patron with many sources that fulfilled all aspects her request. Because I worked at a nonprofit for over three years, I was familiar with the subject and some of the resources that existed. If I was to do anything different, it would be to have not made an error with two of links – I was quite aggravated with myself that I made a cut and pasting error on my last question!

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REACTION

While I grew up in the age of computers and have enormous respect for the impact the internet has on sharing and communication information, I am not entirely convinced that the digital transaction is more efficient or fulfilling (to either the librarian or the patron) than an in-person encounter. An in-person encounter, and even a live chat encounter to some degree, provides both the librarian and the patron the opportunity to continually refine and adjust the question that is being asked and the information that is being provided. While the IPL reference service does provide an opportunity to ask the patron a question, it is not an ongoing conversation – you can’t locate one source and then ask the patron, “Is this what you want?” or “Is that what question actually meant?” The continuing stream of questions, and the nature of many of the questions, suggests to me that e-mail reference will play a large role in the future of reference services. I believe this because the questions asked represented such a wide range of difficulty and importance. For instance, I imagine the question I answered about why peas don’t grow in vinegar was a child’s homework assignment (he needed the assignment by Sunday night). I also suspect that the answer was available in the child’s textbook. Rather than consult any of this source, though, the student asks the IPL to answer the question. While I am just guessing about the circumstances of this question, I was often surprised at some of the questions, which seemed to me to could easily be answered by print sources or a simple Internet search, and the request for an “answer” to the question, rather than a request for source. This leads me to believe that there will be many prospective patrons who believe the underlying purpose of this service is to have someone else find the answer, rather than it being a tool for identifying good sources and search strategies to patrons for their future independent use. At the same time, though, I was surprised by how difficult it was to answer some of the questions. I did, for the most part, have the perspective that somewhere on the Internet is an answer to every question. I am far more skeptical now. My adjusted perspective is that very often the Internet does have an answer, sometimes it provides a clue, and in other occasions, your best chance for an answer is speaking to a person who is familiar with the subject. The latter opinion was reinforced because I felt far more confident answering questions that I was personally familiar with, such as the request for nonprofit information resources and divergent viewpoints on library advocacy. I learned a lot from the IPL project, and not only about information sources that exist on the Internet. I learned a lot about myself, too. I realized that I prefer and need feedback when answering questions. As much as I really became immersed in every question I answered, at the same time, I realized how much I prefer interacting with a person. I know that I would like to continue volunteering for the IPL, but that my future is in a library working directly with people.

the ipl project - drexel universityac559/eport/artifacts/iplproject.pdfthe first site i visited was...

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