The preparation of a pathfinder, one that meets potential needs of users of the library, on a topic of interest is often a real learning experience for the professional. The purpose is to choose a topic that is specific rather than general while simultaneously useful to more than one or two persons. You may specify the setting, the situation and the particular group of users in any reasonable fashion for completing the pathfinder.
The following topics (or any other) are appropriate for such a pathfinder:
A pathfinder differs from a bibliography in that it does not necessarily contain a complete list of sources on a topic. Rather it serves as a resource and guide for the user to find his/her own specific information on a topic. It provides enough basic resources to get the user started and may even help him/her plan a strategy for future searching. Above all, it answers the question raised by the user. As such, it might include:
Sources for an Introduction to the Topic Provide a general or, when more appropriate, a specific encyclopedia reference or a basic text. Be certain that you give a definition for your topic; perhaps key writers in area; perhaps pamphlets.
Subject Headings (LC &Sears) &Classification Numbers (Dewey) Do this sensibly; listing what really might work if the user continues the investigation.
Specialized sources Indicate the specific rather than general sources. Include resources identified through search engines such as google.com.
Bibliographies Useful only if there is enough specific to the topic.
Abstracting & Indexing Services (Including data bases) This is appropriate for some topics and not for others, but listing a data base doesn't help very much. Indicate the exact nature of the entries, and what a user might find. Be sure you have addressed the question of whether the data located is helpful.
Journals Include those that are precise in relation to the topic with at least one or two sample annotated articles.
Media other than print Provide descriptions of items you include.
Special materials for special users Large print books, books for the blind, Easy-to-read materials, etc.
Organizations and/or Associations Verify phone numbers and indicate precisely what is provided through the organization/association.
Representative listings of most useful items Try to respond to the topic with sample entries described and with additional entries indicated.
Where appropriate, specify how each item included relates to the topic. Also, remember that you are helping a user select materials that will ultimately effect his/her personal and/or professional life. Your approach to the selection and development of a topic for this pathfinder will, to some extent at least, reveal your priorities and understanding of the needs of the users you have identified.
Your work will be evaluated by others not on the basis of its length or the number of citations but rather as evidence of your judgment as a partner in the lifelong learning process. The actual packaging of your product is a factor. Thus, the determination of how you will present your modified pathfinder is critical. The package should bear some relation to the user and entice the user to use it. It should be clear to the reader from the onset that you are providing something needed and useful. A website might be a newer alternative. Paper copies should be attractive enough that users will be drawn to them and organized cleanly and clearly for most efficient use.
You should evaluate your own work carefully, just as you would in any professional setting.
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