Electronic Sources

of Literature
Collection
Types of Electronic Sources

These are by far the most important the most useful in

retrieving information
1. Databases
2. Internet
1. Databases
Numerous organizations collect data from different sources and
compile them into databases.
These organizations have representatives across the world
Gather literature published in different languages
Translate into English
One can have access to literature from around the world and from
all languages
International Databases
Academic Search Elite (provide index and abstracts for >2000
journals)
AGRICOLA (citation in agriculture and related sciences)
Applied Science and Technology ( 410 periodicals)
Chemical Abstracts
Choice Reviews (>66000 concise reviews)
Humanities Abstract ( 400 periodicals)
Databases in Pakistan
NARC Library Catalogue Database (online library of NARC and
contain >21000 publications)
Medical Plants of Pakistan
Pakistan Agriculture Database (contains bibliographic information of
literature published, contain >32000 abstracts
Plant Genetic Resource Institute
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Database (PARC)
Free Database Sites
 Databases of government organizations are often free
PARC database is available free of any charges (www.parc.gov.pk)
Click on the database icon, select appropriate database and follow instructions
COMSTECH (www.comstech.org.pk) in life sciences, agriculture and biological
science
International Food Policy Research Institute (www.ifpri.org) on food security
United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition
(www.usystem.org/scn)
Commercial Databases
Institutions subscribe to these databases and hence, making
information available for their students. This is called online
searching.
Databases are also available on CD-ROM
Expensive
Purchased by institutes
E.g. At UAF Agricola, CAB, ERIC, Vet CD and Analytical Chemistry are
available on CD-ROM
Search Procedure from CD-ROM
1. Approach operator and tell him keywords relevant to topic and field
2. Feed words to the computer (if entries are too many then add some more keywords
3. E.g. You want to search Vitamin C in fruits and you have entered vitamin C as
keyword then you may receive thousands of results and when the word fruit is
added to the vitamin C then it will narrow down the results
4. Operator will command and the abstracts will appear on screen. Go through all and
select the relevant ones which he will mark
5. Then ask the operator for a print
6. Every organization charge some amount for this search
2. INTERNET

Fastest tool to exchange information

Internet is equipped with browsers and search engines
Search engines (Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo)
Common browsers ( MSN, Internet explorer)
Procedure 2-Search with Key Words
1. Connect PC to internet server
2. Open browser
3. Feed one or more keywords e.g. nutrition and health
4. Click search
5. A list of sites will open up
6. Click a specific site which will provide the required information
7. Click save as and save it for further use
Procedure 2-Search Journal Abstracts
1. If you don’t know journal name then feed the discipline
2. Search engine will show a list of sites
3. On clicking a menu page of journal will open up
4. Go to contents and look for desired topic
5. This will bring out abstract that can be saved
6. Take prints once the research has been completed
Try locating journals to have access to full articles
Acrobat reader is used for reading larger files
National Digital Library
HEC Pakistan has brought numerous innovations for scientists
National Digital Library provide online access to quality literature to researchers in
Pakistan
Accessible by 250 institutions including public, private universities and
organizations
>30 databases available which grant access to >23000 full text journals
Access to over 150 million items available through British Library Document
Delivery Service
>50000 e-books available
Any institution that is not recognized by HEC can’t avail facility
Pakistan Scientific and Technological Information Centre
Its services include;
Abstracting and indexing service
Bibliographic information service
Document supply service
Patent Information Service
National Science Reference Library
Reprographic service
Technology Information Service
It provide free membership
Some Useful Sites
Institute of Food Technologists (www.ift.org)
World Food Net (worldfoodnet.com)
Food Safety Information (foodsafety.gov/)
American Dietetic Association (www.eatright.org)
Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov)