Helena Mc Keever

ID. 3112874
Information Sources and Services 72.270
Assignment 3
Task 1: The literature search
Email Cover letter:
To: manager@heathfoodshop.co.nz
Cc: referencedesk1@govt.nz
10th June 2013
Dear Ms Millush
Re: Reference query and literature search

Hello Rose, Manager of the Health Food Shop,

I am pleased to offer you assistance with this matter
Please see attached a literature search to assist with your recent reference query regarding
your health food shop and your idea to expand the business by selling beauty products and
cosmetics.
I recall from our recent conservation and reference interview that your shop has the intention
to stock brands that are green or natural products: environmentally sound, organically
produced (where possible) and suitable for people with allergies and chemical sensitivities.
As a manager you wish to know whether the claims for these products and brands stack up,
what standards for labelling something organic are in New Zealand, and what products and
brands are available.
I have included a range of reference resources to help meet your needs, including a variety of
formats, types, and genres of information, including both international and New Zealand
sources such as books, websites and authoritative articles in library databases to assist you
with your research and reference enquiry.
In particular I have recommended a number of databases and directories as well as finding
out more about standards for organic products. The up to date information about New
Zealand standards is online, and readily accessible.
Some of the databases can be accessed from home with a library card login and others are
subscription databases that are only available in the library. When you come into the library I
can assist with managing access to these databases and the recommended articles within
them. I have enclosed as an attachment, our Reference floor brochure that lists our

databases and how to access them either at the library or from home via the internet. If you
choose to interloan there is a city loan charge of $3.00 per item and an inter-loans charge of
$5-15 per item. I can take your inter-loans request when you visit the reference desk and
answer any further questions you may have.
I have selected 25-30 possible resources no more. They are highlighted in the following
unpublished template (Hastings District Libraries. (2013). Search Strategy/Path Finder.
Unpublished Template: Hastings, NZ: Author.).
Kind regards
Helena Mc Keever
Reference assistant
Hastings District Libraries

Quick Resources Encyclopaedias, dictionaries, almanacs, maps, biographies, directories,

quotations, ready references, telephone books
It will be possible to use the telephone books such as the yellow pages online or the
local telephone directories to search for organisations selling similar organic or green
products and to get contact details to contact the managers of those businesses. There
is a complete set for New Zealand in the Hastings branch of the Hastings District
Libraries.

The online yellow pages are convenient in terms of allowing you to search a broader location
such as North Island as opposed to a Hawkes Bay. Key words like organic cosmetics,
organic beauty products and organic products bring up a good range of search results.

Yellow Pages search for Organic Beauty Products. (2013). Retrieved June 10, from
http://yellow.co.nz/Wellington%20Region/organic%20beauty%20products?what=organic
%20beauty%20products&where=Wellington%20Region
Universal Business Directories
UBD Napier & Hastings. Business information directory. There are several holdings

in the Hastings District Libraries Catalogue for UBDs located in the genealogy
section however they are dated. For up-to-date information the online free version is
available at
http://www.ubd.co.nz/. There is a category for cosmetics and health and beauty. You
can also do a search for keywords such as green, natural and organic within this
category. This will bring up the names and contacts of businesses and organizations
related to the search terms, for example:
World Organic suppliers of eco-certified organic skincare range (n.d). Retrieved June
10, 2013 from http://www.ubd.co.nz/business/r/k/?k=green%2C+natural%2C+organic
The website of this business is http://www.worldorganic.co.nz
The FAQ tab of this website has some interesting questions and answers such as Why
Are Organic Products Better For Me Than Their Chemical Counterparts?
http://www.worldorganic.co.nz/(S(oacgug55v41jtvueljhnre3t))/faqs.html
And information such as
Are all world organic products certified
organic? Over 90% of all World Organic products are certified organic. They can be
identified by the BioGro logo stamped on their packaging.

Are world organic products gluten free?

This company also has a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/worldorganic
Encyclopaedias such as our complete physical collection of volumes of Encyclopaedia
Britannica published in
Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, c2003-2013 and located in the reference section or
Online encyclopaedias such as Wikipedia or Scholarpedia or others should contain
relevant information. For example, www.scholarpedia.org,
Encyclopaedia Britannica Library edition database is also available at the Hastings
District Libraries.
Alternative Medicines Encyclopaedia. Reference section, Hastings library (HDLs).
Longe, Jacqueline L. (2005). The Gale encyclopaedia of alternative medicine. Detroit:
Thomson/Gale.

Books Catalogues: Hastings District Libraries what do we have in our three libraries
Here are some suggested searches : keywords, organic cosmetics, organic beauty
products, skin allergies, natural products, green products/cosmetics, homemade
cosmetics etcOrganic standards, New Zealand standards.Australian women
Shannon Lush has a book about natural cleaning products that may have info on skin
care.
Niemerow, A. (2012). Super Cleanse: detox your body for long-lasting health and

beauty. New York: William Morrow

Wood, Jo. (2007) Naturally: how to feel healthy, energetic and radiant the organic
way. London: Sidgewick & Jackson
Close, Barbara, (2005). Pure Skin: organic beauty basics. San Francisco: Chronicle
books
Kincaid, H. (2012, January). Are Organic Standards in Trouble? Mother Earth News
(253) 16-16. (Found using same Kotui catalogue search including databases).
Tools for green living. E The Environmental Magazine. (1999, Jan) (10).
(Found using same Kotui catalogue search including databases).

Mims New Ethicals (Jan-Jun 12 Issue 6 held at Reference desk at Hastings

public libraries Hastings branch). Australian Drug Information Services,
(2012). Mims new ethicals 12 (16), pp.517-553, 659-664, 670-676. Held at the
Hastings Public Library reference desk contains information on Skin, pp.517,
553, Herbal and other complementary medicines (pp.659-664) and an Index of
Manufacturers pp.670-676.
New Zealand official year book (published annually in print and available in
the reference section, but now also available on line)
http://www.stats.govt.nz/yearbooks. The holdings in our library go back to the
1890s however searching the virtual collection on the statistics New Zealand
web site is now incredibly useful. There is an index and most yearbooks
contain a significant entry on Standards both New Zealand standards and
International standards. These summaries are very useful. Natural language
searches of this collection using the search box also bring up relevant results
such as Statistics New Zealand. (1996). Australian and New Zealand Class
and Industrial classification, Version 4.1.Retrieved from
http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/surveys-andmethods/methods/class-stnd/industrial-classification1996/ANZSIC1996Manualpdf.pdf
A keyword search of organic + beauty products or some variation of the following
keywords from the key questions such as natural beauty products, organic
cosmetics, organic beauty products. Allergies, green and cosmetics, skincare, or
organic standards etc. will being a range of results. Subject heading and related
subject heading can then be seen on the Kotui Catalogue. The Catalogue will also
search a good range of databases and bring up excellent results from these

databases.
Napier Libraries Catalogue see OPAC link to Napier Library Catalogue. Can try City Loan.
Other NZ libraries on New Zealand Libraries Catalogue Can try to interloan
Napier Libraries Catalogue sample resources:
Farrer-Halls, G. (2006). Natural beauty recipe book: how to make your own organic
cosmetics and beauty products. Gloucester, Mass: Quarry Books.
Farrer-Halls, G. (2004). Soap and Scent: recipes for natural beauty. Gloucester, Mass: Quarry
Books.
Tourles, Stephanie L. (2007) Organic body care recipes: 175 homemade herbal formulas for
glowing skin and a vibrant self. North Adams: Mass. Storey Pub.
Each book is likely to have an index or bibliography or both and from these additional
information can be found within the book and from other related authors the author consulted
in the writing of the book.
Open Polytechnic Catalogue resource examples of search for New Zealand organic standards:
Bio-grow New Zealand Organic Standards: Certified Bio-Gro New Zealand Organic. (2001).
New Zealand Biological Producers and Consumers Council. Auckand, New Zealand: New
Zealand Biological Producers and Consumers council.
Certified Bio-Gro organic production standards. (1994).New Zealand Biological Producers &
Consumers Council. Auckland, N.Z: The Council.
Bio Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association of New Zealand (1999) New Zealand
production standards for certified biodynamic agriculture. Napier, N.Z: Bio Dynamic
Farming and Gardening Association of New Zealand.
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association in New Zealand. (c1993) Demeter
Certification Trademark production standards for New Zealand: biodynamic agriculture.
Napier, N.Z.: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association of New Zealand

Newspaper Articles
Collections in Library however digitised newspapers are easier to search for keywords.
Newstext
Press Display
Australian and New Zealand Reference Centre

Databases www.hastingslibrary.co.nz/databases
Full text articles can be found in our Online Databases, for example:
Health and Wellness Resource Centre
Brookers Database for New Zealand legislation for example. Food additives Act,
Academic OneFile
Masterfile Premier
Proquest Science
Newztext
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Global Issues in Context
Virtual Reference Library
Science in Context
RDS Business and Management Practices
One particular database called Opposing Viewpoints database is useful for
providing a range of topics on debatable topics and could be useful for looking
at claims about organic beauty products and cosmetics.
For example, keywords organic cosmetics claims finds this useful article: Jordan,
Katy. "Consumer groups hit organic product labels." Boston Herald 11 Mar. 2010: 021.
Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 13 June 2013. Gale Document Number:
GALE|A221047639

You can read thousands of articles in journals and newspaper, and explore many other
resources online. Most are available to use from home. To log in, use your library card
number, also your library PIN number in some cases. Some of these databases are also be
searchable through our new Catalogue, from May 2013. These have the topic Ktui Database.
To use in the libraries (no charge) please ask at the upstairs desk in Hastings Library. Usual
printing charges apply.
Open Polytechnic library databases or other formats such as e-books:
Dayan, N. (2011). Formulating, Packaging, and Marketing of Natural Cosmetic
Products [electronic resource]. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons.

**The Open Polytechnic library gives access to the Standards New Zealand
Online Library. A search for the phrase organic cosmetics found NS
8410:2003. This sets out the minimum requirements for the production,
handling, processing and labelling of organic product including plants, and
plant products and animal and animal products: date modified 21/10/2003
(Standards New Zealand, 2003)

Multimedia databases: www.utube.com, www.scribd.com

Christensen, David. (11 Aug 2012). Organic and natural product claims, Retrieved 13
July 2013 from http://www.slideshare.net/dchristensen/organic-and-natural-productclaims?from_search=9
Websites always check the website address is the site authoritative
Website that rates products (often American based)\
Websites of companies that make organic cosmetics such as Weleda, Dr Hauschka,
Trilogy, Antepodes etc.
Manufacturers have to comply with any standards and be health department audited. Retailers
look for a reputable manufacturer.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, New Zealand. Online Wwoof Book, Forum,
Notices (www.wwoof.co.nz). Organic farming, Bio-gro, Bio dynamics, Permaculture (List of
practitioners and contacts.
Ministry of Internal Affairs has a company office. List of Companies, Company
registrations. This information is virtual. It may be possible to check for organic
manufacturers of cosmetics and beauty products
The New Zealand food and safety website brings up interesting results for keyword
searches for organic cosmetics including records about bee products for example.
http://search2.nzfsa.govt.nz/search?entqr=0&sort=date%3AD%3AL
%3Ad1&output=xml_no_dtd&client=foodsafety&ud=1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&proxystylesheet=foodsafety&site=foodsafety&q=organic+cosmetics&btnG=Searc
h
An online search for the key word Demeter could assist with this query also. The
Open Polytechnic search found this standard and also Bio-Gro standards.
Demeter is a worldwide certification system, used to verify to the consumers in over
50 countries that food or product has been produced by biodynamic methods.
International Demeter Standards for production have existed since 1992, and have
been further developed regularly. In June 1999 the International Demeter Processing
Standards were first approved by Members Assembly. They regulate the processing
of food, cosmetics, textiles as well as storage, packaging and labeling.
Demeter Biodynamic Quality. (n.d). Standards. Retrieved June 8, 2013, from
http://www.demeter.net/certification/standards
Who sets the standards to set something as organic?

The Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association in New Zealand Incorporated.

(n.d). About Demeter. Retrieved June 8, 2012, from
www.biodynamic.org.nz/demeter.html
Remember many wholesalers are importing from other countries, for example, from
India so the retailer needs to ask of the manufacturer and wholesaler for information
about any standards they may or may not be complying to.

Archives: Archway http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/

Archway Simple Search: Organic Standards 4 Results listed (13 June 2013)
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research - Chemistry Division, Head
Office (AALO) Retrieved 13 July 2013 from http://search2.nzfsa.govt.nz/search?

entqr=0&sort=date%3AD%3AL
%3Ad1&output=xml_no_dtd&client=foodsafety&ud=1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&proxystylesheet=foodsafety&site=foodsafety&q=organic+cosmetics&btnG=Searc
h
Referral to another person or agency: You could get info from existing companies or
customer requests for products. For example, Farmers Markets or Home and garden
show.
New Zealand Sources: Yearbooks, Mims new ethical, New Zealand Standards Catalogue,
Radio New Zealand. WOOF handbook, World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
handbook (www.wwoof.co.nz).
International Sources: Opposing Viewpoints database, multimedia database slideshare.com,
scribd.com or U-tube, A range of books and other formats such as e-books in Kotui Catalogue
and other library catalogues.
Citation: Hastings District Libraries. (2013). Search Strategy/Path Finder. Unpublished
Template: Hastings, NZ: Author.

Task 2: Evaluating the search process

This has been a useful task to respond to a business enquiry where relevant information
is wanted to assist with a health foods shops decision to sell organic, green natural and low
allergenic cosmetics and beauty products.
By using the Path finder (The Hastings District libraries unpublished template) to
outline what resources were available I was able work through and list many possible
resources without getting overwhelmed or side-tracked. I could apply my knowledge and
judgement to what is known about what is wanted (Dalrymple, 2011, p.107) and to include
physical as well as virtual resources particularly with items such as a the Catalogue of
Standards, The Yellow Pages telephone directory and The New Zealand Yearbooks as they all
had an online equivalent. The benefits of searching an online equivalent are usually very
good because you search across many issues however the business owner would very likely
benefit from the physical copies where available and where they are not overly dated because
the internal organisation of an electronic resource may not be evident to the user, in contrast
with a printed reference source which has to make its organisation clear in order to be used at
all (Kluegal, 2011, p.141).
I think that the business contacts from the UBD and the yellow pages as well as any
personal contacts made at trade fairs or farmers would be useful to Ms. Rose. The Organic
World Company (found through the Universal Business Directories online) retails products
manufactured in India which are 90% organic. There was a good mix of New Zealand and
International sources used in this query. I did recommend that Rose refer to one of the
organisations found in the research process such as New Zealand Biological Producers and
Consumers Council or The Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association in New Zealand
Incorporated for more detailed information or contacting an employee of Standards New
Zealand if she needs more information. However I know from reading Nielson that
unmonitored referrals should be avoided and that finding out what the customer really wants
at the outset with a reference interview is paramount and that following up should be routine,
so the patron feels welcome to let the librarian know if a question has not been answered
completely (Nielson, 2006) , 4-5). I would want to encourage Rose to call into the library so I
can communicate not just virtually by email but face to face to follow up with some of these
more complex resources in the literature list. Findings from library surveys of users
experiences of reference services both face-to-face and virtual reference (for example, ask a
librarian or real time chat with reference librarians) show that virtual reference results in
lower satisfaction than in-person reference. With both there can be problems with lack of
reference interviews, unmonitored referrals and failure to follow-up (Nielson, 2006, 4-5).
This library literature informs reference services of the future.
I found some of the most useful information for this query in the Open Polytechnic
Library Catalogue. The Polytechnic Library has more physical resource material at a more
detailed and specific level for this topic than the public libraries.
However, I know from experience, that there is a good range of databases available for
this type of business/science search using the HDLs databases. I was pleased to provide the
brochure I would send the client as a pdf attachment that lists them and how to access them
with a pin, at the library, or through the Kotui Catalogue. (WORD COUNT 581)
The Standards New Zealand website was an important resource as is the Brookers
Database for searching for relevant legislation affecting the business. The keywords for

standards that emerged were Biogro and Demeter. The Universal business directory was very
useful for finding similar businesses that sell organic cosmetics and beauty products. Many of
these businesses had their own webpages, FAQs or Facebook pages. The Woof handbook
(World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms handbook (www.wwoof.co.nz) would also be
useful for searching for organic producers in a particular locality. (WORD COUNT 667)

Reference List Task 2

Dalyrymple, P.W., & Smith, L.C. (2011). Organisation of information and
search strategies. In R. E. Bopp & L.C. Smith (Eds.), Reference and
information services: An introduction (4th ed., pp.95-120). Englewood,
CO: Libraries Unlimited.
Hastings District Libraries. (2013). Search Strategy/Path Finder. Unpublished
Template: Hastings, NZ: Author.
Kluegel, K. (2011). Electronic resources for reference. In R. E. Bopp & L.C.
Smith (Eds.), Reference and information services: An introduction (4th
ed., pp. 121-159). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
Nilsen, Kirsti. (2006). Comparing users perspectives of in-person and virtual
reference. New Library World, 3(4), 91-104. Retrieved 17 June 2012
from
http://www.emeraldinsight.com.libraryproxy.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/journ
als.htm?issn=03074803&volume=107&issue=3/4&articleid=1550295&show=html#sthash.
Uh9zAYB5.dpuf

Task 3: A training guide

Reference Training Guide
This template gives an overview of key reference tools and processes when answering a
reference query.

Be professional and welcome library user: It is very important to be as professional

as possible and to be approachable to the library user. Welcome them and listen very
carefully to their reference enquiry. Interpersonal skills are important. Be friendly and
approachable and give good customer service.

Be conscious of who you are speaking with, that is your audience; who they are
and for what purpose they want the information. For example is it information for
a business owner, high school student, teacher, government department, personal
curiosity, backpacker, builder,etc.

A short summary of your purpose is as follows: 1. Define the topic 2. Identify key
concepts from within the topic 3. Add terms that relate in some way to your key
concepts (Concept map/brainstorm on paper) 4. Identify the best places to search 5.
Plan your search strategy 6. Create search strings 7. Track your searching. (The Open
Polytechnic, 2013, p.13).

Reference Interview: On the enquiry form take down their contact details. Ensure
you are spelling correctly, including jargon and personal pronouns. Then ask them
what information they have already. Ask them how much information they need. Use
open and closed questions and paraphrasing to find their real need. This Reference
interview at the outset will take only a few minutes but we want to find out what the
patron really wants before pushing pages or URLs
Reference Interview tips: Write down What I know and What I would like to Know
(Chowdhury, G., 2001, p.5) before searching the catalogues or directing him/or her to some
resources that best matches the library users information wants, needs or expectations, using
the best of your memory, knowledge, search skills and abilities. Determine the exact
information required to solve a problem to accomplish and assignment, etc. Repeat the
question back to the customer to ensure you have understood the question(s). That is, what is
wanted and what is known about what is wanted. You then have to communicate what
resources are available, how those resources are constructed and what is known about the
structure of those resources (Dalrymple, P, 2011, p.107-108).

Reference Interview Continued: Clarify the questions. Take notes recording any
key concepts, questions and keywords. You can identify keywords using
dictionaries, thesauri etc. You can write any keywords down. Clarify questions using
who? which? what? when? where and why? questions. Identify key concepts (in our
literature search example Demeter and Bio-gro standards), write down related
keywords and search terms and pay attention to any limits or parameters around
questions such as key dates, year limits, location limits and other limits with the
library user. Write down What I know and What I would like to Know (Chowdhury,
G., 2001, p.5) before searching the catalogues or directing him/or her to some
resources that best matches the library users information wants, needs or

expectations, using the best of your memory, knowledge, search skills and abilities.
Determine the exact information required to solve the problem.

Reference Interview tips: Determine the exact information required to solve a

problem to accomplish and assignment before searching the catalogues or directing
him/or her to some resources that best matches the library users information wants,
needs or expectations, using the best of your memory, knowledge, search skills and
abilities. Determine the exact information required to solve a problem to accomplish
and assignment, etc.

Reference tools and techniques can be used to assist with reference questions such
as a reference enquiry form, reference statistics, reminder reference interview
questioning form, pathfinders, concept mapping, reference brochures and training
with use of a your knowledge of natural language searching and controlled
vocabulary, subject heading searched, different search engines and different
repostitories.
Keyword and subject headings.
A quick browse of a keyword and clicking through to a most relevant resource will likely
bring up subject headings and related subject heading from the classification scheme of the
library. This is important because subject headings and related subject headings allow a
search using the controlled vocabulary of the Dewey decimal classification scheme or
Library of Congress Classification scheme of a public or university library.
Use different catalogues, repositiories and search engines. Look for a range of formats.
Try to include a range of formats in your literature search, including encyclopaedia,
dictionary, atlas, databases, books, journal articles, e-books, dvds, newspapers and internet.
Encourage use of physical library resources as well as virtual resources. You want to direct
them to the most relevant information available whilst introducing them to a range of sources
which will be new and interesting.
Defining your topic: If there is a good match between key words and subject headings you
are well on the way to defining your topic. Almost always there will be related topics. Your
goal is to direct library users to resources where they can find the information they need. You
do not need to find all the information for them however in your accumulation of resources to
present the library user with your literature search you are responding to their key question
with your knowledge of a variety of resources available from a variety of direct and indirect
reference resources that are reputable (both New Zealand resources, Maori reference
resources and International resources).

An Outline of a generic approach to conducting a literature search

Think of your audience level and think outside the square when first looking at the
query if possible. Try to pick the level of the question. Then target your choice of
resources and repositories accordingly
Use a range of formats
Use New Zealand sources and International Sources
Use direct sources (example full text database, u-tube video, biography) and indirect
sources (directory, catalogue).
Example: In the sample literature search for a business owner interested in expanding her
business to include a range of green. natural or organic cosmetics and beauty products
including to cater for customers with allergies and skin sensitivities, it was a good choice to
include the Open Polytechnic library resources. It also became apparent quickly that the
information on standards contained in our public library catalogue and indexes was better
complemented with online resource, databases and multimedia databases.
Use the Pathfinder to work your way through the resources to create a literature list.
Scan the resources headings and use your knowledge of those resources. Fill in the pathfinder
with sources looked in and do not worry if you fill the fields of the pathfinder in any order.
Do try to find a range of New Zealand and International resources and in particular focus on
keeping physical resources to the forefront (12 out of 20 in a good number of physical
resources).
Identify the best and most likely places to search for information by being aware of your
resources and their structure and of the scope of your basic and complex databases and the
level of your question in relation to a choice of resource. Search for information content that
most closely matches your own level of understanding and that of your intended audience.
(Lane, 2000, p.108). Think whether that type of information will be available in a newspaper
and the perimeters in terms of dates etc. Make use of broad search directories and
repostitories such as google, firefox, bing or of the National library or National Union
Catalogue to get a wider view of holdings around specialised and difficult topics. A synthesis
of the range of sources with some analysis of the content as part of the presentation is best
(The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, 2013, p.28). Use a pathfinder and a range of
reference resources. The Open Polytechnic library is a good place to start. Use the
Catalogues, the internet, the databases and a range of formats from a variety of collections.
Interloan and use your reference skills and memory.
Try to use the reference interview techniques to really target the user wants. If complex
questions are asked with three component parts as in our sample consider if there is a way to
order the resources to answer to the questions if possible. (There were three questions in the
sample: whether the claims for these products and brands stack up? what standards for
labelling something organic are in New Zealand? and what products and brands are
available). At the top of the literature list or pathfinder form, record the key questions a, b, c.
Change any template with care. Use the reference query form in tandem with the literature
list and pathfinder. The templates can be amended to create further fields if practical. All the
forms in reference are available in physical or virtual form. We tend to print them off and fill
them in but you can fill in online and print off.
Always record the source of the item you are providing. Ensure that the library user can
retrieve the resource.
Give instruction for how to access any specialist resource. Encourage the customer to follow
up your recommendations with a visit to the library and instruction for access to anything
special such as interloans, heritage resources, specialist databases, readers advisory etc.

Search Strategy for Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre.

Instructions for how to access the databases are in the welcome to reference brochure
attached as a pdf. There are links under databases on the HDLs library webpage to the
Autralia/New Zealand Reference Centre. Since the change to the new Kotui catalogue some
parts of the library page are still being updated.
Please read on the table below a short definition of various search tips to strategically look for
relevant information.
A search strategy may be one or more search strings, using Boolean operators,
phrase searching, truncation and wildcards. Create search strings to prepare for the actual
searches. To do this, you need to think about how you will link the terms together. There are
two commonly used devices that help you to put together online searches: truncation and
Boolean logic.
Boolean logic uses common words as logical operators in very specific ways to create and
manipulate sets. Some of these Boolean operators are AND, OR, and NOT ((Kruegal, K.
2011)
The Boolean AND selects items that include all the named elements for example organic
AND cosmetics, beauty products AND cosmetics, green AND cosmetics AND
organic etc.
The Boolean operator OR is used to create a set by making an item eligible for inclusion if it
meets one of the stated criteria, for example beauty products OR organic beauty products,
green cosmetics OR allergenic products, New Zealand standards, OR Organic standards,
oranges OR lemons OR limes OR grapefruit.
The Boolean operator NOT (sometimes AND NOT) is also used to make a restrictive set. It
first creates a set of items that meet the condition A and then removes from the set those items
that also meet condition B for example organic products NOT organic food, cosmetics, NOT
skincare, green products NOT food (Kruegal, K.,2011).
The term truncation refers to the shortening a word or eliminating some characters from a
longer variants to pick up varients.The asterisk (*) is one symbol commonly used. Others
include the question mark (?), the colon (:), and the plus sign (+) used in different
systems.Truncation can take place to the left, to the right, or in the middle of core
characters. This allows the users to display terms that have a spelling relationship with the
term of interest. For example organ* (organic, organically) or New Zealand standard(?).
Wildcards can also be used in some databases to help search for some unknown variable
such as when you type into Google search engine I like to * and you come up with a wide
range of options. "*" is equivalent to match any words between other specific words.
The most appropriate journal article index or full text index for my topic the Australia/New
Zealand Reference Centre, although Opposing viewpoints, Newstest or the Open Polytechnic
Emerald databases are also relevant. I have chosen the Australian New Zealand Reference
centre because it has the largest collection of regional full-text content designed for libraries
in Oceania. It includes publications such as North and South (New Zealand), NZ Business,
NZ Marketing Magazine, New Zealand newswires and Australia/New Zealand Reference
books. New staff can ask the reference team leader at the reference desk if they need help
with an advanced search.

Searches of this database with the search strings, using Boolean operators, phrase
searching, truncation and wildcards bring better results. New staff can try these
themselves and see how their results compare. Any further detailed questions please do
not hesitate to contact me.
Boolean/Phrase: organic cosmetics (phrase searching). 151 results.
Serrano, A. (2013). DO THEY REALLY WORK? Instyle, 20(4), 281-286
Bender, M. (2002), Makeup goes organic. Health (Time Inc. Health), 16(4), 116
The Boolean AND : organic AND cosmetics AND green
The Boolean OR : beauty products OR organic beauty products, 75, 717 results.
The Boolean OR/wildcard: green cosmetics OR allerg*c products,
The Boolean OR/phrase search New Zealand standards, OR organic standards
The Boolean OR Demeter standards OR organic standards. 26, 216 results
The Boolean OR: Demeter standards OR Biogrow standards OR Organic standards. 26, 216
results
Kincaid, H. (2012). Are Organic Standards in Trouble? Mother Earth News, (253), 16.
The Boolean NOT: organic products NOT organic food,
The Boolean NOT: cosmetics, NOT skincare,
The Boolean NOT: green products NOT food. 102, 546 results
The WILD CARD: organic* 193,465 results.
The WILD CARD: Organic * cosmetics 4796 results.
Boolean NOT/phrase : "organic standard" NOT school 185 results
Draft Organic Standard attracts interest. (2008). Australian and New Zealand Grapegrower &
Winemaker, (539), 41.
WILDCARD: Organic * cosmetics 4796 results.
You can email any of these results to an email address. Keep a record of your search by
viewing the history search.
Make any further records on your literature list/Pathfinder or reference list. Encourage any
customer you are assisting email their search results to themselves. They will get a full text
article. They may also print pages.
Close out of the database, follow up with the customer and then move on to look at any
additional materials.
If you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Team Leader Reference assistant
Helena Mc Keever.

Reference List Task 3

Chowdhury, G. G., & Chowdhury, S. (2001). Basic information skills. In searching
CD-ROM and online information sources (pp.1-16). London: Library
Association.

Dalyrymple, P.W., & Smith, L.C. (2011). Organisation of information and search
strategies. In R. E. Bopp & L.C. Smith (Eds.), Reference and information
services: An introduction (4th ed., pp.95-120). Englewood, CO: Libraries
Unlimited.
Hastings District Libraries. (2013). Search Strategy/Path Finder. Unpublished
Template: Hastings, NZ: Author.
Katz, W. A. (2002). Rules of the search. In Introduction to reference work (8th ed.,
Vol.2., pp.141-164). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kluegel, K. (2011). Electronic resources for reference. In R. E. Bopp & L.C. Smith
(Eds.), Reference and information services: An introduction (4th ed., pp. 121159). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
Lane, N.D., Chisholm M., & Mateer, C. (2000). Selecting information packages. In
Techniques for student research: A comprehensive guide to using the library
(pp.107-120). New Yourk: Neal-Schuman.
Pickard, A, J. (2007). Introduction. Research Methods in Information (pp. xiii-xix).
London: Facet.
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. (2013). Module 4: Identifying and selecting
appropriate information sources. In 72270 Information Sources and Services.
Lower Hutt, New Zealand: Author.