MEDIA & INFORMATION SOURCES

SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
•LIBRARIES
•INDIGENOUS MEDIA
•INTERNET

LIBRARIES
WHAT IS A LIBRARY? - A place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference
materials (such as books, manuscripts, recordings, or films) are kept for use but
not for sale. – Merriam Webster
Libraries organize and store their book collections on shelves called "stacks."

Major Types of Libraries:

•ACADEMIC LIBRARY
•PUBLIC LIBRARY
•SCHOOL LIBRARY
•SPECIAL LIBRARY

ACADEMIC LIBRARY
- serves colleges and universities PUBLIC LIBRARY - serves cities and towns of
all types
SCHOOL LIBRARY
- serves students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 SPECIAL LIBRARY - are in
specialized environments, such as hospitals, corporations, museums, the
military, private business, and the government.
INDIGENOUS MEDIA
What is Indigenous? - native; local; originating or produced naturally in a
particular region/locality
Indigenous Knowledge
- knowledge that is unique to a specific culture or society; most often it is not
written down
Indigenous Communication
- transmission of information through local channels or forms - it is a means by
which the culture is preserved, handed down and adapted
INDIGENOUS MEDIA
- may be defined as forms of media expression conceptualized, produced, and
circulated by indigenous peoples around the globe as vehicles for communication
FORMS OF INDIGENOUS MEDIA:
1. FOLK OR TRADITIONAL MEDIA
2. GATHERINGS AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
3. DIRECT OBSERVATION
4. RECORDS (WRITTEN, CARVED, ORAL)
5. ORAL INSTRUCTION

INTERNET
What is an Internet? - a global computer network providing a variety of
information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks
using standardized communication protocols.

Magazine
-is a collection of articles and images about diverse topics of popular interest and
current events. Usually these articles are written by journalists or scholars and
are geared toward the average adult. Magazines may cover very "serious"
material, but to find consistent scholarly information, you should use journals.
Journal
-is a collection of articles usually written by scholars in an academic or
professional field. An editorial board reviews articles to decide whether they
should be accepted. Articles in journals can cover very specific topics or narrow
fields of research.
Encyclopedias
-are collections of short, factual entries often written by different contributors who
are knowledgeable about the topic.

There are two types of encyclopedias: general and subject.

*General encyclopedias- provide concise overviews on a wide variety of
topics.
*Subject encyclopedias- contain in-depth entries focusing on one field of
study.

Things to Consider in Evaluating Information:

-Reliability
-Accuracy
-Value
-Authority
-Timeliness

Reliability of Information
-Information is said to be reliable if it can be verified and evaluated. Others refer
to the trustworthiness of the source in evaluating the reliability of information.
Skills in determining the Reliability of Information:
a. Check the Author
b. Check the Date of Publication or of update
c. Check for Citations
d. Check the Domain or owner of the site/page. .com - .edu - .mil - .gov -
.org - commercial educational military government nonprofit organization.
Accuracy of Information
- Accuracy refers to the closeness of the report to the actual data. Measurement
of accuracy varies, depending on the type of information being evaluated.
Forecasts - similar to the actual data. Financial - values are correct
Skills in Determining Accurate Information:
a.Look for facts.
b.Cross-reference with other source for consistency.
c.Determine the reason for writing and publishing the information.
Value of Information
-Information is said to be of value if it aids the user in making or improving
decisions.
Authority of the Source
- Who authored or published the information?
- Is the source credible?
Timeliness
-Reliability, accuracy, and value of information may vary based on the time it was
produced or acquired. It may become irrelevant and inaccurate with the passing
of time (thus making it less valuable)
-Timeliness Other information may be timeless, proven to be the same in
reliability, accuracy, and value throughout history.