Guidelines for Internet resource selection

Abstract

Use traditional evaluation criteria in new waysW ith the rapid growth of the Internet, today's library user can readily access resources from many parts of the globe and from many types of information providers.These providers may include governments, or ganizations, businesses, and individuals mak ing their pet projects accessible to the world.Unlike the books and journals that have preoc cupied collection development efforts for so long, Internet resources frequently lack the publishing industry's filters of need and worth, may be poorly maintained, and may be only transiently or intermittently available.For librar ies, the basic evaluation criteria of quality, cred ibility, accessibility, scope, and cost are still issues, but ones that must be viewed in new ways.The guidelines which follow were devel oped by the Internet Working Group of the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library and serve as an addendum to the collection development policy.They were developed with the belief that libraries have a responsibility to evaluate and select resources for their users regardless of the media.In addi tion to highlighting some of the unique chal lenges the Internet provides, these guidelines can serve, hopefully, as a starting point for other libraries with similar objectives. Guidelines for Internet resource evaluation and selection(Author note: These criteria are intended to assist in the evaluation and selection process.