LRC newsletter ~ April 2006

Special Issue: Webcasts

There are lots of webcasts and other free AV resources on the net, and more are added each day. As an introduction, we've identified two excellent resources, The Annenberg Channel and The Library of Congress, which cover a variety of H. E. relevant webcasts on all subject fields.

Since there are so many webcasts available, you may want to search on an as-needed basis for specific topics. We’ve included instructions for searching on your own with a reminder to contact a Reference Librarian if you’re not easily finding what you need. Hopefully, we can help you find a webcast that’s a perfect fit with what you need. Don’t be shy, we love a challenge!

(NOTE: The term webcast may refer to either audio or audio/video resources. This communiqué focuses on audio/video webcasts.)

The Annenberg Channel www.learner.org/index.html

Extraordinary range of professional development & instructional programs. Search by discipline & grade level.

BE AWARE: Users need to create a free account in order to login.

Library of Congress Webcasts www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/index.php

100s of webcasts. Browse by subject or conduct a word search within the collection.

Searching for FREE Webcasts

There are so many resources on the web that it might be useful to search on an as-needed basis for specific materials.

Free webcasts appropriate for educational use are often available through:

• Colleges & Universities ( MIT, UCBerkeley, Oxford)
• Non-profit Organizations ( Annenberg Channel)
• Governing Agencies & Bodies ( HUD, White House, MI Legislature)
• Broadcasting Stations ( BBC World Service, PBS)
• Libraries & Archives ( Library of Congress, Internet Archive)
• Service & Professional Organizations ( Academy of American Poets, IEEE)
• International Organizations ( World Economic Forum, United Nations)
• Medical Institutes ( Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Library of Medicine: Videos of Surgical Procedures)

You could use these basic guidelines for searching Google, or just contact a reference librarian to help you locate what you need.

Either use Google’s Advanced Search to set limits on your searches (like phrase searching and domain name restrictions), or use the guidelines below to set the same limits in the Basic Search mode.

● To exclude commercial sites

There are a few ways to do this. Use any of the following to exclude .com sites or to limit to only . edu or .org or . gov sites:

site :.org

site :.edu

-site :.com (Be aware that this will still retrieve commercial sites from the UK and other countries because their domain name is not .com.)

● To designate a phrase, use quotation marks

“ bill gates” “global economy” “audio clip”

● Throw in a term that describes the media type you’re looking for – try them alone or in combination:

audio video (audio OR video)

podcast webcast “video clip”

“ streaming audio” cybercast “streaming video”

“ audio clip” realplayer

● If needed, link all your search terms together with AND, OR, or NOT

(Google assumes an AND between terms if OR or NOT are not specified.)

● Try several different searches

You will get different results each time. There is currently no standardized terminology for AV media on the web, so something one site calls a podcast, another site might call streaming audio or online broadcast or listen live, etc., etc.

● Don’t get frustrated!

If you don’t find what you’re looking for in a timely manner, consult with a librarian at your earliest convenience. Hopefully, we can find what you need for you or show you how to find it. Contact us with your questions. We enjoy a challenge!

Example searches

“ world economy” webcast site:.edu

“ world economy” ( webcast OR cybercast) site:.org

“ fair trade” ( webcast OR cybercast OR “streaming video”) -site:.com

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