Where can I find it?
The Library
Go to the website and/or online catalogue of an actual library - if you are at an academic institution or if your company has an information centre or library, this should be your first port of call. Your library will have institutional subscriptions to academic and non academic resources that you will not be able to access unless you go through them. Failing to use your library will mean that you miss out on a wealth of valuable information.
Your library will have its own library gateway or Open Public Access Catalog (OPAC) through which you will be able to access all the content it subscribes to. It is likely that there will also be user guides, subject resources and other critical information on your library website so familiarise yourself with how it works.
Even if you are not affiliated to a library through your own organisation, it might be that you are able to use the services of a library close to you. Most univeristy library websites are available over the Internet so you can see what range of resources they have, and some libraries allow off site use.
The Librarian
Enlist the help of your Librarian - your library holds a wealth of information and that doesn’t just include books, journals and databases. Some Librarians are subject experts, and others have vast amounts of knowledge about electronic resources. Make friends with your Librarian and use their expertise! Enlisting the help of a Librarian will be highly beneficial and you are likely to learn some new skills along the way.
Your Colleagues
Colleagues can be a great source of information. Ask them what journals they read, what websites they use to stay up to date, what databases they use. If you are a student, ask your college tutors and start to get familiar with the food science information environment early on. Habits you adopt now will stand you in good stead for the future
Company Literature
Whether you are a student, researcher or corporate employee, company literature can provide a useful source of
information. Familiarise yourself with key company websites, pick up their brochures. Look at what they say about
themselves and what they don’t say - you don’t have to be in the marketing department to learn a lot from how companies
present and promote themselves.
The Internet
Obviously the Internet holds a wealth of information.
Just be aware of what kind of site you are visiting - is it an academic site, has it been sponsored by an organisation,
is it associated to a reputable trade association, learned society or professional body? Some useful types of websites
are:
- Academic and mainstream publisher sites
- Online journal hosts such as Ingenta, MetaPress
- Database aggregators such as Ovid and Dialog
- Subject directories and subject specific search engines
- Trade Associations, Learned Societies and Professional bodies
- Government websites
- Food safety agencies
- Food companies - competitors, suppliers
- Market research providers
- Online portals and communities