The District Gopher server can be accessed by either using a client program (i.e. TurboGopher for the Macintosh) or via the Library system from A1. Let's take a tour of a library system. From the main menu level, select the directory for "District Information Commons". Hmmm, "Virtual Library" sounds interesting. Let's see what is in there... Our choices include:
First, we will look in the directory of "Current Topics." There are a list of items such as "AIDS," "Cults," "Homelessness," "National Health Policy," "Gays in the Military," and more. Within the "Gays in the Military" directory is the text of newspaper articles and editorials that trace this recent issue. The entries for other topics may connect you to databases on other computers.
Now, let's go back to the "Virtual Library," and see what is available from "materialsÑbooks, journals, indices." We see a directory for College Holdings Within this directory, choose another directory from the list of all MCCCD college libraries. Select the "Search Holdings" option (usually marked with a question mark), and enter keywords for the search. The result is a list of all library items that contain the keyword. If we select one item, the full record information is provided. Any text that we retrieve within Gopher can be saved to our local computer.
Now, we return to the "Virtual Library" directory and select "Library Gophers." Among the choices are ERIC searches, Barron's Guide to On-Line Bibliographic Databases,the Library of Congress catalog, and access to on-line for libraries of information about the Internet.
Again, let's return to the "Virtual Library" directory and select "Reference." Here we might look up definitions in the Oxford English Dictionary, search for information related to computer terminology, or research geographical data with the World Factbook. Notice the directory called "Virtual Reference Desk." Within this directory there are many more information directories arranged by subject, such as "Biology," "Mathematics," "Humanities," "Medicine," "Politics and Government," Women's Studies" and more. Within each of these directories there are more and more directories of information.
For items that you may want to use often, mark the entry with the Bookmark command (the exact commands depend upon the computer and program you have used to connect to Gopher). By doing this, you will not have to remember a path through many menus. Your bookmark list becomes your own Gopher directory of the information and resources tailored to your research needs. Over time, the directories will have new items as the Gopher administrators discover more services to offer us.