Pathfinders, Subject Guides, & Thematic Resources
As long as there have been classrooms and libraries, people have been pulling resources together to produce effective research and learning environments. Once organized, librarians often created lists to distribute to children, parents, and teachers.
With the introduction of electronic materials, many more resources are now available both inside and outside the walls of the library. Librarians are still helping patrons by organized materials.
Let's say young people are reading novels related to weather. One group might be reading Blizzard by Jim Murphy, Blizzard's Wake by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, or Blizzard Disaster by Peg Kehret. Another group might be reading books about tornadoes, drought, floods, fires, or hurricanes. You might want to create a set of web resources related to weather such as Scholastic Weather Watch, NOAA Weather, and 42explore: Weather.
Pathfinders have become increasingly sophisticated with the introduction of Web 2.0 type tools for creating web pages. The subscription service LibGuides provides many tools for creating pathfinders that incorporate RSS feeds, widgets, and multimedia elements.
Explore the Creekview High School LibGuides by Buffy Hamilton for many examples.
Also, check out the master list of LibGuides from elementary through college level.
Some of these resources are listed in subject guides and thematic resource lists. Other guides also contain information and assistance that go beyond simply listing materials. Sometimes called pathfinders, these subject guides help direct users to resources for
Read each of the following sections at this website to learn about pathfinders, subject guides, and thematic resources:
Pathfinders Defined
- Pathfinder Design for
Children and Young Adults
- Pathfinder Creation and Collections
- Web Subject Guides and Thematic
Resources for Children and Young Adults