Pathfinders

One of the things you may do in your job as a youth services librarian in a public library is to create pathfinders to assist your patrons. Traditionally, pathfinders were printed on paper and distributed in hard copy format to children, teachers, and parents.

While this may still happen in some libraries, many students, teachers, and parents prefer to use online pathfinders.

Two great FREE sites you can use to create digital pathfinders are:

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Some librarians also use PageFlakes ([]) to create pathfinders.

LibGuides is also a popular choice, however this is a paid service, which makes it a less affordable option for some libraries. Check out this example of LibGuides at Buffy Hamilton's Unquiet Library: []


 * Resources for Creating Pathfinders**

Joyce Valenza's Models for Creating Pathfinders: []

Joyce Valenza's Template for Creating Pathfinders: []

Buffy Hamilton's Unquiet Library: Touring an Unquiet Library Research Pathfinder: []

Designing Pathfinders for Children: []


 * Sample Pathfinders**

Strathcona County Public Library (Sherwood Park, AB) Pathfinders: [] (for kids) [] (for teens)

Strathcona High School (Edmonton) Pathfinders: []

San Jose Public Library KidsPlace: Homework Help Pathfinders: []

Indianapolis Marion County Public Library Kids' Site: Homework Help: []