This is an excellent contribution to the discussion - but who is it
from? Would the writer please identify him/herself.
Thanks!
Christine
Christine Reid
NHS Staff Library, Education Centre
Seacroft Hospital
York Road, Leeds LS14 6UH
Phone (0113) 2063675
Fax (0113) 2063325
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Please visit our website at www.leedsth.nhs.uk
>>> Info-LibSvcs Corp2 <[log in to unmask]> 09 September
2004 15:38:42 >>>
This has become a hot topic. Surely it's about getting the right
information, at the right time, in the right format? I can't help
feeling
that some librarians fear facing up to the fact that google often meets
this
criteria and does an excellent job. Additionally, I think there may be
some
database snobbery going on: the more complex and ring-fenced by
librarians
the better! If google can lead me to easily access accurate
information
quickly what's wrong with that?
But, perhaps patronising the customer may be the biggest issue here.
I
think librarians should accept that many scientists know their fields
of
research better than information professionals do, and contrary to
popular
belief many of us do have excellent information skills. Librarians
should
acknowledge that customers very often know best; they are more likely
to
know what they are looking for and effectively evaluate it once found.
Consequently, if I find something on google and deem it to be accurate
then
I will use it. If I can't find what I'm looking for on google then,
of
course, I'll revert to using the rather clunky and time-consuming
medline/pubmed.
|