>> Subject: Librarians to be replaced with 'digital resources'!
It's a logical fallacy: a bit like saying that a new type of fridge
will replace cooks.
Just because resources are digital rather than dead tree based doesn't
mean that they will automagically manage themselves, or be found by
everyone who needs them.
Various types of software can help both the management and discovery
jobs, but those systems don't *know* anything about the resources or
the people who need them. The most advanced systems can store or
process such domain knowledge, but they still have to be taught that
knowledge explicitly and unambiguously. If that job is to be done
properly, you need information specialists. That's right; librarians.
As an e-learning technologist, I find the idea that 'librarians can be
replaced with digital resources' generally more ludicrous than
threatening, but it is rather unfair that my Bangor colleagues should
suffer for anyone taking the idea seriously.
Wilbert Kraan
>
> I have to say, as a general point, that in my experience there is NO
> software that can beat a well-qualified librarian. For many years
> there was
> a librarian in my local library of whom you could ask the most esoteric
> question, and he would reply along the lines of: "Yes, you need to
> look at
> X and Y, and while you're doing that I'll get you the March issue of
> the
> Journal of Z, which had a very interesting summary of some American
> research."
>
> I suppose he must have been dead boring to live with because he must
> have
> spent all his time reading library catalogues, but as a source of
> reference
> material he was brilliant.
>
> I suppose it's politically incorrect of an ICT person to say something
> like
> that, but it's the truth!
>
> Best wishes
> Terry
>
> ----------------------
> Terry Freedman, Independent ICT Consultant
> http://www.ictineducation.org
> For latest issue of Computers in Classrooms, visit
> http://www.terry-freedman.org.uk/cgi-script/CSMailto/forms/
> frm_sample.htm
> Terry Freedman's blog is at http://www.terryfreedman.biz
> Fax and voice mail: 0703 115 0271
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.8.6 - Release Date: 30/03/2005
>
> ***************** List information: *****************
> Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
> Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html
> To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave
> vle
***************** List information: *****************
Remember - replies go by default to the entire list.
Access the list via the web on http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/vle.html
To unsubscribe, email [log in to unmask] with the message: leave vle
|