Coming from medical library background, and having fought long and hard to promote the use of proper databases like EMBASE, I've some sympathy with Andy's view of Google Scholar, but I do think that it has a place. After initially being very sceptical, I now use it in tandem with LISA for literature searching for work, and I usually get some juicy morsel that isn't on the 'proper' database. I would encourage its use as an additional tool for students and peers, with the proviso that it's no substitute for searching proper databases, but rather a useful addition.
I'm not sure either about steering students away from web, though when faced with students who can't see past Google (never mind Google Scholar!) I'd sometimes like a time machine to take them back to pre-web days and make them use proper databases on CD-ROMs! I feel that we need to teach students how to frame a question, search the web and databases effectively and critically appraisal what they retrieve. These transferable skills are probably more valuable for graduates seeking employment than an in depth knowledge of 'proper' databases, that often aren't available from the potential employer.
Yours aye,
John
Dr. John S. Rule DPhil BA(Hons) DipILS ILTM
Deputy Manager
Harrison Learning Centre
St. Peter's Square
WOLVERHAMPTON
WV1 1RH
Tel: 01902-322340
Fax: 01902-322194
-----Original Message-----
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and
discussion. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Andrew Barrow
Sent: 04 January 2006 12:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Google Scholar
LIS-LINK Comrades!
A quick question. What are your feelings about Google Scholar? Do you, as
I do, feel that it's an irrelevance when we spend 10's of 1000's of pounds on
'proper' bibliographic databases or do you feel that it has a role to play? If
so, given that our students are largely steered away from the WWW for
academic purposes, what is GS's role. I can see that it could be very useful
for a person pursuing 'academic' interests who isn't attached to an
institution of FE/HE, but does it have a role for FE/HE students? I feel that
it hasn't but I could be persuaded otherwise.
Please reply direct to me rather than to the list.
Andy
_____________________________________
Andrew Barrow
Science Librarian
Frewen Library (FL0.27)
University of Portsmouth
PORTSMOUTH
PO1 2ST
Tel: (023) 9284-3236
Fax: (023) 9284-3233
Web: http://www.port.ac.uk/library/barrow
_____________________________________
|