LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Dear LM_NET Colleagues,
I recently had the pleasure of receiving a copy of "The Educator's
Information Highway". This is a 1995 publication by the noted library
science educator, Lillian Bierman Wehmeyer (currently Director, Doctoral
Program in Educational Leadership and Administration, Azusa Pacific
University.) It was in 1992, at the annual ALA Conference in San
Francisco, when I first met Dr. Wehmeyer. We had previously been in
contact via e-mail, having been introduced by her doctoral student, Bill
Sears. Dr. Wehmeyer was one of the very few library educators which I knew
at that time with an interest in the Internet. (I happened to be at ALA
because Mike Eisenberg and I had two weeks earlier teamed to moderate
LM_NET, and the first "in person" gathering of LM_NET members were
scheduled to meet there.)
I can remember talking with Dr. Wehmeyer about the lack of a good book
on the Internet from a librarian's viewpoint. It was exciting to discuss
the needs and state of networking at that time. It is even more exciting
to see the fruits of her efforts over the intervening years, in her new
publication.
Although the title, "The Educator's Information Highway" alludes Al
Gore's concept of the Internet Information Superhighway, Wehmeyer's book
is broader in scope, and includes the Internet as one (major) information
source that is available to educators using good research techniques. In
some respects, it is a crash course on information management which
integrates basic, time-tested techniques for locating, effectively
evaluating and using information. The Internet and World Wide Web are
interlocking parts of a much larger puzzle which her techniques and
processes help solve.
As one might expect, there is a strong emphasis on educational
research. For that reason, the work would be useful to almost all
graduate students in Education. Dr. Wehmeyer mentioned to me that she uses
the text in her graduate classes in information searching, and that it is
intended for "any educator who needs information about education." (She
also mentioned that she is interested in working with a h.s. librarian
"who is into the Internet," to prepare a version for the h.s. level.)
Two areas of the text that jumped out at me right away were her
thorough coverage of Boolean searching, and the extensive discussion of
effective use of the ERIC database. The text is "mounted" in a sturdy
three-ring binder which allows for incorporation of the two scheduled
updates (for a one time fee of $19.95.) This lets the user add personally
discovered sheets as well. (Dr. Wehmeyer mentioned that she is just
putting the finishing touches of the update on searching the Web.)
The text is structured into four major parts, which are broken into a
total of eleven sub-sections, each dealing with important topics
(including a collection of fourteen resource lists.) One feature of her
writing that comes across is patience. Each point is carefully and clearly
explained. One can almost see Dr, Wehmeyer in her office gently coaching
her grad students through the research processes. A nice approach to deal
with a complex and effective process.
---------------
"The Educator's Information Highway" ($29.95, + two optional updates:
$19.95 for both) is available from: Technomic Publishing, 851 New Holland
Ave., Lancaster, PA. 717-291-5609 or 1-800-233-9936.
Dr. Wehmeyer can be reached via e-mail at: liwehme@cello.gina.calstate.edu
---------------
Reviewed by:
Peter Milbury, Librarian pmilbury@cusd.chico.k12.ca.us
<A HREF="http://wombat.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/~pmilbury/lib.html">
Peter Milbury's School Library & School Librarian Web Pages</A>
............................................................................
Chico High School, Chico, California 95926 Voice: 916-891-3036
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