Librarians' future / Internet, etc.

[Kathy Brock <kbrock@MINDSPRING.COM>]

Librarians were described as information intermediaries by several writers a
decade ago.  For the school library media specialist (SLMS) I believed this
meant using direct instruction, coaching, and facilitating to help students
become information literate.  We wanted students to formulate effective
research questions; gather, evaluate, synthesize, and communicate
information related to their questions; and develop the ability to do all
this independently. The special librarian/information specialist working in
the corporate setting, on other hand, assumed that patrons would always need
and be willing to pay for the expertise of an intermediary.

Each view was correct in its own setting a decade ago, and I believe each is
still correct today.  The executive in the multi-million dollar corporation
will not spend time daily ferreting out the latest pertinent web sites or
perfecting the use of a new presentation software tool.  Intermediaries with
a variety of training backgrounds will fill these roles.  Today's students
need help (maybe more than ever) in perfecting the complex skills of
information literacy, but SLMSs have to combine our traditional
understanding of information systems with continuously updated technical
skills and prove the relevance of the services we offer.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dr. Kathy T. Brock, Director
Curriculum & Instructional Technology           Home Address:
Douglas County Schools                          P. O. Box 833
P. O. Box 1077                                  Temple, Georgia 30179
Douglasville, Georgia 30133
                                                Home Phone:  770-537-4960
Work Phone:  770-920-4069
Work Fax:    770-920-4027

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