At 06:32 AM 2/28/2006, you wrote:
>Good morning all.
>
>I'm surprised I haven't yet heard from other SLMS who took issue with
>Neal Conan's show last night on NPR's "Talk Of the Nation".
I sent the following email to TOTN this morning early:
I was very disappointed, not to say angered, by the one-sided
approach evidenced by the content of the Library segment on Monday's
program. No mention was made of the very valuable service libraries
and librarians provide in providing and guiding patrons to *accurate*
information. It is very true that individuals can search the
internet from home, but when one walks into a reference section of a
library, one has a reasonable expectation that the information there
is current and accurate, because someone (a professional librarian)
has selected and evaluated the source before placing it on the
shelves. NO such assumption exists on the internet. ANY clown with
a few dollars and a computer can put up anything they like on the
internet and make it look slick and convincing. Yet the vital role
of evaluation of sources was never mentioned in your segment.
Further, libraries have always served as social 'levelers' by
providng free access to information to all comers. Traditionally,
this has been of greatest benefit to those with the fewest monetary
resources. The internet is widely available, but only to those with
access to a computer and dial-up or broadband connections; things not
likely to be available to those at the lowest levels of the economy.
The local public or school library becomes their only access to the
internet, as well as being their entry to the print information often
not available on the internet.
Several of your called expressed frustration with results of
searches on the internet and even commercial databases. Librarians
long ago embraced and daily exploit sophisticated search techniques
to answer patrons' reference questions and to teach patrons to
effectively use reference sources, both print and electronic.
Libraries serve many functions in a community, far too many to list
here; they go far beyond mere access to electronic information
sources. Very few of those were touched on by your guest and
comments. I urge you to schedule a follow-up segment on this topic,
and this time, ask a professional librarian to be a guest and listen
carefully to the points they bring up.
Thank you for your time. I DO enjoy the program, but I think you
seriously missed the mark with this segment."
I will let the list know if I receive a reply."
Mark Williams
Consulting Librarian
Professional Services for Conferences, Districts, Workshops
markwilliams@makaw.net
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