The LibraryThing Blog turned up at #991 on the Bloglines Top 1000 RSS feeds today. “Movin’ on up… to the big time…”

Popularity: 75% [?]

Uncategorized | No Comments »

Would someone please tell me why the December 2007 issue of Searcher, which is supposed to be “the magazine for database professionals,” is writing about charity knitting and crocheting? Their Internet Express column, which is usually a helpful discussion and comparison of useful online resources, has resorted to “We Knit the World: Charity Knitting and Crocheting on the Web.” The column starts:

The concept of creating three dimensional objects out of loops of string, aka, knitting and crocheting, fascinates me.

Oy. No fascination here. Now compare that to the magazine’s self-ascribed description:

Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals is a unique publication that explores and deliberates on a comprehensive range of issues important to the professional database searcher. The magazine is targeted to experienced, knowledgeable searchers and combines evaluations of data content with discussions of delivery media. Searcher includes evaluated online news, searching tips and techniques, reviews of search aid software and database documentation, revealing interviews with leaders and entrepreneurs of the industry, and trenchant editorials. Whatever the experienced searcher needs to know to get the job done is covered in Searcher.

I think most reference librarians and professional searchers have little professional need to read about how to participate in a group afghan project. Maybe our good friends at Information Today will stick to the point next time.

Popularity: 79% [?]

Web | No Comments »

But without the jokes. So provide your own.

This is an episode of from a US Government film series on careers filmed at the Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) library in 1946. In the words of my wife, “Wow. This is really boring.”

Popularity: 76% [?]

Libraries | No Comments »

Citing Wikipedia is most certainly verboten in academic circles, but how many in academic circles are familiar with the citation managers cited, summarized, and compared in this Wikipedia article? I highly encourage their use — they save more time than you could imagine.

Includes a comparison of

• operating system support,
• Export file formats
• Import file formats
• Citation styles
• Citation file formats
• Word processor integration
• Database connectivity
• Password “protection” and network versions
• References
• External links

Thanks for the link, Montana Russ!

Popularity: 100% [?]

Research, Tech | 1 Comment »

Time management. But they are wrong. The ProQuest study says this, however, because:

When study participants were asked to identify which resource they preferred for academic research and course assignments, they overwhelmingly preferred library databases. However, students will opt for Google if they have difficulty navigating the library’s e-resources Web page, if they’re faced with multiple obscure links or “how-to guides,” or if they’re not aware of the library databases that pertain to their particular need.

Seems to me that the issue is not so much time management as a lack of information competency. Everyone thinks they are an expert searcher, and so of course they will indicate when asked that their biggest obstacle is just time rather than efficiency. “If only I had more time to look for articles.” If only students saw the need for further training in identifying, locating, and accessing articles thereby mining more time to digest and write.

The very end of the press release concerning this study gives some indication that my assessment may indeed be a bit closer to the mark:

Results of the ProQuest study have inspired toolkits specifically designed to help academic and public libraries better market their online resources, become more attuned to patron concerns and develop outreach strategies to assist their patrons throughout the research process

If time management were the issue, why not just distribute copies of David Allen’s Getting Things Done: the Art of Stress-Free Productivity to students rather than assisting libraries in marketing their training opportunities? Either way the study hardly appears to be all that revolutionary. You mean college students struggle with time management and information competency? Who knew? Students use Google? Really?

Popularity: 69% [?]

Libraries, Quotes, Research | 2 Comments »