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Approved-By:  Diane Kovacs <DKOVACS@KENTVM.KENT.EDU>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.libref-l
Date:         Tue, 26 Jan 1993 18:10:02 EDT
Reply-To:     Larry Schankman
              <lschank%grits.valdosta.peachnet.edu@Kentvm.Kent.edu>
From:         Larry Schankman
              <lschank%grits.valdosta.peachnet.edu@Kentvm.Kent.edu>
Subject:      Re: Reference Use of the Internet
Comments: To: libref-l@kentvm.kent.edu

----------------------------Original message----------------------------


On Mon, 25 Jan 1993, Toni Katz wrote:

> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Internet is such an effective Reference tool.  My question is simply How
> do you achieve efficiency?

> ... I would have consulted CNN Transcripts or US Newswire on Nexis
  for Clinton's Inaugural Address if someone had requested  it on the same
  day it was delivered.

> How do I know what I'm searching when I decide (based
on what?) to use the  Internet to answer a Reference request?


These are very good questions and worthy of further discussion.  On the
first point, the obvious comment is: why spend the outrageous on-line
costs of Nexis or even CNN when it's available for free?  But then, you
are indeed correct: if you don't know where the stuff is, how can you find it?

This brings us to the second point, and consequently also brings us back
to what I've been whining about lately: here we go...

Unfortunately, there is as yet no one, easy and convenient source (such as
an electronic index that serves as a one-source finding aid -- at least
not that I'm aware of, except for the various listserv lists and
archie-type protocols) to find the timely material that we can use in
reference (such as the inaugural speech).

For this reason, the majority of us must spend a little time each day or
at least every other day, to search the net (gopher, archie, archives,
listservs, etc.) for items that just reach out and grab our attention.
The other day, for instance, I was perusing the net and voila, there was
the speech downloaded to my college's local users group.  Call it
serendipity or whatever, but the fact is, this required me to spend a
little time searching (not long, just 10-20 minutes).

Now, at some places, such use of time is frowned upon, as *just playing on
the computer* -- as if it were a video game.  The point is this: in order
to provide this kind of *real time* service to the public at the
reference desk, and at low cost, we must __invest__ our time in collecting
information (and here is a radical concept) ___BEFORE___ the question is
even asked.

Another complaint of mine is this: when I do prepare for such
questions ahead of time (example: during the campaign I xeroxed copies of
CQ Weekly's Platform statements and placed them at the desk for ready
reference) some librarian's express concern that we have too much *junk*
lying around (just one more thing to either catalog or remember where it's
kept -- as if information is an inconvenience).

So, my answer (and I admit, I am NOT an advanced Internet user) to the
second point (re: where to search) is simply that we, as information
professionals, should be encouraged (and perhaps expected) to keep abreast
of all possible files and data that is available for patrons and faculty.


Cordially,

Larry Schankman
Valdosta State College
Internet: lschank@grits.valdosta.peachnet.edu


P.S.  If you find any other good sources of information let me know, I'm
always searching for new sources for FTP or current awareness (and no, I
don't subscribe to countless lists -- just 4 as of now, and even that's
too much to keep track of).

Oh, a possible suggestion: perhaps each librarian (voluntarily, of course)
could subscribe to a different list and keep everyone else informed.
Assignments could correspond to liaison duties or special interests.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU