Academics are constantly fighting the belief that information found anywhere on the web is equal to finding information from another more respected source. Here is an example of the problems that surface through the dissemination of information through modern technology such as blogs.
Back in August I heard that Coca-Cola was producing a specialty can with Muslim symbols on it in recognition of the Muslim holiday Ramadan. You can imagine that just that particular statement might cause an uproar among Conservative Christians and Right Wing bloggers. And sure enough, bloggers were spreading this information around but none of them were getting the full story. It turns out, according to this article, that the can will be sold and marketed exclusively to Muslim countries and regions and not the United States. So instead of the sky is falling conspiracy theorist sparking fear in the nation's gullible the truth lies in researching the facts. Through blogs a half-truth is proliferated but through the power of the web the truth can be discovered and verified.
The questions remains, who thinks critically enough to take that next step to identify the facts? In most cases, we take things for face value and move to something else. Again, the instant nature of blogs and web news leaves little time and space for discovering the truth. Is this a field that librarians could assist in? The verification and proofing of web information? A daunting task I know but one that is sorely needed and best suited for information professionals.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Librarian on Location: Live Blogging 10-1-08
2:20 p.m. - First live blog of the semester. Here are the things that have changed with our Librarian on Location program.
1. I am only going out at scheduled times (usually about twice a month)instead of every week. Reason: The school calendar and my personal schedule wasn't going to allow me to be consistent on a weekly basis. Also see reasons below.
2. Our locations have been trimmed to three. Reason: We determined that our presence at campus social settings were an encroachment and largely ignored by the students. When I went to more academic settings I was more well received. So this semester I will be going to the International Department (where I am now), a Soda Shoppe in a busy classroom area, and a location in the Science building that gets heavy traffic. The limited number of locations means it would be overkill to return to them every week.
3. The presence of a Writing Center representative. Reason: I broached the idea to the Writing Center director about the WC helping me out at the end of the semester when the research paper crunch starts to hit. A student worker came with me to my first stop. I don't know where he is today.
2:37 p.m. - My university has more than 400 international students, which is a huge number for a private Christian university. Their numbers grow each semester. There is huge potential for a quality library relation with the international students but there are also some complexities that prevent a current dynamic connection.
2:43 p.m. - It may be ironic that I am over in the international office because the largest clientele in our library comes from the international students. I could just have gone to the second floor of our library and seen more international students than the numbers I have seen thus far. But that would defeat the mission behind Librarian on Location.
1. I am only going out at scheduled times (usually about twice a month)instead of every week. Reason: The school calendar and my personal schedule wasn't going to allow me to be consistent on a weekly basis. Also see reasons below.
2. Our locations have been trimmed to three. Reason: We determined that our presence at campus social settings were an encroachment and largely ignored by the students. When I went to more academic settings I was more well received. So this semester I will be going to the International Department (where I am now), a Soda Shoppe in a busy classroom area, and a location in the Science building that gets heavy traffic. The limited number of locations means it would be overkill to return to them every week.
3. The presence of a Writing Center representative. Reason: I broached the idea to the Writing Center director about the WC helping me out at the end of the semester when the research paper crunch starts to hit. A student worker came with me to my first stop. I don't know where he is today.
2:37 p.m. - My university has more than 400 international students, which is a huge number for a private Christian university. Their numbers grow each semester. There is huge potential for a quality library relation with the international students but there are also some complexities that prevent a current dynamic connection.
2:43 p.m. - It may be ironic that I am over in the international office because the largest clientele in our library comes from the international students. I could just have gone to the second floor of our library and seen more international students than the numbers I have seen thus far. But that would defeat the mission behind Librarian on Location.
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