> Ted wrote:
> Wikipedia stimulates my mind, so it's
> educational in a way. But I would never go to it for *authoritative*
> information on anything.
>
>>> >>So where would you go for Œauthoritativeı information?
>
> Iım so torn with this post, on the one hand I agree with some of it, and on
> the other I want to scream. I agree that librarians donıt need to ³own the
> web² - but we canıt bury our heads in the sand here.
>
> You mention a history professor complaining about students using Wikipedia for
> their research. We recently had a professor complain about students using
> JSTOR for their research. It lead them to use Œinappropriateı sources which
> they wouldnıt have found except for the existence of JSTOR. Iım sorry, but
> this seems like only a few steps away from telling students only to use
> Œapprovedı sources and this really is going to get us nowhere. There is an
> education issue to tackle here, not an information issue.
>
> I donıt know any librarians who think the web has replaced what we have done
> (there may be some, but I donıt know them) - but there are librarians who
> believe that the availability of digital information, and the ³wonderful
> technology² of the web requires us to examine what we do closely and consider
> how we might change our traditional practices to embrace the opportunities it
> offers.
>
> As a shameless plug, Iıve just posted a blog entry on a recent experience with
> Google Books at http://www.meanboyfriend.com/overdue_ideas/ - I donıt really
> claim any startling insight, and Iım sure others have done more detailed
> critiques of the service, but this was the first time Iıd used it in a real
> world situation, and by doing so, I felt I started to get a grip on what this
> kind of project means for libraries, and how we need to come up with a
> sensible way of blending traditional library practice with digital
> information.
>
> Owen
Owen Stephens
E-Strategy Co-ordinator
Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham
Surrey
TW20 0EX
Tel: 01784 443331
Email: owen.stephens_at_rhul.ac.uk
Received on Sat May 26 2007 - 08:43:10 EDT