Jonathan wrote:
"Maybe one reason we don't do that is because some people feel such
research threatens their jobs."
I feel that a more important reason that we don't fund or undertake this
kind of research is that most libraries are woefully underfunded (at
least in the United States.) Only a relatively small number of
academic libraries and the major federal libraries (LoC, NLM, etc.) can
afford to hire staff to do this kind of research. The agencies that
offer funding for special projects in the States and via the Federal
government tend to be funding programs that can be dispersed across many
institutions and municipalities (the better to show your
Senator/Congressman is working for you!)
It is no wonder that the Googleplex can do this kind of investigating.
They hire and pay for advances that can improve their methodologies and
bring in more returns. Not many libraries can say that, unfortunately.
Most campuses are expecting their libraries to do more with less, so the
classrooms can be staffed properly. Even most of the schools of library
and information science can't get involved in this research to the
extent needed to move forward. Is the Googleplex putting any of its
research monies into such schools? Probably not. I just don't know if
they are because I am too busy just trying to do what needs to get done
to have the time to really investigate what is going on in the wider
information world.
Vince Courtney
Received on Fri Aug 31 2007 - 10:32:56 EDT