Re: Watson - IBM's "question-answering" machine (potential implications for libraries?)

From: Mark Huppert <Mark.Huppert_at_nyob>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:24:04 +1100
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Thomas

>   Do you have anything specific in mind?

The reason why young people "know it all", as the
cliche goes, is that they lack awareness of the scope of the 
universe. It doesn't end there of course - people don't know what
they don't know throughout life and grow humble as they keep
re-discovering it.

Technical types working in info services need to become aware 
of the world of knowledge creation and service provision.
The world beyond the algorithm and LCD screen. These may help:

-A required course in the history of libraries/publishing.
 You could remove the dreaded "L" word and extend it to cover 
 'History of Information Services Organizations'

-A lab component where the students get some experience,
 real or simulated, of serving end-users. I know - what 
 a concept!  You don't get this in IT school, except in 
 the context of business analysis. This would include
 some training in what we librarians quaintly call the
 "reference interview".  That too could be re-labelled of 
 course for the squeamish.

-A unit where students are required to think about the
 categorization and management of knowledge - go through some
 exercises and reading. Provenance, intellectual property,
 privacy, stratifying a subject area by the way the 
 knowledge is used - a proper philosopher - or cataloguer -
 will come up with better topics.




========================================
Mark Huppert
Library Systems and Web Coordinator
Division of Information
R.G. Menzies Building (#2)
The Australian National University
ACTON ACT 0200

T: +61 02 6125 2752
F: +61 02 6125 4063
W: http://anulib.anu.edu.au/about/

CRICOS Provider #00120C
========================================

 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries 
> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Thomas Krichel
> Sent: Saturday, 19 February 2011 1:42 PM
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Watson - IBM's "question-answering" 
> machine (potential implications for libraries?)
> 
> 
>   Mark Huppert writes
> 
> > The challenge is educate these new information services workers
> > in a new way - bring something of librarianship to system 
> > administrators and online education specialists.
> 
>   Do you have anything specific in mind?
> 
> 
>   Cheers,
> 
>   Thomas Krichel                    http://openlib.org/home/krichel
>                                 http://authorclaim.org/profile/pkr1
>                                                skype: thomaskrichel
> 
Received on Sun Feb 20 2011 - 19:25:54 EST