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

Hi Mark,

This sounds an awful lot like an MLS program (not a bad place to start!).
I'd add a course in an anthropological or sociological method of studying
human behavior and culture, with a project that requires some real study of
library users' behavior.

Have a good one,

Joe Montibello, MLIS
Library Systems Manager
Dartmouth College
603.646.9394
joseph.montibello_at_dartmouth.edu




-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Huppert [mailto:Mark.Huppert_at_ANU.EDU.AU] 
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 7:24 PM
Subject: Re: Watson - IBM's "question-answering" machine (potential
implications for libraries?)

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
>