+ Page 31 + ----------------------------------------------------------------- Public-Access Provocations: An Informal Column ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Crawford, Walt. "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back." The Public- Access Computer Systems Review 3, no. 5 (1992): 31-32. To retrieve this article, send the following e-mail message to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU: GET CRAWFORD PRV3N5 F=MAIL. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Progress in public access doesn't come smoothly or uniformly. If you can actually take two steps forward (through a change for the better) and only one step back (because something gets misplaced along the way), you're doing pretty well. Two steps forward: My local branch library now has a decent CD-ROM periodical index on a neat little PC workstation (with, presumably, a hidden Pioneer minichanger CD-ROM drive), replacing the clunkier Magazine Index on roll fiche, which replaced . . . well, no up-to-date periodical index at all. One step back: For simple searches, Magazine Index was significantly faster, and somewhat easier to use. That's a half- step. The other half-step: the menus for the CD-ROM system make it all too easy to escape to the C:/ prompt, particularly if you just want to return to the opening screen. There's no C:/ prompt (with its opening for deviltry) on a roll fiche reader. (Yes, I know an experienced PC hand could trap that escape to the C:/ prompt. This is a small branch library. Where do they find experienced PC hands?) Two steps forward: Library users at colleges and some public libraries will soon be able to go beyond their local online catalogs to see what else is available in hundreds of libraries, all in a single search, all at a controlled price, while using their own library-wide or campus-wide network and using an increasingly familiar search syntax. One step back: The user interface for such extended access will be character-based and probably rely on VT100 emulation, so that it can be used in the real world across a wild variety of local equipment. Two steps forward: Computers are getting powerful enough to provide fast searching for enormously large databases. One step back: We still don't know how to balance precision and recall, and to provide good access while retaining user control. What we need to watch out for is the "crazy dance" of the John Sebastian song, "one step forward, two steps back." + Page 32 + One step forward: Providing enough ready-reference tools on CD-ROM (etc.) so that experienced library users can do some of their own reference work (albeit probably more slowly and less effectively than if reference librarians were helping). Two steps back: Taking away front-line reference librarians and assuming that "disintermediation" is inherently a good thing. One example is enough. There are others, but you get the point. Just a plea to recognize that almost every big improvement in public access comes at some price, and to see that the price doesn't outweigh the improvement. About the Author Walt Crawford, The Research Libraries Group, Inc., 1200 Villa Street, Mountain View CA 94041-1100. BITNET: BR.WCC@RLG. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Public-Access Computer Systems Review is an electronic journal that is distributed on BITNET, Internet, and other computer networks. There is no subscription fee. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to LISTSERV@UHUPVM1 (BITNET) or LISTSERV@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU (Internet) that says: SUBSCRIBE PACS-P First Name Last Name. PACS-P subscribers also receive two electronic newsletters: Current Cites and Public- Access Computer Systems News. This article is Copyright (C) 1992 by Walt Crawford. All Rights Reserved. The Public-Access Computer Systems Review is Copyright (C) 1992 by the University Libraries, University of Houston. All Rights Reserved. Copying is permitted for noncommercial use by computer conferences, individual scholars, and libraries. Libraries are authorized to add the journal to their collection, in electronic or printed form, at no charge. This message must appear on all copied material. All commercial use requires permission. -----------------------------------------------------------------