http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2008/11/22/reference-question-of-the-week-111609 or, The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fear and Loathing at a Public Library Reference Desk Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:25:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2008/11/22/reference-question-of-the-week-111609#comment-50879 Liz Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:30:05 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=489#comment-50879 JK, what you say may be true for some, but it sounds like you're assuming all reference work could be done electronically. There are quite a few people (not in our age group) who are uncomfortable using technology, don't have home access to it, or need help with it. Even if one could telephone NYC or Bangalore, there are still people who prefer (need?) a human being face-to-face to explain things and assist them. JK, what you say may be true for some, but it sounds like you’re assuming all reference work could be done electronically. There are quite a few people (not in our age group) who are uncomfortable using technology, don’t have home access to it, or need help with it. Even if one could telephone NYC or Bangalore, there are still people who prefer (need?) a human being face-to-face to explain things and assist them.

]]> http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2008/11/22/reference-question-of-the-week-111609#comment-50871 laura Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:45:24 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=489#comment-50871 Truly brilliant. Truly brilliant.

]]> http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2008/11/22/reference-question-of-the-week-111609#comment-50863 jk Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:30:41 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=489#comment-50863 The idea that because librarians do things that google can't means librarians are needed, misses the point. Google does enough most of the time for free. Gas pumpers, bank tellers, supermarket checkout clerks, elevator operators -- all did/do things of value. (1) It is simply vastly more efficient economically to encourage people to get by without them by using self-service. (2) Reference could be provided centrally (perhaps through remote connections to a large library e.g. New York Public or a facility in Bangalore) on a 24 hour basis for a lot less money. The idea that because librarians do things that google can’t means librarians are needed, misses the point. Google does enough most of the time for free. Gas pumpers, bank tellers, supermarket checkout clerks, elevator operators — all did/do things of value. (1) It is simply vastly more efficient economically to encourage people to get by without them by using self-service. (2) Reference could be provided centrally (perhaps through remote connections to a large library e.g. New York Public or a facility in Bangalore) on a 24 hour basis for a lot less money.

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