Comments on: Reference Question of the Week - 7/19/09 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2009/07/25/reference-question-of-the-week-71909 or, The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fear and Loathing at a Public Library Reference Desk Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:33:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Brian Herzog http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2009/07/25/reference-question-of-the-week-71909#comment-52352 Brian Herzog Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:12:00 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=733#comment-52352 @Phillip: I didn't mean to imply the inherent inferiority of any resource. All resource have pros and cons. In this case, I picked a print dictionary, because it was closer at hand than a computer - which would have still been true if it had been an in-person question. Plus, I like using print resources. I continue to use as wide an array of resources as possible, because they are all just individual tools available for reference. Different situations call for different approaches, and I think that will still be true in 2010. @Phillip: I didn’t mean to imply the inherent inferiority of any resource. All resource have pros and cons. In this case, I picked a print dictionary, because it was closer at hand than a computer - which would have still been true if it had been an in-person question. Plus, I like using print resources.

I continue to use as wide an array of resources as possible, because they are all just individual tools available for reference. Different situations call for different approaches, and I think that will still be true in 2010.

]]> By: Phillip Kwik http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2009/07/25/reference-question-of-the-week-71909#comment-52347 Phillip Kwik Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:34:38 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=733#comment-52347 Why wouldn't you have started with the Internet on this question? I would have. And what do you mean, "since he was on the phone, he never knew the difference." If the patron was in front of you, would you have not used the Internet, pretending it to be inferior, and instead used a print source? It's 2010. The Internet is reference. Why wouldn’t you have started with the Internet on this question? I would have.

And what do you mean, “since he was on the phone, he never knew the difference.” If the patron was in front of you, would you have not used the Internet, pretending it to be inferior, and instead used a print source?

It’s 2010. The Internet is reference.

]]> By: Lauren F. http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2009/07/25/reference-question-of-the-week-71909#comment-52271 Lauren F. Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:13:20 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=733#comment-52271 Those are the tricky ones to find--the upside-down books and the books with actual mold growing on them are easy, but those books missing pages from the middle don't usually get found until someone actually uses the book. I've had that happen to me twice, both times with fiction books. Those are the tricky ones to find–the upside-down books and the books with actual mold growing on them are easy, but those books missing pages from the middle don’t usually get found until someone actually uses the book. I’ve had that happen to me twice, both times with fiction books.

]]> By: Arthur Bicknell http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2009/07/25/reference-question-of-the-week-71909#comment-52270 Arthur Bicknell Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:58:51 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=733#comment-52270 We're sorry to hear you received a defective copy of the Collegiate Dictionary. Occasionally there can be errors in the printing process that may result in missing pages. If you have not already contacted us directly about the problem, please email me, abicknell, at Merriam-Webster.com. We’re sorry to hear you received a defective copy of the Collegiate Dictionary. Occasionally there can be errors in the printing process that may result in missing pages. If you have not already contacted us directly about the problem, please email me, abicknell, at Merriam-Webster.com.

]]> By: Hope Rider http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2009/07/25/reference-question-of-the-week-71909#comment-52268 Hope Rider Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:44:38 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=733#comment-52268 After reading this post, I had to run and check our copy of the same edition. Thank goodness ours has all its pages! After reading this post, I had to run and check our copy of the same edition. Thank goodness ours has all its pages!

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