Comments on: Reference Question of the Week – 1/22/12 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2012/01/28/reference-question-of-the-week-12212/ or, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Fear and Loathing at a Public Library Reference Desk Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:54:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Brian Herzog http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2012/01/28/reference-question-of-the-week-12212/#comment-5771 Brian Herzog Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:23:41 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=2932#comment-5771 @Winifred: good point, I hadn’t considered that. But I would consider Planned Parenthood’s annual report authoritative and reliable – I know they’re not a publicly-traded for-profit corporation, so their report might not be a legal document, but because of the type of services they provide, I’m confident the numbers are scrutinized and any inaccuracy would be spotted and called out. If the patron had been looking for general numbers on abortions or adoptions nation-wide I would have found other sources, but since she was specifically looking for Planned Parenthood’s record, I felt comfortable leaving it at this.

And I’m happy to introduce you and @Allison to Wolfram|Alpha – it is a neat tool, once you get the hang of it.

]]> By: Winifred http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2012/01/28/reference-question-of-the-week-12212/#comment-5764 Winifred Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:45:52 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=2932#comment-5764 I really look forward to your posts – I learn something from almost every one. But this Wolfram Alpha may top it – how I missed that one in 2009 I don’t know – it’s amazing! I can’t wait to jump in when I have a free moment.

About the Planned Parenthood question – since this is such a controversial subject and one of the big players in the controversy is PP – I would feel more comfortable also providing a number from the opposite camp as well and/or something from a govt source. What are your thoughts on this?

]]> By: Allison http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2012/01/28/reference-question-of-the-week-12212/#comment-5751 Allison Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:18:37 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=2932#comment-5751 Kudos to you for doing math for a patron! I am terrible at math, so I’m really glad to know about WolframAlpha. Thanks for the tip!

]]> By: Krista http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2012/01/28/reference-question-of-the-week-12212/#comment-5739 Krista Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:05:47 +0000 http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/?p=2932#comment-5739 Very interesting – as a librarian and as a mother through adoption.

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