------=_Part_82368_1688206416.1272552331994-- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:07:50 +0000 Reply-To: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> Sender: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> From: "Latrobe, Kathy H." <[log in to unmask]> Subject: University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies -- New Director Appointed Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="_000_EF2D950D61B0C543BD12D3223F5A13C00626CF51ITATHENAsoonern_" MIME-Version: 1.0 --_000_EF2D950D61B0C543BD12D3223F5A13C00626CF51ITATHENAsoonern_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies announ= ces the appointment of Dr. Cecelia Brown as Director of the School, effecti= ve August 1. Dr. Brown joined the faculty of the School of Library and Inf= ormation Studies in 2001, having served as Assistant Professor within the O= U University Libraries faculty. Within the School she earned the rank of A= ssociate Professor in 2003 and the rank of Professor in 2007. Holding a Ph.D. in Nutritional Science (University of Illinois, Urbana-Cham= paign, IL, 1988) and a Master of Library and Information Studies (Universit= y of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 1996), Dr. Brown has experience working closely with individuals and groups in a w= ide range of fields. She has been a co-PI in National Science Foundation f= unded interdisciplinary projects and served as OU's Faculty Senate Chair in= 2008-09. In 2009-2010, she has been a Visiting Scholar at the University o= f Washington's iSchool. In describing the context of the field, she has noted, "Our globalized soci= ety demands that SLIS graduates be effective managers of library and inform= ation centers who are equipped to anticipate and effect change. To meet thi= s goal, it is critical to promote a dynamic synergy between education, rese= arch, and service to the profession within the faculties of library and inf= ormation studies." After completing a national search, the School looks forward to welcoming D= r. Brown back in her new position. --_000_EF2D950D61B0C543BD12D3223F5A13C00626CF51ITATHENAsoonern_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The University of Oklahoma School of Library and Inf= ormation Studies announces the appointment of Dr. Cecelia Brown as Director= of the School, effective August 1.  Dr. Brown joined the faculty of t= he School of Library and Information Studies in 2001, having served as Assistant Professor within the OU University Lib= raries faculty.  Within the School she earned the rank of Associate Pr= ofessor in 2003 and the rank of Professor in 2007. 

 

Holding a Ph.D. in Nutritional Science (University o= f Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 1988) and a Master of Library and Informa= tion Studies (University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 1996), 

Dr. Brown has experience working closely with indivi= duals and groups in a wide range of fields.  She has been a co-PI in N= ational Science Foundation funded interdisciplinary projects and served as = OU’s Faculty Senate Chair in 2008-09. In 2009-2010, she has been a Visiting Scholar at the University of Washington= ’s iSchool.

 

In describing the context of the field, she has note= d, “Our globalized society demands that SLIS graduates be effective m= anagers of library and information centers who are equipped to anticipate a= nd effect change. To meet this goal, it is critical to promote a dynamic synergy between education, research, and = service to the profession within the faculties of library and information s= tudies.” 

 

After completing a national search, the School looks= forward to welcoming Dr. Brown back in her new position.

 

 

--_000_EF2D950D61B0C543BD12D3223F5A13C00626CF51ITATHENAsoonern_-- ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:59:45 -0500 Reply-To: [log in to unmask] Sender: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> From: "Louise S.Robbins" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Where do libraries fit in the "information-seeking food chain"? (fwd) MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: multipart/mixed; boundary="Boundary_(ID_kPZH0EhilcdnZ0C8Gvv6eA)" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --Boundary_(ID_kPZH0EhilcdnZ0C8Gvv6eA) Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Content-disposition: inline Of course=2C two examples don=27t provide robust evidence=2C but a few y= ears ago=2C a Johns Hopkins researcher used a therapy on a patient that = proved fatal=2E The research existed that would have warned him not to u= se this therapy in this instance=2C but working without expert searching= assistance=2C he did not find it=2E It made the news at the time=2E = More personally=2C I was doing research at the Library of Congress and t= old the archivist what I was looking for and the purpose of my research=2E= She immediately pulled out and handed me a remarkable letter from Willi= am Carlos Williams=27s wife blaming Assistant Librarian of Congress Vern= er Clapp for a breakdown Williams suffered in about 1952-3=2E Williams=27= s biographer did not see that letter=2E = Could one do a dissertation today without interlibrary loan=3F Especiall= y if one is not at one of the major major universities=2E And how about the collection building and organizing that is also part o= f what librarians and archivists do=3F What about the social activists w= ho are tooled in the library=3F And the children who become readers=3F On 04/28/10=2C Laval Hunsucker =3Camoinsde=40YAHOO=2ECOM=3E wrote=3A =3E This is a very good and useful post of Bob=27s=2C in my opinion=2C = =3E and it largely rings true=2E=A0 ( The part about Powerpoint reminds = =3E me of a nice little film=2C =22How NOT To Use Powerpoint=22=2C = =3E of which some of you may be aware =3A=A0 = =3E http=3A//www=2Eyoutube=2Ecom/watch=3Fv=3D8BP2HlNmRJ4 (http=3A//www=2E= youtube=2Ecom/watch=3Fv=3D8BP2HlNmRJ4) =2E =3E As they say=2C =22In der Beschr=E4nkung zeigt sich der Meister=22=2E= ) =3E = =3E With respect to Bob=27s good question =3A=A0 = =3E = =3E =3E Why should we expect students and perhaps even faculty =3E =3E to follow a different principle for our area of concern=3F = =3E = =3E Here=27s something I=27ve been sort of wanting to ask=2C and I=27m = =3E not being facetious =3A=A0 = =3E = =3E Does any of you know a librarian who has ever actually = =3E come out and said the following=2C or something comparable=2C = =3E to a researcher=2C say an historian or =3E a geologist =3E or a social = =3E psychologist or a classicist or a microbiologist or a = =3E musicologist =3F =3A=A0 = =3E = =3E =22Prof=2E A=2C I have carefully read through your recent article=2C= = =3E X=2C in The International Journal of Y=2C and=2C I want to tell you=2C= = =3E it can clearly be shown that this article would have made a = =3E more significant contribution to the field =5B or avoided such- =3E and-such a shortcoming=2C etc=2E =5D if you had in the process of = =3E preparing it only consulted with a librarian=2C or had only = =3E previously followed a course of instruction by library staff = =3E on effective literature searching in the databases which the = =3E library has licensed and made available to the university = =3E community=2E=22=A0 Or suchlike=2E =3E = =3E Follow-up question =3A=A0 does any of you know of an actual = =3E case in which=2C though no one may have pointed this out to = =3E the researcher involved=2C such an assertion by the librarian = =3E could more or less objectively have been demonstrated =3E = =3E to =3E be correct =3F=A0 = =3E = =3E Last question =3A=A0 Is anyone here in a position to produce = =3E valid and reliable evidence that=2C in any academic field of = =3E his/her choice=2C the state of knowledge at the moment ( in = =3E history or geology or social psychology or classics or = =3E microbiology or musicology or anthropology or whatever = =3E you like ) is less advanced=2C or the achievements to date = =3E less impressive=2C than they might have been=2C namely = =3E because its specialists have made insufficient use of = =3E librarians=2C librarians=27 methods=2C or recommended library = =3E resources =3F = =3E = =3E OK -- forget maybe about a cause-and-effect relationship=2C = =3E if you like=2E What about even statistically valid evidence of = =3E a positive correlation =3F =3E = =3E One could put the same questions=2C mutatis mutandis=2C = =3E regarding the scholars=27/scientists=27 accomplishments as = =3E educators rather than for the moment as researchers=2C if = =3E one so desired=2E = =3E = =3E Why am I posing =3E these questions =3F=A0 Are they silly =3F Am I = =3E being much too overly simplistic =3F =3E = =3E *Can* librarians and other =22information professionals=22 = =3E render=2C empirically=2C their oft-heard claims and critiques = =3E credible =3F=A0 Convincing =3F=A0 Irrefutable =3F=A0 Have I missed = =3E something=2C and have they=2C in practice=2C accomplished = =3E such a task already =3F =3E = =3E I=27d really like to be steered toward some clear cases in = =3E point=2C should they exist=2E =3E = =3E You can also turn it around =3A=A0 Any obvious cases of googling = =3E scholars=27 ultimately screwing it up =3F=A0 Of a discipline that=27= s not = =3E as far as it could be=2C or is deteriorating=2C because of too much = =3E googling by its researchers =3F = =3E = =3E Isn=27t this kind of like where the rubber really hits the road =3F =3E = =3E So to repeat Bob=27s question quoted above =3A=A0 =22Why should we = =3E expect students and perhaps even faculty to follow a different = =3E principle for our area of concern=3F=22 Why =3E indeed =3F =3E = =3E If the real validity and value of our way of looking at things = =3E can be shown=2C in black and white as it were=2C with solid = =3E pragmatic evidence=2C will the outside world then not *have* = =3E to listen=2C and then to behave accordingly ( unless they = =3E genuinely *aren=27t* in their right minds ) =3F =3E = =3E If these *can=27t* be shown=2C should we then finally give up on = =3E all the lamentations and protestations and preaching to the = =3E choir that we=27ve been doing for as long as I can remember=2C = =3E and start expending our energy in a more meaningful = =3E ( productive=2C facilitating ) way =3F = =3E = =3E It was perhaps a fun game=2C but who needs it anymore =3F =3E = =3E Am I talking nonsense =3F=A0 =5B Don=27t answer that ! =3A-) =5D =3E = =3E = =3E - Laval Hunsucker =3E =A0 Breukelen=2C Nederland =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E From=3A =3E Bob Holley =3Caa3805=40WAYNE=2EEDU=3E =3E To=3A JESSE=40LISTSERV=2EUTK=2EEDU =3E Sent=3A Tue=2C April 27=2C 2010 1=3A04=3A38 AM =3E Subject=3A Re=3A Where do libraries fit in the =22information-seekin= g food chain=22=3F (fwd) =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E I would like to present the concept of =93it=92s good enough=94 to =3E meet my needs=2E My PowerPoint presentations are minimalistic=2E Wit= h a few hours =3E of free instruction=2C I would be able to present results that would= be dazzling =3E compared with what I do now=2E But I=92m always busy and have other = competing =3E priorities=2E The PowerPoint=92s that I do produce are =93good enoug= h=94 and don=92t get =3E me booted off the podium=2E =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E =A0 =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E As long as faculty accept and give reasonable grades to research =3E produced from a na=EFve use of Google and other =93easy=94 resources= =2C time stressed =3E and efficient students won=92t feel the need to develop more complex= information =3E seeking skills because what they are doing produces =93good enough=94= results=2E =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E =A0 =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E I=92m sure that most of us have areas in our life where we could =3E do much better with a bit of extra effort=2C but we don=92t bother b= ecause what we =3E are doing meets our needs=2E Why should we expect students and perha= ps even =3E faculty to follow a different principle for our area of concern=3F I= =92m sure that =3E we=92ve all been in situations where all we wanted to do was minimal= ly accomplish =3E a task and judged all the additional attempts to impart knowledge as= =3E frustrating for wasting our time on a topic where we didn=92t want t= o know more=2E =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E =A0 =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E Bob =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E =A0 =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E Robert P=2E Holley =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E Professor=2C School of Library =26 Information Science =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E Wayne State University =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E Detroit=2C MI 48202 =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E 1-888-497-8754=2C ext 705 (phone) =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E 313-577-7563 (fax) =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E aa3805=40wayne=2Eedu =3Caa3805=40wayne=2Eedu=3E (email) =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = =3E = -- = Louise S=2E Robbins Professor = School of Library and Information Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 North Park Street room 4253 Madison WI 53706 lsrobbin=40wisc=2Eedu Phone=3A 608-263-2955 Fax=3A 608-263-4849 --Boundary_(ID_kPZH0EhilcdnZ0C8Gvv6eA) Content-type: text/x-vcard; CHARSET=US-ASCII; name=lsrobbin.vcf Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Content-disposition: attachment; filename=lsrobbin.vcf Content-description: Card for "Louise S.Robbins" <[log in to unmask]> begin:vcard n:ROBBINS;LOUISE fn:LOUISE S ROBBINS tel;work:608-263-2955 tel;fax:608-263-4849 org:University of Wisconsin-Madison;School of Library and Information Studies adr:;;600 North Park Street, Room 4253;Madison;WI;53706;USA email;internet:[log in to unmask] title:Professor version:2.1 end:vcard --Boundary_(ID_kPZH0EhilcdnZ0C8Gvv6eA)-- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:48:59 -0400 Reply-To: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> Sender: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> From: Holly Willett <[log in to unmask]> Organization: Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028 Subject: Re: Where do libraries fit in the "information-seeking food chain"? (fwd) In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit To look at only one aspect of the field, there have been numerous correlational studies documenting a positive relationship between student achievement and the presence of well-supported school libraries and the presence of a school librarian who collaborates with teachers--regardless of the community's socioeconomic status. These studies are available on the Website of the Library Research Service in Colorado: http://www.lrs.org/school/ One can also connect with a few studies of academic and public libraries at the home page: http://www.lrs.org/index.php These studies may not provide definitive answers to Laval's excellent questions, but they do give us some worthwhile perspectives. Holly Willett Louise S.Robbins wrote: > Of course, two examples don't provide robust evidence, but a few years ago, a Johns Hopkins researcher used a therapy on a patient that proved fatal. The research existed that would have warned him not to use this therapy in this instance, but working without expert searching assistance, he did not find it. It made the news at the time. > > More personally, I was doing research at the Library of Congress and told the archivist what I was looking for and the purpose of my research. She immediately pulled out and handed me a remarkable letter from William Carlos Williams's wife blaming Assistant Librarian of Congress Verner Clapp for a breakdown Williams suffered in about 1952-3. Williams's biographer did not see that letter. > > Could one do a dissertation today without interlibrary loan? Especially if one is not at one of the major major universities. > And how about the collection building and organizing that is also part of what librarians and archivists do? What about the social activists who are tooled in the library? And the children who become readers? > > On 04/28/10, Laval Hunsucker <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > >> This is a very good and useful post of Bob's, in my opinion, >> and it largely rings true. ( The part about Powerpoint reminds >> me of a nice little film, "How NOT To Use Powerpoint", >> of which some of you may be aware : >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BP2HlNmRJ4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BP2HlNmRJ4) . >> As they say, "In der Beschränkung zeigt sich der Meister". ) >> >> With respect to Bob's good question : >> >> >>> Why should we expect students and perhaps even faculty >>> to follow a different principle for our area of concern? >>> >> Here's something I've been sort of wanting to ask, and I'm >> not being facetious : >> >> Does any of you know a librarian who has ever actually >> come out and said the following, or something comparable, >> to a researcher, say an historian or >> a geologist >> or a social >> psychologist or a classicist or a microbiologist or a >> musicologist ? : >> >> "Prof. A, I have carefully read through your recent article, >> X, in The International Journal of Y, and, I want to tell you, >> it can clearly be shown that this article would have made a >> more significant contribution to the field [ or avoided such- >> and-such a shortcoming, etc. ] if you had in the process of >> preparing it only consulted with a librarian, or had only >> previously followed a course of instruction by library staff >> on effective literature searching in the databases which the >> library has licensed and made available to the university >> community." Or suchlike. >> >> Follow-up question : does any of you know of an actual >> case in which, though no one may have pointed this out to >> the researcher involved, such an assertion by the librarian >> could more or less objectively have been demonstrated >> >> to >> be correct ? >> >> Last question : Is anyone here in a position to produce >> valid and reliable evidence that, in any academic field of >> his/her choice, the state of knowledge at the moment ( in >> history or geology or social psychology or classics or >> microbiology or musicology or anthropology or whatever >> you like ) is less advanced, or the achievements to date >> less impressive, than they might have been, namely >> because its specialists have made insufficient use of >> librarians, librarians' methods, or recommended library >> resources ? >> >> OK -- forget maybe about a cause-and-effect relationship, >> if you like. What about even statistically valid evidence of >> a positive correlation ? >> >> One could put the same questions, mutatis mutandis, >> regarding the scholars'/scientists' accomplishments as >> educators rather than for the moment as researchers, if >> one so desired. >> >> Why am I posing >> these questions ? Are they silly ? Am I >> being much too overly simplistic ? >> >> *Can* librarians and other "information professionals" >> render, empirically, their oft-heard claims and critiques >> credible ? Convincing ? Irrefutable ? Have I missed >> something, and have they, in practice, accomplished >> such a task already ? >> >> I'd really like to be steered toward some clear cases in >> point, should they exist. >> >> You can also turn it around : Any obvious cases of googling >> scholars' ultimately screwing it up ? Of a discipline that's not >> as far as it could be, or is deteriorating, because of too much >> googling by its researchers ? >> >> Isn't this kind of like where the rubber really hits the road ? >> >> So to repeat Bob's question quoted above : "Why should we >> expect students and perhaps even faculty to follow a different >> principle for our area of concern?" Why >> indeed ? >> >> If the real validity and value of our way of looking at things >> can be shown, in black and white as it were, with solid >> pragmatic evidence, will the outside world then not *have* >> to listen, and then to behave accordingly ( unless they >> genuinely *aren't* in their right minds ) ? >> >> If these *can't* be shown, should we then finally give up on >> all the lamentations and protestations and preaching to the >> choir that we've been doing for as long as I can remember, >> and start expending our energy in a more meaningful >> ( productive, facilitating ) way ? >> >> It was perhaps a fun game, but who needs it anymore ? >> >> Am I talking nonsense ? [ Don't answer that ! :-) ] >> >> >> - Laval Hunsucker >> Breukelen, Nederland >> >> >> >> >> From: >> Bob Holley <[log in to unmask]> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Sent: Tue, April 27, 2010 1:04:38 AM >> Subject: Re: Where do libraries fit in the "information-seeking food chain"? (fwd) >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> I would like to present the concept of “it’s good enough” to >> meet my needs. My PowerPoint presentations are minimalistic. With a few hours >> of free instruction, I would be able to present results that would be dazzling >> compared with what I do now. But I’m always busy and have other competing >> priorities. The PowerPoint’s that I do produce are “good enough” and don’t get >> me booted off the podium. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> As long as faculty accept and give reasonable grades to research >> produced from a naďve use of Google and other “easy” resources, time stressed >> and efficient students won’t feel the need to develop more complex information >> seeking skills because what they are doing produces “good enough” results. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> I’m sure that most of us have areas in our life where we could >> do much better with a bit of extra effort, but we don’t bother because what we >> are doing meets our needs. Why should we expect students and perhaps even >> faculty to follow a different principle for our area of concern? I’m sure that >> we’ve all been in situations where all we wanted to do was minimally accomplish >> a task and judged all the additional attempts to impart knowledge as >> frustrating for wasting our time on a topic where we didn’t want to know more. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Bob >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Robert P. Holley >> >> >> >> Professor, School of Library & Information Science >> >> >> >> Wayne State University >> >> >> >> Detroit, MI 48202 >> >> >> >> 1-888-497-8754, ext 705 (phone) >> >> >> >> 313-577-7563 (fax) >> >> >> >> [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> (email) >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:30:32 -0500 Reply-To: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> Sender: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> From: Catherine Arnott Smith <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Where do libraries fit in the "information-seeking food chain"? (fwd) X-To: [log in to unmask] In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-transfer-encoding: 8BIT Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed Louise S.Robbins wrote: > Of course, two examples don't provide robust evidence, but a few years ago, a Johns Hopkins researcher used a therapy on a patient that proved fatal. The research existed that would have warned him not to use this therapy in this instance, but working without expert searching assistance, he did not find it. It made the news at the time. > > The Johns Hopkins tragedy was a very, very big deal in medical library land -- slight correction, it was not a patient but a research subject who also happened to be a Hopkins employee. There were found to be numerous things wrong with the study, one of which was that the researcher did not realize PubMed would not (in 2001) give him articles from the 1950s. The Journal of Medical Ethics has a good summary article here: http://jme.bmj.com/content/28/1/3.full.html Hopkins maintained a website with very comprehensive documentation of the case and the subsequent reviews of the case and left it up for 5 years. It's gone now, but the Wayback Machine has it: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/researchvolunteerdeath.html People interested in the librarian-and-library-aspects of the case should visit the Wayback Machine. A quote from the Medical Ethics article: "There is a problem with researchers not bothering to properly research the literature and assuming that everything will be available on the internet. According to Dr Frederick Wolff, a professor emeritus at the George Washington School of Medicine, it was “foolish” and “lazy” that the investigator and the Hopkins review board failed to look up the 1950s medical journal articles warning of lung damage caused by inhaling hexamethonium. “Anyone trained in academic medicine knows how to do this research,” he said^." ^ -- Catherine Arnott Smith, PhD Assistant Professor School of Library and Information Studies Room 4263 Helen C. White Hall 600 N. Park Street, Madison, WI 53706 Phone: (608) 890-1334 Fax: (608) 263-4849 My personal website: https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/casmith24/web/ *** The machine does not isolate us from the great problems of nature but plunges us more deeply into them.(Antoine de Saint-Exupery) *** Music is neither old nor modern: it is either good or bad music, and the date at which it was written has no significance whatever. (Peter Warlock - The Sackbut - 1926) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:16:53 -0700 Reply-To: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> Sender: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> From: Laval Hunsucker <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Where do libraries fit in the "information-seeking food chain"? (fwd) In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Thanks very much to Louise ( and to Holly Willett as well ). How unfortunate that this particular JHU example, apparently, actually came down to a case of life and death. Can anyone refer to such ( potential ) evidence from outside the medical realm ? The archival example is also most interesting, but archival resources would seem to me to constitute a category apart. -Laval Hunsucker Breukelen, Nederland ----- Original Message ---- From: Louise S.Robbins <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Thu, April 29, 2010 3:59:45 AM Subject: Re: Where do libraries fit in the "information-seeking food chain"? (fwd) Of course, two examples don't provide robust evidence, but a few years ago, a Johns Hopkins researcher used a therapy on a patient that proved fatal. The research existed that would have warned him not to use this therapy in this instance, but working without expert searching assistance, he did not find it. It made the news at the time. More personally, I was doing research at the Library of Congress and told the archivist what I was looking for and the purpose of my research. She immediately pulled out and handed me a remarkable letter from William Carlos Williams's wife blaming Assistant Librarian of Congress Verner Clapp for a breakdown Williams suffered in about 1952-3. Williams's biographer did not see that letter. Could one do a dissertation today without interlibrary loan? Especially if one is not at one of the major major universities. And how about the collection building and organizing that is also part of what librarians and archivists do? What about the social activists who are tooled in the library? And the children who become readers? On 04/28/10, Laval Hunsucker <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > This is a very good and useful post of Bob's, in my opinion, > and it largely rings true. ( The part about Powerpoint reminds > me of a nice little film, "How NOT To Use Powerpoint", > of which some of you may be aware : > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BP2HlNmRJ4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BP2HlNmRJ4) . > As they say, "In der Beschränkung zeigt sich der Meister". ) > > With respect to Bob's good question : > > > Why should we expect students and perhaps even faculty > > to follow a different principle for our area of concern? > > Here's something I've been sort of wanting to ask, and I'm > not being facetious : > > Does any of you know a librarian who has ever actually > come out and said the following, or something comparable, > to a researcher, say an historian or > a geologist > or a social > psychologist or a classicist or a microbiologist or a > musicologist ? : > > "Prof. A, I have carefully read through your recent article, > X, in The International Journal of Y, and, I want to tell you, > it can clearly be shown that this article would have made a > more significant contribution to the field [ or avoided such- > and-such a shortcoming, etc. ] if you had in the process of > preparing it only consulted with a librarian, or had only > previously followed a course of instruction by library staff > on effective literature searching in the databases which the > library has licensed and made available to the university > community." Or suchlike. > > Follow-up question : does any of you know of an actual > case in which, though no one may have pointed this out to > the researcher involved, such an assertion by the librarian > could more or less objectively have been demonstrated > > to > be correct ? > > Last question : Is anyone here in a position to produce > valid and reliable evidence that, in any academic field of > his/her choice, the state of knowledge at the moment ( in > history or geology or social psychology or classics or > microbiology or musicology or anthropology or whatever > you like ) is less advanced, or the achievements to date > less impressive, than they might have been, namely > because its specialists have made insufficient use of > librarians, librarians' methods, or recommended library > resources ? > > OK -- forget maybe about a cause-and-effect relationship, > if you like. What about even statistically valid evidence of > a positive correlation ? > > One could put the same questions, mutatis mutandis, > regarding the scholars'/scientists' accomplishments as > educators rather than for the moment as researchers, if > one so desired. > > Why am I posing > these questions ? Are they silly ? Am I > being much too overly simplistic ? > > *Can* librarians and other "information professionals" > render, empirically, their oft-heard claims and critiques > credible ? Convincing ? Irrefutable ? Have I missed > something, and have they, in practice, accomplished > such a task already ? > > I'd really like to be steered toward some clear cases in > point, should they exist. > > You can also turn it around : Any obvious cases of googling > scholars' ultimately screwing it up ? Of a discipline that's not > as far as it could be, or is deteriorating, because of too much > googling by its researchers ? > > Isn't this kind of like where the rubber really hits the road ? > > So to repeat Bob's question quoted above : "Why should we > expect students and perhaps even faculty to follow a different > principle for our area of concern?" Why > indeed ? > > If the real validity and value of our way of looking at things > can be shown, in black and white as it were, with solid > pragmatic evidence, will the outside world then not *have* > to listen, and then to behave accordingly ( unless they > genuinely *aren't* in their right minds ) ? > > If these *can't* be shown, should we then finally give up on > all the lamentations and protestations and preaching to the > choir that we've been doing for as long as I can remember, > and start expending our energy in a more meaningful > ( productive, facilitating ) way ? > > It was perhaps a fun game, but who needs it anymore ? > > Am I talking nonsense ? [ Don't answer that ! :-) ] > > > - Laval Hunsucker > Breukelen, Nederland > > > > > From: > Bob Holley <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Sent: Tue, April 27, 2010 1:04:38 AM > Subject: Re: Where do libraries fit in the "information-seeking food chain"? (fwd) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I would like to present the concept of “it’s good enough” to > meet my needs. My PowerPoint presentations are minimalistic. With a few hours > of free instruction, I would be able to present results that would be dazzling > compared with what I do now. But I’m always busy and have other competing > priorities. The PowerPoint’s that I do produce are “good enough” and don’t get > me booted off the podium. > > > > > > > > As long as faculty accept and give reasonable grades to research > produced from a naĂŻve use of Google and other “easy” resources, time stressed > and efficient students won’t feel the need to develop more complex information > seeking skills because what they are doing produces “good enough” results. > > > > > > > > I’m sure that most of us have areas in our life where we could > do much better with a bit of extra effort, but we don’t bother because what we > are doing meets our needs. Why should we expect students and perhaps even > faculty to follow a different principle for our area of concern? I’m sure that > we’ve all been in situations where all we wanted to do was minimally accomplish > a task and judged all the additional attempts to impart knowledge as > frustrating for wasting our time on a topic where we didn’t want to know more. > > > > > > > > Bob > > > > > > > > Robert P. Holley > > > > Professor, School of Library & Information Science > > > > Wayne State University > > > > Detroit, MI 48202 > > > > 1-888-497-8754, ext 705 (phone) > > > > 313-577-7563 (fax) > > > > [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> (email) > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- Louise S. Robbins Professor School of Library and Information Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 North Park Street room 4253 Madison WI 53706 [log in to unmask] Phone: 608-263-2955 Fax: 608-263-4849 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:21:09 -0500 Reply-To: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> Sender: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <[log in to unmask]> From: Alma E Dawson <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Project Recovery Scholarships available at Louisiana State University MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----_=_NextPart_001_01CAE8B4.15F80F09" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01CAE8B4.15F80F09 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The LSU School of Library and Information Science's Project Recovery = program is accepting applications for its second cohort of scholars to = begin the program in Fall 2010. Applicants must be out-of-state = students and want to attend full-time. The deadline is May 15, 2010. * * * In July 2009, the Louisiana State University School of Library and = Information Science was awarded a $763, 901 grant from the Institute of = Museum and Library Services, or IMLS, to recruit and educate 30 new = librarians for employment in southern Louisiana libraries that continue = to experience staffing shortages due to damage caused to communities by = Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. According to Dr. Alma Dawson, director of the "Project Recovery" program = at LSU, the grant is designed to be an active collaboration between the = LSU School of Library and Information Science and its partner libraries = and organizations. These include the State Library of Louisiana, the = New Orleans Public Library, Calcasieu Parish Public Library, Terrebonne = Parish Public Library, New Orleans Recovery School District, Algiers = Charter School Association, Jefferson Parish School System, and Southern = University at New Orleans. Students recruited under this initiative will receive IMLS-funded = scholarships to earn master's degrees in librarianship focusing = primarily on academic, public, and school libraries. As part of their = education and early-career development, the students will participate in = projects identified by partner libraries affected by the storms and will = benefit from mentoring and subsidized memberships in the Louisiana = Library Association and national professional organizations. The program includes a variety of experiential learning opportunites = including internships. The first group of students began their course = of study in the spring 2010 semester, and the second group will be = admitted for the fall 2010 semester. The grant extends from July 1, = 2009 through June 30, 2012. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of = federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. = In 2009, IMLS awarded $20.4 million to 33 insitutions through the Laura = Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. To learn more about "Project Recovery," contact Dr. Alma Dawson, project = director, at 225-578-1463 or e-mail [log in to unmask] To learn more about the LSU School of Library and Information Science, = visit http://slis.lsu.edu . ------_=_NextPart_001_01CAE8B4.15F80F09 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable draft of annoucement=0A= =0A= =0A= =0A=
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The LSU = School of Library and Information Science's Project = Recovery program is accepting applications for its second cohort of = scholars to begin the program in Fall 2010.  Applicants must be = out-of-state students and want to attend full-time.  The deadline = is May 15, 2010.

* * *
In July 2009, the Louisiana State = University School of Library and Information Science was awarded a $763, = 901 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, or IMLS, to = recruit and educate 30 new librarians for employment in southern = Louisiana libraries that continue to experience staffing shortages due = to damage caused to communities by Hurricanes Katrina and = Rita.

According to Dr. Alma Dawson, director of the "Project = Recovery" program at LSU, the grant is designed to be an active = collaboration between the LSU School of Library and Information Science = and its partner libraries and organizations.  These include the = State Library of Louisiana, the New Orleans Public Library, Calcasieu = Parish Public Library, Terrebonne Parish Public Library, New Orleans = Recovery School District, Algiers Charter School Association, Jefferson = Parish School System, and Southern University at New = Orleans.

Students recruited under this initiative will receive = IMLS-funded scholarships to earn master's degrees in librarianship = focusing primarily on academic, public, and school libraries.  As = part of their education and early-career development, the students will = participate in projects identified by partner libraries affected by the = storms and will benefit from mentoring and subsidized memberships in the = Louisiana Library Association and national professional = organizations.

The program includes a variety of experiential = learning opportunites including internships.  The first group of = students began their course of study in the spring 2010 semester, and = the second group will be admitted for the fall 2010 semester.  The = grant extends from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2012.

The = Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of = federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 = museums.  In 2009, IMLS awarded $20.4 million to 33 insitutions = through the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian = Program.

To learn more = about "Project Recovery," contact Dr. Alma Dawson, project director, at = 225-578-1463 or e-mail [log in to unmask]

To learn more = about the LSU School of Library and Information Science, visit http://slis.lsu.edu.

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