Reading Report #4

In summary, the article “The Infodiet: How Libraries Can Offer an Appetizing Alternative to Google” addresses the competition between Google and library databases. The author, Steven Bell, presents his opinion that the library, faculty, and database companies should be working together to help fix this issue by “Google-izing” databases. To do so, he believes that faculty members can contribute by requiring their students to use the databases somehow within the class. Also, the faculty members themselves should become database-literate. The database companies can help easily by formulating ways to simplify the search engines within the database. Therefore, the database would be similar to Google in the way it searched, but would produce the scholarly works that are exclusive to databases. In addition, libraries can play a role by helping to educate students about information literacy. Bell uses two specific examples of actions that are already being taken to simplify databases, RedLightGreen and ProQuest. However, he still recognizes that many people have the opposite opinion. This being that research should not come easy and databases should not be simplified.  Bell ends on a strong point by restating that the key to this issue is working together.

I feel that Steven Bell is on the right track. Being a student myself, I understand how most students prefer simplified Google over complicated databases. However after being in this class, I definitely feel that it is important to help educate students on the differences between Google and databases. If students were more educated on this, I feel that they would be more inclined to conquer the databases for the scholarly works that they have within them. I know that after my education on the differences, I am more attracted to library databases for research than Google. Also, I feel that if faculty took more steps to require usage of databases this would contribute majorly. In addition, I agree that database companies should also be looking for ways to make the search engines within databases more simplified. I honestly believe that if everyone worked together, like Steven Bell said, there would be a significant increase in the amount of people using the library databases over Google.

Reading Report #3

               In the article “Why the Next Big Pop-Culture Wave after Cupcakes Might Be Libraries,” the author defends her viewpoint that libraries will soon be the next pop-culture wave and ever have its very own television show of some sort. She has six main points to justify her thoughts. The first of these is that libraries get in fights. She supports this with the recent story of the Chicago’s Public Library Commissioner openly clashing with the local news because they questioned whether libraries were necessary. Next, the author points out that librarians are smart, libraries support going green, and libraries give you things for free. Her fifth supporting point is the fact that being open to the public will bring drama into libraries. The elevated level of goodwill that libraries bring with them served as her final point backing her claim. The author truly believes that libraries should be prepared for a big pop-culture breakthrough.

                After reading this article, I have to admit I found it extremely amusing. I would have never personally thought of libraries somehow being incorporated into television. However, the author of this article makes a particularly decent argument. I now feel that a television show regarding libraries, in some manner, would be enjoyable. I agree and believe it definitely has the ability to be the next pop-culture wave.

                In summary, the article “The ‘Library of the Future’ Begins to Emerge” expands upon the evolution and changing roles for libraries with our time. It is predicted that libraries will completely develop into a place of community and gathering. Specifically, computer classes, Wii stations, musical performances, and information kiosks are some of the changes that are expected to be implemented. As this has become the Internet age, libraries seem to be almost required to change or reinvent themselves. Some feel that this will necessitate librarians to increase their level of knowledge in various ways, such as: figuring out complicated searches for information, becoming comfortable in real and virtual worlds, etc. These advances even involve online branches. Most importantly, the library itself will have to be completely remodeled. Some libraries have already taken on this task, including the Santa Clara County Library.

                I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article. To me, it is so interesting to see how the library is evolving as our times are changing. We are definitely in an Internet Age. However, I feel that libraries are one of the most important things that we want to keep with our civilization. To do this, the libraries have to pretty much continue to reinvent themselves with changing times. I am glad to see that this is the direction libraries are planning on taking. I honestly believe that this will be extremely successful and serve to make the libraries even more popular than they have ever been before. This could tie into the first article and the author’s prediction of a pop-culture wave for libraries. I definitely feel that libraries popularity will increase with the changes that are being introduced.