blog #5

I have found that the readings in our textbook have been helpful and I have been able to visit a lot of the databases that are listed in each chapter. My favorite is the C.I.A.site that gives information about all the countries in the world. I actually had a chance to recommend it to a patron and I think that it is great that it has a kids page. I think that one of the most important trends that I have seen in the past five years or so is that so many of the databases have become more and more expensive and specialized. I always try to find free information for our patrons when I can, but sometimes you get what you pay for. The saying used to be "knowledge is power" now it is more like "information is profit". One of the most important aspects and strengths of the public library is that it provides everyone with information and is accessible to everyone. We are losing that as more and more information becomes a paid commodity. I also would like to respond to the  question of reliability of the sources we use. One of the most important things we need to do as library workers is to make sure that we give reliable information to our patrons. We really have an ethical responsibility to do so. I never used blogs and so I can't recommend any for finding out whether a source is reliable. I think that too much has been made of the supposed credibility gap with free sites like Wikipedia. Some of the stories are nothing more than urban legends. For myself I rely on the tried and true sources. I don't have the time to evaluate sources, and I don't have the time to sample all of the free trial periods that they offer.
  I am a member of ALA and CLA and read the periodical that these organizations publish. I also read Choice and Library Journal and both of these publish lists as well as evaluate reference sources. I think that these are independent sources for reviews and we rely on them for making decisions for purchasing materials.
I would also like to reiterate the value of print sources. I know that electronic sources may seem faster, but there are a lot of patrons who don't have access to smart phones and computers. There is definitely a digital divide in our communities and in our schools. It is critical that libraries help patrons who cannot access online or electronic sources. A good selection of both online and print materials and a trained staff is a great combination for a public library. Finally public library cannot always afford all of the databases that a college can. If only a few people use the database it may not be something that the library should acquire no matter how up to date it might be, and opt for something just as good but cheaper