On Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 9:31 PM, Cornel Darden Jr. <[log in to unmask]
> wrote:
>
> "Google can give you answers, but librarians give you the right answers."
>
> Is it me? Or is there something wrong with this statement?
>
There's nothing wrong with the statement. As is the case with all sound
bites, it should be used to stimulate thought rather than express reality.
Librarians have a schizophrenic relationship with Google. We dump on Google
all the time, but it's one of the tools librarians of all stripes rely on
the most. When we build things, we emulate Google's look, feel, and
functionality. And while we blast Google on privacy issues, human
librarians know a lot about what the individuals they serve use, why, and
how -- it is much easier to get anonymous help from Google than a librarian.
There are many animals in the information ecosystem, libraries and Google
being among them. Our origins and evolutionary path differ, and this
diversity is a good thing.
kyle
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