Wading into investigative research
In addition to the previous post on the "Backgrounding People" session at IRE 2004, I also attended and took notes on the following sessions (the notes are in pretty raw form, but I hope they're useful even if not aesthetically pleasing):
Backgrounding Businesses
Unlocking the Invisible Web
At the level of specificity of resources, it was pretty new to me ... not so much to some of my co-workers, although everyone who went seemed to get something useful out of the conference.
One of the things I talked about with a co-worker was the incentive (or disincentive) to add new tools. Because as cool as it is to find out about new stuff and astound and amaze your users with the information you're able to provide them ... the first question you ask yourself when learning about a new tool/interface/database/etc. is, "What's in it for me?" I know librarians are supposed to be very neophilic and early adopting and like, but truth be told: change can be wiggy. Moreover, it can be a bit of a bother. And when I find out about the next Big Thing, I'm going to try it if:
- it adequately (or exceedingly) replaces something that has stopped working for me
- my boss is making me use it
- I really think it's the neatest thing since chocolate souffle
And while I don't believe that most librarians are as change-averse as yours truly, I wonder if these sorts of sessions/articles/presentations/etc. leave them anywhere near as boggled as I am. I mean, I am excited. But still a bit boggled. If I remember one or two tools and am able to integrate them successfully, I feel like I've accomplished something.
Am I a latent neo-Luddite or does anyone else feel this way?
Comments
I feel that way. I think it's a waste of my time and often money to learn or acquire everything under the sun that comes my way. I don't need to be right on the bleeding edge to do a good job, and my patrons would be continually annoyed if I attempted it.
Thanks for taking notes at IRE, they're a great help to those of us that can't attend.
Posted by: Fiona | June 21, 2004 09:49 PM
Well, at least I'm not alone. :>
I don't necessarily think that things should change in terms of conference presentations, since everyone is going to have pretty different "yowza!" moments, except for the broadest of tools. So it makes sense of presenters to throw their entire toolbox at the audience in hopes that each person walks away with at least one new shiny geegaw.
Posted by: misseli | June 22, 2004 09:32 PM