finding info on the Web

[Ilene Frank (REF)]

Rebecca, I have a story for you (and other readers.) I met up with a very
helpful HELP-NET participant last year.  After watching him answer lots of
questions for others, he finally asked for the group for help concerning a
research paper of his own.  The stuff HAD to be at his library - which
turned out to be at the University of New Mexico(!!!!  See Rebecca's
address below) 

After some email interchanges and me telnetting to UNM to
check out my hunch - lo and behold - everything he needed was right down
the street!  It turned out he had NO IDEA there were so many cool
resources at his home institution.  I've been doing long-distance
reference service with him ever since.  And he's become a great fan of
libraries.  Do you want him?  He's finishing up a 20 page paper for a 
german history class this week.

The moral of the story?  Sometimes people act on their own because they 
haven't got a clue?  

Ilene Frank, ifrank at lib.usf.edu
Tampa Campus Library, Reference Dept.
University of South Florida
      
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On Tue, 5 Dec 1995, Rebecca Bauerschmidt wrote:

> On Mon, 4 Dec 1995 TravLib1 at aol.com wrote:
> > I recently attended a 2-day workshop sponsored by Ameritech on the Web. One
> > of the presenters related the time he was trying to find the cititation of a
> > certain poem. He posted the question to the Web (site unknown), and, within
> > an hour he had his citiation.
> > 
> > I was not too shy to suggest that if he had called his local public library,
>                                               ******
> > he could have had that answer within a few minutes, or less.
> > 
> > Ever heard of Granger's (and *not* the one on-line).
> > The Web's a miraculous place. However ...
> > Use what's best and what's quickest. This is our job.
> 
> Not always.  I feel it is also our job to empower our clientele and let
> them know the myriad of options they have.  If one option doesn't pan out
> try another. 
> 
> Perhaps the individuals are working when the library is closed or when the
> reference desk is not available. Thankfully most/many Internet sources
> don't have a closed sign hanging on the door.  Patrons may prefer to find
> the answer without direct (human) assistance from others in the comfort of 
> their home or office.  If it takes an hour or a day that is okay.
> 
> I previously worked for our campus computing center help desk, and I now
> work for our library.  As a help desk person, we were always amazed how
> many people would call when they could easily find the information they
> needed locally if they were only willing to look. With three phone lines
> coming in, most of them busy, we felt it important to teach people how to
> help themselves especially when a human is not available to assist.
> 
> Please do not condone someone trying to find information in the best way
> they know how, but suggest other sources they may find helpful and convenient. 
> 
> Rebecca Bauerschmidt                            ...no matter where you go
> University of New Mexico General Library                there you are ...
> Library Technology Development Dept
> rebs at unm.edu           505/277-2587
>