Computer/Software commercials

[Claudia Rebaza]

I agree that the commercial keeps us on our toes as far as public 
perceptions of our profession and institutions go.  However, let's not 
forget it is in Packard Bell's interest to make using a library seem 
completely awful since otherwise why would a consumer waste money on 
their product?  (Did anyone really worry whether or not their mouth was 
"baking soda clean" before some manufacturer decided to put out a baking 
soda mouthwash or toothpaste?)  Virtually no product is as necessary as 
an advertiser makes it seem, and its alternative is usually far cheaper.

There was a bigger problem pointed out by a commercial for some Microsoft
product or other where a woman needing to find out how many rooms are in the
Vatican miraculously discovers it by using their product.  (It made me laugh
out loud to see how she got an answer using "natural language."  I think
anyone who's used one of those natural language search engines in things like
the Britannica CD-ROM knows how far the promise is from the reality.)  
What I wondered is why she didn't just call her local librarian.  The 
fact that she (and possibly the viewer) didn't think of that solution is 
much more worrisome.  Has anyone ever seen a study showing how often 
members of the public think of contacting a library when they need a 
question answered?  At least PB shows the library as being an alternative 
to their product.
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                                Claudia Rebaza
                        Information Services Librarian
		Cook Library,  University of Southern Mississippi
     crebaza at ocean.st.usm.edu & http://ocean.st.usm.edu/~crebaza/index.html