Consciousness of disinformation

[Robert Kudlay]

We're well aware of the issue regarding reliability of Net-info.  The issue
is introduced during our instruction sessions (where the Web is demoed),
and we seem not to have a scarcity of examples.  By coincidence, one of our
first Web class for freshman English students last year occurred at the
very time Pierre Salinger was in the headlines regarding missiles shotting
down our commerical aircraft.  Our class question was:  "Do you want to
become an intelligent user of information or do you want to become Pierre
Salinger?"

We have little on-the-floor control over patron access to Web sites or
their evaluation.  Most of our work along these lines has been in classes.

We also (amongst ourselves in Reference) disagree as to the appropriate or
best course of action -- although we all agree it is an important issue.
One way to handle it is campus development of subject web sites.  If these
are well done, and students (or the public in public libraries) use them,
they learn by example.  And, as long as they know they can rely on us (and
our local web team) to provide relevant and comfortable access to
information on the web, they will use our sites in the future.

But then -- well, there's everything else out there and I once even
respected Pierre Salinger (though that was quite some time ago).

Bob Kudlay
rkudlay at spfldcol.edu
Babson Library, Springfield College, Springfield, MA
413-748-3096
FAX:  413-748-3315