[WEB4LIB] Future libraries

[David Merchant]

Thanks Dan for those quotes, should help the conversation along!  But I
have to laugh at one (nothing personal to anyone!):

>"Our traditional role as an organizer of knowledge may slip away as search 
>engines improve."

hahahahahaha!  OK, if search engines get positronic brains and become
related to Commander Data of Starfleet, then, and only then, will our
traditional role slip away.  Part of being that "organizer of knowledge" is
also being the "interviewer:" helping the searching patron realize just
what it is they are really looking for.  A confused searcher, or one that
knows just enough to know that they are kind of looking for something about
X but not too clear... etc, you get the picture.  And even if they know
what exactly they are searching for, not everyone can grasp the nuances of
searching.  AND, even if they know what exactly they are searching for, and
can grasp the nuances of searching, they may not have the desire to do that
work (and searching can sure in heck be work).  Search Engines have one 
heck of a long way to go before replacing a human person.

TTFN,
David
Systems Librarian, Louisiana Tech University  <www.latech.edu/tech/library/>
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