[WEB4LIB] Re: Google Answers questions

[Robert Tiess]

Richard Wiggins wrote:
> I believe it's possible that the paid Google model
> can lead to compiled results superior to what the
> free Web-based desk will deliver -- and in much less time.

Precompiled results, as in questions already answered, can be good or bad: information
changes, especially in fields such as heath, law, and the sciences, such as your astronomy example.  Even history "changes" when new historical documents and information becomes available -- stuff that doesn't make it to the web right away, or ever: stuff only professional librarians are likely to know of or have access to (versus the non-librarian online researcher).

While Google's approach could lead to more quickly compiled results, libraries offering virtual reference services could and should build their own internal knowledge databases so that librarians have one more local source to consult before going out on the web: they can check there to see if another librarian at that institution has answered a similar question.  I have done this at my library, and it has proved very helpful.

Throughout this debate some people may have forgotten that, while online research services can often connect people with good information, it's really the local librarian who is in the best position to offer answers where local community related queries are concerned: the online researcher geographically situated elsewhere may not be aware of resources available where the patron lives; this is especially the case where the location of a patron is kept anonymous.

Also worth noting: the online researcher paid to answer questions likely does not have access to the licensed databases and print resources most librarians would have at their disposal.  This is more than a noteworthy disadvantage and could very easily make the difference between a minimally acceptable answer and a comprehensive, definitive answer; why pay for the former when you could get the latter for free?

Researchers really would be best served by going first to their local libraries.  This is what my own research network, ResPool, had urged all members to do before submitting questions.  Go straight to the best community based information source, and then consult third party services if acceptable answers are not provided.  It would be nice if more online reference services realized and emphasized that.  People really need to rediscover what libraries offer for free.

Robert Tiess
rjtiess at warwick.net