[WEB4LIB] Re: Google Answers questions

[Dan Lester]

Thursday, May 23, 2002, 8:23:48 AM, you wrote:
RT> Also worth noting: the online researcher paid to answer questions likely does not have
RT> access to the licensed databases and print resources most librarians would have at their
RT> disposal.

I don't think this is accurate.  We've already established that some
of them are done by moonlighting librarians.  In addition, they could
be done by someone else with a library connection, such as a
researcher or other patron who has access in the library, or remotely.
I know that anybody with the skills could answer them from anywhere if
they had a Boise State ID card if database access was needed.

RT>  This is more than a noteworthy disadvantage and could very easily make the
RT> difference between a minimally acceptable answer and a comprehensive, definitive answer;
RT> why pay for the former when you could get the latter for free?

With all the libraries, academic and public, that offer databases
locally and remotely, this wouldn't seem to be much of an issue.

cheers

dan

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Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com 208-283-7711
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