[Web4lib] Fwd: [CIRCPLUS] Student admits he lied about Mao bo ok

[K.G. Schneider]

> But the original story I read said the the agents arrived at the student's
> house with the book in hand.  Which implies that one of the libraries
> involved handed the book over.  Under those circumstances, I might have
> thought the reporter would ask a library about it.
> 
> Pat

Pat has fingered the part that raised my questions from the beginning. The
reporter (and by implication his editor and the newspaper) ran with a story
that many librarians would have raised reasonable questions about. The very
real possibility of network snooping--how could the library confirm it
wasn't happening, particularly if someone implied it was?--was balanced by
questionable details. 

Interesting that Rich's examples for what would indeed make a great class on
research methods are underscored by some very undigital, format-neutral
human behavior: hubris. Rushing to judgment. Lack of accountability.
Stubbornness. Desperate pleas for attention. 

Karen G. Schneider
kgs at bluehighways.com