[Web4lib] Re: One consequence of the digitization programs

[Karen Coyle]

Walt Crawford wrote:


> 
> Bibliographic Instruction is lovely. I don't see how it can or should happen
> at the point of transaction unless a user asks for it. And most of us won't.
> 

I, for one, would love for books to have self-knowledge, and to let me 
know when there is more information about them that is available. I want 
the memex, the shared database of connections, and I want it to be 
visible. When I get to a book online I want at least to see something like:

Editions available: 1960 1980 (this one is 1970)
7 books cite this book: [link]
This author also wrote.....

etc. People don't think to ask for something that they don't know is there.

This is why Amazon fills the book page with all kinds of information 
about the book, and links to other products that might not have occurred 
to you. If you aren't interested, you ignore it, but if you are browsing 
or unsure, then it can be invaluable.

kc

-- 
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Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
kcoyle at kcoyle.net http://www.kcoyle.net
ph.: 510-540-7596   skype: kcoylenet
fx.: 510-848-3913
mo.: 510-435-8234
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