[Web4lib] Library link list collections

[Marcie Pierson]

Personally, I think our time (and that of our patrons) is better spent teaching users how to find and evaluate information. This includes using not only Google or other search engines of choice but also what resources the library has - meaning using the catalog to find books and the online databases for magazine/journal/newspaper articles and any other electronic resources available. 
 
I used to work for a system that offered lists of links, but maintenance was a problem. The lists were not used and staff time was better spent on other projects, although I think they still have the links. The library I am at currently does not have lists. My director would like them, but I'm trying to discourage that and encourage him to let us explore various methods of research assistance instead.
 
For the library that has 5800 links, that sounds overwhelming. Even if you tag everything well, who wants to look through scores, hundreds, thousands of links on a topic? Even when I did maintain a list, I always felt that I could never know I had picked "the official" or "the definitive" sites - yes, you can be certain that bookmarking IRS.gov would be "the" place to go for federal tax info, but for general subjects, who's to say which American history site is "the best", or which homework help site is "the best"? I'd rather guide patrons through their own searches than simply offer them static lists of links.
 
Marcie Pierson
Reference Librarian
Grafton Public Library
35 Grafton Common 
Grafton, MA 01519
508-839-4649
508-839-7726 FAX

________________________________

From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Cecily Walker
Sent: Wed 12/3/2008 2:13 PM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Web4lib] Library link list collections



Hi everyone,

I'm working on a project regarding library link lists/link
collections. I'm interested in finding out whether your library
manages a list or collection of web links for your patrons. If your
library does have such a list, would you mind sharing:

(1) the average number of links in your collection;
(2) your method for managing the links;
(3) weeding policies;

and any other items you think might be useful?  Our library currently
uses delicious to manage approximately 5800 links, and managing these
links has become quite a chore. I'd like to see this collection go the
way of the dodo, because I think many people turn to Google find the
answers these lists used to provide.

If your library decided to stop collecting and publishing links lists,
I'd also love to hear the reason why.

Thanks,
Cecily Walker
Web Services Librarian
Vancouver Public Library


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