[Georgia Pardey]

Hi Natalie. Great reflection!

I used to work in retail selling music and movies and I remember accidentally offending a customer by referring to the type of movie he was looking for as a ‘slasher flick’. That was exactly what he was after but it must have been a little awkward for him to acknowledge that he enjoys watching violence and gore. I imagine the same thing happens sometimes for librarians when they recommend a book that has a dubious reputation, even if it is a good choice for the customer. However, as the ‘I Need a Book!” video demonstrated, even a book suggestion that the reader doesn’t like is a kind of feedback for the librarian in future.

I think having confidence in your suggestion is a step towards positive reader feedback. If they see that you’re unsure or that you don’t know much about the book then it may put doubt into their minds. Of course, building confidence in RA services would involve research into various books and the task of keeping up with new releases, and those activities would mean better suggestions from the librarian anyway!

[Georgia Pardey]

Hi Caitlin,

Your final comments on the future of RA reminded me of a reading in the IFN615 course from a book by Patricia Franks. She refers to records management as she says we have adapted ‘systems of record’ into ‘systems of engagement’. I think we can apply that same thinking to the evolution of Readers’ Advisory, as you point out, from static readings lists to an interactive cloud display (just two examples).

There is something very appealing about the accessibility and collaborative nature of websites like Good Reads and Shelfari. Other social media sites that are not exclusive to readers have some good sections too, like this mini RA chart I found on Pinterest in my first search.

A lot of these ideas tie in with our week six topic of Web 2.0, or Library 2.0. You can easily relate Tim O’Reilly’s seven principles to modern RA and social reading sites. For example, we can use the web as a platform, user contribution means we can harness collective intelligence, and the result is a rich user experience.

I enjoyed reading your thoughts. Thanks!

[Georgia Pardey]

Hi Katherine. Thanks for the feedback!

I think a librarian would have to learn how to talk someone out of a book if they were convinced they wouldn’t like it. Without insulting the patron’s opinion of course. They’d probably make a suggestion on an alternative so no one leaves empty handed.

[Georgia Pardey]

Hello Michalina.

I agree with your comparison of reference services and open web research in terms of quality and access. Academic libraries can provide higher calibre resources from verified authors/publishers, but may struggle to impart vital corroboration and evaluation tools to users who are used to covering a lot of information with little consideration to its source. You favour the adaptation of modern reference work to benefit from the global network of information and I wonder how this might be achieved. The ‘cited by’ search of Google Scholar comes to mind and I assume something similar is already used in libraries. This service allows the user to search for articles which have referenced a particular item. The results are often more specific than the former article as they are building on previous research. I think this tool is also useful for corroborating particular research or opinions. Such a reference tool would have been difficult to create before the reach of the internet and connection of information from across the globe. It is also quick and easy to conduct – ideal for the modern user who must swiftly assess whether a source will be useful or not.

Thanks for your insight!

[Georgia Pardey]

I enjoyed your review, Shannon! There were a few points you made that I didn’t consider when I wrote my own. I like that you organised your assessment into pros and cons.

I also took a look at your week three post and thought I could shed some light on how to include images, if you hadn’t found out elsewhere. When you’re in the ‘Text’ tab of the post, select the ‘IMG’ button. You will then need to provide a hyperlink to the image itself, not the website hosting it. You should be able to do that by right clicking the image and opening it in a separate tab. Content in articles only accessible to students may not show up since you would regularly need to log in to gain access. There may be simpler methods to insert images, but this is the one I found useful. I hope this helps!

[Georgia Pardey]

Hi Bronwyn.

I agree with what you wrote about the decentralisation of reference services. Drawing on another comment from Frank Menchaca, the measurement of the effectiveness of modern reference services should be reconsidered since the delivery of reference services has evolved. Services such as simple, fast Ask a Librarian don’t have the same feedback loop as face to face interactions. If online reference services are popular at a particular library, then evaluative measures should be taken to ensure the service is as effective as in-library interactions. A reference librarian may not get to know the needs of a student to the same extent when there is only an email back and forth, rather than an in depth conversation. The evaluation of reference services must adapt alongside the delivery of these services.

I enjoyed reading your insights, Bronwyn, and am now geared up to write my own trends reflection!

[Georgia Pardey]

Hello Natalie,

I’m glad you got something out of my review. It was a really interesting program and I’ll definitely use that information some day in the future when I conduct my own family history research. It’s interesting what you said about ownership of information. It is a pity that more people don’t share their findings as it would help others in piecing things together. Since a lot of this information is in public records, it’s curious that people prefer to keep it private. That said, I do like that Ancestry.com acknowledges information that you share as your own. If you’ve worked particularly hard to track down some records then it’s useful to link your profile to the findings.

Good luck with your research!

[Georgia Pardey]

Just friended you 🙂

[Georgia Pardey]

I haven’t read a whole lot of Australian fiction, though I’m definitely into speculative fiction (I hadn’t heard the term before). I read a handful of dystopian novels recently and it’s interesting comparing the different visions of our collective future.

[Georgia Pardey]

I haven’t heard of the Heide Circle or The Strays, but I will definitely read it. Sounds like a very interesting story, in reality and in print. I actually picked up Monkey Grip and We Are Completely Beside Ourselves recently so I’ll have to bump them up my reading list now that you’ve recommended them! Thanks for the suggestions 🙂

[Georgia Pardey]

Hi Patti! This is my first semester of MIS as well. I’m glad I’m not the only newbie.

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