There are really so many good resources that have been discussed in the course so far. I am sure that I am not alone in saying that I was unaware of many of the resources we have covered and written about.
I guess it could be overwhelming with all these new information sources that we have been learning about, but not really anymore overwhelming than trying to sort through and find quality information using a search engine.
When it comes to online resources, one thing that does affect my opinion or judgment – rightly or wrongly – is the layout and overall quality of the website I am looking at. For example, we have talked a lot about the credibility problem of Wikipedia, but part of the reason that so many people use it is due partly to what I would call the ease of use factor. A site like refdesk.com, which we have also covered, could be more user friendly if, in my opinion, it wasn’t so cluttered looking. So I think layout, design, and organization play a big part in the perception of functionality and usability of web resources.
Another point that I think is worth addressing is the importance of being exposed to a variety and mix of different resources, as we have in this course. It reminds me of the saying about “having the right tool for the right job.” If you are aware of the many different resources (tools) that are out there, you are better prepared to find useful information, and in turn produce better research, papers, assignments, etc. If you rely on simply using a search engine, then the range of information you can find will be limited, or will be so discrepant as to provide no authoritative, definitive results. To use another tool-related saying: “If the only tool you have is a hammer [search engine], then everything looks like a nail [the correct result].”
So I would promote the use of diverse resources. Librarians (and the future librarians taking this course) are in an ideal position to influence the search habits of students, professionals, and public library patrons by emphasizing the value in learning about alternate resources, rather than relying entirely on the major Internet search engines.
I think finding the proper search engines and resources are most of the battle. Once you have a good database to fall back on the search becomes more more streamlined.
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