John T. Carr
October 20, 2009
Reading 4
“The Infodiet: How Libraries Can Offer an Appetizing Alternative to Google”
Steven Bell
Chronicle of Higher Education 02/20/2004

In Steven Bell’s article he talks about the comparison of Google’s easy research and the academic library research. Both are totally different. I use Google research everytime I do have a research paper to do and also do use the scholarly searches also. The article argues that student do want the scholarly research to be easy to access like Google as it. To me it would nice to have the ability to look up something easy and something like Google does. The only bad thing about this is when you do use Google to find something it give you usually a broad search.

The broad searches that Google give me I use them in academic research databases to get more specific. Majority of college students want it right in there face not having to work for it, like traditional “old School” researchers want. Steven Bell that admit that he does want libraries to Googl-ize some of the research process that each one has and make some what universal. Honestly I feel like it would never happen because for one libraries pay for the articles and academic research they have in their systems. I wouldn’t want my stuff to be easy to access for anyone. Another reason is the research time the people spent to have the research. Someone had to do the research first for it to be available for everyone else and they may have taken years.

Google itself has made a lot of things easier in the last five to ten years. It’s to the point now that I hear and know professors that want you to use Google first or other search engines. Google can be a first palce to start just like Wikipedia is. Somewhere you can start but not finish all research. Using academic research engines or databases are the best to find true and accredited research.

Reading 4

Blogger will not let me copy my work over from word.....

Reading Report 3

“The Future of Libraries”
Thomas Frey , Futurist Speaker.com
November 2006
http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2006/11/the-future-of-libraries/

The article here discusses the history and the changes the library is going through now. Libraries have been around for centuries. The article itself starts with an abstract about the history of Leonardo De Vinci and his work.
Libraries have changed just like anything else man has made. From being a place to do research and study, it’s now a place maybe you start the research then finish it at home because so much stuff is put online. Regardless of how much is online though libraries will always have the best and most reliable resource to do research.
The ten trends they have in article are correct. I have been around long enough to see some of things happen. For instance the cell phone situations and that CD’s are going away. I work in an electronic and computer store. Technology changes about every four to 6 months updating, to something we want to do the work for us. Libraries are now getting the bad end of stick with all these advances in technology. It’s to the point now that communication has taken a toll on the libraries system also. Overall I still feel like libraries will always be around forever because they provide you with the resources and artifact found nowhere else. Trend 10 is another reason why libraries will stay. If they could become more of diverse culture in each library there wouldn’t be any concerns for anyone.

News Report 3

News Report 3
The Wired Campus
Can removing Computers from Classrooms improve teaching?
http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Can-Removing-Computers-From/7279

The article I found was about an university thinking about taking the computers out of it's classrooms. In today’s time I totally disagree with this. We are in an era of technology were computers are part of everyday life and make life easier. I couldn’t imagine going to most of my classes and not having the instructor use a computer. That would be an extremely boring hour. Me personally I would, be knock out in no time. On the other hand professors do tend to just use PowerPoint and just lecture from that. That’s up to the teacher. Speaking from my own experience I have done better when a professor does use PowerPoint and I don’t have to write down eight pages of notes. Another point if the professor themselves would get more involve and include open discussion questions with the PowerPoint the computers could stay and students could get that open discussion we all like to do.