Libraries & Information Literacy – More Relevant Than Ever

As wonderful as Google and other search engines are, they do not index or find everything on the Web. There are many websites which are not free, or are only accessible in a certain way. Additionally, even if something is in the electronic public domain, free access does not always equal quality information. Information literacy is a big issue and the ease and speed of the internet has added a new dimension to an old dilemma. Problems can arise when students or others think they can just find everything they need with a search engine, or that they no longer need the library for information access.

Visit Columbus Public Library’s website http://www.columbuslibrary.info/ to access the catalog of our in-house print and media holdings. From our website you can also access our subscription databases -- Reference USA, Car and Truck Repair Manuals, and Price It for antiques and collectibles. You can also go to NebraskAccess http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/nebraskAccess/ which has a collection of databases provided for Nebraskans by the Nebraska Library Commission. Better yet, stop in the library for personal help with all of our resources, including interlibrary loan, microfilm, magazines, newspapers, books, audios, and videos, and even wireless internet.

There is so much information that can’t be “Googled.” There are sites in the “deep” or “invisible” web including authorized users only sites; subscription required databases or archives; copyrighted content; advanced search techniques; and entities, such as publishers, that require contracts or licenses.

Furthermore, different search directories, search engines, and meta-search engines have their own way of organizing and searching and do not always come up with the same content. Some directories will have a more scholarly bent (such as Infomine), and some will have a more popular appeal. Directories have content selected and organized by humans (often librarians) unlike the rather jumbled search results from electronic spiders. Most directories have little or no advertising.

There is an even more important issue to consider when web surfing – evaluating what you find. In our school days we all learned that just because something is in print we cannot assume it is true, complete, or unbiased. We must apply that critical thinking, or information literacy concept, to electronic sources as well. When you’ve Yahooed or Googled up those 1,200 or more results, how do you evaluate them?
Here are a few things to consider. What are the credentials of the author if one is given? For example, is an authoritative organization, such as the National Institutes of Health, authoring that medical or legal website you found? Be very wary of sites where no ownership or authorship is published. Another good sign are citations of where their information was obtained. Reputable sites should also supply contact information. Anonymity online should be a red flag.

In addition to checking for credibility, you must watch for other things. The content and currency of the information are also good clues. Is the content age-appropriate for the target audience? Has the site been maintained? A site that has a lot of dead links is a neglected, out-of-date website. A website should tell you when it was last modified. What is the policy for who can link to the site? What is their privacy policy? Do they tell you how they handle any information they collect? When researching an issue it is always best to look at advocacy sites on all sides, not just stop at the first one you find. Search engines may not turn up balanced results.

Some sites are not user-friendly in more than just their mechanics. Some will masquerade as informational, but really be an opinion or an advertisement. Some will appear to offer free information and then ask for your credit card number. The information will have some bias if it is trying to sell you something, whether it is telling about a product or advocating a point-of-view. Remember, there is no such thing as unbiased information. All authors, regardless of their intention to be objective, have filters. These include age, education, experience, environment, and so forth. That doesn’t make it bad or useless information, it just means you need to know who’s doing the talking and evaluate it accordingly.
One clue to site authorship is the domain name. Here are a few examples: .edu (or “dot-edu”) is for education sites such as http://www.cccneb.edu for Central Community College; .gov indicates a government website like the Department of Justice’s http://www.usdoj.gov; and .mil is for the military (for example the Army’s website is http://www.army.mil). There are even state and country codes. Have a look at our City website, http://www.columbusne.us. “Dot-coms” are much less defined, and could contain nearly anything. No matter the format in which information is packaged, from print to electronic, it still holds true that consumers need to keep an eye out for shady folks.

One last word of caution: Due to identity theft, personal safety, and other privacy issues we have become guarded about giving out our personal information. This same caution should be in play when handling information electronically. If you are not completely sure who is going to view that information, and you do not know whether you trust their security, do not put personal information into a website. Apply those maxims your teachers, librarians, and parents were fond of saying: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “Consider the source.”

Though you certainly can find some good information with superficial searching (government websites are examples of good information located by simple web searches), for most research, you need a broad array of sources. When you need quality resources, or more help than a simple search on a search engine can provide, come to your library. Remember, whether you use the original search engine (a librarian) or the internet, good research takes time. If you have an important project don’t expect to Yahoo quality results in a few minutes. Allow time to explore your Columbus Library’s in-house resources, and for us to put our contacts out to neighboring and distant libraries for you.

We have many good computer books in our library. Here are a just a few popular titles that deal with security and other current topics: “The Internet: The Missing Manual,” by David Pogue; “Don’t Get Burned on eBay,” by Shauna Wright; and “The Internet for Dummies,” by John R. Levine.

Wherever you find your information, always keep in mind that just as anyone can print anything, anyone can post anything on the web. You must be a discerning consumer of information wherever you find it.