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Nyrie Jackson Fall 2018 (90) Final Reflection 

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Nyrie Jackson Fall 2018 (90) Final Reflection 

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I truly enjoyed the Voices of Search lectures. I was good to hear from professionals in the field and how they are conducting searches and helping their patrons/students/facility learn how to and conduct search for their specialties. Voices I enjoyed were Raven Fonfa from the Culinary Institute of America. My husband is a chef and would have loved to attend this college. I didn’t realize the amount of research that goes into the culinary arts, or even that food databases even existed. He doesn’t speak about his schooling days as it was some time ago. I enjoyed that she was able to learn on the job how to apply elements of searching by simply learning her collection and putting in the time to absorb the material. It gave me hope that I could quickly learn how to search databases that I’m not familiar with, learn which databases are necessary for each type of patron, and be success and have fun in my career.

I also enjoyed the segment on curation and utilizing different formats to market and apply to different audiences to bring in traffic to your facility as Billy Parrot does at NYPL through Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube (love this site), Twitter (still a bit of a mystery to me, but I’m learning), etc.

The Databases of the Week provided many enjoying articles for me in terms of what is currently trending in technology, science and healthcare. The NYTimes website is now a love of mine. AHAs included deeper Boolean searching, not being afraid to use limiters to narrow my searches. I also am using the suggested keyword combinations provided by the database/search engine that appears at the bottom of an existing search. It provides word combinations and suggested vocabulary that I hadn’t considered that usually gets me closer to my desired search results.

The way on search matters because being concise, knowing how your database works, its hidden tips and tools such as the thesauri or controlled vocabulary will lessen your time searching through false drops or inadequate results.

What does the information landscape look like to me? I feel like the information landscape can take me in many different directions to learn as many subjects as possible. With every new inquiry, searching the information landscape will sharpen my eye on what is necessary what is desired by the patron. I want to give a patron as broad or as narrow a focus as is desired. I like the idea of taking someone down a path not considered, but that also meets their needs. I don’t want to search for a patron for the sake of searching, but provide options is cool too.

The following images represent how I see the information landscape:

https://goo.gl/images/UqApZq

As the librarian, I’m the white string the skiers are holding on to for guidance.

https://goo.gl/images/YyVLuj

In the mountain biking pic, I’m the helmet/gloves, navigation equipment, the protective gear, that helps the biker perform throughout the ride, without getting lost or injured.

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My biggest takeaways from this course are just how huge the information landscape is and how rapidly it is changing, which makes me more aware of how significant our roles as information professionals are. Although no single person can keep abreast of the best ways to search and the latest news, happenings and trends in search, we can stay abreast of our specific areas. We can strive to continue to explore, learn and stay open to new ideas, and we can support those who come to us for help in the search world.

One of my favorite things about our time together this semester has been the Voices of Search videos each week, which have been so great in giving me a better picture of the many different areas and fields available to information professionals, as well as the many opinions and changes happening. One thing that was said stuck out to me, which was that we are like the canary in the coal mine of the information landscape. I think this can be particularly true if we make it. We can be there to let our patrons and searchers know which way to go, which information is reliable, and how to find it on their own. Hence, my final visual of the information landscape (which is vast, but can seem very dark to new searchers).

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1. The ahas! and take-aways from this class were many, and they include both larger, abstract ideas about the search and the information landscape and a more practical set of tools, skills, and resources to use in my future career navigating the landscapes terrain.

I liked the in-depth exposure to the structure and vocabulary of subscription databases. I thought my knowledge was pretty advanced prior to taking the course, but I didn't realize how murky I was on some of the search specifics and the organization of various databases. As someone who likes to theoretical models to work from, the break-down and explanation of the various search strategies to use on a database was something that stuck in my mind pretty deeply, and I think I will continually reference Markey's explanation of the various strategies. Also, I now have an even deeper appreciation/understanding of subject indexing and controlled vocabulary.

However, I think my biggest learning experiences were with the various open-web sources that exist and the many functions they can fulfill. I was very intrigued by Dan Brown's Harnessing the Power of Google and Dan Russel's MOOCs. Although my grasp is far from perfect, I feel I am in a much better position to take advantage of the various tools Google and the open-web have to offer. I think this is very much true when it comes to a lot of the tech knowledge I have picked up here. I had never really had any experience screen-casting, making custom search engines, creating a LibGuide, Google power searching, knowing how search engines work etc. I have learned about so many online resources that focus on literary studies that I had no idea about before looking around for this class.

I think much of the knowledge I have gleaned here will stick with me for the long-haul, and I know have several go-to sources for information on my area of interest that I feel I will return to time and again. Considering Tennant's assertion from the beginning of the semester, I think I am someone who enjoys the process of searching. I get a little adrenaline rush from digging down into database material and bouncing out to the web to try and locate the best sources; and I have to admit, the excitement subsides a little once the process is over, and I have to dig into the sources themselves. I think the various issues we focused on in the last weeks demonstrates that how we search and what we know about search is more important than ever. With the rapid proliferation of so much information and so many information sources, we need to sound training and smart ways of thinking about search and the content our searches retrieve.

2. And finally, I think an apt metaphor for this course could be drawn from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This course certainly feels like taking a mind-spinning plunge down the rabbit hole. What's more, I feel as though the rabbit hole of search is bottomless and nearly-impossible for one person to successfully navigate/absorb. Alice needs her friends in wonderland to figure out how to function and get back home. This metaphor brings together what are perhaps my two biggest takeaways. The information landscape is enormous and there is more out then one person can realistically master. Because of this we have to network and build a strong connection with peers with various expertise and backgrounds. In the future of search and libraries, collaboration is key.

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Final Reflection

In terms of Roy Tennant's assertion "Only librarians like to search. Everyone else likes to find"...this class has lead me to the conclusion that today we are all searchers in some way. However, most people are "quick" searchers and librarians enjoy the process of searching as much as (if not more) the outcome/result of the search. For example, my 17 year old daughter is always performing some type of search on one of her devices either on Google, Instagram, Pinterest etc. but I'm not sure she would feel the same type of excitement about searching a library database for information. So in that respect she may fall into the "liking to find" category! I find myself enjoying the search process as much as I do the "finding" and especially find satisfaction in the serendipitous discoveries that searching provides.

The image (One Machine, Map of the Internet) below is from David MacCandless and fulfills one of my metaphors for search and the information landscape....its organic, interconnected, expansive and expanding, complex and sometimes it takes a librarian (or data artist) to make it beautiful:

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Jessica Langone's End of Semester takeaway

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Jessica Langone's End of Semester takeaway

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1. The biggest takeaways I have from this course are how extensive searching can be. I think personally I have never thought of searching as a scary or daunting thing. I always enjoyed it. I this the searching tips and tools we learned this semester will help me when helping others with their searching. I like that we looked at many different ways to search, especially when we looked at curators and following certain curators. I already did this in some forms, but I found a lot of new sources, portals, and curators that have to do with my career and some that are for my personal use.

I think that the assertion that Tennant made is true to a certain extent. In our current social media, google, technological world people are used to finding the things they want immediately. When they have a query that isn’t solved quickly, some people become frustrated. This is an issue when the idea of asking for help is sort of taboo in our society. I think in current years this is getting better, but it feels like a lot of patrons when coming to the library would rather figure things out on their own instead of asking. This can be for a number of reasons, but as information professionals being welcoming and asking if patrons need assistance is important.

2. The image of a tree reminds me of the information landscape because even with a direct query, there is so much information to be found. Some of this information is obvious, but cannot be reached from the ground- you would need a ladder or a search tool to reach it. Some the information is the roots, you have to dig to find them.

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1. Reflection:  As I had suspected, information and the world we live in has an abundance of information -- some accurate, some invalid but in all cases as citizens of the world we owe it to ourselves to be aware of the world around us and know that there are things to learn and ways to access information.  Unfortunately, accessing information is like sweeping the sand from the beach; however, it is wise to do the simple things such as reading newspapers, books and staying as current as possible with the world.
When I look at the variety of tools and applications and resources that we investigated this semester, I am in awe and wonder how will the next generation keep up with what is going on in the world and be able to make sense of it?  I hope that being aware and exposed to it will help me to continue learning and searching for the answers or at least the questions!
As we concluded the class, I realize that I have so much further to travel in the search process. The LibGuide activity was exciting and continues to intrigue me. My interest and excitement to become a school librarian finds me looking a what librarians can do to support teachers and share in the collaboration of creating units of study and curating for both teachers and students. The librarian as put as Mary Clark of San Elijo Middle School (Social Media curation p. 30) so aptly put it "Find teachers' pain and help them fix it." Through the classroom and the library, we should be developing citizens that can find out about their world and not be limited by ignorance.
2. Visualize: It is a person standing on a beach looking out to the ocean and sweeping the sand off the beach.  I selected this picture with a group of people sweeping because information searching is not a solitary act -- it requires a lot of people to make it interesting and fruitful!

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1.  My biggest overall take away from this course is that the search and information landscape is too big for anyone person to explore in a lifetime, and it's growing wildly and faster than anyone can keep up. We each have to build our own search strategies and toolboxes, while balancing our other professional duties.

I was somewhat startled by the number of platforms this course introduced and wonder how prevalent their use is, which demographics use them and for what. I'm glad to know that if my old stand-bys (e-mail, Google, Reddit, content-specific forums/sites, public & academic libraries, local organizations) ever fail me, I have so many other options.

2. The information landscape is like outer space, constantly expanding in all directions. Everyone is in their own little spaceship. Most people are moving around outer space, some faster than others. Some people are constantly looking out their spaceship windows, plotting their trajectories to reach new places and see new things. Some people are just drifting around, only looking outside their windows when they bump into something, using auto pilot most of the time. None of the spaceships are that different. Librarians like to leave their spaceships in "manual" mode. We explore the information landscape carefully, thoughtfully, and with precision. We know the specs of our spaceships, and are attune to when the ship gets new firmware or features. When a person who usually leaves their spaceship on auto-pilot bumps into something, they call us up for help. We know how to get other drivers back into a situation they are comfortable in. Most people find us odd for not just using auto-pilot, but when they have a problem, they are so thankful we know how to use the manual modes.

However, the auto-pilot is getting better every year. The situations where manual mode is needed are getting fewer and farther apart. We can't just rely on our knowledge of "manual modes" to keep us relevant. We have to offer unique & un-replicatable services to remain a vital part of people's lives. (This is where I step away from the "information landscape" = "outer space" metaphor) For my library this means focusing less on the broad information landscape and more on local community. Offering things that Google never will, like physical spaces to socialize in, safe, comfortable, & friendly atmosphere, and actual rapport and relationships with patrons. For my school library, this means that navigating the information landscape is only a tiny part of the organizations mission. A equally prominent goal is facilitating relationships between students & staff, offering a space where patrons want to be regardless of whether they have an information need. So much learning, discovery, inspiration, and empowerment stems from people being in a room together, without them necessarily having a pre-existing information need. Less of the librarians time is spent navigating the information landscape for patrons, and more time is spent creating a community that values not just information but also each other.

To hark back to the first part of this discussion, search matters because people matter. Librarians have to be careful not to get too wrapped up in the search for search's sake. Search is ultimately a tool and a service, with the goal of improving the quality of life for at least one (hopefully more) living beings. We may be aspiring "Masters of Information," but I think "Masters of Helping People" sounds (although less professional and less focused) much more admirable and vital. That's my take anyway. Navigating the search/information landscape is just one tool for accomplishing the broader mission of 21st century librarians, improving the quality of life of our patrons and our communities.

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End of Semester Reflections (Kirsten Fagerlund)

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End of Semester Reflections (Kirsten Fagerlund)

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I thoroughly enjoyed learning about search and the information landscape in this course. There are so many new technologies and open source programs that I never knew existed—it was challenging, but exciting, to get to use them all. I’m sure I will be using my Custom Search Engine from Google, Pearltrees, Xtensio, LibGuides, etc. quite a bit in the future.

One of the things I liked best about this course was the Voices of Search videos. It was wonderful to hear from professional librarians, search experts, and authors and get their perspectives on current trends in information and library science. Some of my favorites were Leslin Charles on discussion of instructional design in academic libraries, Dr. Hilliker on open source cataloging, and Raven Fonfa on the Culinary Institute of America and special libraries. Voices of Search was such an engaging way to understand the wide range of professional opportunities and issues in LIS from a personal perspective. I hope to apply what I’ve learned from them and from the other projects in this course to a career in an academic music library or special music library. I would also like to keep developing my music resource LibGuide into something that will translate into my career setting as well.

The information landscape is much more complex and intricate than I could have imagined going into this course. I could describe it as an ocean, constantly shifting, with currents moving unseen under the surface, and depths that have yet to be explored. Another way to describe it is like a desert—it looks so large and inhospitable sometimes, but there are so many resources that are not always visible on the surface, and so many amazing plants, animals, and people who call it home.

However, I think my favorite metaphor for the information landscape is space. It’s so vast, and there is so much to be explored, discovered, and researched. We can only see a little bit of it from earth with our own eyes, although telescopes and observatories give us a more precise perspective on stars, planets, moons, galaxies, comets, and other phenomena. We can see more of space through satellite feeds, recordings from the International Space Station, or rovers, but even after all that, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s out there. That’s why I like to think of the information landscape in terms of space. It's a different kind of “final frontier,” now that so much of earth has been explored and connected through the World Wide Web. I chose this photo to represent my idea of the information landscape (starscape?) because it reminds me of how much we can see on our own, and how much more we have yet to discover. I look forward to the search for more stars.

(Photo credit: Oliver Henze, Flickr; used under Creative Commons.)

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The work of an archaeologist metaphorically describes the search process. An archaeologist might not know initially the ideal location to dig, while I as an information professional might not know the ideal database to locate the information I seek.  So, I might just take a “shot in the dark” and begin searching (digging). I may get lucky and find what I am looking for, or I may have to dig deeper or dig somewhere else entirely. I may have to dig in several locations to find sufficient information. An archaeologist might discover a bone that seems historically relevant only to determine after further testing that it is not. As a searcher, I might find information that seems relevant only to discover after validation that it is unreliable. For both an archaeologist and a searcher it is also difficult to determine when to stop digging!

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It was a joy this semester to learn and to explore so many interesting databases. Prior to our leaning, I did not understand the importance of CV and thesauri in facilitating database search. I had a vague awareness of Boolean operators, but not the supporting tools and techniques of facet analysis and the building block strategy. I wasn’t aware of tricks of the trade, such as truncated search, proximity searching, and search limiters. With a little free time now, I’m actually quite excited to browse the RU database and cement this learning .

Integral to search is an understanding of social media and mobile search platforms. I am a bit of an introvert, and prior to this class somewhat wary of social media. Throughout the semester I increasingly developed an awareness of the social nature of information, particularly as the information landscape shifts to mobile platforms which leverage a variety of tools to facilitate the sharing of information.  I marvel at the power of twitter as a PLN tool, something I would never have considered prior to taking this course.

This semester I discovered that search is not just about finding, it is also about examining search results, weeding out the unnecessary, irrelevant, and questionable. The future of searching the information landscape must increasingly involve the use of tools for evaluating information resources. The online world is littered with misinformation and fake news, which is promulgated through social media. Moreover, with the increasing prevalence of information warfare, and the increasing sophistication of tools for information warfare, including emergent AI technologies, it is incumbent on the information professional to help sort out facts from alternative facts and truth from truthiness.

Finally, I learned about the importance of information access: There is a stunning amount of information that is locked behind paywalls. Fortunately, libraries, through generous public support, purchase database subscriptions enabling patrons to access a portion of these deep web resources without having to pay exorbitant fees. Moreover, librarians provide access to resources, free of charge, that many patrons may not be able to access due to availability, affordability, or a need for training and guidance regarding how to utilize these resources.

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Reflection on the Information Landscape (Eden Mazer Schwartz)

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Reflection on the Information Landscape (Eden Mazer Schwartz)

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I decided to create a Piktochart of a porous hourglass for my vision of the Information Landscape. The hourglass is submerged in the water, with murky water flowing in, out, and around the glass. The hourglass felt important for the obvious reason that search requires time. This class helped me realize that it’s okay for a search to take time. Even a search that I think will be quick may become more of a safari adventure.

Another point I wanted to get across in my infographic is that search is a process that can lead in multiple directions, and that these directions may involve searching the deep web, depending on what kind of information is needed. I used a slightly larger fish leading two other fish into the deep web waters to suggest that sometimes a leader — or librarian — can take people in and out of these searches. I was really struck by some of our readings in our module on search engines, portals, and the deep web. Before this class I hadn’t realized there was an open web vs. a deep web.

Lastly, I highlighted s-e-a in the word “search” and f-i-n in the word “find” to suggest that what one may find in the vast sea of search is a fin — a detectable point, that leads to a fuller bodied fish, a dolphin, a shark, a whale, or even a piece of trash. This fin may be connected to information that is of vital importance. This fin may be connected to information that is dangerous — or in the case of Aaron Swartz, has dangerous consequences. It reminds me of the importance of the information professional — perhaps with an underwater flashlight or an oxygen task — who can help people evaluate information for credibility and accuracy, who can teach the skills and mindsets of evaluating and sharing information.

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The Information Landscape | Piktochart Visual Editor

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This class has taught me so much, it's hard to summarize everything in a tiny space. However, the biggest and most helpful tool I have learned in this class is the different ways to search. Before this class, I had no idea how to use Boolean Operators or that databases had thesauruses.  I will use these newly learned search techniques anytime a patron comes up to me asking a question.
I found many of our discussions enlightening. I never knew the vast landscape that information professionals could end up working in!

Search matters because people will always have questions. Where our information comes from is vitally important to the authenticity of the answer. People blindly searching Google for health information is not a good mix. Librarians and/or information professionals use their skills to assist people of all types in getting the most credible information. The meme I included below is a screenshot of a very popular scene in Austin Powers. It's dangerous to do research without proper guidance! (The meme is not mine -- I was looking for meme templates and this one was too perfect to pass up.) I enjoyed working with everyone this semester!

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My biggest takeaway from this course is the amount of tools there are to ensure successful research. Within databases, there are tools to help advanced your search and allow you to find more accurate results. Outside of databases, there are tools such as different search engines, social media platforms, blogs, etc. People might not consider YouTube or Twitter as a research method but there is reliable information to be found. Researchers need to be patient when searching. The answer to your question will not be the first result you find. Everything you see online is not always 100% true. From taking this course, I am able to analyze which information I find is credible and which information is false. I can apply what I learned about spreading the tools available to patrons. Libraries offer databases, the state offers databases, and patrons can research through open access web. Just remember that not everything online is reliable and it takes a bit of research to find creditable information!

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This course changed my view on professional information searchers or librarians entirely. I learned that there are various paths that we could take, and however path I take, I need to keep up with changing environments and technologies as well as learn to utilize them. What I found throughout this course is that I love doing those!

Search does matter not merely because people have needs for information but because at present, the search is like air for most people’s lives. Everyone is continuously looking at their phones, laptops or tablets to find some answers. And now even voice search becomes more prevalent. How databases work, the algorithm of search portals work might affect and influence in people’s lives, their identities, and their culture.

I think educators, librarians, and other professional searchers might play an important role like as a whistleblower to inform of warning signs to people, redesign information landscape, and direct people’s search behavior. I think information professionals are like an air purifier for those who live through dangerous air pollution.

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(click to view the graphic

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I believe I have crossed a lot of thresholds this semester. I can search databases, search engines, portals, and social media more efficiently and effectively now. I am also better at analyzing and evaluating the credibility and impact of any given information source, and I have a greater appreciation for and understanding of social scholarship, open access, and the issues and debates of the search and information world. More importantly, though, I can now apply what I have learned by instructing and teaching others, the most vital search and information skill of all. However, this is not the end of my search and information journey.  The information landscape is like a wild and untamed jungle, and it will only become more complex and vast as I plunge further and further into its depths. Therefore, I must constantly adapt to and learn about the latest search technologies and strategies if I wish to successfully conquer this unruly landscape.

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One main thing I have learned about this course is there is a wide variety of tools to be used in search. This includes search tools and the ways in which we find information like databases, search engines, media, news, etc. All of these tools can be used individually and/or in combination to help us, first, dig wide and then more deeply. Digging wide and deep enables us to gain a more holistic understanding of the question at hand. Like a tool you will find in a toolbox, each has its on use, strengths and weaknesses. Learning and understanding the proper use for each tool, will yield greater and more accurate search results.

(The image of the toolbox was created by Florian Richter who allowed users to share and adapt the image, I modified it into a meme.)

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To me the information landscape is like a city of information with a complex set of streets, and public transit options. You can get almost anywhere, but you need the right connections a good map and even a few tricks to not get lost.

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This is a diversity iceberg I got from Pinterest, but I think of it more as the information iceberg we saw at the beginning. More and more of what's below the surface is coming to light (or we're diving deep for it) as we explosively expand our topics and ways of communicating. Icebergs are melting but not into a homogeneous substance but into a landscape where diversity is spread throughout and easily findable and searchable.

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     I LOVE to search.  I always have, and this course has only given me new things to love about it as it has taught me to use new tools and strategies to help me and my students search more effectively.  I have learned how to use facet analysis and logical combination, truncation, wildcards, and Boolean operators to think through searches logically and get to relevant results more efficiently.  I have learned to use so many new presentation and curation platforms, including Powtoon, Padlet, Smore, Piktochart, Toondoo, LibGuides, Storybird, and Pearltrees, just to name a few.  I have learned how to create a Google Custom Search and lots of strategies for using Google more effectively.  I have been introduced to so many wonderfully useful databases and learned how to better search within them.  I have practiced using these new tools in teaching my English classes this year, and I can see immediate applications for these skills and platforms as a media specialist.  I feel that I am only just beginning to learn about how vast this information landscape is and about the tools that exist to search within it.  I’m excited to keep learning and plumbing the depths of information that are available to me and my students.	The image that keeps popping into my head for this end-of-semester reflection is this one that my roommate snapped of me in Nice, France, during a study abroad semester in college.  Though I have grown up near the ocean, and perhaps because I have, I never stop marvelling at its beauty and its vastness.  I remember standing there staring at the Mediterranean that day, grateful to be there and excited for all of the other adventures my trip would hold.  This is how I feel about the landscape of search.  I am standing on the shore of the sea of information that exists before me; I am just beginning to dip my toes in the water and to understand its depths; and I am anticipating a lifetime of learning.

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     I LOVE to search.  I always have, and this course has only given me new things to love about it as it has taught me to use new tools and strategies to help me and my students search more effectively.  I have learned how to use facet analysis and logical combination, truncation, wildcards, and Boolean operators to think through searches logically and get to relevant results more efficiently.  I have learned to use so many new presentation and curation platforms, including Powtoon, Padlet, Smore, Piktochart, Toondoo, LibGuides, Storybird, and Pearltrees, just to name a few.  I have learned how to create a Google Custom Search and lots of strategies for using Google more effectively.  I have been introduced to so many wonderfully useful databases and learned how to better search within them.  I have practiced using these new tools in teaching my English classes this year, and I can see immediate applications for these skills and platforms as a media specialist.  I feel that I am only just beginning to learn about how vast this information landscape is and about the tools that exist to search within it.  I’m excited to keep learning and plumbing the depths of information that are available to me and my students.	The image that keeps popping into my head for this end-of-semester reflection is this one that my roommate snapped of me in Nice, France, during a study abroad semester in college.  Though I have grown up near the ocean, and perhaps because I have, I never stop marvelling at its beauty and its vastness.  I remember standing there staring at the Mediterranean that day, grateful to be there and excited for all of the other adventures my trip would hold.  This is how I feel about the landscape of search.  I am standing on the shore of the sea of information that exists before me; I am just beginning to dip my toes in the water and to understand its depths; and I am anticipating a lifetime of learning.

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What are your biggest takeaways?

My biggest takeaway is that you need to be creative as well as knowledgeable in order to be proficient in search. There are a multitude of ways to organize and conduct a search, let alone the amount of resources available. Knowing which resource to use is key to search success, but so is being able to think laterally and reconstruct searches. You can’t expect every search to end in immediate success and being able to look at the question in new ways is important to make searching a positive iterative process rather than an exercise in futility.

Another takeaway is that we have to practice and keep up with current trends in order to be a successful searcher. Becoming proficient in search is more like learning a language than riding a bike. Search is a skill that evolves with technology and takes constant practice to master.

Why Does Search Matter?

Search matters because it is a skill that determines our ability to find accurate information in a speedy manner. Human beings are curious, somewhat lazy creatures. We constantly seek out answers and may be a bit too willing to accept the first response that comes our way. Knowing how and where to search in conjunction with being able to objectively evaluate sources are powerful tools in combating ignorance and misinformation. On a more practical level, as information professionals we need to be proficient in search in order to help and teach our patrons. We can certainly find information in the reference interview, but I would also like to pass on some of the skills and information I’ve learned here.

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1. My biggest overall takeaway from this course is how exceedingly important possessing and maintaining strong search skills is to the work of an information professional. Highlights from the course include properly learning how to use Boolean operators, creating a custom search engine via Google, conducting meaningful searches throughout the search activities, creating the presentation on Literary Reference Center for assignment 1, and, of course, designing my LibGuide, Searching Spielberg, for assignment 2 – the fruition of the work I’ve completed throughout this semester. I plan to apply everything I’ve learned in this course to my career as a librarian working in a public library as well as to my future academic and recreational research.

Search matters because information matters. Understanding how to obtain information via search is crucial not just within libraries, but to everyday life. It’s often said those with information have power; however, those with the skills necessary to search for information hold even greater power. Roy Tennant’s assertion that “only librarians like to search” while “everyone else likes to find” is somewhat correct in that librarians typically enjoy searching so much that they become searchers for a living while other people do not. The caveat here is that librarians are not the only information professionals working in the information arena nor are they the only people who enjoy to search, but the point Tennant is trying to make is clear: Librarians generally enjoy searching. I enjoy searching for the most part, but even I have to admit that I like finding more, especially when I conduct searches for information that is particularly difficult to find.

2. This meme of the Bifröst Bridge along with the tag about LibGuides is meant to convey the feeling someone may have once they successfully locate a LibGuide containing information pertinent to their research goal(s). I used this meme to represent the current information landscape because the information available to us through the World Wide Web is nearly infinite and will continue to grow at an incomprehensible rate. It’s critical that we as information professionals know how to navigate this information, especially as technology shifts.