I think our Search Activities 1-5 really pushed me out of my comfort zone but taught me so much about the art of searching.  I found the VOS each week interesting, informative, and inspiring at times too.  I loved hearing about all the different places in libraryland and where this graduate degree could possibly take me.  I appreciated all of the reading lists and Pearltrees to reference anything and everything!  There was even a Pearltrees on how to make a meme!  What?!?!

I will take what I have learned and use it in my fields of practice.  Both in school libraries and in the public libraries.  I feel better equipped to teach my students about databases and how to do meaningful searches. 

As for my metaphor, this iceberg picture kind of sums it up.  People just think that librarians are the keeper of the books and that we read all day.  Or that we can pull books for them when needed.  We are so much more than that. 

 

I’ve truly enjoyed so much about this course, and I appreciate how relevant everything felt. Each week, I gained some tools and strategies to use in my future career, and I feel confident that my search skills will support a community of learners one day. My biggest takeaway from this course, though, is this: info pros are necessary. Going through the course materials and listening to the voices of search videos reminded me of all the ways that search permeates various personal, academic, and professional landscapes, and having these tools will bolster our success regardless of the specific paths we choose.

 

2. The information landscape looks much like Charlie’s cork board in the meme I created. The information we want is out there in the universe, and there are so many strategies, avenues, portals, search engines, social media platforms, etc. that I feel energetic about being able to find that information. I realize that search is not always easy or straightforward, but by adopting an open mind and adaptable attitude, coupled with the basic knowledge of info pros, I can harness that energy to search in ways that supports everyone’s goals in my future learning community.

I am already applying what I have learned because the assignments were practical and relevant. In the middle of the semester, I was able to figure out a complicated search at work (and before any of my coworkers) because I felt more confident building search strings and I knew to look for user guides and blogs that explained the search format. I don’t think I would have been able to figure that out so quickly had I not taken this course. I’ve built life-long skills in this class.

In the future, as many of you know, I plan to work with kids. I will take what I’ve learned from this course (everything from misinformation, to curation, to search knowledge, skepticism, and beyond) and pass it down to the next generation. I also plan to subtly embed what I’ve learned into conversations with friends and family. I’ve already taught my husband a few things! 

I’ve also learned that the world of search is messy and organized all at the same time. There are so many rich and valuable resources out there, but we have many obstacles to getting there: this includes paywalls, biased sources, knowing what’s out there, etc. I think the movie Trust Me will always stick with me. It shows how powerful information can be, whether it is true or not. We have a responsibility as information professionals to help others see the information world through a rightfully skeptical lens. We need to help teach people how to search, not just find. 

I also want to thank Dr. V for pushing us all outside of our comfort zones and growing our information tool kits. This course covered so many topics across many disciplines that many of us wouldn’t otherwise have seen. I’ve learned about so many sites, databases, networking tools, and curation tools that they’re hard to keep track of! I also want to thank all of my classmates for their contributions as well. It’s been a wonderful semester of learning and growing. 

I took my photo from this youtube video that has nothing to do with search. I know we’ve talked about the information landscape as an iceberg but I see it more as an anthill. All the twisty tunnels and turns are the way we navigate through the surface, deep, and dark web the further you get into that ground. The scavenger ants are constantly bringing in new resources (information), the worker ants are digging new tunnels and pathways, and it's constantly expanding. Different entrances to the hill are different search engines and databases; some paths lead to certain sources whereas others do not and you need to find a different path to it. This may be a stretch but it makes sense in my brain because I've been dedicating the past month and a half to animal resource curation!

I made the above meme because it represents how I feel after our discussions concerning misinformation, bias, and etc. Learning about information and media literacy and being aware of mis-and-disinformation tactics and algorithmic/search-engine bias has significantly shaped my understanding of the information landscape, and will continue to inform my decisions when helping others to navigate it.

Some of my biggest takeaways are that there are so many databases that can provide useful information, more than I realized, and so many that I have yet to explore. Simultaneously, there were so many I was introduced to through this course, both on Rutgers list of databases and Jersey Clicks, among other databases. Patrons and users have a vast variety of needs and this class helped me to see the value in fully understanding these databases, their scope, and modifiers for searching in order to utilize and suggest these databases to an appropriate audience. Through this class I also learned that that there are so many sources that individuals can gain information from outside of scholarly sources, such as a vast variety of blogs, twitter posts, and open-source sites that provides professional articles at no expense. Through this class, I also received a lot of insight on why misinformation spreads so quickly online, in large part due to filter bubbles and an individual’s own confirmation bias. I think that understanding why mis and disinformation spreads helps give me a better sense of how I could try to combat it in a library environment.

Before this class I used to be very reluctant when it came to social media. For my own personal reasons, I was never quite comfortable with social media in most regards, hoping to avoid it when I could. I feel that this class was able to change my thinking a bit in regard to social media platforms. I now see that social media can be an excellent source for curation and a necessary tool to reach out to broader audiences, including connecting with other librarians. I also see that these platforms can truly be a great source of information, giving insight that other sources may not be able to provide. Granted, I still think I will be cautious using these tools as a source of information in the future, but only to assure that the information gained is valid, as I would with any source of information.

My meme reflects some of my feelings on the vast variety of information sources on the web. There are so many sources to discover and explore, and while it can be exciting, it’s also hard not to be a little overwhelmed.

I have already begun to apply what I have learned in this class in my job at the library. Some of the application has been as simple as applying advanced search techniques but the most recent example was a reference search on chickens and whether they understand human language. Normally, I would have started and ended my search on Google but now I am conscious to consider search facets and wield search operators that would provide reputable results. I also consider other sources of information such as databases and scholarly articles that may not be considered in a Google search. Beyond this, I feel comfortable considering and using social media as a source of information, discerning reliable sources from biased or deceptive sources.

On the other hand, it was quite evident in the beginning of this course that there were gaps in my knowledge when it came to searching databases. I found it most helpful to learn about near operators and controlled vocabulary thesauri. 

I think knowing how to search well has become essential because memorization is no longer as important since we have computers in our pockets, in our cars, and even in our homes, just standing by waiting for us to ask our questions. The world-wide web has become a kind of surrogate for our memory. Computers, however, contain SO much information; it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it. As reliance on digital resources increase, it’ll only become more and more necessary that we learn how to search for the information the web contains. 

At the beginning of this course, I didn’t completely agree with Roy Tennant's quote that "only librarians like to search. Everyone else likes to find." I still don’t completely agree. I think everyone likes to find. That’s what makes search fun- the end goal (and maybe some of the rabbit trails along the way as well =)! It can, however, be a complicated and frustrating endeavor. Now that I know how to search better, I can teach others those skills, and I think that’ll help them to find the task more enjoyable as well. 

Throughout this course I had several main highlights. One, for sure, was the Office Hours with Dr. Valenza. Since I am studying all virtually I haven’t gotten the chance to connect with as many of my classmates or professors and I loved being able to connect every week to discuss our work and also just get to know everyone. Another highlight was getting to create resources that I will be able to continue to use outside of this course. A final highlight was the quality of discussions in the different modules. It was so interesting to hear different voices and opinions about topics we can all engage with.

The meme I chose definitely represents something that I think is currently happening in the information landscape. It’s easy to get lulled into just stopping at page one of search engine results but there’s so much more out there than Page One of a Google search. We just have to make sure we’re passing that along to others!

In our very first module and VOS with Mary Bates she discussed that librarians need to have a “permeable comfort zone” and I like to think that this class has really challenged me to sit with my discomfort with a particular skill or concept and be okay with challenges. I think that is going to be essential as an information professional as the landscape and future horizons of this field are constantly evolving. 

My image of the Mars rover (on the Nasa Website) was meant to capture this feeling. We, the information professionals, are the rovers exploring uncharted terrain looking for both familiar and foreign resources. Our skills are like the technology used to design and build these rovers… Some aspects are foundational skills that, no matter how the landscape changes, the skills will be relevant as they are. Other parts are constantly being modified and updated as needed to meet the challenge we encounter. 

I had entirely too much fun making these memes (hence why I’ve included two) but I think that is actually indicative of how much growth I’ve made since beginning this program. My confidence with technology has really grown. This was a big ‘Aha’ for me as I was really initially drawn to the profession by a love of reading and books but am finding more and more joy in the art of search and exploring the tools that provide a means to connect the user and the information. 

The Voices of Search videos deserve a special mention as well. The value of gaining an understanding of what professionals in the field think about their work and the future of information science cannot be overstated. Not only are you gaining diverse and varied perspectives but you are being exposed to a great deal of ways to do this work. 

I’m so glad I took this course in my first semester. 

I see the information landscape as a spider's web. The information we want is at the center, but there is an infinite number of routes you can take to get there. You might get stuck, might hit a dead end, might take a detour, but you're still on your way!

As we’ve learned this semester, there is a precise how, when, and why to placing search terms into the search box; now that I am able answer and explain these specific processes, I truly see the progress I’ve made this semester and recognize the hard work and effort going into the reference desk every day. It’s a true craft and art to be able to swiftly maneuver through the weeds of sources, and now I know more to continue to improve my own search skills to make me a better searcher. For instance, our search activities using multiple research facets was a difficult yet enlightening challenge, especially since it highlighted my own shortcomings when it came to searching. As I came to learn, learning advanced queries takes skill, time, and effort to generate meaningful content to find the right niche in a search. Therefore, I now know this course significantly improved my ability to search and provided me with such a rich toolkit and guide for successful searches. I now feel prepared to fulfill the role of the librarian in the meme rather than the role of the ignorant students. Ultimately, this course makes me like a better librarian because I am now better equipped to search for materials and research for both teachers and students in my future school library. 

Overall, reflecting on the entirety of our time together in 530, I think back to the Roy Tennant quote guiding us through the semester. In the first weeks of the course, I explained my love for what I called “the hunt,” which was weaving through research to find the pearl, that perfect article that launches research into a passionate and positive direction. As I began to learn and appreciate the deep depths of searching and how to utilize different strategies to yield a great search, I now realize that “the hunt” I was referring to was ultimately the search process and experience. Of course, everyone loves to find and finally see the fruits of our labor. However, what sets us information professionals apart is the journey that gets us there, not the destination, and that’s what Tennant has been referring to all along. 

Thank you for a wonderful semester and the opportunity to learn with you.