Volume 43, Number 3 - May/June 2019
EDITORIALFrontLines Page 4 I believe that information professionals do work similar to what librarians do but push beyond some of the barriers intrinsic in the word "librarian." By Marydee Ojala The Searcher's Viewpoint Page 46 Every year, it seems, the relevant consulting companies and the many nonprofit organizations that are cavorting in the broad field of technology and the digital world simply go over their previous reports to update, reformulate, or slightly refresh their (old) trends. By Rafael Ball DEPARTMENTSPage 8 Search Engine Update By Greg R. Notess Page 48 Conference Corral Platforms, Pipelines, and Polemics at the Academic Publishing in Europe Conference FEATURESPage 10 Whether it's asking for directions to the closest fast food joint, ordering from Amazon Prime, or researching medical topics, AI assistants Siri and Alexa add a new dimension to traditional views of search. Sometimes voice search is ideal, but it raises questions about convincing researchers to use complex search strategies and privacy concerns. By Reina Williams Page 16 Librarians Assisting Scholarly Publishing: Websites to Watch The world has changed when it comes to scholarly publishing. Researchers now have to consider tools for editing, proofreading, and promoting their work. Alternative publishing models, particularly those championing open access, affect publishing decisions and processes. By Barbie E. Keiser Page 22 Patent searching has always had its unique quirks. But the advent of enhanced search systems has caused fundamental changes in searcher behavior. Longtime patent searcher Thomas Wolff finds his personal productivity has increased and sees a future with alternatives to text term searches. By Thomas E. Wolff Page 30 Research Through Google Lens At first glance, Google Lens seems to be strictly a consumer product. But does it have potential for professional searchers? Sophia Guevara and Senovia Guevara explore some use cases for libraries. By Sophia Guevara, Senovia Guevara Page 35 Time to Rethink How Our Users Handle Content and Search Drawing on his experience searching various business databases, Roger Magnus concludes that information professionals should talk less about search and more about content. Knowing sources can be a more efficient approach than teaching search strategies. By Roger Magnus Page 40 Evaluation Skills for an Evolving Information Ecosphere Evaluation is a core competency for librarians and other information professionals. Devar advocates understanding how traditional evaluation criteria, usually developed for judging articles and websites, can be adapted to other information types. By Georgina Devar COLUMNSInternet Express Page 51 Conformity Is the New Black: The Next Phase of Technology and the Internet Has the internet become bland? Have social media options become so similar, only the company logos tell users which product they are using? Carly Lamphere makes a case for how the tech landscape has become homogenized and addresses whether there is any way out. By Carly Lamphere InfoLit Land Page 55 The Horizon Report and Information Literacy Information literacy expert Badke looks at the latest Horizon Report and finds mentions of an ill-defined "digital literacy" rather than a concentration on information literacy. He believes that digital literacy should be folded into information literacy and looks forward to future reports with more emphasis on information literacy. By William Badke The Dollar Sign Page 58 Exploring Environmental, Social, and Governance Metrics for Responsible Investing The desire of investors to put their money where their values are has resulted in ratings and rankings of companies and mutual funds based on ESG: environmental, social, and governance data. Corporate responsibility features ever more prominently in the investment world, resulting in more coverage in online databases. By Marydee Ojala Hard Copy Page 61 Recommended Reading on Community Building Through Twitter, Accessible Library Websites, Internet Power Searching, and Data Librarianship By Jennifer A. Bartlett Online Spotlight Page 64 Bonsai Research Search guru Mary Ellen Bates sees parallels between bonsai gardeners, who create miniature versions of trees through careful cultivation, meticulous pruning, and infinite patience, and online searches on niche topics. By Mary Ellen Bates |
