Being a good information intermediary

Being an intermediary for domain experts
“Helping an inexperienced searcher who is knowledgeable in the general subject matter of the search but not the database, and who has had an inconclusive search result, may be among the most difficult tasks for the intermediary” (Meadow 294). Ironically enough, being a school librarian puts me in this position quite often. When I help a student with a database they are generally pretty flexible and there is a natural give and take in the research interview; however, when I am working with a teacher on a database I feel a definite tension in the interview. The threat of “not knowing something” gets in the way. . . on my part as well as theirs. I try my best to disarm this kind of thing with jokes and whatnot, but it is real. Also when a teacher has the domain expertise and is not able to find something, the immediate reaction is to believe that the database must be faulty since they know their content, History, English, Science etc. I’ve heard more than once a teacher embarrassingly say that they know they should know how to use the library better, but just haven’t had the chance to learn and now they feel too embarrassed to ask and this is even more true with databases.

Automated Search Mediation 14.4
The first thing I thought of when I read Meadow's section on automated search mediation was (forgive the nerd factor here) a Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode, 6th Season titled “Schisms”. If you are a fan, you’ll recall the episode as the one in which Troi, Riker, Geordi, Worf, and Kaminer all go to the holodeck to reconstruct their fragmented memories of an alien abduction. If you would like to boldly go, watch the scene here:



Watching it again, I realize this is more the creation of a record rather than the retrieval of one, but it is interesting to see some of the parallels to information retrieval. I like the way that they must identify attributes “metallic” rather than “wooden” and also narrow the search “Troi: computer -- show me a table... COMPUTER VOICE: There are five thousand forty-seven classifications of tables on file. Specify design parameters.” -heh

At first I remembered the computer voice taking a little more active role in their memory reconstruction, but reviewing it I see that Troi was still functioning as an intermediary in some respects to the “database.” I also like Geordi’s frustration with the “interface.”

Don’t wait for the ASK, go searching for it!
If you go into a store often a clerk will greet you and later ask you if you need any help finding anything. If you go to a restaurant a waiter will take your order, bring you your food and then ask you if everything is alright. Imagine a library that gave the service of a great restaurant. Firstly it would take a much larger staff than most libraries have, but the service could be fantastic. You walk into a library and a librarian gives you a quick tour and shows you to a comfortable seat. He or she then asks you your information need and goes to fetch you a wireless reading device, a portable DVD player, MP3 player, or laptop. While you wait, you enjoy nibbling on entertaining information bits, today’s headlines or recent Flikr photos scrolling on a Chumby. I know that this may be counter to what many think of the library, but this is certainly achievable and people will love it.