@supereb

I rarely–actually, never–go to the library for research any more. Most of the stuff I want to research would be too dated if I waited for a book to come out.

Whether it’s which camera to buy my dad or how to use G+ for business, there’s more up-to-date info online.

I do agree that people have lost the skill of researching, which is maybe what this article is getting at. You must give credit, form your own opinion, and add to the conversation.

@supereb

We have girls 8 & 10, so I still visit the library…but mostly for fiction.

That is a problem w/online research; even the most bogus “evidence” can look true on an attractive website.

That’s why I love the Pew research site…great research from a well-respected organization.

@rich-brooks @bob-green

Well, I’ve certainly been to the Derby library in recent years but it is not the same as going to the Wichita Library!  You can get lost in that place (Wichita Lib.). 

The Derby library has article archives (that are not online) I have visited but even that was some years ago.  I work solely from home now for good reason.  Russ is handicapped and I can’t go off and leave him alone for any stretch of hours at a time. It limits my ability to spend a nice afternoon at a library or book store.

Thank goodness for Amazon books and Kindle books!  I have so many books in the house, it’s starting to be embarrassing. And I have to admit that I never thought I’d get a book reader gadget – but the lure of having space to live (space not consumed by books) finally made me cave in about a year ago. 

Eileen 

@supereb Good topic, Elaine. I’m a book lover who loves the feel of a good book in my hands… her favorite trusty yellow/pink/blue marker in one hand… and a horribly detested book-mutilating ink pen for note-making in the margins, underlining, and generally scribbling thoughts and charts and brainstorms in the other hand.

I’m one of the diehard holdouts for holding on to scribbly tangible ink-absorbing books. My brain just doesn’t absorb material the same way when I can’t have two-way communication with that little book. 

I’m always in the process of creating a “Teacher’s Edition” in the margins, cracks, and crannies of any book I read, including fiction. Guess I got that habit from teaching English. When I see a great sentence that richly conveys something far beyond mere words, I simply MUST underline, circle, draw exclamation points, and make a note reminding me of the import of that sentence or a thought that it relates to in something else I’m working on.

So beyond being a mere book, most of my books end up being a resource digest and diary or journal of my thoughts on that subject. A reSource I return to again and again. Hence my nickname, ReSource Robin.

As a researcher, I aways have a strong interest and need to get to, verify, and evaluate the value of a source. Online research has made that a lot easier to track down “quoted” materials from a source, but not to verify and evaluate the quality of a source. In the past, it was easier for me to pick up a phone and call an author, writer, famous person, etc and quickly ask my questions, making friends and valued connections quite often. 
Now with the internet ever looming, lurking, and threatening to print, record, and disseminate every word uttered, I’m finding experts and famous people shy away or run away from direct inquiries and complimentary conversations. It freaks them out. Unless their fame or expertise originated on the internet and openly welcomes and is set up to handle meaningful real-time dialogues on the internet, I’ve found most quiet, thoughtful thinkers have cut off their phones and can no longer be simply called.

Just dangy! Ten years ago, when I read a book I liked, I’d call up the author and talk with them. Made friends, connections, and found richer meaning in much of what they wrote, wrote about some of them, kept confidences to myself and honored their wishes. Do that same kind of thing today and you first must find a way to calm their internet stalker freak-out effect. Now it’s best to make contact via stilted online contact methods. Just NOT the same. Just can’t make book friends like that anymore.

Robin

Hi @geoffrey-gordon —  Good advice, appreciate your insights and contribution.


Howdy @bob-green —  I agree that browsing all the items (books, magazines) is a good place for ideas.  But I can browse online for the same effect, (mostly)!   The problem with online is that you don’t SEE all that stuff together like you do the library or at book stores.  When visiting the actual places your eye wanders to particular items – then you SEE what will attract the eye and that’s a very important point to make.

Thanks everyone – this was a fun thread!

Eileen