In Some Ways, Teacher-Librarians are Like Veterinarians, Doctors, and Salespeople

     I stumbled across an amusing Youtube clip that reminded me of LIBE 467, a teacher-librarian course I am currently taking, which, right now has been about research strategies and referencing/research resources. In the clip, a man takes his cat to the vet.

     Vets, doctors, salespeople, and librarians all aim to help the customer find the information they seek. Like the vet in the clip, to be most effective, they’ll need to know which questions to ask to determine how best to help and they’ll need to know how to help them. For a teacher-librarian, this includes knowing research strategies to really get to the heart of what the customer (student, teacher, parent, admin) wants to find out and which reference resources to use to find the information they’re looking for, as well as potentially teach both things to the customer so they can learn to do this themselves. Simple, right? Well, not exactly…

https://bctla.ca/resources/point-of-inquiry/

     For one, there are many steps to researching and many different models on what those steps are. Not only that, but some are friendlier for younger customers being introduced to research methods, others work well with creative teenage or adult customers (with an emphasis on inquiry and discovery), and others work well with technical, detailed, research (such as for math, science, or business). The model used reflects the individual’s preference, their goal, and their audience. For a teacher-librarian to know multiple methods could then be more helpful than just one (for some examples, you can check out three different models below). 

https://thebig6.org/

http://www.sd43.bc.ca/school/heritagewoods/ProgramsServices/Library/Documents/The%20Research%20Quest%20Model.ppt

     Teacher-librarians also need to know which reference resource to use to best guide their customer to useful resources. Should they use an encyclopedia, a factbook (such as Guinness World Records), an almanac, a dictionary, a search engine (Google, Yahoo), a web 2.0 tool (Wikipedia), a periodical database, a digital library, etcetera… Each resource reference has its advantages and disadvantages based on what it is the customer is searching for. Wikipedia is great to find information fast if it doesn’t necessarily matter if it’s accurate, as anyone can modify the entries, so be sure to verify the information afterwards! I find search engines, like Google, are useful to find lists (such as top products of a specific technology), but it can be a chore to find exactly what you’re looking for with them (especially unbiased and authoritative sources) as they have high recall, low precision, and I assume they prioritize popularity (visits) and monetary influence (I’ve noticed that some website-creation companies offer paid packages that will prioritize your created website in certain search engines). So, use search engines at your own risk and don’t be surprised or annoyed if nothing useful becomes of it.

     Teacher-librarians need to also know how to use the reference resource, such as using search engine features like quotations marks, question marks, plus and minus signs, pound/star symbol, etc. as they can help narrow their focus. Also, knowing which keyword to use is tremendously useful. In my last few posts I described my experience looking up online courses and virtual reality in the classroom. When I found, and was guided to, certain keywords, my search results improved, and I was able to find the information I sought.

     A teacher-librarian should also present their reference resources in an accessible and clearly marked section, and “into a 21^st-century learning space [that has] easy access to technology, inviting, spaces for social interaction, and spaces for individual inquiry” (Riedling, 119). They should also evaluate whether to weed out reference resources every 5-10 years depending on the resource type (Riedling, 24).

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-high-school-library-reading-room-26825966.html

     As you can see, when a teacher-librarian helps a customer, more expertise is required than what anybody could do themselves just by using Google or Wikipedia alone. Veterinarians, doctors, and salespeople are valued for the help they give their customers, and so should teacher-librarians.

References

Holmes, Pete. “Realistic Garfield.” YouTube, YouTube, 18 June 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOPXRq-HgPw&t=1s.

Riedling, Ann Marlow, et al. Reference Skills for the School Librarian Tools and Tips. Linworth, 2013.

“TheBig6.Org.” TheBig6, thebig6.org/.

“The Research Quest Model: A Student Guide to Effective Research.” 26 Feb. 2009.