Reference Services ReviewReference librarians and the Internet: a qualitative studyMark Stover

Article information:To cite this document:Mark Stover, (2000),"Reference librarians and the Internet: a qualitative study", Reference Services Review, Vol. 28 Iss 1 pp. 39- 49Permanent link to this document:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00907320010313795

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Reference librariansand the Internet: aqualitative study

Mark Stover

Introduction

The professional literature contains several

articles and studies about how librarians,

particularly reference librarians, can harness the

power of the Internet (for a recent example, see

Zumalt and Pasicznyuk, 1998). Yet, little has

been published on the opinions and attitudes of

librarians toward the Internet as a tool for more

productive reference services. This study seeks

to accomplish the following: to categorize and

summarize the comments of librarians in

reaction to questions about the Internet and

reference services; to discover themes and

patterns among librarians with regard to their

attitudes toward the Internet; and to provide a

basis for future quantitative research in this area.

Methodology

In June 1998, I published a questionnaire on

my Web site designed to elicit qualitative data

about information professionals and

technology[1]. I posted the address of the Web

site to various library listservs, and over a period

of one month received 41 responses to the

questionnaire. Three questions in the survey

addressed issues related specifically to reference

services and the answers to these questions are

discussed in this article. These questions

address the utility of the Internet as a

communication tool, the relative usefulness of

the Web (versus print sources) in reference

transactions and patrons' understanding of the

Web on an authoritative/ephemeral spectrum.

The qualitative methodological approach is a

useful research method for gathering

information. It does not require a large

population of respondents, such as is

necessitated by most quantitative, statistically-

based research, to be methodologically sound.

It allows the researcher to collect responses

from a questionnaire in the respondents' own

words and it provides a way to see patterns and

themes on various topics that otherwise might

not be noticeable. The colorful anecdotal

stories that are generated by qualitative research

can in many ways be more enlightening to the

reader than the charts, graphs and complex

statistical analyses of sterile numbers that are

often found in quantitative research studies

The author

Mark Stover (mstover@mail.sdsu.edu) is Psychology and

Behavioral Sciences Librarian, San Diego State University,

San Diego, California, USA.

Keywords

Reference services, Librarians, Internet, Information,

World Wide Web

Abstract

Reference librarians must interact daily with Internet-based

technologies. Communicating with others through listservs

and e-mail, avoiding information overload, answering

reference questions with both print and electronic sources

and dealing with patrons' perceptions of the authoritative

nature of Web-based information are all many of the ways in

which most reference librarians must navigate the depths of

cyberspace. Uses qualitative survey data to find patterns and

themes among librarians with regard to their attitudes

toward reference services and related professional activities.

Includes a selection of categorized survey responses,

interpretation of the data by the author and suggestions for

further research.

Electronic access

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is

available at

http://www.emerald-library.com

39

Reference Services Review

Volume 28 . Number 1 . 2000 . pp. 39±46

# MCB University Press . ISSN 0090-7324

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(Strauss and Corbin, 1990). However,

qualitative studies should not be seen as

replacements for quantitative research. Instead,

they should be viewed as complementary to,

and foundational for, statistical data analysis.

Research findings

Reference questions, print resources and

the Internet

Where would you go to first (generally speaking) to

answer a fact-based question: value-added (and

subscription-based) databases (like Lexis-Nexis)

or one of the search engines on the Internet (such

as Infoseek or Altavista)? Or a reference book or

journal? Why?

Electronic priority

Some librarians (22 percent, n = 9) prefer to

check electronic sources first before consulting

traditional resources. Of this group, most

seemed to prefer value-added databases over

generic Internet search engines, but a

significant minority would go to the Web first.

One respondent wrote:

Generally, a Web site if I know the information

exists on the Web or an online service if I know it

exists there. The whole process is very dependent

on the information being sought. If I don't know

where I would find the information, I would always

go first to the Web.

Another person stated:

I go to our CD-ROM databases first, Internet

search engines second (gateway services), then

specialized search engines, then general ones.

Another said:

I go to one of the computerized databases that the

library has subscribed to first and then to the

Internet. We pay high prices for these databases so

I like to make use of them first. Depending on the

question, I may only need to check a reference

book first.

Others with similar viewpoints wrote the

following:

As a medical librarian, most of the `̀ facts'' we are

required to find are in value added databases like

Medline. Increasingly, our government agencies

are putting more and more of their information on

the Web which helps a lot ± generally much more

usable in that format than in old print sources

which often lacked sufficient indexes. I would

estimate a 50-20-30 split between paid databases

(including library catalogs), the Web and print.

Newsgroups and their archives. I want to hear

what others in my field have experienced.

I would look in an encyclopaedia on CD-ROM.

I probably already know a more specialized

collection of links and would start there.

Hardly ever to Lexis-Nexis, more likely to places

on the Web.

Print priority

One-third of the respondents (32 percent,

n = 13) preferred to use books and other

printed resources as the court of first resort.

One stated:

I always start with print resources in the library.

Then I go to the Web, but I try to have an arsenal

of good links run off our library Web site as good

ones save a bunch of time. Since only 40 percent of

sites are indexed, the search engines aren't that

great. I often have better luck querying the

Webmaster of a site that is close to what I want for

information. I've had very good luck this way. We

don't have any value-added databases at the

moment, but are considering them.

Another wrote:

First the book or journal if it's here, because people

trust what's in print. On the Internet I usually use

Metacrawler which searches several search engines

at the same time, but a lot of what turns up is not

really fact-based. I also use free Medline from

NLM.

Other similar comments included:

A reference book or journal. They tend to be more

reliable and accurate. Also, it is easier to find an

answer. You don't have to wade through all of the

junk.

I would probably go to a reference book or journal

if I knew immediately the source where the answer

would be found. As a general rule, I would use the

Internet as a last resort for information that I was

sure would not be in the collection.

Reference books are still the best solution because

they have so much more information.

I often go to our reference books and our

subscription databases first. Then I go to the

Internet. However, we have recently gotten Lexis-

Nexis, so actually I am beginning to tap that source

quite a bit.

Our few fact-based questions have either to do

with our collection, or with our organization, so I

would go to our own sources of information.

Reference book first, a carefully selected database

second and Yahoo third.

It depends

Almost half of the respondents (46 percent,

n = 19) viewed the process of negotiating the

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reference questions as somewhat ambiguous.

Many used the expression, `̀ It depends''. One

person wrote:

This really depends on the question. But in general

for work related questions I will consult a value-

added database. For information on a personal

topic, I will use a search engine.

Another stated:

Depends on the information being sought and

where I am, what resource is closest at hand.

A third wrote:

It depends on the type of question. If it's very

general, and info is needed immediately, I would

open a book. If they wanted to dig deeper, I'd run a

search in a database like Medline or PsycINFO. If

they still wanted more, I'd search the Internet (via

Alta Vista or Hotbot).

Other similar comments included:

Like any reference question, it depends on the

question. I'll go to a directory in Reference if it

seems most likely, or PubMed or another database

if it seems more likely. I'll use Altavista if it's a

vendor and I can't find it fast in BIP (or I'm lazy

and don't want to get up). Basically, you know

what types of info can be found where and as you

purchase books, databases or surf the Net you

learn from experience where things can be found

the fastest and easiest (and yes, with the growth of

the Net and the ease of updating, many more

things are found there than a year ago).

It really depends on the question. If the patron

wants just basic info for self or patients I tend to

use reference books or an off-line CD-ROM

product. For more sophisticated questions, I

would use a reference book and on-line value

added services. I would go on the Internet if I

couldn't find it elsewhere or if I had no other

databases.

Again, this depends upon what I'm looking for.

Searching for the `̀ Four Corners Hanta Virus'' is a

great exercise to see if you know how to use

searching properly. Some items are best found in

books such as publishing advertising rates (SRDS).

Searching on the Web for `̀ How to write HTML''

will keep you busy for months.

It really depends on the kind of fact-based

question. If it's a government statistic or something

that I knew right where it was located in a book, I'd

probably go to one of our paper reference tools. If

it's a current event, I might go online and check

out a search engine or one of the news sites. As a

public library we don't have access to value-added

databases like Lexis-Nexis, except for FirstSearch,

and if I'm looking for actual journal articles I will

look there.

It really depends on the question. I'd probably not

go to the database first (or the journal). They

might lead one to an answer, but it's more round-

about. I use those as a last resort when more direct

forms of info don't work. I'd probably choose a

Web site or a reference book first for that type of

info. I'd choose a Web site if the person needed

current info, like a week-old news story, a House

Resolution the person heard about last night on

C-Span, info on a political party or a non-profit

group or association, maybe an odd definition; I'd

use a reference book if the question was easily

found in Statistical Abstracts, an encyclopedia, a

dictionary, etc. I usually prefer to use the easiest

and quickest source first.

I'm a reference librarian with a good handle on our

print collection. I evaluate the question and decide

which sources are most likely to yield the best

information, so it depends on the question.

Extremely current or obscure things are more often

found on the Web. I use print for comprehensive

data. I use magazines for case studies or scholarly

opinions.

This would vary on the question. If it is anything

recent I'd go to the Internet. A subscription-based

database is usually a two-step process (one to find

the article, then you need to go get it) although

that is changing. The Internet can be a one-step

process in that discovering a resource that would

provide the answer is just one click away from

getting the answer.

Depends on the subject matter and/or currency.

For `̀ traditional'' ready reference questions, I'd go

to reference books first. If it's a popular news story,

Lexis-Nexis or InfoTrac. I use the Web for

regional info and other subjects our collection is

not strong in.

Patrons' understanding of authoritative

information

Do the majority of your patrons and/or clients

seem to have an appreciation for the distinction

between authoritative, high quality information

versus ephemeral, unfiltered information (such as

can be found on the Internet)?

Nearly one-third of the respondents (29

percent, n = 12) gave an affirmative answer to

this question. One stated that his or her clients:

can appreciate and distinguish. However,

sometimes they need to see the unfiltered

information that can provide [further] insight.

Another said that:

our patrons are researchers and know the

difference [between filtered and unfiltered

information].

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Most of these more optimistic respondents (24

percent, n = 10) nevertheless pointed out the

important teaching function that informs

patrons in their search for authoritative

information. One wrote that his or her clients

are able to make this distinction `̀ because I get

to them first during instruction classes to teach

them the difference''. Another stated that the

distinction is clear `̀ once it gets pointed out to

them''.

Other comments similar to these include:

When we give them something that has come from

the Net I make a point of telling them where it's

from and that things there are not monitored in

any way.

I must say `̀ Everything is not available on the

Internet. What is available is not monitored for

authoritativeness and quality'' at least a dozen

times in a week.

Many students and consumers need to be

educated.

We make every effort to inform them of the need to

evaluate the information they find on the Internet,

though, and we explain how easy it is for false, out-

of-date, or misleading information to get published

to the Internet.

We remind users, through our access policies, that

they must be good information consumers and to

question information coming from unknown

sources. Too many people believe that it's official

just because there's a Web site.

[This area requires] a constant training event and

effort.

This is a major element of instruction, but they

tend not to learn.

I think they need guidelines to evaluate

information they find on the Web.

A small percentage of the respondents

(7 percent, n = 3) seemed to attribute the

successful search for authoritative information

on the part of their clients to the nature of their

clients' work. For example, one librarian who

works with physicians stated that:

given the priorities of evidence-based medicine, I

sincerely hope so.

Another wrote:

My clients seem to know better but they are all

information management people. They know how

to search databases properly and, better yet, which

databases to use for a given subject.

A third respondent said that:

Since I am in an academic library at a major

research university, I feel that the majority of our

clients do have this appreciation. Oftentimes they

err on the side of conservatism ± only materials in

juried print resources are seen to have true value''.

The majority of respondents (63 percent,

n = 26) answered the question in the negative.

Some were quite emphatic in their answers,

using expletives and other strong language. One

wrote:

It's been my experience that many think that if it

got on to the Web it has some measure of

authority. Most don't know that their tuition pays

for `̀ expensive'' electronic peer-reviewed full-text

journals.

Another said:

From my observations, many people do not

understand the distinction. They think that if a fact

is published, whether in an authoritative source or

undocumented on the Internet, it is actual fact.

Others focused on the empowering nature of

experience on their patrons. One respondent

wrote:

Not until they experience the problems for

themselves they don't!

Another stated:

I try to explain the concept of quality filtering, but

if someone's in a hurry, that's tough. Sometimes, I

simply let someone flounder around in cyberspace

until they become teachable.

A third wrote:

Many of them want to find it `on the Internet' and

are surprised when we try and tell them `̀ Well, I

think you will have better luck with this book''.

If there was a consensus from this group of

respondents, it was summed up by the

following statement:

The majority don't seem to have a clue.

A more gracious and explanatory (or perhaps

rationalizing!) answer came from another who

stated:

They lack a sense of context, largely because most

of our clients have been using the Web for only a

short time and do not have experience with the

whole development of our current suite of

networked resources.

The Web as a communication conduit

Has the Web become a useful conduit of

communication for you? Or, is it more like the oft-

used metaphor of `̀ drinking from a fire hose''? Can

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you think of a recent experience that would

illustrate this answer?

While some respondents seemed confused by

the use of the term `̀ Web'' in this question (as

opposed to the broader and more generic term

`̀ Internet''), most seemed to use the terms

`̀ Web'' and `̀ Net'' interchangeably, even to the

point of discussing e-mail as a function of the

`̀ Web''[2]. Most of the respondents (73

percent, n = 30) expressed a positive opinion

about the Web as a communication tool. Their

comments can be distributed across four

categories: Listservs, answering reference

questions, e-mail contact with colleagues and

teaching.

Listservs

Several respondents (20 percent, n = 8)

expressed gratitude for the availability of

professional listservs. One wrote that family

responsibilities prevented her from attending

conferences and actively networking, but

that:

the various listservs I belong to have opened a

whole new arena for communication with my

peers.

Another wrote:

I know many people in our field solely because of

their presence on listservs. It has greatly improved

my feeling of `̀ connectedness'' to others in my

field.

Along similar lines, another respondent stated

that:

to some degree it has replaced professional

conferences for me ± I find that I am involved with

my colleagues professionally all year round instead

of just at conferences.

While some use listservs as a replacement or

supplement for professional networking, others

use these tools as reference sources. One person

wrote:

I am on several technical and Web oriented

listservs. When I need advice, there are no more

forthcoming people than these. I don't have to

reinvent the wheel, and like all good librarians, no

question is ever `̀ too dumb''. Specifically, recently

Web4Lib has had a lot of PC/Internet workstation

security information which any library offering the

Internet to the public can use. Most of the time I

lurk and someone else in the same quandary asks

for me. The listservs I find least useful are the

opinion ones without enough focus. I see a lot of

miscommunication, hurt feelings and flaming on

those.

Similarly, another respondent wrote that:

I regularly find and give answers to queries about

which I need or have resources or experience.

Reference and research

About one-third of the respondents (34

percent, n = 14) spoke about the myriad

opportunities to utilize the Web as a mechanism

for reference and research. Web-based

databases, interlibrary loans, search requests,

new acquisitions lists and Intranets are a few of

the ways that these librarians currently use the

Internet.

Some of the comments included the

following:

Very useful. It's great for current events, Web-

based databases, etc.

Has taken 95 percent of online reference

questions. Much more cost effective than Dialog!

Not quite as good or fast, but in the end works

well.

We use the Web daily in this library, to answer

questions from clientele at this university, as well

as from people around the world. I recently was

asked to provide some material for some students

from Germany who have no access to a particular

type of literature. Although I don't make a practice

of it, I did have time that day to run a literature

search for them and send the results by e-mail.

They were very grateful.

Yes it is useful. The research I do is 50 percent

Web based.

The Web is one-way communication at its best. I

have found numerous sources of information

relevant to me and I visit these sites regularly. I

have never felt overwhelmed by the depth or scope

of information available on the Web.

Yes ± it enables me to rapidly satisfy information

needs previously beyond the scope of y small,

highly specialized collection.

I find the Web to be extremely useful. A few hours

ago I was reading an article about . . . the McCain

bill . . . I brought up Netscape, typed in `̀ Library of

Congress'' in Yahoo! and in a few minutes I had

the full-text of the bill on my screen.

We use the Web daily for answering reference

questions. We choose the best source whether it is

books, periodicals, CD-ROM or the Internet.

Current government documents and business

information are sometimes best from the Net.

The Web can be very useful, or not. You can't

become addicted. Just as in searching in reference

books, you have to plan your search. I'm going to

spend 5 minutes looking (or half an hour

depending upon the subject matter) and that's

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that. The Web is great for getting detailed

information you don't expect to find.

Yes it is, but it is not easy to obtain quality

information from it; from an information searching

point of view, it has to be used to complement, not

replace, other sources, e.g. search on mental health

among African refugees: massive amount on legal/

human rights issues, very little on health.

The Web has provided me with the opportunity to

locate information for library clients that would

otherwise be unobtainable, e.g. statistics on the

enrollment at specific universities.

Contact with other professionals

Some of the respondents (17 percent, n = 7)

wrote about the importance of staying in touch

with colleagues and other professionals via

e-mail, whether locally or remotely. One stated:

The Web is an important information and

communication tool for me and my work. I'm in

better contact with co-workers and also with

friends!

Other comments included:

Very useful. Talking with vendors and our

database folks is very fast.

The Web can be a useful forum for sharing

information with an expanded colleague base. I

have recently posted case studies which are to be

used as the basis for a publication on the Web ±

this has saved hundreds of pages of photocopying

while allowing easy distribution to the authors of

individual chapters.

The ability to communicate with other

professionals, especially those who have more

knowledge than I is very helpful.

Instructional utility

One respondent remarked that the Internet can

be used to supplement instructional activities:

I teach an information technology course at a

technical college. This semester, I put my lectures

with hot links on my personal Web site a day

before class so students could concentrate more on

interacting and less on taking notes. It also gave

them a chance to study better for the final. I could

also put up links that were relevant to their

coursework in a way that they could click and be

there quickly.

Lack of utility

A small number of respondents (10 percent,

n = 4) thought that the Internet had become too

big and too much. One person said that:

the problem with the Web is that too many folks

don't know how to best use the different search

engines. They don't all work the same to get to

what information you're looking for.

Another stated that using the Web (and

teaching others how to use it) feels more and

more like drinking from a fire hose:

Our students will walk out if the Internet is down.

They won't consider a print resource. And they are

bombarded with useless information.

Unfortunately they believe that if it is on the Web,

it must be right.

A third questioned both the volume and reliable

nature of Internet information. This person

wrote:

I am concerned about the reliability of information

retrieved from the Web. Recent information which

indicated that much of the medical information on

the Web is incorrect has me concerned, especially

since I work in behavioral sciences. Just sifting

through Web hits is daunting. Just minutes ago I

tried a search via Alta Vista on research

productivity and psychology and got almost 2

million hits of which the first ten were useless. I

stuck to PsycINFO and recommended to the

student I was working with to use a lot of critical

thinking in searching the Internet.

Ambivalence

Several respondents (17 percent, n = 7) saw the

Web as being both helpful and overwhelming.

Representative of this ambivalence was one

person who wrote that the Internet is:

very useful. However I spend several hours a day

managing my e-mail.

Another stated that the Web is:

more of a useful conduit, but occasionally I feel

that people spend too much time `̀ schmoozing''

me with it.

A third said:

Sometimes it definitely feels like drinking from a

fire hose, as you click from link to link, site to site,

never actually finding content but just going to

more lists of useless links. However, it can be

extremely useful as well. Today I was looking for a

basic overview of networking to refresh my

memory and I was able to find some well-written

sites with lots of information that I think will help

me. After looking through all these sites, though, I

felt overloaded. In addition, it's great to be able to

have contact with all these other people who are on

the listserv, because we can all help each other

when questions arise.

Other similar comments included:

I generally do not use the Web as a communication

tool, but as an information tool. I am pretty adept

at finding what I want on the Web, because I use it

daily and am able to keep up with new

developments. I know what kind of search tool to

use for what kind of question, but I know many of

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my library's users who lack a sense of context

about the Internet and become very confused

about searching, not knowing where to start.

I have become more and more selective in what I

read and where I go. I find listservs ± especially

those with a focus ± very useful. Also, I know I

have to wean myself from lists which served my

interests, but now because of job function changes,

etc., do not. I could spend the day here, like at an

amusement park, and get nothing done.

The Web covers the spectrum, from `̀ a useful

conduit of communication'' to `̀ drinking from a

fire hose''. A recent example of the first is map

information. It is heavenly to get on the Web and

put in one's start address and destination address

and get explicit instructions plus a map for getting

there (instead of having to wait and find a map,

hope it is up to date and look at how to get there).

An associate of mine who presents Internet

demonstrations describes the Net as the

information sewer of the world.

Analysis

By and large, reference librarians today are in

conflict about the relative value of electronic

databases versus print resources. While both

subscription databases and printed reference

tools are clearly favored over generic Web sites

as the preferred source of information, 46

percent of the respondents in this survey

refused to select either print or electronic as the

tool of choice. `̀ It depends on the nature of the

question'' echoed over and over again from this

group, 32 percent of the respondents stated that

they would turn first to print sources and 22

percent preferred to use electronic tools as a

first choice. Despite the novelty of using

electronic sources to answer reference questions

(a practice that has grown in popularity since

the advent of the Web in the early 1990s), most

librarians today (as reflected in this survey)

insist on using professional judgement in

determining the appropriate response to a

reference query. Current practice is thus

completely aligned with traditional reference

procedure. As one standard text puts it, `̀ The

needs of the inquirer should be matched against

the characteristics of known sources'' (Thomas

et al., 1981, p. 121).

End-users have always struggled with issues

of authority in the evaluation of information

sources, but the Internet has exacerbated this

process enormously. Library users may perceive

that electronic information is superior to

printed information, or they may believe that all

electronic information (subscription databases

and generic Web sites) is equally credible. This

survey demonstrates that the majority of

reference librarians lack faith in the critical

thinking skills of library end-users. Most

respondents (63 percent) were skeptical that the

typical patron could understand the distinction

between authoritative information and

unfiltered information without the assistance of

a professional librarian. Still, a significant

minority (29 percent) believes that patrons are

able to make these distinctions, or at least are

willing to learn how to do so.

The overall pessimism of librarians toward

the critical thinking skills of end-users may

reflect a negative view of library patrons, or it

may reflect a high view of librarians as the

keepers of esoteric knowledge. In either case,

many of the comments in this survey (from both

groups of respondents) emphasized the

teaching function of the librarian with specific

reference to the authority of information. This

theme shows that librarians believe in teaching

(whether in a group setting or in an individual

tutorial) as a legitimate professional responsibility.

Most of the participants in this survey were

enthusiastic about using the Internet. A large

majority (73 percent) agreed that the Net is a

helpful communication tool in their daily

professional work. Several respondents

mentioned its usefulness in communicating

with other professionals (through both listservs

and private e-mail), in reference and research

services and even in teaching. However, a small

number of librarians in the survey (10 percent)

were skeptical that the Internet is worth all the

time, money and effort invested in it. Some

found it to be overwhelming and others were

concerned about the reliability of information

found on the Web. A somewhat larger group

(17 percent) was ambivalent about the

usefulness of the Internet, seeing it as both

helpful and overwhelming. For the most part,

though, there seems to be a strong acceptance

of the Internet in the professional lives of

librarians.

None of the statements made by librarians in

this survey were triumphalistic or overly

45

Reference librarians and the Internet: a qualitative study

Mark Stover

Reference Services Review

Volume 28 . Number 1 . 2000 . 39±46

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sentimental about the usefulness of the Web.

Most simply wrote about how the Internet helps

them fulfill their professional responsibilities.

The negative comments, however, were more

passionate in their indictment of the Internet.

(One respondent wrote that students `̀ are

bombarded with useless information'' on the

Net.) This may reflect a small but active subset

of librarians who have become disenchanted

with electronic communication, or it may

simply demonstrate that different personality

types prefer different modes of communication.

Still, the survey clearly shows a pattern of

optimism in the way that librarians feel about

the Internet.

Conclusion

A variety of themes and patterns have emerged

from this article. Librarians, by and large, do

not want to be tied to any rigid system of

reference service when choosing the appropriate

tool. The question of print versus electronic is

less important to most librarians than the

nature of the question. Professional judgement,

not a rigid distinction between print and

electronic, is the key to successful reference

service.

Librarians tend to be pessimistic concerning

the critical abilities of library end-users. While

some librarians are confident that the library

patron will succeed in differentiating between

good and bad information, most are skeptical

that end-users (on their own) will be able to

make this critical distinction. Still, a pattern of

the importance of teaching in the library

emanates from this part of the survey.

Librarians see instruction as a vital part of the

reference process.

The theme of the Web as a useful

communication conduit is clearly seen in this

survey. Most librarians are satisfied with the

ways that the Internet allows them to

communicate with their colleagues and to stay

abreast of professional activities and concerns.

While some are less enamored of the Web, most

librarians see it as an important and productive

tool that enables and encourages access to

information in a variety of ways.

Future research in this area should continue

to focus on these three areas (utility of the

Internet as a communication tool, the

usefulness of the Web in reference transactions

and end-users' understanding of the authority

of Web-based information). What types of

questions do reference librarians typically

answer with Internet-based resources

(subscription databases and generic Web sites)

and what kind do they answer with printed

tools? Do end-users really have difficulties

distinguishing between authoritative and non-

authoritative sources of information? Why do

some librarians continue to be overwhelmed

(and unimpressed) with the Internet as a

communication conduit? Quantitative studies

with larger samples could help answer these

questions with more precision and scientific

accuracy.

Notes

1 The survey may be found in its entirety in the author'sLeading the Wired Organization: The InformationProfessional's Guide to Managing TechnologicalChange, Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1999.

2 The Internet (or `̀ Net'') is the infrastructure ofinterconnected networks that provides the foundationfor electronic mail, file transfer, newsgroups and theWorld Wide Web. The Web is made up of hyperlinkedpages of text, graphics and sound on the Internet,although many other aspects of the Net, such asdatabases and e-mail, are today available through a`̀ Web interface''.

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Thomas, D.M., Hinckley, A.T. and Eisenbach, E.R. (1981),The Effective Reference Librarian, Academic Press,Orlando, FL.

Zumalt, J.R. and Pasicznyuk, R.W. (1998), `̀ The Internet andreference services: a real-world test of Internet utility'',Reference & User Services Quarterly, Vol. 38 No. 2,pp. 165-72.

46

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Volume 28 . Number 1 . 2000 . 39±46

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