There is more information on Google — even more good information — than in most libraries. Unfortunatley, there’s also more trash — speculation, fantasy, and falsehood — masquerading as “information”. Some in libraries, too, though much less. One function of the librarians I’ve known has been to help me tell the difference, something Roy definitely needs help with. Meanwhile, Google makes it harder to tell the difference, not easier.
With “The Librarians” coming back on TNT for a second season (Hooray!), today’s strip seems so appropriate. Makes me wonder which one of them threw him out.
Google is awesome, but a good librarian is a treasure. I have asked a librarian for information I could never have found on Google twice in the last month. The first time, I needed to know the name of an author who had recently given a talk at the library. The second time, I wanted to find some new authors for my 6th grade daughter to enjoy. The extremely knowledgeable librarian asked a number of penetrating questions about the books and genres she has enjoyed, then directed us to 7 series we would never have picked up on our own.
Yet we’ve dreamed for so long about machines replacing people. Was that more because it seemed so ‘cool,’and… ahem… ‘futuristic,’ or did we really think there was any good reason that machines should replace people?
our library has their catalog integrated with other area libraries so one can borrow media from a huge pool; we can now borrow e-books for readers like kindle. internet and computers not displacing librarians but giving them bigger information store to manage and assist. be nice if all known books were digitized someday, just to give more people indexed and searchable access, and let us older readers magnify fonts
Besides the library, I spent a lot of time in used book stores checking out the National Geographics and buying them if they had what I needed for a report.
cabalonrye about 9 years ago
At least he didn’t call the Librarian a monkey. Orangutans have the strength of 10 men
Bill The Nuke about 9 years ago
@cabalonrye: Hey, another Sir Terry Pratchett fan!
rf_in_va about 9 years ago
Very funny! Have to admit that without Google, Yahoo and Bing, the flow of info about anything would be much more difficult to get.
Thomas Scott Roberts creator about 9 years ago
Ironically, I did not use Google for the background photo. I took it myself, where I used to live.
Varina720 about 9 years ago
Orangutans are apes not monkeys, or was that the insult?
Rauderi about 9 years ago
As someone who works in a library, I approve. :)
Darsan54 Premium Member about 9 years ago
Just rude Roy. Simply rude.
craigwestlake about 9 years ago
Actually, Roy probably ran into Conan the Librarian…
gammaguy about 9 years ago
There is more information on Google — even more good information — than in most libraries. Unfortunatley, there’s also more trash — speculation, fantasy, and falsehood — masquerading as “information”. Some in libraries, too, though much less. One function of the librarians I’ve known has been to help me tell the difference, something Roy definitely needs help with. Meanwhile, Google makes it harder to tell the difference, not easier.
Dragoncat about 9 years ago
With “The Librarians” coming back on TNT for a second season (Hooray!), today’s strip seems so appropriate. Makes me wonder which one of them threw him out.
jbarnes about 9 years ago
Google is awesome, but a good librarian is a treasure. I have asked a librarian for information I could never have found on Google twice in the last month. The first time, I needed to know the name of an author who had recently given a talk at the library. The second time, I wanted to find some new authors for my 6th grade daughter to enjoy. The extremely knowledgeable librarian asked a number of penetrating questions about the books and genres she has enjoyed, then directed us to 7 series we would never have picked up on our own.
Thomas Scott Roberts creator about 9 years ago
Yet we’ve dreamed for so long about machines replacing people. Was that more because it seemed so ‘cool,’and… ahem… ‘futuristic,’ or did we really think there was any good reason that machines should replace people?
RalphZIggy about 9 years ago
our library has their catalog integrated with other area libraries so one can borrow media from a huge pool; we can now borrow e-books for readers like kindle. internet and computers not displacing librarians but giving them bigger information store to manage and assist. be nice if all known books were digitized someday, just to give more people indexed and searchable access, and let us older readers magnify fonts
rekam Premium Member about 9 years ago
Besides the library, I spent a lot of time in used book stores checking out the National Geographics and buying them if they had what I needed for a report.