http://freerangelibrarian.com/2005/05/25/so-a-straw-man-walks-into-a-bar/ K.G. Schneider's blog on librarianship, writing, and everything else Sun, 20 May 2012 03:37:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 http://freerangelibrarian.com/2005/05/25/so-a-straw-man-walks-into-a-bar/comment-page-1/#comment-1450 Angel Thu, 26 May 2005 20:41:56 +0000 http://www.freerangelibrarian.com/2005/05/25/so-a-straw-man-walks-into-a-bar/#comment-1450 I read your piece, and I went over and read the Bell article. While Bell's article is muddled, I did not necessarily get the impression that he was saying librarians are anti-education. It felt more like he calling out or pointing out those who see librarians as anti-education. Tennant on the other hand, seems to be the one promoting the "let's all make it simple for the poor user." I would have loved to find something Tennant actually wrote. I have to agree it does feel ironic; in my case, as an Instuction Librarian, I don't think I can be more pro-education. Now, if you want something closer to what Bell seems to be pointing out, the LJ article from March 15th by Todd Miller seems on target (<a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA509607.html" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA509607.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA509607.html</a></a> ), "In Defense of Stupid Users." I liked the last sentence in the article: "The job of information professionals is not to make all users into information professionals. Our job is either to give them the right tools for the job or do the job for them." It becomes a matter of balance. Sometimes you can educate them, sometimes you have to do it for them. And even if you do it for them, you still educate them a little. And yes, there is nothing simplistic about a simple user interface. If there were, there would be no problem. Best. I read your piece, and I went over and read the Bell article. While Bell’s article is muddled, I did not necessarily get the impression that he was saying librarians are anti-education. It felt more like he calling out or pointing out those who see librarians as anti-education. Tennant on the other hand, seems to be the one promoting the “let’s all make it simple for the poor user.” I would have loved to find something Tennant actually wrote. I have to agree it does feel ironic; in my case, as an Instuction Librarian, I don’t think I can be more pro-education. Now, if you want something closer to what Bell seems to be pointing out, the LJ article from March 15th by Todd Miller seems on target (http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA509607.html ), “In Defense of Stupid Users.” I liked the last sentence in the article: “The job of information professionals is not to make all users into information professionals. Our job is either to give them the right tools for the job or do the job for them.” It becomes a matter of balance. Sometimes you can educate them, sometimes you have to do it for them. And even if you do it for them, you still educate them a little. And yes, there is nothing simplistic about a simple user interface. If there were, there would be no problem. Best.

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