There is a popular meme in library circles that says, "Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant." I think closer to the truth is, "Getting good information off the Internet is like finding a needle in a haystack."
When researchers explore archival collections, they know that they are looking for elusive information. They expect to spend time digging to find a unique document or threads (needles) of evidence that can help them draw logical conclusions.
When we explore secondary sources in print, we are aware that our books are written by different authors and that two books sitting side by side on the shelf, may explore different angles of the same subject.
The problem with Internet searching is that our awareness of seeking something elusive, or finding various items that explore different views, is more removed. Most people seeking information have no expectation that they will spend an extended amount of time finding information. They approach the computer with the idea that they can garner what they need with a few clicks on a keyboard. Furthermore, they avoid getting slammed with the water from a fire hydrant by picking the first few sources that Google returns. There is no thought of finding an Internet gem. There is little thought about exploration. My students approach the Internet with the idea that it will give them AN answer - ANY answer.
When I was young, I spent much time in the summer sitting among patches of clover seeking one with four leaves. I admired all the clover. It was darker than the surrounding and grass with soft petals of heart-shaped leaves. I could sit for a long time amidst that clover, noticing the purple edged white flowers and hearing the sounds of bees flitting among the buds. Sometimes I would notice the blue sky or the heat of the sun on the top of my head. I remember the sounds of small planes flying above our yard. I sometimes even stopped to pick cherry tomatoes from my moms garden, tossing them in the air and catching them in my mouth. I then returned to sit cross-legged to continue my search for the elusive four leaf clover. The hunt was part of the fun. The time I put in was part of the experience.
Good research is like looking for that four leaf clover. I sit down prepared to put in the time.
Yesterday I was researching the history of the term "school library media specialist." I spent about half an hour and did not find the full history. I found AN answer, but I have more questions. It was not THE answer. THE answer will come with more research as I thread the needles of information I pick up along the way. (THE answer comes from me and my analysis of the needles.) I did find some virtual tours of major libraries. I watched them and moved on. I did find a book that promises to give me more needles of information. I ordered it and need to wait a week to get it. I will continue my research today. I am on a journey.
When I was young, every time I found a four leaf clover, I pressed it and put it in a photo album. I added it to the pressed wildflowers my mother and I gathered when we went for walks. I kept adding new bits of information, learning the names of flowers as the collection grew; I was learning to appreciate nature. There wasn't AN answer. There was curiosity, exploration, and the knowledge I was gaining.
I want my students to see research as a journey. I want them to appreciate the idea of finding needles in a haystack or a four leaf clover for their collection. Change the mindset. Don't avoid or get blown over by the fire hydrant.
