For the real truth, do your research
After all these years, I am still impressed by people who work in a library. This morning, I witnessed another example of how our staff practice what we preach when it comes to doing thorough research on a topic to come to a reasonable conclusion.
A coworker of mine came to me this morning to advise me of a document that has been circulating the internet. The document seemed to support her personal feelings on an issue, but something didn’t seem right.
When she noticed that the “official government logo” appeared slightly distorted, she decided to dig deeper to make sure that the document was genuine.
Rather than doing an internet search, she went straight to the source; the official website of the government entity. It turns out that the document is fake.
Doing research that may contradict our opinion requires deep appreciation for factual proof. That she did so was impressive enough. But, even more so was her dedication to doing actual research (not a Google search) to make sure that she wasn’t being influenced by fake news. It is a testament to the culture of the library that encourages people to access reputable information to make choices and decisions.
This experience reminds me to refrain from sharing information or documents that have been shared with me unless I properly vet them for validity. It is easy to share information or use it to “prove” our stance on an issue. But, if it turns out to be fake news, it could discredit us altogether.
If we have been raised on Google, or have simply forgotten how to conduct proper research, we can get help from librarians. They are literally masters at research (a professional librarian has earned a Masters of Library and Informa-tion Science degree). Whether it is to validate a simple document, write a research paper, or choose your next read-for-fun title, our librarians are here to help. Call us or stop by during our new open hours* to pick the brain of one of our master researchers.
EVENTS: Check our website Events Calendar for our schedule of online story times and other digital events at www.ebonnerlibrary.org.
StoryWalks™ - The June titles have just been installed; at Dover City Park enjoy “Wolf The Bunny” by Ame Dyckman and Zachariah OHora and at McNearney Park in Ponderay, experience “The Wolf’s Chicken Stew” by Keiko Kasza.
Now seeking volunteer remote tutors and students for all subjects. Students need more help than ever since school ended early this year. Call Mike Bauer for more information: (208)265-2665 or mike@ebonnerlibrary.org.
* The Sandpoint and Clark Fork Libraries are now open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during limited hours. Visit our website or read the Temporary Hours sign on our doors for details.
Marcy Timblin is in charge of public relations, marketing & community development for the East Bonner County Library District. She can be reached at 208-208- 208-208-263-6930, ext. 1204.