Understanding current events: Or, why Reference matters more than ever
A recent Zogby International Poll (find the news story about it here) states that “The Internet is by far the most popular source of information and the preferred choice for news ahead of television, newspapers and radio”. It also reveals that only 10 percent of those polled would consider social websites as important sources for news, and an even smaller 4% would use Twitter for timely, topical information.
I wonder how different the results would have been had that poll been conducted today? My Twitter followers, most of whom are libraries or librarians, have been buzzing with information about the political situation in Iran – just a quick glance at the trending topics, which currently include “Tehran” and “#Iranelection”, indicates the prevalence of this topic right now. Reports in the mainstream media indicate that people in Iran are using Twitter to organize protests, and to share information with the rest of the world about what is really going on. More and more people, it seems, are turning to real-time news to get an understanding of the situation.
Where does Credo fit into this increasingly fast-paced world of news and information? Obviously as a reference resource, we don’t have the up to the minute information that a site like Twitter would have. But we do have the ability to provide someone with an awful lot of knowledgeable, credible background information that can help better inform your understanding of current events. For example – a Search in Credo for “Iran” turns up some great entries, including the one from the CIA World Fact Book, which has a lot of valuable information about Iran’s system of government. It is hard to be well informed about a current event when you can’t place it in context – Reference materials, and other resources, can help you do that.
