Final Reflection

Between the two types of searching I engaged in for this project (that is, simply trying to guide the client along versus doing the entire search myself), it was much more satisfying to do the search myself. When suggesting things for the client, he did not always follow my advice. It proved to be very frustrating, because I would have to watch him execute poor searching practices without any strategy. And even though I would offer him helpful hints, he ignored them for the most part. Searching for the information on my own gave me more control and also allowed the search process to yield a better quality of results.

When the client and I sought information together, the first database selected was Academic Search Premier. After only two groupings of search terms, the client opted to change databases amidst my protests. It is for that very reason I decided to search only within Academic Search Premier. I find that to contain information comprehensible to high school students, having used it myself in high school. It also proved to be a very valuable source, as I found five sources as a result. To me, this suggests that proper searching strategies are all that stands between many patrons and the information they are looking for. This highlights how important librarians really are in the searching process, because the client was unable to find this information in the same database.

Sometimes librarians will be asked for help with topics they are uncomfortable with. We just have to get over it and help the client as best as we can without letting our own judgments or biases become involved, which is precisely what I had to do. Searching for a topic like pornography was certainly interesting, especially because I searched for this project in between client questions at the reference desk at work. I was very self-conscious about the fact that the screen would often say things such as pornography and rape in bold print every time someone walked by my terminal.

This project also brought the format the information is stored in to my attention, considering two of the documents are microfilm. If I needed to give the client the documents from the second search session, I am confident that he would not want to deal with microfilm. For patrons unused to this format, it is quite daunting. I was frightened of it myself until this fall. If the document I needed in high school or undergrad was only available through microfilm, I would try finding something else instead. Since it is a Rutgers microfilm, I would have had to turn it into a PDF for the client, as he cannot drive himself to New Brunswick. I feel that he would have taken the PDF, but if he had access the microfilm collection, I would imagine that he would be hesitant to tinker with the microfilm machinery.

If given the chance to complete this project again, I would try to take control of the search with the client more. Not necessarily in a forceful manner, but explain why the behaviors he is exhibiting are harmful for his ultimate goal of collecting information. I was rather nervous, so i was unable to properly express exactly why he should stick to one database and just try different iterations and search terms. I also did not want to come across pretentious, the way I have seen many graduate students encounter teenagers during my undergraduate education at Rutgers. Had I gotten over my nerves, I would have been able to better suit the client.


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