Drexel University Information Technology



Hannah Miller

Nov. 21, 2011

INFO 521 Dr. Marion

IPL Project

IPL Question 1:

Question claimed on: Oct. 16, 2011

Answer submitted on: Oct 17, 2011

Type: Ready Reference Question

Time Spent: 3.5 hours

Subject: Open stacks in US libraries

Patron: Gina

Posted: Oct. 4, 2011

Needed by: Oct. 7, 2011

Transcript:

Needed by: 10/7/2011

Question:

When did libraries in US started having open stacks?

name: Gina

area: Library

reason: For the class

8: CLAIMED Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:50:58

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

9: Re: Quota: LIB: When did libraries in US started having open stacks (need by 10/7/2011) (sent to patron) Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:09:35

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Greetings from the ipl2!

I was excited to hear your question about when libraries in the US began having open stacks. I believe you are trying to determine when public libraries opened in the US, allowing the public to browse the stacks and borrow books. I was unable to find a specific date, as there seems to be some debate about it, but by the mid to late 1800s, public libraries were popping up across the US with several having been around before that.

The answer that I found can be seen on the Wikipedia page for Public Library under the United States heading.



Keep in mind that a community of users maintains or edits Wikipedia. Because membership in this community may include non-experts, information taken from this source should be verified using other, more reliable sources.

I Google searched for several of the libraries mentioned in the article.



I found the website for the Darby, Pennsylvania Public Library which was listed on Wikipedia as one of the oldest in the country, being founded in 1743.



I also searched for the Boston Public Library and found it was started in 1848 and was the first large public library.



Lastly, I searched for the New York Public Library and found that it was organized in 1895.



1. I began this search by performing a Google search for 'public library history.'



2. I selected the first link which was to Wikipedia and read through the section on US public libraries. The article explained that there is some debate about which is the oldest library in the US, with several libraries claiming the title. As I said earlier, Wikipedia is maintained by a community and the authors of articles may not be experts, so I picked a few of the libraries the article mentioned and chose to search them separately and double check the information.

3. I Google searched for 'Darby Free Library' and found the Darby Free Library website. I clicked on the 'About DFL' link and then 'Our History' which is where I found information about the library's early beginnings.

4. I performed another Google search for the Boston Public Library and selected the tab 'General & Contact Info' then 'About the Boston Public Library.' Under the 'History and Description' link, one can read about the founding of the BPL in 1848.

5. Finally, I performed one more Google search for the New York Public Library. Under the tab 'Using the Library,' I selected 'About the NYPL' and then clicked on the link to 'History.' This article offered a lot of interesting information about the process involved in joining local libraries to become the NYPL.

I hope this information has been helpful and thanks for using the ipl2! If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

> Needed by: 10/7/2011

> Question:

> When did libraries in US started having open stacks?

> name: Gina

> area: Library

> reason: For the class

10: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:09:35

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

11: Re: Quota: LIB: When did libraries in US started having open stacks (need by 10/7/2011) Post-A-Note message (only visible to IPL librarians) Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:12:41

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

I would just like feedback to make sure I am answering questions correctly. I was a little unsure of what the user meant by "open stacks" and answered it assuming she meant public libraries. Was this the correct thing to do in that situation?

12: Set STATUS to FEEDBACK_REQ Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:12:41

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

13: Re: Quota: LIB: When did libraries in US started having open stacks (need by 10/7/2011) Post-A-Note message (only visible to IPL librarians) Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:11:04

by Andrew Wickliffe (amw348@drexel.edu)

Hannah Jane Miller,

You did a great job of giving the information of how you found your sources. So, don't worry about having the format down, you definitely have that.

As far as knowing what the user meant... with such a broad question, you can always ask the user for more information. You include one source and how you found it and why you chose it (based on how you understand the question). If the user means something else, he or she can get back to you.

Also, you don't have to include a web address twice--so when you talk about Googling, you just have to refer to once. The next time or times, you can just say "."

Only other thing, and it doesn't directly relate to these sources, but giving a little information about their authority and why you chose them.

Like I said above, it's tricky with such a broad question. You did a good job presenting the information you found. Hopefully, if the user has any further questions, she'll get back to you.

Andrew Wickliffe

14: Set STATUS to FEEDBACK_RCV Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:11:04

by Andrew Wickliffe (amw348@drexel.edu)

Log for Question 1:

Sources consulted and strategies used:

My main jumping off point for this search was Wikipedia. After I decided that I would approach 'open stacks' as public libraries that lent out books to everyone and did not require a membership, I began searching for the oldest public libraries in the United States. This proved to be an area of contention among historians and I visited several websites by libraries claiming to be the oldest in the US. I used Wikipedia to find general information and then searched through the references and libraries the article cited to gain more reliable information.

Critique that indicates level of satisfaction with the answer provided:

As recommended afterwards by the reviewer, I should have clarified the meaning of 'open stacks' with the user because as it is now, I am not sure that I provided the answer this user was looking for. However, if I was correct in my assumption that the user was looking for the first public libraries, then I believe I gave a useful response. The nature of the results though, being in contention by historians, made my response seem a little weak. Although in my opinion the answer was comprehensive and offered the best conclusion one can come to with information being disputed, I think that answering with 'Well, there isn't a definite answer,' is always going to look a little disappointing.

Anything that you would do differently in the future:

This question took the longest of the five I completed for this project and I think that was partly because I was unclear of what the question meant when I began my search. As the reviewer mentioned in my feedback, I should have asked to clarify the question. I spent a good bit of time trying to determine what the user meant by 'open stacks' and that could have been time spent on research for the user had I requested clarification. In the end, I think my response was alright, but the main point (finding the information the user is looking for) may not have been realized.

IPL Question 2:

Question claimed on: Oct. 31, 2011

Answer submitted on: Oct. 31, 2011

Type: Bounced Question

Time Spent: 45 minutes

Subject: Natalie Babbitt's birthday

Patron: n/a

Posted: Oct. 31, 2011

Needed by: n/a

Transcript:

Question:

hi, umm..when i natalie babbitts birthday?

location: cali

area: Literature

reason: for a report

school: Yes

2: CLAIMED Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:39:40

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

3: Re: LIT: when i natalie babbitts birthday? (outgoing) (sent to patron) Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:18:58

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Greetings from the ipl2!

Thank you for you question about Natalie Babbitt's birthday. I have found a few sources for you to check out and can answer your question. Natalie Babbitt was born on July 28, 1932.

You can find that information on the website 'Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators' under Children and YA Authors' Birthdays Date/Name. You must download a PDF file and the information is located in the table.



For more information about Natalie Babbitt, you can check out the ipl2's Author Page for Natalie Babbitt.



Both of these websites are backed by the ipl2 and are selected because of their reliable information.

1. To begin this search, I went to the ipl2 website.



2. I searched for 'Natalie Babbitt' in the search bar on the website and the second result I got back, directed me to the ipl2's Author Page where I selected the link for Natalie Babbitt. This page did not give me her exact date so I decided to continue searching.

3. I went back to the ipl2 website and instead of searching, clicked the link to 'For Kids' which took me to a different part of the website.



4. I next selected 'Reading Zone' and 'Books and Authors.'



This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.



5. I looked over the links and decided to try the link for 'Children and YA Authors' Birthdays by Date' which took me to Kathy Schrock's website that I listed at the beginning of this response. The answer to your question can be found in her file about author birthdays.

I hope this information has been helpful and thanks for coming to the ipl2. If you have any more questions, I'd love to help!

> Question:

> hi, umm..when i natalie babbitts birthday?

> location: cali

> area: Literature

> reason: for a report

> school: Yes

4: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:18:58

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

5: Re: LIT: when i natalie babbitts birthday? (outgoing) Post-A-Note message (only visible to IPL librarians) Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:21:01

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

I would just like some feedback on my response for an assignment. Thank you!

6: Set STATUS to FEEDBACK_REQ Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:21:01

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

7: Re: LIT: when i natalie babbitts birthday? (outgoing) Post-A-Note message (only visible to IPL librarians) Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:58:24

by John Pyle (john.pyle@drexel.edu)

Hannah,

Great job! I’m sorry you haven’t received feedback sooner. But, you did a really good job with this one. You included all of the mandatory elements, and answered the users question exactly.

It seems like you inferred from the question/user info that this was a younger user, and thus formatted your answer accordingly. Good job.

If you are ever unsure about how to handle questions like this, feel free to check the section of the training wiki about answering questions submitted by youth:



Or, shortened:



I hope that helps! Thank you on behalf of the ipl2.

8: Set STATUS to FEEDBACK_RCV Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:58:24

by John Pyle (john.pyle@drexel.edu)

Log for Question 2:

Sources consulted and strategies used:

This question was very straightforward and my research did not take long at all. In the group discussion during the IPL scavenger hunt, my group decided to make our own clues and one person from my group lead us to the 'Authors' Birthdays by Date and Name' page that I referenced in this response. When I claimed this question, I knew exactly where to go to find the information. I had a bit more trouble finding a second source to corroborate the information but ended up finding the Natalie Babbitt page on the ipl2 website that offered enough information. While researching for the question, I tried searching with Google but ended up having all the information I needed right on the ipl2 website.

Critique that indicates level of satisfaction with the answer provided:

As this user was looking for a simple, fact based answer, I think that I responded to the question exactly as the user would have wanted. I found the birth date the user was looking for and also linked him or her to another site with a small biography for Babbitt for more information.

Anything that you would do differently in the future:

I do not think I would do anything differently with this response. I found the answer to the question and two good sources all in less than an hour.

IPL Question 3:

Question claimed on: Nov. 4, 2011

Answer submitted on: Nov. 4, 2011

Type: Bounced Question

Time Spent: 1.5 hours

Subject: Websites for 5th-7th graders

Patron: n/a

Posted: Nov. 3, 2011

Needed by: n/a

Transcript:

Question:

I am contacting you as a teacher of seventh grade science. Our students are starting a year-long guided exploration about using science to solve real problems in public health and the environment.

I would like a suggested hotlist of sites appropriate for grades 6-7-8--though the sites can also be adult government agency sites--of reliable information on topics in the realms of public health and/or the environment.

Suggestions?

location: Orinda, California, USA

grade: 7 (students)

area: Science

school: No

3: CLAIMED Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:11:15

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

4: Re: SCI: youth: Websites for 5-7th graders on public health and environment (outgoing) (sent to patron) Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:36:52

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Greetings from the ipl2!

Thank you for your question regarding websites for 6th - 8th graders to educate them about the environment and public health. I was able to find many appropriate sites on the ipl2's website For Kids. I would explore topics 'Health & Nutrition' and 'Math & Science,' both pages offer numerous links to resources you may find useful.



The ipl2 is a great place to find information and useful web resources because each site that is listed on the website has been handpicked by the ipl2 staff, thus ensuring the reliability and authority of the websites you chose to look at.

Here is a brief list of websites I thought you may be interested in that I found on the ipl2 For Kids website regarding the environment:









This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.







I was unsure of what type of Public Health information you were interested in so I did not compile a specific list, but rather would like to direct you to the 'Health & Nutrition' page on the ipl2 For Kids website where you will find many resources clearly laid out and easily accessible.



This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.



One other resource I found was a project supported by the EPA that focuses on students documenting their experience with their local environment.



1. To begin this search I first went to the ipl2 website.



2. From there I selected the 'For Kids' category and then selected 'Health & Nutrition.' I found many links for exercise, healthy eating, various medical conditions, and mental health on this page.



This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.



3. I then went back to the 'For Kids' website and selected 'Math & Science.'



This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.



4. On the 'Math & Science' page, I followed the link to 'Earth Science' and then 'Environment.' This is where I found the websites I listed above.



This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.



5. As you had suggested looking into government websites, I chose to check out the EPA's site.



6. On the main page of the website, the Documerica Project was highlighted and I followed the link to 'Learn More' where you can find information about the project and how to enter.



I hope this has answered your question and if you have any more questions, please feel free to ask!

Thanks again!

> Question:

> I am contacting you as a teacher of seventh grade science. Our

> students are starting a year-long guided exploration about using

> science to solve real problems in public health and the

> environment.

>

> I would like a suggested hotlist of sites appropriate for grades

> 6-7-8--though the sites can also be adult government agency

> sites--of reliable information on topics in the realms of public

> health and/or the environment.

>

> Suggestions?

>

> location: Orinda, California, USA

> grade: 7 (students)

> area: Science

> school: No

5: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:36:52

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Log for Question 3:

Sources consulted and strategies used:

For this question, I stayed with the ipl2 website since it already has sections devoted to people the ages this user was working with. Also, the user did not ask for specific information so I thought that acquainting the user with the ipl2 website would be a good start. As the user was looking for a list of websites, I just went through the websites listed on the ipl2 For Kids that dealt with the environment.

Critique that indicates level of satisfaction with the answer provided:

In my response to this question, I directed the user to the ipl2 website where he or she could look through the sites and narrow the topic, but I also selected a few websites that I thought the user would find useful. One area where my answer was a little lacking, was the public health aspect of the question. The teacher asked for websites dealing with the environment and/or public health. I was less sure of what sort of websites to list for public health information so I focused on the environment but directed the user to the page on the ipl2 website that offers information on public health. Although I believe I gave the user all the information he or she needed to find websites, the user may have preferred that I listed public health websites like I listed environment websites.

Anything that you would do differently in the future:

If I were to answer this question again, I may have included a few websites related to public health. As the answer is, the user would be able to look through the list on ipl2 and find websites that fit the project idea, but it may have been beneficial if I went through and found a few for the user to list in the question.

IPL Question 4:

Question claimed on: Nov. 11, 2011

Answer submitted on: Nov. 12, 2011

Type: Research Question

Time Spent: 2 hours

Subject: Ancient Greek cultures and customs

Patron: Mounika

Posted: Nov. 11, 2011

Needed by: no need by

Transcript:

Needed by: no need by

Question:

What are some cultures/customs in greece(ancient)?

name: Mounika

location: Rogers, AR

area: History

reason: school project

school: Yes

sources_consulted: librarian

teacher

4: CLAIMED Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:07:28

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

5: Re: HIS: What are some cultures customs in greece ancient (no need by) (sent to patron) Sat, 12 Nov 2011 11:06:18

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Greetings from the ipl2!

I was very pleased to receive your question asking for information about Ancient Greek culture. I have been able to find several resources that should help you get started on your project. Below I have listed a few sites to check out.



This site hosts information about Greek mythology, which was an important aspect of Ancient Greek culture.



This site is supported by Evansville University and contains information about ancient world cultures. There is a link at the bottom of the page to the Ancient Greece section.



This site is from the Library of Congress website and is a list of other sources that relate to Ancient Greek studies, many relating to Ancient Greek texts.



This website is hosted by PBS and houses a lot of information about the Ancient Greeks. Not all the information relates to Greek culture, but it would be a good website to explore.

1. I began this search by checking the ipl2 website.



This website links to other educational sites that have been handpicked by the ipl2 staff and users can be confident with the resources and authority.

2. I selected the link to Resources by Subject and then Arts & Humanities, then History, History by Era, and finally Prehistoric and Ancient History.



This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.



This site lists resources that relate to Ancient History, many of which apply to your search.

3. I looked through the list of websites and selected a few that dealt with Ancient Greece, specifically, 'Theoi Project Guide to Gods, Spirits, and Monsters of Greek Mythology,' 'Exploring Ancient World Cultures,' and 'Alcove 9: Classical and Medieval History.' I have listed the links to these three websites above.

4. I then performed a Google search for the terms 'Ancient Greek Culture' to see if I could find a few more resources.



5. On the second page of results, I found a link to the PBS website 'The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization,' which I have also linked to above.

I hope these sources will help you with your research and if you have any more questions, please ask!

Thanks for using the ipl2!

> Needed by: no need by

> Question:

> What are some cultures/customs in greece(ancient)?

> name: Mounika

> location: Rogers, AR

> area: History

> reason: school project

> school: Yes

> sources_consulted: librarian

> teacher

6: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Sat, 12 Nov 2011 11:06:18

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

7: Re: HIS: What are some cultures customs in greece ancient (no need by) Post-A-Note message (only visible to IPL librarians) Sat, 12 Nov 2011 11:06:57

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Hi! I would just like a little feedback on this response for an assignment. Thank you!

8: Set STATUS to FEEDBACK_REQ Sat, 12 Nov 2011 11:06:57

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

9: Re: HIS: What are some cultures customs in greece ancient (no need by) Post-A-Note message (only visible to IPL librarians) Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:26:58

by Kathleen Otto (kathleen.otto@drexel.edu)

Hi Hannah,

You did a good job answering this patron's. You found some reliable resources using the ipl2 Website as well as Google. You also did a good job explaining how you found these sites and what information they contain.

One suggestion though is to explain why the site you provided is reliable. This ensures the patron that the information you gave him/her is accurate.

Overall you did a good job. Keep up the good work!

10: Set STATUS to FEEDBACK_RCV Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:26:58

by Kathleen Otto (kathleen.otto@drexel.edu)

Log for Question 4:

Sources consulted and strategies used:

Again, I primarily used the ipl2 website to answer this question. I also used a google search to find additional sources for the user. The ipl2 website had a specific page for Ancient History on which I found many sites that offered information on Ancient Greece. I looked through the list of sites and then through the sites that related to Ancient Greece to make sure they discussed the culture and customs. This is where I hit some trouble. I found a great deal of information about Ancient Greece, but less than I expected about their culture and customs. After I looked through the sites from the ipl2, I searched on Google to help bolster my results and was able to find another site that I thought was good for the subject.

Critique that indicates level of satisfaction with the answer provided:

I was surprised that I was not able to find information as easily as I expected. There is a huge amount of information on the internet about Ancient Greece, but I had trouble finding information that specifically dealt with the culture. I think that the combination of the sources I provided in the response would offer a good amount of information about the culture and customs of Ancient Greece, but I was not able to find one perfect source that focused solely on the culture. This question was also different in that the user seemed to be younger so I had to be sure that the sources I was supplying were appropriate for a high schooler (saying it was for school and that she had consulted her teacher made me assume she was in high school). Some of the sources I found while researching the question seemed above the level of a high schooler, so I had to narrow down the results. Despite this issue, I think that if the user explored each of the sources I recommended, she would find a good amount of information related to the question.

Anything that you would do differently in the future:

As recommended by the reviewer, I should have offered a better explanation as to why the sites I chose were reliable. This is important to help educate the users about source authority and encourages users to continue to exercise caution when seeking information. I would have liked to have been able to point the user to one source that had information about Ancient Greek culture laid out perfectly, but I was unable to find that.

IPL Question 5:

Question claimed on: Nov. 15, 2011

Answer submitted on: Nov. 15, 2011

Type: Research Question

Time Spent: 1.5 hours

Subject: Harry Potter Rumor

Patron: Denise

Posted: Nov. 15, 2011

Needed by: no need by

Transcript:

Needed by: no need by

Question:

Did JK Rowling really say the following: “Yes, it’s rather funny, really, that next to no-one realised the snake that Harry set free in Philosopher’s Stone turned out to be Voldemort’s final Horcrux, Nagini.�

I suppose this question could also be answered with an answer to "can what is said in this quote possibly be true, based on what we know from the books?"

name: Denise

location: PA

area: Entertainment/Sports

reason: satisfaction of curiosity

school: No

sources_consulted: I've done a Google search but that mostly turned up social networking sites, with people quoting it on their profiles/blogs/what have you. So I'm leaning toward a no, she didn't. And I also saw in these searches that the snakes were two different kinds and therefore cannot possibly be the same, but I haven't verified that.

5: CLAIMED Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:21:20

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

6: Re: ENT: Did JK Rowling really say the following (no need by) (sent to patron) Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:58:17

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Greetings from the ipl2!

Hello and thanks for your question regarding whether JK Rowling ever said that the boa constrictor from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was Nagini. As an avid Harry Potter fan, I was very excited to see this question. After researching the topic, I was unable to find a quote by Rowling outright stating that they are different snakes, but I've come to the conclusion that the quote was made up and that they are not the same snake.

As you pointed out in your question, the snakes seem to be different breeds. The snake Harry meets at the zoo in The Sorcerer's Stone was a Boa Constrictor, which you can find on page 28 of the hardback US edition. It is harder to determine what exact type of snake Nagini is, but it is clear that she is venomous, which is not a trait of Boa Constrictors.



It's hard to find scholarly research in this area, but these sites I will list are generally well regarded among the fan base. However, it is important to note that the source above is a wiki and is therefore run by a community of people who may or may not be experts. It is a good practice to double check the information you find on wikis and community run websites.

Another thing that made me skeptical of the connection between the two snakes was the locations Rowling gave. The Boa Constrictor left the zoo and hissed, "Brazil, here I come" to Harry. You can find that quote on page 28 of the hardback US edition of The Sorcerer's Stone. It is suspected, however, that

Voldemort acquired Nagini while in Albania with Peter Pettigrew. JK Rowling stated in an online chat through The Leaky Cauldron that Voldemort used Bertha Jorkins to make Nagini a horcrux and we know from the books that this happened in Albania.



This link is quite long and could break, so here is a shortened version for your convenience.



The Leaky Cauldron is a popular Harry Potter news site and held an online chat interview with JK Rowling just after the release of the final book.

Finally, the rumor is addressed with skepticism on Mugglenet.



Mugglenet is another popular Harry Potter news site and boasts being "The World's #1 Harry Potter Site."

1. I began the research for this question by performing a Google search for 'Harry Potter boa constrictor Nagini.'



2. This search brought up a bunch of results, but many of them seemed to be blogs and other opinion based websites. I chose to look at some of the more well known Harry Potter sites as I would think they have more authority and credibility.

3. I followed the link to the Harry Potter Wiki about Nagini that I listed above and then checked my copy of The Sorcerer's Stone for information about the Boa Constrictor.

4. I performed another Google search for 'JK Rowling interview Nagini' to see if I could find the quote anywhere. I was unable to find the quote, but did find a link to the Leaky Cauldron interview I listed above.

5. Lastly, I went back to my original search and found the reference to the rumor on Mugglenet which appears to be skeptical of the Boa Constrictor being Nagini.

6. Although I could not find a quote of JK Rowling stating whether of not the snakes were the same, I feel that there is enough evidence to disprove the rumor.

I hope this has satisfied your curiosity and I'm sorry I could not provide more concrete evidence. Since this rumor seems pretty well known, maybe JK Rowling will address it one day. Thanks for using the ipl2 and if you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

> Needed by: no need by

> Question:

> Did JK Rowling really say the following: “Yes, it’s rather

> funny, really, that next to no-one realised the snake that Harry

> set free in Philosopher’s Stone turned out to be Voldemort’s

> final Horcrux, Nagini.�

> I suppose this question could also be answered with an answer to

> "can what is said in this quote possibly be true, based on what

> we know from the books?"

> name: Denise

> location: PA

> area: Entertainment/Sports

> reason: satisfaction of curiosity

> school: No

> sources_consulted: I've done a Google search but that mostly

> turned up social networking sites, with people quoting it on

> their profiles/blogs/what have you. So I'm leaning toward a no,

> she didn't. And I also saw in these searches that the snakes were

> two different kinds and therefore cannot possibly be the same,

> but I haven't verified that.

7: Set STATUS to ANSWERED Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:58:17

by Hannah Jane Miller (hannah.jane.miller@drexel.edu)

Log for Question 5:

Sources consulted and strategies used:

As a pretty avid Harry Potter fan, I had heard this rumor and researched it myself about a month earlier. This was the hardest question to find sources for as it is not an area that has most scholarly research associated with it. I was unable to find an interview in which JK Rowling said the quote, so I instead sought out information about it in popular Harry Potter websites. Rather than focusing on authority based on connections to universities or things like that, I based the authority on the fact that the sites I used are generally regarded as the best Harry Potter fan-run websites. I searched through interviews to find the direct quote or a quote disproving the rumor. I was unable to find either, so I instead decided to look for evidence disproving the rumor that was widely recognized as untrue, but I still found it hard to back up the belief. I settled on using descriptions from the text to show that the snakes were different.

Critique that indicates level of satisfaction with the answer provided:

Although I was unable to find either the interview this supposed quote was from or a quote from JK Rowling commenting on the rumor, I think I did a sufficient job of finding evidence to disprove it. The user may be disappointed that I could not find a truly definitive answer, but I believe that my response sums up the general belief by the fan community and presents several reasonable explanations for why the quote could not be true.

Anything that you would do differently in the future:

I think I answered this question as well as I could have. As with many rumors, they can be hard to disprove and this one was particularly hard because it seemed widespread and JK Rowling does not often comment on things like this. But, barring the possibility that there was an actual quote out there that could have definitively proved this rumor one way or the other, I think I answered the question as well as I could have. I used the book itself and well-regarded Harry Potter websites to bring together a the few descriptions we have of the two snakes to try and show how they could not be the same. It was an interesting question to respond to and one unlike the others I had seen on the ipl2, but I think I responded well.

Final Reflection:

I have enjoyed working with the ipl2 and gaining experience in this form of reference service. I believe that email reference has a lot to offer for libraries and information seekers. Digital reference has the ability to break down the wall many users feel between them and the librarian. During the course of this assignment I saw a great variety of questions from all over the world. It was exciting to see how many people were using the service and the broad range of topics covered in the questions. Just in the five that I answered, I helped students with assignments, helped a teacher find information for his or her class, and helped satisfy someone's curiosity about a pop culture rumor.

There will always be differences between digital reference and in-person reference services, not to mention differences within those two categories, but I believe that together, the various forms of reference service make a whole. Email reference has the benefit of allowing the LIS professional time to research the question and formulate a response. However, email reference also removes the real-time connection between the user and the person responding to the question. I did not receive a response from any of the users I worked with (I did not ask for more information, but encouraged them to return if they needed more help) which can pose a problem in reference services. What if I did not answer a question satisfactorily? Working with emails rather than live chat or in-person service, I imagine that the users are much less likely to seek out more information or follow up with the LIS professional. In-person and chat reference services allow the user and LIS professional to interact more freely and communicate more easily, however, especially when it comes to in-person reference, there are other drawbacks. As many people from this class experienced during the Secret Shopper assignment, in-person reference is strongly influenced by what is going on around the library. During an email reference experience, the LIS professional would more likely be focused solely on the user's question.

As I said before, I believe that the combination of digital and in-person reference service is necessary in our technological world, both because it is expected and because without the two, many users would be excluded. Users expect to be able to email questions and chat reference is another advancement that incorporates technology into reference services. The nature of digital reference, that the user is not face to face with a librarian, may also encourage more timid users to interact with the services libraries provide.

Throughout this experience, I have learned a lot about interacting with users and formulating responses to user queries. I believe this experience will benefit me in my future career by providing me with a background in the ipl2 services as well as general email reference services. It seems that digital reference is an area that will become increasingly important in the LIS field and knowledge of it will be an advantage. I would like to incorporate my knowledge of email reference and the ipl2 into my future work in the LIS field.

I have enjoyed being involved in the ipl2. This project has felt like a good use of time, with our efforts benefiting many people and helping to provide access to personalized information to people who it may not have been available before. Not to mention that the process became sort of fun, once I adapted to the rhythm and structure of the responses. The ipl2 is a wonderful resource and I'm glad to have had this opportunity to become familiar with it.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download