An argument for library organization strategies

I would be lying if I thought everyone would only search in library databases. And, in fact, I know that library databases do not contain everything that could potentially be relevant for research. I also know, though, that NO source is the perfect source that contains everything. Not even, dare I say, Google. And they probably never will. Go ahead, prove me wrong, oh future of information retrieval.

The key for the researcher is to know the tools that are out there, and when to use each tool. I like to say that the Internet is okay for "good enough" information, but when your information need goes beyond "good enough," then you must use other tools. In the following article, Thomas Mann, a reference librarian at the Library of Congress discusses the strengths of structured cataloging, specifically in his case by the Library of Congress, but more broadly, he speaks to the deficiencies of keyword searching in full-text databases and the power of structured controlled vocabulary and human-analyzed content.

Mann, Thomas. "Will Google's Keyword Searching Eliminate the Need for LC Cataloging and Classification?" The Future of Cataloging. 15 Aug. 2005. Library of Congress Professional Guild, AFSCME Local 2910. 14 Mar. 2009. http://www.guild2910.org/searching.htm