Face-to-Face vs. Online Library Research - Essay Example

April 22, Getting a Clue about Face-To-Face versus Online Library Experience get clues about the pros and cons ofonline and face-to-face library research when they do both. I went to the library last week to ask about “The UVU Library Presents: Get a Clue.” The librarian explained to me what it was for, while a student library assistant helped in giving more details. When I searched for “The UVU Library Presents: Get a Clue,” I did not get any relevant results from Quick Search and Advanced Search, using the said title or through keywords “Getting a clue Utah Valley University.

” I got relevant results when I searched these words in Google search engine. From this activity, I learned that face-to-face library experience can provide more relevant information about local events than online library search, while traditional research also increases my knowledge about library use in general and my research topics; although it takes longer than online research and online research can access more resources sometimes faster and easier.Face-to-face library experience can give more relevant information about local events than online library search.

Librarians and their assistants already know the “Get a Clue” program of UVU Library. Interviewing them offers comprehensive and updated information. They can tell me the history and purpose of “Get a Clue,” as well as outcomes and future plans. Online library sources, on the contrary, do not have access to the local knowledge and information that the librarians and assistants can offer me. Online research cannot offer opinions or perspectives also on “Get a Clue” as an important program for helping students become oriented on various library services and become comfortable in using them.

As “Get a Clue” research shows, traditional library experience enables me to maximise the use of library services and resources more than online research. Online research is about sitting in front of a computer and mostly accessing materials from there, or finding reference numbers for finding non-online resources. I do not interact with library staff or learn more about old and new library services. On the opposite, face-to-face library search helps me know what other materials are present that I cannot access online, such as videos and other media resources.

This research approach also allows me to know library services that can further advance my research. Thus, traditional research provides extra materials and knowledge that are not always accessible through online research. Face-to-face library research, however, has limitations, such as not providing 24/7 access and it concerns extra work and time needed for doing the research. Traditional library search is limited because of the physical aspect of the materials that can be borrowed or left somewhere in the library system.

When all materials are borrowed or scattered somewhere in the library, for instance, I cannot access them. Online research, conversely, makes research faster and easier, if everything can be accessed online. No one loans an electronic journal or e-book and takes them at home, for example. In addition, face-to-face library research takes longer because of actual legwork and finding research in computers. Physical queues can also make research time-consuming. The physical process of traditional library research can take hours compared to just minutes for online research, provided that all materials are accessible online.

Some materials are also available only online too. Hence, traditional and online research has its pros and cons in time and coverage and accessibility of resources.I learned now that online research is not always the best or only way to do research if more relevant information can be gathered through face-to-face library research. It is better to mix both and to access different, scholarly materials for my research. Thus, these two approaches will help me gather relevant information about different research topics.