OBTAINING INFORMATION FROM INQUIRERS

Abstract

One of the difficulties in supplying readers with information is that the readers themselves sometimes only vaguely know what they want. Requests for specific references appear easy, but some readers, untrained in library techniques, appear to think that reports, books, etc., are classified by colour, shape or size. Moreover, it has been found that each of the variables in the request data (e.g. author, journal, column, number, date, etc.) is subject to errors of 100 per cent. or more. For this type of aberration it is difficult to find a cure, as it seems to be caused by the peculiar mental make‐up of the scientist and technician. These suffer under the delusion that they have wonderfully accurate memories, whereas, in fact, they are endowed with extraordinarily fertile imaginations.

Citation

GOYER, M. (1953), "OBTAINING INFORMATION FROM INQUIRERS", Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 5 No. 4, pp. 351-351. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb049500