I disagree, the server has a wealth of information readily
          at hand, it is a connection into real content.  Think of the
          wealth of information that a requester can not get from a
          book, maybe the individual has gone to the library and found
          there isn't a lot of information on the subject, not all
          libraries have the references readily available or they are
          out of date, cutbacks have hurt everyone.
 
          If you feel the requester has not complete enough research
          on the subject or that they should be doing all there own,
          it might help to refer them to the books that would provide
          the information they seek. Sometimes a person doesn't know
          where to start and therefore might turn to the server
          for assistance.
 
          As I do not know which of these requests you refer to, I can
          not say if the individual was asking for a short cut or not
          but I believe generally the person seeks insight and
          direction.
 
          Besides, you need not reply at all.
 
          We are the wealth of today's learning, pass it on so that it
          won't be lost.
 
          Just a thought,
          FM......................................
 
 
 
Is anyone else disturbed by what I see as a growing trend here?  By this
I mean the increasing number of "requests for information on..." that
appear to be substitutes for going to the library. I am busy.  To answer
most/any of these questions would only take a few minutes, but would be a
disservice to the individuals making the queries who need to learn how to
use their library catalogs, current contents, and/or other library
sources in order to do research.  Now, if the query starts out "I have
looked up ... and found only a couple of references...." I would be much
more sympathetic.
 
Does anyone else feel this way?
Mary Ellin D'Agostino
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