Tuesday, January 29, 2008

"Google Generation" is a Myth

A new British study Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future finds that:

Young people not very web-literate
Libraries must make interfaces easier
Libraries must integrate content with commercial search engines

http://www.bl.uk/news/2008/pressrelease20080116.html

The "Google Generation"—youth born or brought up in the Internet age—is not particularly web-literate, and their research traits—impatience in search and navigation and zero tolerance for any delay in satisfying their information needs—are becoming the norm for all age-groups. The lesson for libraries is that they must step up significantly, "both raising awareness of this expensive and valuable content and making the interfaces much more standard and easier to use."