Whew! Pew says libraries are still (sorta) useful...

Here's a link to the 43 page pdf document, "Information searches that solve problems" report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project (Can't we Canadians ever do anything ourselves? Sheesh.), but here's 4 of the 6 major findings from the executive summary (2 about gov docs and e-government... yawn) for those of you who are too lazy to read the whole thing... like me. LOL

• People use something called the Internet to get information! Duh.


• "Searchers usually end up satisfied." Yeah, and people flock to McDonald's... that doesn't mean they're getting what they need!


• "Libraries meet special needs." They say 'special needs' and then they talk about libraries being filled with people in their 20s. (Maybe this deserves some reading of the actual report.) I'm glad they're coming in and all but the people who really need information (doctors, politicians, teachers, parents, etc.) don't all fit in that category.


• Some people have access - others don't. Again, duh.

Not much new. Not much interesting. What really needs to be studied is why people don't want to read or learn or think any more (if they ever did). I think most of the world's problems would disappear if everyone just "chillaxed", became a little more aware of how things actually work and became a little more responsible for their own thoughts and beliefs. What we think and feel affects what we do, and therefore we need to be armed with the best raw material on which to base those thoughts and feelings so that the actions that burst forth make a little more sense and work a little better with everyone else's actions.

Can't we all just get along?!? LOL