Databases vs. Google (1)

Earlier this week I was reading an interview featuring Bern Nadette Stanis, on AOL’s Black Voices. During the 1970’s Stanis’ popularity was kicked into full gear on the black family sitcom, Good Times, where she played Thelma Evans. While I cannot say that I have followed her career over the years, I can say that I am a fan. When I saw that she had done an interview on Black Voices, I just had to read it and I’m glad that I did. In the article, Mrs. Stanis makes mention of John Hanson being not only a black man but the first president of the United States. Interesting, huh? John Hanson was an American Revolutionary leader who was the first president of Congress under the Articles of Confederation (Encyclopedia Americana, 2010).

Apparently, a historian brought this information to the attention of the actress and motivational speaker. Expressing her amazement, Stanis was excited to learn this and recommended that the readers Google “first presidents” to learn more about the subject manner. Now, some may wonder what this has to do with Library & Information Science. Working in an academic library, and advocating the use of databases weekly, makes me pro-library resources. Students approach the reference desk daily wanting to learn how to work WSU’s databases for class or research purposes. Google is not the first option I consider when students need articles for either purposes. The suggestion to use Google to learn more about John Hanson vexed me for a few reasons. First, we live in a day and time where most know nothing but Google, and they make it their first and last stop. Most teens or adults for that matter don’t think to question the search engine’s credibility. Next, to learn something from a historian and then suggest that others learn about the same subject or idea from Google is terrible. Perhaps I don’t know as much as I should, but when it comes to knowledge, aren’t historians walking books of it? Still, one would believe that a historian’s account of something is more credible than whatever Google’s search engine would produce.

Curiosity got the best of me and I did some research of my own to learn the “truth” about Mr. John Hanson. Finally, what will follow next week is what I discovered or didn’t discover in my quest for the “truth” about this figure.

Filler, L. (2010). Hanson, John (1721–1783). Encyclopedia Americana. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from Grolier Online http://ea.grolier.com/article?id=0193210-00