The hourglass is submerged in the water, with murky water flowing in, out, and around the glass. The hourglass felt important for the obvious reason that search requires time. This class helped me realize that it’s okay for a search to take time. Even a search that I think will be quick may become more of a safari adventure.

Another point I wanted to get across in my infographic is that search is a process that can lead in multiple directions, and that these directions may involve searching the deep web, depending on what kind of information is needed. I used a slightly larger fish leading two other fish into the deep web waters to suggest that sometimes a leader — or librarian — can take people in and out of these searches. I was really struck by some of our readings in our module on search engines, portals, and the deep web. Before this class I hadn’t realized there was an open web vs. a deep web.

Lastly, I highlighted s-e-a in the word “search” and f-i-n in the word “find” to suggest that what one may find in the vast sea of search is a fin — a detectable point, that leads to a fuller bodied fish, a dolphin, a shark, a whale, or even a piece of trash. This fin may be connected to information that is of vital importance. This fin may be connected to information that is dangerous — or in the case of Aaron Swartz, has dangerous consequences. It reminds me of the importance of the information professional — perhaps with an underwater flashlight or an oxygen task — who can help people evaluate information for credibility and accuracy, who can teach the skills and mindsets of evaluating and sharing information.

with thousands of connections, thousands of gaps, and unclear pathways from one point in the web to another. The information is all there, but can the researcher get there from where she is?  Our intrepid researcher (me) lies in the middle of the web equipped with many different stances representing her toolbox.

First and foremost is her skeptical, “prove-it” attitude. Then (counterclockwise from the top) tools include:

• A “BS meter” to recognize information that should not be believed and sources that are not trustworthy
• The ability to fail and learn from failed searches, one search at a time
• A chef’s creativity to piece together new approaches to information seeking
• A reluctance to satisfice
• A sharp knife to apply precise search terms
• A detective’s nose of where best results are to be found and what they might look like
• The willingness to search tirelessly through various types of sources until the right results can be found
• Caution to stay away from sites that do not respect users’ privacy
• The ability to put on new pairs of glasses and try different approaches to search as needed and to visualize what the idea results would look and sound like
• An understanding that talking to others (IRL or virtually) can lead to some of the most valuable information
• A questioning mind that asks what might be missing from the results
• The ability to recognize how one awesome source can open up avenues to a host of new discoveries
• The persistence to find those just right sources, the knowledge to recognize them, and the joy to take those lessons forward to apply to the next search!