A side effect of learning about new resources and how to use them has been the improvement of my searches in general, regardless of the resource. I think that the constant searching across varying platforms has made my searches more efficient in general — I’m choosing stronger keywords and boolean operators and thinking about what words should come first. Previously, I was more patient with wading through results of searches conducted with less thought, but I’d rather not waste the valuable time of a patron, student or professional doing this. As an information professional, I’d never want them to feel as if they could’ve done the same job. Honing in quickly on the most relevant results builds confidence in the help-seeker and might increase the likelihood that he or she will return for future consultations.
Improving my search strategy
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