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Title:
Super Searchers in the News - The Online Secrets of Journalists and News Researchers
Review:
Super Searchers in the News is the fifth title in the successful Super Searchers series and follows the well-established format of individual interviews with professional users of information who are acknowledged experts in their particular business. Each interview rounds off with 'Power Tips' contributed by the interviewee, and the whole book is completed with an extensive appendix of referenced sites and sources* and a comprehensive index.
Paula Hane is a skilled interviewer who asks the right questions to draw from her distinguished interviewees real insights into the way that they work and the tools that they use. Obviously the danger with a book like this is that these tools often change (or disappear) between the time of the interview and the date of publication, so it is pleasing that the emphasis is on how to search rather than the detail of the tools used. In addition, many of the interviewees stress the value of the various List-Servs which support the work of journalists and news researchers so readers wishing to keep abreast of developments can see which ones to join.
What makes this book special for British Free Pint recipients is the presence of a British researcher: Annabel Colley of the BBC. At this point, I must declare an interest. Annabel is the Chair of the Association of UK Media Librarians (AUKML) of which I am a member, and it was Annabel who suggested that I reviewed the book.
The interview with Annabel is a useful counterpoint to the nine other interviews in the book which are with American journalists and researchers. First, it highlights how different from America is the regulatory environment in which British and European news researchers work. Secondly, it mentions useful non-American resources such as Free Pint and FT.com. Thirdly, it is a reminder that although news is global, the culture in which it is interpreted is still national!
Free Pint readers who work in the news industry should buy this book. It has a number of excellent 'Power Tips'; it lists the key sites for tracking news and for sifting out information useful to news organisations; and it is very readable.
Free Pint readers who don't work in the news industry should borrow the book to understand what makes otherwise sane men and women so passionate about news and so single-minded in their pursuit of what is so often transient information!
Free Pint Reviewer:
Peter Chapman is Head of Electronic Information Services for a regional morning newspaper. He was bitten by the news bug as a child whilst following the fortunes of Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the Yorkshire Post.
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