Information Overload

I am addicted to information, it is the reason I became a librarian. Yes, books are great.  But research --  hunting for an answers -- is where the best fun can be found.  A simple question can lead to little known facts, interesting personalities, unexpected connections, and many other topics that are unrelated and irrelevant to the original question. It takes discipline to stay on track and not be swayed by distractions. My weakness is word etymologies; I could spend days following a rabbit trail through the Oxford English Dictionary.

The last decade has seen exponential growth in information sources, providers and formats available through the Internet. Favorite print resources such as Encyclopedia Britannica moved completely online facilitating access, search, and cross references. So much of our professional and social lives are lived in the digital realm -- think about the human connections that are maintained, enhanced or even established through tools like email, Skype, Facebook.  Every day our society becomes more dependent on the digital world for information and communication.

How connected are you? Do you feel overwhelmed? What about your students?


Note: Video may not be suitable for use with students. Scene at 1:35 
shows a Google search with language that is not school appropriate.

Just a few light articles to peruse on this topic:

• 'Plug In Better': A Manifesto, The Atlantic
• Digital Overload: Is Your Computer Frying Your Brain?, Live Science
• Too much information: How to cope with data overload, The Economist