Marydee Ojala
Online Searcher Magazine

This workshop will be led by Marydee Ojala.

Is there anything new under the web search sun? Isn’t everyone an expert searcher by now? Whether librarians like it or not, the web is frequently the starting place for research. Thus, information professionals must be knowledgeable about changes in web search engines.

This workshop looks at advanced search techniques, evaluation of search engines, social media search, and analysis of search results. It introduces valuable sites for researching health, business, science, and news; investigates techniques for non-textual searching; and explains search technologies that underpin search engines. Privacy, ethics, and assessment issues are particularly critical as information professionals confront a “post-truth” world. What is an authoritative source? Who is the person writing about a topic? Are fake people infiltrating search results and social media? What role does the dark web play?

Learn how changes in search affect your working life. Acquire skills that enable you to get more from searching the web and plumbing the depths of the deep web. Go beyond Google for both searching and teaching. Tips for power searchers enhance information professionals' use of web search tools and compare them to traditional library eresources. Refresh your search skills, take valuable information back to your office, and be ahead of the curve by attending this workshop. _LOGO_BLOCK_ The workshop is organized in cooperation with the Library of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.

Marydee Ojala edits Online Searcher magazine, plans programs for international library and information technology conferences, and writes extensively about research topics. Having worked in corporate, academic and public libraries, she brings a broad perspective to issues facing today’s information professional.

She has taught at three different library schools and her experience as an independent researcher and owner of her own research and writing company gives her hands-on knowledge of online research tools. A long-time observer of the global information industry, she believes in the importance of libraries and librarians to create positive change.

She is an active member of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP). Her undergraduate degree is from Brown University and her MLS was earned at the University of Pittsburgh.