Situational Relevance Exercise

Scenario One

You are a librarian for Legal Aces for Tree Huggers, an organization that provides legal assistance in cases of assaults on the environment by either the government or private corporations.

Recently, a railroad bridge failed, causing a train to derail and release a toxic chemical into a river and contaminate the entire area. Despite many complaints over the years that the bridge was unsafe, the railroad company, owner of the bridge, had refused to make repairs. Now, local residents want to sue the railroad to force it to build a sturdy bridge, clean up the environment, and provide health care for local citizens affected by the spill.

What information resources will you need to provide to the lawyers of your organization in order to proceed with the case?



Scenario Two

You are a librarian at the Happy Kiddie Elementary School. Each fifth-grade student is required to write a paper on an explorer from the period of the 14th through the 18th centuries. You are asked to create a Web portal with links to resources needed by both students and teachers for the assignment. What resources will you need to provide? Be sure to list all resources needed for the assignment, not just those related to explorers. For example, be sure to include an online dictionary.

Resources for students

Resources for teachers



Scenario Three

You are the librarian for the Frederico Filialson Memorial Library, a public library that has a website with an abundance of community information.

Lately your library has had many patrons who find themselves in the situation of providing care for their elderly parents. You have been asked to create a Web portal to provide access to such information.

What types of information resources will you need to provide to help your patrons deal with this all-to-common situation? (Example: Agencies that provide respite care.)



Scenario Four

You are the corporate librarian for Humongous 'R Us, a company that owns and occupies a huge skyscraper in downtown Honolulu.

You have been asked to create a Website with resources for new employees.

What resources will you provide? Give thought not only to new employees' needs that are strictly related to their employment tasks but also to their physiological and psychological needs as well.