Finding reliable information can be tricky, and the saying “don’t believe everything you read” is truer now than ever.  As a librarian, I teach the importance of using reliable sources, verifying information, and reading with a critical eye.

Check out the November 13th New York Times article “A Senior Fellow at the Institute of Nonexistence” by Richard Perez-Pena (accessible at www.nytimes.com or through LexisNexis Academic).  To summarize:  a made-up character, as part of a hoax website and a fake think tank, took credit for a statement leaked to the media.  The hoax character was then cited by several media outlets, who apparently were so eager for news that they didn’t verify their source (or, apparently, listen to their librarian!).

Anyone can be misled, but a mistake like the one above can cost an organization, whether a media outlet or another business, the trust of the public.  So keep thinking while you read, and take advantage of the reliable information sources that the library places at your fingertips!