When in the library, how do you discern whether non-fiction materials seem credible or not? Do you assume that if the library has it, it's probably legit?
I am browsing Libby for books and magazines and don't really know how to weed out what is written by crazy people who got published (in the same way we need to weed out websites and what we read online).
My current example: looking for literature on the Salem Witch Trials / related.
Are people cross referencing using apps like StoryGraph etc? Any tips are appreciated. Thanks and happy reading!
by teal_spaceship
2 Comments
Public libraries have a duty to provide balanced viewpoints, as well as to provide books that the public has interest in. So their collections can often contain things with shaky legitimacy or that have been fully debunked, if those things are popular or if patrons request them.
I would start by looking up the author to see what credentials and biases they might have. Then look up a variety of reviews of the book (whether on Storygraph, GR, or specific review sites).
If I’m looking for a book about a historical topic, I’ll check to see if it’s published by a university press or trade press. University press books generally have rigorous peer review completed before publication. If it’s a trade press book, I’ll look to be sure the author is citing academic sources either in the text or through footnotes/endnotes.
Credibility on historic topics for me comes from an ability to show your work, where you got the ideas and statistics. So, theoretically, I could go look those up myself if I wanted.