Good points, libkitty. I do address the user needs a bit more:
Deanna Marcum addresses the issue of “how digital-era students work.” She states repeatedly that college students do not want to go to physical libraries, and instead they use Google first (and often only). Her use case is built around an undergraduate student doing research for a term paper. I would argue that Ms. Marcum is not addressing all users of the library. Does she feel that the needs and practices of undergraduate college students should dictate library and Web usage for everyone? What about lawyers, doctors, and other professionals who rely on research in order to do their work? One would hope that doctors aren’t Googling and using the first hits to diagnose and treat patients.
And:
Another argument that supports the need for manual cataloging is the contrast between users who are looking for scholarly resources versus those looking for quick information. Google is a wonderful resource for answering a quick question, such as getting information on a specific law. It becomes less usable when researching for detailed, factual information, such as finding past cases that establish precedence for a current case.
Do you think that covers it?