Schools and salespeople

While I’m waiting to ring in the New Year, I thought I’d write an update about my search for an online Education program.  As I said in my last post, once I’m in the UK, I’ll be trying to get into teacher training there.  But that won’t start until Fall if I get in.  I won’t be able to be in the classroom working (for school or otherwise) until then.  I need to take online Education program classes to keep my teaching certificate in Florida up.  But without access to a classroom, I can’t take any kind of courses that require field work or a practicum.

I was going to go with GCU, but after Christmas break, they called me six times a day, trying to get me to sign something that was “urgent.”  Since I’d already read bad reviews from them where it was said that they hound you to get a hold of your Financial Aid money, then dash off, never answering the phone or helping you again.  I guess they wanted me to sign off that they’d enroll me in classes on the 30th and have me give them money (which I don’t have now to attend class anyway).  But a normal school would just leave it up to the student.  If you sign up, fine, if you don’t pay, you’re out of the class.  The fact that GCU hounded me so much like telemarketers and salespeople, I really knew it was best to steer clear of them.  Plus, there were problems with the program:  I needed to complete a practicum and I couldn’t take more than 60 days off a couple of times while I was attending.  Just not a good vibe about the whole thing, so I ditched out of it even though a “supervisor” called me and “needed to know either way.” Strange practices that school has.

So I still am thinking about Liberty University except for the problem, again, of having to take a practicum by the end of the program.  Now, if I do get into a teacher program and get into the classroom in the UK, that’s fine, I can so something for Liberty.  The problem there is though, they want 120 hours of practicum.  Not entirely sure I’ll be able to swing that but at least I have 5 years to complete the program in total.  By then I’ll be teaching somewhere I’m sure.

But my latest prospect is Tiffin University’s online MEd program.  Their classes are 100% online and I don’t need to be in the classroom to finish the program.  That’s a major plus right there.  Second of all, it’s set up to match Ohio state standards which makes it a credible program.  My other option I had looked into was staying at TWU for their MEd in Reading program.  It’s listed in the online degree programs and I filled out a new application for it because I’d like to just stay put at a school I know I like.  Trouble is, after digging deeper, I found that the program isn’t 100% online and about every class needed some kind of field work with it.  So I guess all I can do is wait until later to get my Reading Endorsement under my belt.  After talking to a Reading teacher on Twitter who really enjoyed her job, I think it would be really beneficial to have that kind of range in my capabilities as an educator.

While I’ve mentioned before that this did start out as a blog about librarianship, I find that I have to add in my teaching endeavours as well.  It’s all steps to my dream job as a School Librarian.  I have straight As for the Fall term and a GPA of 3.6.  I think I’m headed in the right direction.

Oh yeah – Happy New Year, everyone!  I should be across the pond in about 21 days now.  Hooray!  Steve and I plan on having the best Christmas-in-January ever.

School, school and more school

While this site is predominately for my library studies information, I have a lot of education that will branch of and tie into the library career plan.  So while I say this is a site about my endeavors in librarianship, I still need to discuss my steps toward teaching.  As I said before, I hope to get into a school library but with 0 library jobs available in my new town, my only option is to go back into teaching.  With that said, I have two conundrums to work out.  First, for my FL Professional Teaching Certificate I need 6 credit hours to keep my certificate from expiring within my 5 years if I’m not in the classroom.  While Brevard County Schools said for me to just take a couple of non-degree seeking classes at University of Phoenix. After thinking about it, if I can help it, I’d rather take a couple classes toward an actual degree instead of tossing out $1000 to keep a certificate (in one state) up to date. 
What it’s kind of confusing, and maybe a bit disappointing to me, is that colleges seem to be like car lots these days.  If you show any interest in their program, they jump on it full force and will call and email relentlessly.  No, I don’t want to chat, I want information sent to me in the mail so I can look over the curriculum.  If I want to ask questions I’ll email or call.  I’ve had tons of messages left on my voicemail (over things that can be addressed in email, mind you).  When I went to interview for a position as a college recruiter for a private college in Daytona Beach a while back, they were interested in people who had business and sales backgrounds.  Granted, the kind of schools I want to get into are not the ones who chase you down, so I’m glad to have found reviews about the school I was going to sign on with.  What I had a hard time with is that advisors not only call constantly, they email the exact same information.  I was asked to apply 3-4 times.  Both GCU and Univ of Phoenix said that I had to reapply with my new, married name, change my degree plan, etc. with a whole new application form.  That means a bunch of application accounts and major confusion on both my and the advisors’ parts. 
The other thing that got me was their insistence that I apply for Financial Aid.  I explained to them that I already have my financial aid application tied in with TWU and I wouldn’t jeopardize messing that up for anything, especially since I’ll graduate after this coming term.  I contacted FAFSA about GCU saying to just add their school code so they could “see where I’m at.”  FAFSA said that I could add the school code and tell GCU not to do anything with the application because you can only get Financial Aid from one school at a time.  I didn’t trust some random school I didn’t know to not do anything with my financial information if they already knew I had no intention of taking out loans.  Still, the school continued to say, with every email enquiry about my application, that I had to apply (for the 3rd, 4th time) and fill out the FAFSA information, including Promissory Note for them.  When I finally flat out declined to do so they said, “Oh, no problem, you only need to do that if you’re going to take out a loan with us anyway.  Um…so why did they keep pressuring me to do that when I told them I wasn’t going to take loans out ahead of time?  Major red flag.
After all this back and forth stuff, I finally stumbled across Pitt Online which has an MEd in English program. There was no pressure to apply, maybe an email here or there from an actual person who had answers to my questions.  I found out that they are ranked #64 in U.S. News and World Report for 2011 and I would way rather have a state college on my transcript than an all-online school that seems a bit dodgy to begin with.  I talked to an advisor this morning and she was very helpful and talked to me about both of the Education programs that were available online.  The only hitch is some of the classes may require fieldwork or being in the classroom to utilize the course assignments but I may very well be doing that soon. Plus after NU got me to take classes and then claimed I was at my limit with financial aid until the very end (they’re tricky fellas) I can’t get my transcripts to them.  
Aside from all of this, yes, I still have to work on my U.K. Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).  I had mentioned before that the first school I applied for wanted my GCSE exam scores which, of course, I don’t have because I graduated from an American high school.  I was denied flat out for not having UK test scores.  The second school, however, was invited me for an interview in January.  I emailed the professor in charge of the PGCE whom I will interview with and asked if my lack of GSCE UK high school test scores is a problem.  I got an email back saying, “as far as I can tell, you're eligible, which is why you've been called for interview.”  Awesome news that made me very encouraged to go ahead and try to get to England sooner than I’d planned (by a week) and get to that interview. 
With all this stuff in motion, I’m thinking of making, yet another, blog to document my teaching endeavors.  I still have another term for the library studies, and I still plan on ending up as a school librarian but on my way to getting my dream job, I’m going to have to jump a few hoops.  I’ll want to document that too.
UPDATE: Turns out being hornswagged by National University means that UPitt won't accept me. I'll have to go back to GCU after all since it is a MEd degree I seek (not a Master's of Arts in Teaching or something similar.) Here's hoping it ends up okay.

Until Spring 2011…

I’ve finished my courses for the term, officially.  I just submitted a Pathfinder for Information Sources (Reference Librarian class) on American Southern Cooking.  It was really tricky since it had to include almanacs, yearbooks, handbooks, encyclopedias, directories, indexes and the like.  With cooking you basically have magazines, books, television programs and some websites.  But I dug through and found enough things to list so tonight I just added a few more sources, annotated what I had and submitted it.  I was only one day and 15 minutes late on it too – that’s not too bad. 

I ended up with a 950 out of 1000 in my Children’s and YA Literature class as well so my grades should be pretty good.  I want to apply for membership to Epsilon Omega Epsilon (EOE) in January.  I missed the deadline this term so I want to make sure to join before I graduate in May.  I’ll be able to use the insignia on my cover letters and mention my membership in my resume.  Not too shabby.

Knowing that I’ll be graduating in May next year makes me very relieved.  I honestly am not going to be interested in getting into another college program now that I’m a married woman with a life to live.  Before it was just me and trying to get whatever head knowledge and skills I could to get put into some kind of career that I could stay in.  Now that I’ll have my Professional Teaching Certificate in Florida and my MLS degree I will be armed with the tools I need to get into a School Librarian position, should one come up.  Granted, as I said last post, there are stipulations for becoming a teacher in the UK that differs vastly to the requirements from state to state.  That’s one thing I may have to get into – more teacher training.  But no more Master’s degree programs for me for a while at least, until I really have to get one.  I just hope I won’t end up needing an IT degree – I don’t know if I could deal with that much techy coursework.

Now, again, the thing I don’t love about the library degree is that it’s just a lot of fact-finding.  That’s the main reason why I’m glad it’ll be over.  The course work offers little for creativity.  Granted there is some when we have to create pretend events or new programs at the library.  But just talking about the surface of the book and not analyzes the contents and how we can use them is dull after a while.  Now, the Children’s and YA Lit class really gave me the room to read, analyze and discuss how I’d use the books in library or school situations.  That’s what made me really think I wanted to work at the School Library.  It also means there won’t just be a public service vibe to my job.  I understand that it’s more than that, but when I was volunteering I just felt like I was back at Winn-Dixie again, ringing up people’s groceries and giving them money for their returned items.  Plus, when it’s public domain you get the odd balls whom, yes, I sympathize with, but I don’t want to have situations again where I have to call the police because some random person stole some random item off the shelf.  I’ve done that way before I had an education and I’ve no interest in going back there.  (Even though I probably will when I have to gather up some experience at the public library next year.)

Anyway, so Christmas break for me is here and I couldn’t feel less Christmassy.  There’s a slim chance I’ll get an approval email on my Visa next Monday or Tuesday but if not, that means I won’t be going over to be with Steve until after the holidays.  Complete bummer.  If this were April or something and there wasn’t much going on aside from Easter, I wouldn’t feel as bad but Christmas is a biggy and we still have not spent our first Christmas together as a married couple.  Again, major bummer but by going over after the holidays the flights and delays and crowds will be less of hassle to deal with so there is a bright side to this after all.

End of Fall 2010 Term

Next Monday I’ll have my final project, a book trailer, submitted in for my Children’s and YA Literature course.  I’ll also have to finish up my Info Sources project, a Pathfinder on Southern Cooking, by Thursday.  For the most part, aside from a few discussion board responses, that means I’m done for the term.  I’m totally relieved.  I’ve really had a rekindling of love for the library and I know I want to get into the school or academic library (later on if I get some experience and a PhD under my belt).  I’m a bit over it with the courses though.  Burned out I guess you could say.  I’m ready to have a week where I don’t have to think about what homework I have to do.  Saying that, I’ll probably have to do some teacher training courses once I move, but I’m not really unhappy about that.  Hands-on experience and doing something for my career puts you in a different mindset than just sitting and a computer all day typing up papers.  These projects have been killers but get me the head knowledge and the grades I need.  It’s a whole different world from the English/Writing/Education field I was in before.  It’s a lot of fact finding and opinions based on fact rather than creative ideas.  Not that a librarian doesn’t have to be creative, it’s just that there’s a whole science to how the library runs, just like a court of law.  There are ways to do things and the librarian just has to know these ways (and get better ideas for different ways by studying other libraries and librarians.)

I hope that soon I can write more detailed stories of my time at the library.  I’m working on it and I know I’ll get there soon.  May 2011 will be the month of MLS magic!

Week 11? Really?

Information Sources class discussion

Multiple Intelligences (H. Gardner)

“The theory of multiple intelligences suggests that there are a number of distinct forms of intelligence that each individual possesses in varying degrees. Gardner proposes seven primary forms: linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, body-kinesthetic, intrapersonal (e.g., insight, metacognition) and interpersonal (e.g., social skills). “

Principles:

1. Individuals should be encouraged to use their preferred intelligences in learning.

2. Instructional activities should appeal to different forms of intelligence.

3. Assessment of learning should measure multiple forms of intelligence.

Reference:

http://tip.psychology.org/gardner.html

To me this is the best choice because most people do not learn in one certain way. We learn different things in different ways. I love listen to audio books over reading a lot of the time. I can “see” the images better by hearing them. Music has a rhythm that makes words and stories easy to remember. Working with others helps understand what you know and what others know so you can learn from one another. All lessons are like this because we have links to see graphs and charts. We work with one another. We physically go to the library to observe and research so our bodies are involved. I just wish we had more pictures in Library Science. I mean, I know our books are data-packed but couldn’t they add some fun color photos once in a while? Maybe the TWU MLS program should come up with a channel on Youtube to show us how the library works in various training videos. Now that would be cool!

Learning something about your own learning style will help you as you prepare instruction for others with different learning styles.  Take the Learning Style Questionnaire located at the following website:  http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

I'm sort of surprised that I do not have a high tendency for any certain learning style.  I'm in the middle for most of them.  I'm a little higher in the visual learning only because I knew those questions were asking for that kind of learning.  I know that the activities that I learned from best were based in the visual.  I always loved maps and charts on the board to explain concepts in literature, history and science.  I am not a math fan and I was only able to do well in math when I had a couple of teachers who did equations that were not just in the regular long formula mode but explained in association with other daily concepts, or having equations put into a table when doing variables.  I love using movies in a classroom but even that confuses some students who don't "get it" even after seeing it.  So for people like me (and for every library and classroom around that is full of people with various learning styles) there has to be various types of help.  Signs, verbal instruction, charts or anything else that will appeal to people's different personalities.  This is why our school implemented "Thinking Maps" campus wide.  Having students learn concepts in visual/doing/seeing/thinking/hearing/habitual mode is the only way for them to understand and get the concepts.

Children’s and YA Literature class discussion

Just want to say thank you, Dr. Vardell, for adding this section to our curriculum.  Before I thought fantasy fiction was Harry Potter or Twilight or something with dragons and pirates or something that I wasn't interested in, in the slightest.  (Reminds me too much of those boys in elementary school playing Dungeons and Dragons.)  Anyway, I'm loving this section and keep looking for more books to read within the genre that don't require wands or blood letting.

It also makes me know that I can really enjoy being a Children's or School Librarian in the future.  I've loved being exposed to these different books in each module.

I know this is a simple approach to finding new literature, but I thought I'd post it anyway.  I used this when doing my project for Collection Development class.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Fantasy-and-Adventure/379002217/?cds2Pid=17547&linkid=1640528

My favorite category is "Edgy Stories for Teens".

Week 9

I’m getting less inventive with my subject headings, I admit.  I’m just counting the days until this term is over.  Not because I’m glad to be finished with my studies, really, just because I’m excited to start working in the libraries.  I honestly have really enjoyed doing this work, especially the work with the Children’s books.  I hem and haw about what library career I want but I think I do want to work with the kids. 

Information Resources and Sources discussion

This week I had to discuss the March 2005 ALA newsletter about Enabling Learning: Proposing a Collaborative Framework for Library Staff Development.  Our question was, “Is this a good staff development plan?  Why? or Why not?  Would it work in your library?  If you are not currently working in a library, would it work in any library with which you are familiar?”  I responded with:

“1) The need for achievement, 2) the need for affiliation, and 3) the need for power, or in this case, more specifically, the need to af­fect change.” I can understand how many jobs give people a need for power though it can be abused. I’m glad to know that in a librarians’ case it means that they have a say so in the changes made at their library. I think that would be pertinent at any library too.

“ While individuals can work to de­velop skills to assess and adapt their professional outlook…Advocacy can become aligned with that sense of purpose we often long for in our lives, and with that sense of service that draws many of us to the profession.” This almost makes it seem that librarians will only be fulfilled and have a sense of purpose by having to take matters into their own hands. “Some staff resist taking on the Protean role of todayʼs librarian and others are motivated but susceptible to negative ‘group think.’” Again, it seems as if this article wants the librarians to learn coping skills and know how to work well with others.

“Self-guided Assessment Tools for staff to as­sess and align their own needs in relation to those of the organization.” I see a red flag right there. I’ve volunteered at a library but worked at schools for years. If they wanted me to self-assess, that would cause me to think there was some kind of managerial spy tactic going on to make me have to take the blame for something that wasn’t getting done. However, “Online discussion groups or blogs for staff at all levels to share stories and resources” always are nice to have at any job. Again, thought, “’Menu for Mentoring’: a means of matching willing ‘experts’ of identified competencies and skills with eager ‘learners’” is another one that looks like it can cause problems and resentment really easily among the staff.

All in all, I just don’t think a librarian would look at this and feel like it’s something to help them. It seems like it’s something to make them take on more responsibility. They have to learn more, teach more, develop more skills, etc. While training is fine, this seems as if the whole answer to the issues within the library is to give librarians something else to do. Again, it makes it seem like they’re being called incompetent (though I know the intent isn’t as such.) Granted, as a teacher, I know we had to learn a lot and it helped our job immensely, so maybe a librarian in the field wouldn’t feel as put off my this article.

I don’t think my opinions were very well received.  Granted, yes, we are all lifelong learners and patrons come to use daily for our expertise.  However, it just seemed like the way to have librarians all get along and feel less stressed was to have them self-assess and learn new skills.  I don’t think that’s the librarians’ main complaint.  I think it’s budget, long hours, not enough hours, patron complaints, overloaded work week…  That was all I was thinking;  just in the mindset of a librarian already working her tail off just to be told, “now, assess yourself and we’ll have you make sure you do a better job.”  Not something that would come by easily to some, I don’t think.

I also had to write some annotations on Chicago Manual of Style 14th Edition which has an updated online version.  I accessed the information on the printed book through Books in Print.

Children’s and YA Literature

I found YA Historical Novels on Goodreads to share for the class.  This week I’m reading Chains, Catherine Called Birdy, and The Wednesday Wars.  I’ll update my Unfinished Book Reviews for those books next week.

Week 8

The end is in sight for this Fall term and I’m so ready for it to be over.  In my Information Sources class I’ve managed to mess up an assignment twice and now have to spend the weekend going back to assignments from 3 weeks ago to change and correct.  At first I was confused about why each week we had, seemingly, the same assignment due.  After reading some of the student chat discussions I discovered that we were doing, as the syllabus says “sets” of these.  These sets were for different categories for each week.  After I thought I’d corrected that, I realized today that the categorized assignments were not corresponding with our weekly chapter reading assignments.  They were for chapters that we’d read maybe 2-3 weeks previously.  I ended up emailing the professor (again) and explaining to her how confused I’d been about these assignments and I would redo them.

With online classes I just get so use to how other professors set up their weekly modules that when another professor does something differently, I get all messed up.  At least I realized I did this now and now at the end of the term.

I also have still been working on my reviews for my Children’s / YA Literature class.  This week we read informational / non-fiction books.  I reviewed Bodies from the Ice, Actual Size, and Walt Whitman: Words for America.  Next week we’re doing historical fiction so I have actual novels to read.  I enjoy this class very much and I can see how being a Children’s Librarian would be very rewarding.

In mid-November I apply for graduation too.  I should be done by May!

Still working on getting back to Steve soon.  Here we thought this paperwork would take only one month, now it looks like it will be December before I get there. 

A couple of articles about reference librarians

Information Sources and Services class discussion

Murphy, Sarah Anne. “The Reference Narrative.” Reference and User Services Quarterly 44.3 (2005): 247-252.

Murphy argues that like medical diagnoses, the reference interview needs to follow the same basic steps: literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical or mystical. In the same way doctors diagnose patients, librarians need prior knowledge of their subject matter but be able to encourage the patron’s personal narrative in assisting them with their needs.

I think Murphy has a valid point. She cites the Daniel model of medical interpretations as well as previous articles about hermeneutics. She emphasizes the use of interpretation based on the relationship between the librarian and the patron. She stresses that the personal, eye-to-eye contact and interpretation of facial and hand jesters will help assess what the patron needs. Murphy references Taylor by stating, “the interpretive nature of the reference interview, requiring the patron and the librarian to collaborate and find ways to rephrase or restructure a query for a library system.”

The personal connection in proper interpretation of a patron’s query is the key to this article. She mentions that the email or chat query can be very limiting and the need for “experience of the whole person within her particular environment” is something that must be done on the librarian and patron’s part. Murphy mentions that librarians have to understand the patron’s culture, circumstances or help them word the question in library terms so that they can get better results.

 

Smith, Sally Decker. Roberta Johnson. “Reference Desk Realities.” Public Libraries 46.1) (Ja/F 2007): 69-73.

Smith and Johnson give a very personal and positively informative article about what is essential to a reference librarian. They emphasize that this is a public service job and even if there are crabby patrons or strange queries, we have to represent our library the best we can. There are plenty of positive tips for librarians and soon-to-be librarians.

I agree with the tips they are giving us. Many of this is common sense (don’t talk bad about the boss, the policies, the library, the town, etc. to a patron) and some of it are things new reference librarians need to know (like what the Patriot Act says and when we should call 9-1-1 for a patron who made need assistance.) I found this article very pleasant and beneficial to read. It encouraged me to become a reference librarian even more. Smith and Johnson discuss that there is stress, like any job, but that as long as we are confident in our job, like to always learn, keep direct eye contact, act friendly, etc. we will be in the right job field. The article discusses that a lot of times the librarian works alone but in the public library there is more room for working with others. Smith and Johnson also discuss how often you should or should not be asking for help. It’s a great article for reference librarians to be or those who are new to their job. Again, some of it is common sense but a lot of it really gives you a candid and empathetic read about what it is really like to be a reference librarian.

I like that they point out at the end that it’s not polite to focus on telling people about patrons’ “stupid questions.” I’ve worked in public service as a teen so I know how bizarre people can be. I’m glad Smith and Johnson address this and give us the sense that they understand why would do it, but still make sure we understand how wrong it is to react in such a way to our patrons.

 

For the record

I’m so confused in this class sometimes but I really do like it.  I’m eager to become a reference librarian.  The Smith article talked about how you learn all the time – I’d love that!

Playing catch-up on my classes

It’s very late, or extremely early and I’ve finally finished up my assignments for both Info Sources and Services and Children’s Lit.  I had to write three new book reviews for my Unfinished Book Reviews blog that I’m using for class.  After that I had to write my five and a quarter page paper on what I discovered at the reference desk when I played spybrarian (Steve’s clever term, I can’t take the credit) the other day.  All in all I think I’ll like being a reference librarian as a career option.  Plus, I know I’m learning more with my classes, which is a plus.  Some days I’d like everything to come easy to me with the terminology.  It’s intimidating to walk into  the big library world that seems to have a ton of experts who know a heck of a lot more than I do.  But I keep at it and I feel like I’ve made the right choice with my career change.  (Though I do love teaching college.) 

Anyway, it’s way to late and sleep is waiting on me.  Good night, library!  Good night, books!  Good night, school!  Good night, internet!  See you in the morning!

Analysis of "Reflections of a Reference Librarian" article

Information Sources and Services course discussion

At the end of Susan J. Beck’s role as president of RUSA (Reference and User Services Association), she wrote this article to reflect on why she became a reference librarian. Beck begins by stating that she is “over fifty and have been a reference librarian since 1980 – you do the math.” With this length of experience, she states, with a humorous angle that the main questions asked by a reference librarian are “Where is the pencil sharpener? Where is the photocopier, and how much do the copies cost? Where are the restrooms?” Beck’s list of questions are just a beginning to the root of her being a reference librarian; “a polite, friendly, and quick response” is what is essential for any questions a reference librarian receives. This helps build a relationship between patron and reference librarian (305).

Beck says that she “became a librarian because I loved solitary studying in libraries while a college student. The library, as a place, was very comforting to me” (305). Beck explains how the library was easily accessible and full of options for reading. She states that this is why “I am so fascinated by searching the Web.” She mentions that during her time as a student she rarely used the reference librarian as a source of assistance when writing the papers for her history, political science, and education courses. When she became a grad student, however, she used the reference librarians more often and found them “always friendly and helpful. I do not ever remember leaving the reference desk without knowing where I was going next. I was a happy and satisfied user.” After that, Beck decided to go to library school because it “just made so much sense.” She loved the libraries all the time she was a student and she loved just being in the library (306).

Once Beck was a library student, she felt intimidated by the reference librarians. She felt that as a library student, the reference librarians would think she should already know the answers to her questions. She felt as if she should learn the answers on her own and that the librarians would be testy about answering her questions. “Why is there always that tension between library school student and reference librarians?” Beck was asked this question at a presentation and her answer was, “Please do ask the librarians as much questions as you can and on every occasion that you need to!” Beck believes that this exchange between the professional librarian and the student must be used as a teaching tool. Beck even mentions how her “greatest influences have been my colleagues” (306).

Beck is also influenced by library literature and she even encourages librarians to keep articles that they find extremely useful. Her lists for important articles include Benson and Maloney’s “Principles of Searching”, Carol Tenopir’s “Online Database” columns in Library Journal, as well as Dewney and Michell’s “Oranges and Peaches: Understanding Communication Accidents in the Reference Interview.” Beck states that the Benson and Maloney article includes steps for conducting the reference interview, “Clarify the question (the interview), Establish search parameters…, Identify sources to be searched, Translate the question into the language of each source, Conduct the search, and Deliver the information.” Beck mentions how this is a simple and effective way of conducting the reference interview and it has been a basic formula to use. Beck also asserts that, “Did I completely answer your question?” should be inserted at the end of the reference interview. If the answer is “no” then the librarian should start over until they give a satisfactory answer (307).

Beck’s article is important for someone planning to become a reference librarian because Beck has been a reference librarian for a number of years. She really enjoys her job and has great insight and good tips for students and professionals. I’m glad to see that she mentioned that “Oranges and Peaches” article as I was asked to read that during my studies as well. This article gave me a bit more of a clear knowledge of what the reference librarian’s main job skills is. I like that she included that we are to answer questions with a friendly and eager manner in order to insure a closer relationship between patron and librarian. I vaguely remember using the reference librarian as an English major in my undergrad years and I was always fascinated by how the librarian had the keys to all that knowledge.

Beck, like Mark Anderson-Wilk who wrote my article #2 choice, also encourages the use Google Scholar which I was only introduced to as a community college teacher earlier this year. I like that the reference librarian’s job is to keep up with new ways of doing searches, but also needs a cataloging skill (something Beck is sad to see go in the recent reference librarian training.) I am also encouraged by Beck’s affirmation that we should make a point to go to workshops at least once a year. She mentions that even though the library may not be able to pay for it, you should save up and go at least once a year. This will help you network with other librarians and learn the most modern techniques for finding information.

I like Beck’s personal touch to the article. It made it much easier to read and was less clinical as other articles such as the Anderson-Wilk article I’ll use for next time. There was less jargon and if it was used, it was explained. You can tell that Beck is very enthusiastic about her career and she encouraged new reference librarians to pursue their new career with vigor and education. Her tips on using your available sources such as colleges, other librarians, library literature and workshops are important for new librarians to take note of. Also her listing the steps to the reference interview is something we should all keep on hand, including the articles she mentioned. I really liked this article and it made me more interested in a career in reference librarianship. I love that Beck concludes her article with her email address and a request for anyone who reads her article to contact her. Again, it’s a nice, personal touch.

Work Cited

Beck, Susan J. "Reflections of a Reference Librarian." Reference & User Services Quarterly 49.4

(2010): 305-309. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 26 Sept. 2010.

Analysis for YA Book Shelf

Children’s Literature class discussion

I’ve been checking out YA Book Shelf for a while now. I started chatting with the blog author on Twitter when I started studying the YA Books for my Collection Development class. She (Melissa) always has lots of interesting book contests that intrigues her readers. She’s very well read and gives great insight and suggestions on new and old (classic) books to read. As you can see from her most recent post on the YA novel Hush, Hush she really tries to get involved in her own review of the book as well as how it is received in the public. You can tell that she really loves what she does and reading her posts you can see what new books are coming up, including events online regarding books. She’s very willing to discuss the books with you. She has a very modern website and includes all sorts of links plus book trailers if anyone wants to see more examples. This website really inspired me to create my blog that I started and will now use for my class book reviews.

http://www.yabookshelf.com/

http://twitter.com/YABookShelf

In other news:  9 days left until the wedding!

Definition of Reference

Information Sources and Services class discussion

Reference:  direct personal assistance gathered from a reference source that is tailored to the unique needs of each individual client that can be in a formal or informal instruction-based transactions.

I have witnessed the Reference Librarian at work when I was in my Practicum library over the summer.  I wasn't aware that the Reference Librarian was also the instructor in charge.  It caused a bit of a problem when patrons needed Reference assistance and the Reference was busy teaching a class.  Having the Reference librarian teach, as is with any class situation, there is an overall group instruction but they still have individual needs that must be addressed.  I think the most prominent service of the Reference Desk is that individual attention.

Bopp, Richard E. and Smith, Linda C. Reference and Information Services: An Introduction, Third Edition. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2001.

"Definitions of Reference," American Library Association, September 29, 2008.
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/definitionsreference.cfm (Accessed September 07, 2010)

 

Also while looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_interview, I found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Libraries.

Homework for September

Classes have started as of last week and I’ve been getting myself acquainted with my classes.  This Fall term I have Children’s and YA Literature as well as Information Sources and Services.  For Children’s Lit I pick books from suggested lists and create blog posts about them.  I’ve decided to use my attempted blog project at Unfinished Book Reviews to create such posts.  For Info Resources, I’m learning about becoming a Reference Librarian.  Both classes are extremely beneficial because I really don’t know what kind of librarian I’ll become.  When I was asked what track I was going to be on for the program, I told them I had no intention of choosing a track yet because how do I know where I’ll end up? 

When it comes to finding a job, especially once I’ve moved, I’ll have to start working where ever I land a job and then work my way up through experience.  That may be at a Public Library or a University Library.  I’m not singling anything out right now because I really feel like a fish out of water in this career.  Granted, when I started interning, I was interested in how the library worked and I felt like I could do a good job in such a position.  I was just disappointed with the Public Libraries running the risk of being shut down so easily.  So, again, the job that lands in my lap will be the one I take on.

Granted, my English Lit. background is helpful and I do miss that kind of discussion in the classroom.  But I could always end up a Reference Librarian and running Book Clubs and computer classes.  I’ve looked at more English Lit. graduate programs but I’m not sure I want to get into that again.  The pretention of English majors (generally speaking – if you’re an English major you know what I’m talking about) is just not an arena I think I can get back into.  Feeling superior because I’ve read big books was fine when I was 20.  Now that I have a new focus in life, I’m not sure I have any interest in that aspect of the field again. 

As for teaching, yes I loved teaching Comm II.  I loved going to college and I loved teaching at college for the same reasons - I can get prepared, have my class and walk out of the room.  There’s no being stuck in a tiny room with 20-30 other people all day.  But teaching at the college doesn’t pay anything unless you’re tenured.  At the community college level they tell you that teaching high school is a better bet for money and benefits.  Since I don’t have an Education degree my problems that I had as a new teacher will continue on no matter where I go in the US.  I would still have to go to school to get teacher status in the UK.  So that would be 40+ hours of work with planning, being stuck at the school for 8 hours, then doing after school activities, meetings then going to my own classes?  Nope.  I will be a wife and want to be at home with my husband.  Having this library degree and going to work each day and working my way up to gain experience is my best bet.

But then again I may not find any kind of job other than secretary or a salesgirl at the mall.  Whatever, as long as I’m bringing home a pay check.

Since this blog was made primarily for library entries, I created a personal blog that I can email entries to.  Yes, yes Wordpress has the capability of email posts and there are apps but I really need to scale things down.  I’m not going to have this iPhone for much longer so I needed to make something I can update easily on the fly.  I won’t even go into how much this iPhone drives me crazy now.  It was fine for a year but now after the updates nothing works right; the camera is slow, it randomly reboots, apps won’t load, calls can’t be made, texts can’t be sent, touchscreen freezes…  I’m going to go the used Blackberry from Ebay route for a while until I can get a Droid or something. 

And on my final and most exciting note:  the wedding is in two weeks!  I’m so excited but blissfully calm all at the same time.  Having a small, private wedding is such a much better option.  There was enough hassle in finding the dress that I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to set up a big wedding party.  I’m just happy to be with Steve for our special day.

End of the summer term

Part of my response for my end of year reflection:

I will admit, I was quite disappointed to know that the Public Library jobs are threatened so much. I'm honestly not quite sure where the degree plan comes in either. I was at a very small library and everyone was super nice to me and really showed me the ropes. None of them had an MLS degree so I felt kind of silly being there, to be quite honest. I was very happy to be there, so this is not to say I didn't learn anything or appreciate what they do and what they did for me. However, I equated the job at the library more to working at a grocery or department store. Aside from the Tech processing or here and there activities conducted, there was just a customer service job. Even people who have lost their jobs at grocery stores are given job placement. I've heard that a lot of temps leave their positions at the library as well and it's a revolving door atmosphere. I'm not surprised. With the same type of working being available to any given retail store that will ensure 40 hours a week plus retirement (at, say Publix) why not go that route instead? A lot of people are given on-the-job training and go from being a Circulation Desk Clerk to Head Librarian. Again, I'm just not sure where the degree aspect comes in for the Public Libraries. Since I don't live in Texas, I couldn't undertake a school librarian focus on my program, but I think that's where I'll be headed. I've taught English in the past and I really thought these two jobs would compliment one another but I really don't see that (in my small corner of the world, mind you) meshing. It's a shame. I'm not trying to be disrespectful to the profession, I'm just not sure where it comes to play in the whole arena of Public Libraries.

Again, it's not to say I don't appreciate every librarian for what they do, I'm just not sure the Public Library is where I'd enjoy working as much. I miss literature. High school librarian? University librarian? Something up that road I think is better for me. But then again, maybe not. Maybe something will fall in my lap that I really love in the Public Library. There's more than Titusville in my future, so I'll just have to see where my career ends up.

Flag Day and the beginning of Summer term

Happy Flag Day, everyone! My vacation is over and sadly Steve had to go back home. We had such a good time and I'm so thankful for our time together. I'll be going back over to be with him soon, so until then I have to occupy myself with all my library goings on.

Summer term started last week. I'm looking at the Public Library course retake with fresh eyes. I've decided to use a different library for my focus - the library I'll be volunteering at. That way I can get a better view of the library and write up my projects based on what I experience there for more than a couple of hours on my own. This means that, conveniently, the Practicum and Public Library courses for the term will work side by side. It's quite nice for a Summer term. I have to work 120 hours from now until August and I'll be starting my internship on Wednesday. There will be Storytime that day, so I can hang out with tiny kids for a change. (Not that I didn't get my fill at Disney for the last two weeks.)

For both classes I've had to write up my introductions and why I chose Public Librarianship over the others. It just worked out that way, honestly. True, I've been a teacher, but to get a School Librarianship you had to go through the rigmarole of a state teaching certificate, which I couldn't do as a distance student. Plus, aside from working with students, I'd like to work in the public holistically. I like chatting with people here and there, so working with people of all ages would be something I'd like. Not sure where I'll end up working in the long run, but for now, Public Librarianship is my main goal. So I'm excited for this Summer. I'll be getting some good hands-on experience and inching closer to going back to be with Steve soon. Happy days!

 

del.icio.us Tags: libraries,library,library science,twu,internship,mls,volunteering,holiday,vacation

Technorati Tags: libraries,library,library science,twu,internship,mls,volunteering,holiday,vacation

Notes on "Across the Sea"

Amazing!
So now we know where Jacob and the Man in Black came from, but where did the midwife/murderer killer come from?
Aha! The black and White rock game.
He doesn't have a name.
"I've made it so you can never hurt each other."
"This is the reason we're here."
I'm confused.
"I don't care!" Good call, Jacob.
So she turned him into a vampire like on "Lost Boys"?
Star Wars burned village reference.
Yep, saw that coming.
Worst death scene ever.
Knew that was going to happen to. Black Smoke from cave.
Aha! Thank you, show!
Necessary episode but just okay. I loved the ending though.
2 episodes left and an awesome promo with The Doors' "The End". Very cool.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Already getting ready for Summer term

Last night I finished my reflection paper for Collection Development class.  I has to discuss my Collection Development project – the YA serialized novel collection.  I talked about how it went, what tools I used and how I would have changed it.  There’s a lot I would have changed. 

Read my Reflection Essay here

I finished the Web Development final website on Thursday.  After I submitted my simple, efficient Friends of the Titusville Library site (a site which I can’t link to as it has to be used via my TWU account) was nothing compared to the other sites.  People had sidebars, headers, tons of info, etc.  But I did what was required and what I thought was good for my project.  Oh well.

I still have no idea what’s going on with Financial Aid.  The office told me that I would be awarded for 2010 but the information for my account online still says there’s no award.  School starts at the beginning of June so my classes have to get paid somehow.  I have to take Practicum and Public Library (again).  I have to have an extra class as I’m doing the volunteer class.

Also, TWU hadn’t received anything from the library director here about my volunteering.  When I called to ask for the director to contact the school, I spoke with a nice librarian (one reason why I love this profession – librarians are so nice) who was eager for me to volunteer because she “definitely needs” my help.  How nice to be needed.  I can get my education and help people all at the same time.  What a nice career I’ve chosen.

So that’s all for the time being in the world of my late night library endeavors.  I will be finishing up the grades this weekend for the classes I taught and then it’s major cleaning and getting ready for the vacation. 

20 days until Steve and I are on vacation together!

del.icio.us Tags: library,library science,mls,twu,Teaching,volunteering,practicum,fin aid,financial aid,vacation

Technorati Tags: library,library science,mls,twu,Teaching,volunteering,practicum,fin aid,financial aid,vacation

Almost finished with Spring 2010

Collection Development class discussion

Short essay by school librarian - do you agree?

Bringelson , Carin. (2004). On intellectual freedom. School Libraries in Canada, 24(4), p.57-9

I really liked this passage in the article, "My job was not to take a position on the book, but simply to provide concrete information about the title and sometimes perspectives on the broader issue or issues involved. My work gave me the opportunity to think about the reasons why people challenge materials. While these reasons were many and varied, among the concerns that came up repeatedly (for many different titles) were objectionable language, sexuality, and violence.”

I would find it hard to not take a stance on a book, especially something I felt strongly against. I feel like a lawyer, trying to defend a client whom I thought shouldn’t walk the streets. I think this is probably the hardest part of our job, but I sort of see it from a parental sort of view to. (Granted, I have no children yet, so my views may change later when I do.) But, it seems like if you give kids the ability to be taught at home what is acceptable and what is not, then allow the kids to decide on their own if they think something is too much or inappropriate. Maybe it’s like drinking. If you tell them that it’s restricted and off limits and then on their 21^st birthday they put themselves into a stupor, it’s because the whole thing was so out of their underage reach.

What is the difference between selection and censorship?

How can librarians avoid self-censorship?

Can you provide an example of self-censorship? This one can be real or made-up. Just provide a "case" for us to talk about. If real, do not name the library's name or the librarian.    

I'm not sure if things are fairly similar in small towns in Texas as they are in Florida, but I live in a very conservative place.  The school where I use to teach had a very nice, Sunday school teaching librarian and he was totally against having the book Wicked in his library.  But, as he pointed out, the kids wanted to read it so he put it on the shelves.

I honestly would have a hard time with self censorship, I admit, especially if I were working in the Children's Library.  Our jobs as librarians are to allow children to read whatever book they want to on the public library level. That’s a hard pill to swallow. Now, as for school libraries, I think it’s going to be even more tricky. As we’ve discussed, there are plenty of parents who are against Harry Potter novels yet the school libraries have them. I’m glad to know that, as our Power Point notes state, “Children – Lesser, but substantial protection, Parental control, ‘Harmful to minors’ statutes, Not all minors are the treated the same -5 year-old vs. 16 year-old.” But, if there is a YA book that has something a parent doesn’t like, it doesn’t mean the book will be yanked off a school or public library shelf. Again, I think it’s the toughest part of our job, quite honestly, to keep our own personal beliefs and convictions out of the selection process.

Class work

I have to finish shining up my website for Web Development class.  I’ll add some library events and tweak the fonts some, but otherwise it’s a basic website and that’s all we need.  (Well, it has that dreaded CSS stuff in there too…)

I also have to write my final Reflection paper and turn that in for Collection Development.  Everything, for both classes, is due on Friday.

Personal stuff

I finished teaching my day class on Monday, and now I have to finish up grading their Lit. Criticism essays and Annotated Bibliographies as well as their Final Exams.  Tonight I go to school for the last night class to collect the same work from those students.  Then I’ll put the grades in by next Monday and be finished with everything and officially on break for a while.

I’ve been jogging and swimming at the gym, so that’s giving me something else to keep me busy each day.  I also started up my new project called Unfinished Book Reviews that I may or may not keep on blogspot.  It seems the easiest right now to use Blogger for this stuff since so many library, librarian and education blogs are products of Blogger.

23 days until Steve and I begin our vacation!

Technorati Tags: blog,blogger,teacher,technology,twu,holiday,vacation,libraries,library,library science,literary criticism,literature,classes,collection dev,Collection Development,college,mls,censorship,school,School Library

del.icio.us Tags: blog,blogger,teacher,technology,twu,holiday,vacation,libraries,library,library science,literary criticism,literature,classes,collection dev,Collection Development,college,mls,censorship,school,School Library

Notes on "The Candidate"

Nice twist on "The Candidate" there, Lost
Anthony Cooper - nice!
Like Jack's going to take orders.
So he has to trust him via "I could kill you but I won't"? Oh Bad Locke, you're in for a showdown.
Kate's name was crossed out? I didn't realize that before - was I supposed to?
"I'm with him." That was good.
Ooh! I see what's up. They'll go with Locke and Jack will save them. Wonder if he'll side with Widmore.
Oh wow. His Dad is like that?
Bullet reflecting Bad Locke is like a comic book character.
Now Sawyer trusts Bad Locke now. Crazy. Oh no he doesn't. I like how he calls Bad Locke "it". He's going to drown Bad Locke?
Nice shot with Jack and Claire in the reflection.
I love this! Sawyer and Jack on the same team.
Nonono Jack! Wrong backpack!
Kate shot!
Jack take that dang backpack off!
He shut Claire out. Awesome!
Get up and throw it!
"We did exactly what he wanted."
This is amazing!
So zombie Sayid is still useful and good.
Oooh! Jack! That's amazing! "What if he can't?"
Awesome! Oh my gosh this is amazing!
Stupid sad moment. Knew it would happen though. Acting is so good.
What? "I was in a plane crash." Oh that's so good. Locke's bizarro world is backward.
"What Happened, Happened."
He remembers? "I wish you'd believed me."
And then there were four.
Poor Hurley. :-(
Poor Jack. :-(
"Finish what I started."
Wow. Just wow.


Jorge Garcia will be on Jimmy Kimmel tonight.
And for pity's sake do we really need another vampire thing like the new show "The Gates"? Shame on you ABC for following the herd. You're best for unique shows.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Are we the future?

Web Development class discussion

Do you think Vannevar Bush's vision was prophetic? Why or why not? What strikes you about his essay?

“There is a growing mountain of research. But there is increased evidence that we are being bogged down today as specialization extends.” I think this is exactly correct. We have commercials for Bing.com that show how even a simple web search can boggle us with nonsense we’re not interested in. There is a huge abundance of information available to us that we can never possible read it all or even try to sift through ever bit of it. There is no ultimate decision as to what can and cannot be printed online so any kind of information is transmitted or submitted in so many avenues of electronic communication that, yes, there is a mountain of research material.

It’s amazing to me that Vannevar Bush had such a vision yet the internet is something that we can’t completely grasp entirely in our present day.

“[A]dvanced photography which can record what is seen or even what is not.” I was just thinking how the Hubble telescope is such a major step in that direction.

“To make the record, we now push a pencil or tap a typewriter. Then comes the process of digestion and correction, followed by an intricate process of typesetting, printing, and distribution. To consider the first stage of the procedure, will the author of the future cease writing by hand or typewriter and talk directly to the record?” This is my favorite quote. You know, we’re still amazed by Dragon Diction apps on the iPhone. I wonder if we’ll ever cease to be amazed at what kind of gadgets we have available to us. Now we don’t even need a real keyboard. Eventually we will stop writing or typing at all and only use verbal dictation to our recording device?

http://www.ps.uni-saarland.de/~duchier/pub/vbush/vbush.txt

Personal stuff

I just have to collect the Final Exams next week, then get everything graded by May 10th.  I have my last week for TWU next week too.  I’m almost done!

del.icio.us Tags: libraries,library,library science,literature,teacher,Teaching,technology,twu,mls,web,web dev,article

Technorati Tags: libraries,library,library science,literature,teacher,Teaching,technology,twu,mls,web,web dev,article

My own Wiki

Collection Development class assignment

You will create a marketing visual to advertise your new collection. This can be a flyer, bookmark, web page, blog page, handout, etc., but it must be visual, graphic, and eye-catching.

http://schultzstm.pbworks.com/Young-Adult-Readers-%40-the-Titusville-Library

Since we've been talking about Wikis so much in this class as well as my other courses, I decided to try my hand at this.  I found a local librarian who has a Wiki for her YA Collection (http://sbateensread.wikispaces.com/)  while doing my Collection Development Project.  I used a lot of her ideas, then changed the information to reflect what my collection contained.  I'm not really good with this yet, as you can see, but I tried to make it sort of like I would a blog.

Technorati Tags: wiki,blog,libraries,library,library science,literary criticism,literature,ya,children,reading,teen,twu,mls,movies,ebooks,audio books,pbworks

del.icio.us Tags: wiki,blog,libraries,library,library science,literary criticism,literature,ya,children,reading,teen,twu,mls,movies,ebooks,audio books,pbworks

Notes on "Ab Aeterno Enhanced"

Wait, how did we know the medicine wasn't real?
That priest is horrible. Priest FAIL
Aha! The smoke monster lies and tricks!
Okay, this guy is the devil I think.
The loophole was when he took the form of John Locke?
"Good to see you out of those chains" was something Bad Locke said to Richard too before he beat him up.
Wait wait so the island is a cork for evil? So how come there can be evil in the world. How's this theory gonna work?
And Jacob is a Christ like figure? Touching them and giving them eternal life on Earth?
And why does Isabella have on modern clothes?
"Close your eyes" was something between Richard and Isabella? How do we know that without them telling us?
I still kinda don't understand but thanks anyway, Lost.








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Library marketing

Collection Development class discussion
I’m the moderator for the discussion this week so I have to stay on top of things.
Please pick one promotional activities and talk about it. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages? In what circumstances do you think you would use it? Also, what kinds of promotional activities have you seen from your local libraries? Do you think it was effective? Why or why not?
I’ve seen a lot of various marketing strategies at my local public library. The website was revamped and is a lot more modern and cleaner looking. It has more zing. I think that will attract people more, especially in the library itself – for a while they still had computers with text based only card catalog search capabilities. I’ve seen the same library have information on their webpage but I’m not sure how much viewing it gets. For example, since I’ve been interested in the YA section of the Children’s library, I did not see much listed online at their old website regarding Books Clubs and activities for teens. Now that I’ve been in the library more and snooped around on their new website they have tons of Teen Space stuff. Still a lot of it is not updated. I would love to have a job where I did that kind of marketing in my library. The webpages need to be updated and fancied up as much as possible to keep the views and interest coming in.
I also bought the Friends of the library tote bag they have on sale too. The Friends’ website, incidentally, is so outdated looking that I chose it for my Web Development class project.
Please post the bibliography of your selection tools that you used to develop your collection. Also, please answer this question: What did you think about the assignment? What did you learn about collection development? This should be an informal comment. I just want you all to talk about your experience. You'll be doing a formal reflection for the assignment next week.
I really did enjoy the project, I'll say that up front.  However, I still contend that this was one of, if not the most, difficult things I've done in school before.  I still wonder if librarians do this start from scratch type of collection development often.  I understand we needed to learn how to pick and chose carefully as to what we will include in our collection.  I found that fun in the beginning.  I was very interested to see the similarities in what kinds of books libraries and bookstores had.  Still, it was quite time consuming, just by listing everything.  I took notes throughout the project but it was the actual listing, organizing, polishing, choosing the best justification, etc.  That was the most difficult for me.  And, as I said before, after $2000 worth, I didn't feel like I had even scratched the surface. There are so many great books and great magazines for teens that I would love to pick and choose a little of everything. It really opened my eyes to the world of teen literature.
In my bibliography I listed every thing I ever used to gather any kind of information in my collection.
Personal stuff
35 days until Steve gets here!  No wonder I’m finding it hard to concentrate on grading – I just want to get ready for him to be here!

del.icio.us Tags: libraries,library,library science,teacher,Teaching,technology,teen,literature,book,books,bookstore,bookstores,twu,mls,children,class,collection dev,Collection Development,computer,course,college,blog

Technorati Tags: libraries,library,library science,teacher,Teaching,technology,teen,literature,book,books,bookstore,bookstores,twu,mls,children,class,collection dev,Collection Development,computer,course,college,blog

Collection Assessment

Collection Development class discussion

This question focuses on different collection evaluation methods. The textbook and the articles talk about different methods to evaluate collections. Please pick one method and talk about it. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method?

Circulation studies seems like a fairly easy method to deciding if the materials on the shelves are something your patrons are interested in. If you have a collection with books that have not been checked out in several years, maybe it’s time to add that to the library book sale next time and look for books that will be of more interest. However, if we look at the circulation as “the adequacy of the book collection is directly related to its usage” idea, then we may be weeding out some valuable, classic literature that just hasn’t been checked out for a while (Evans 326). That is not to say that a student in the near future will not want to do a project on Mark Twain and will be interested in checking out his works (for example).

This module is all about collection evaluation and collection assessment. For the collection that you are developing in this class, what are the methods you would use to assess your collection and why?

For my YA serialized novel collection, I would definitely have to keep tabs on the circulation of each book. Even if it’s something I view as good as an expert (choosing something recommended in Booklist or something I saw at the bookstore that seemed interesting) that doesn’t mean my teen patrons will be interested. I would try to “push” a book like that through the Book Club and Teen Space website, but if that fails, I would look to see the use of other libraries statistics. If the book is doing well at another county library, then I’ll keep the book on the shelf for longer in hopes the interest will pick up.

Teaching

The semester is almost over and I keep getting late work turned in.  This weekend will be all about me getting these last grades in for their Drama Unit and then by next Wednesday all the Literary Criticism work (and the inevitable last minute work) will be turned in.  I’ll also have to give them the Final Exam that day too.  Then finals will be done, grades will be put in and everything will be done for the term.  It’s been fun.  I’ve enjoyed working BCC quite a lot. 

Personal stuff

Once school is over, I’ll be doing mad cleaning and getting ready for Steve to arrive.  Then it will be Disney vacation time!

Technorati Tags: libraries,library,library science,collection dev,Collection Development,children,ya,literature,mls,twu,college,class,literary criticism,teacher,Teaching,education,english

del.icio.us Tags: libraries,library,library science,collection dev,Collection Development,children,ya,literature,mls,twu,college,class,literary criticism,teacher,Teaching,education,english

Notes on "The Last Recruit"

"On the third day...?" "Yes that was me." To help him find water and leave. So Jacob had trapped him?
Now this is interesting - Jack is now defending Good Locke.
Oh no way - everyone's at the hospital?
"It's him!" So the parallel world and bizarro world are aware of one another.
And Claire knows Jack's her brother.
And Jack's the only one who isn't easily seduced by Bad Locke like everyone else is?
"That's our bad guy." Cool.
Now is it just me, or is this whole idea of people fighting with black smoke as their leader kind of dumb?
I'm with the theory of Desmond as Jacob. Why is he stalking everyone? Seriously, he's creepy - like Jacob.
And who's the lawyer? Oh come on! Wait, she's supposed to protect Jacob...
Yeah why don't we just go against Bad Locke and aha! Yup Sawyer's got a plan!
Oh I get it! Now if Sayid isn't a zombie he can pretend he killed him. But he's supposed to shoot the gun in the promo so maybe Zombie Sayid will do Bad Locke's bidding.
Nice Jedi mind trick on Desmond's part.
Aha so everyone is together in bizarro world because they have to be together on the island.
And this Sun can't talk thing is dumb.
Oh GOOD! Make crazy Claire mad again. Just shoot her, Kate, come on! She's nuts!
Did that little boy, David's voice get deeper already? And who is David's mother?
Oh heck! Jack's going to save Locke and help him walk again?
Jack is on Good Locke's side. "The island isn't done with you yet."
So he's going to leave Kate? Nice.
Ooh! Same kind of thing they did with Ben.
Okay. Cry time. "We'll never be apart again."














- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Assignment Completed: Collection project

Comments to my professor:

I know we didn’t have to write a reflection, but I wanted to mention that I have 7 total items because the assignment says “at least three other formats.” I found this assignment very difficult just in time consumption. Every book has positive reviews but since I’m working with sets, it was harder to find a positive review for each book in every set that I had wanted. I thought I’d be smart and find books in Booklist first, then find a second positive review. I went to a couple of libraries numerous times as well as looking through the Teen Fiction section of Barnes and Noble. There’s plenty to choose from and I feel I only scratched the surface.

This helped me learn a lot though. I enjoyed the project all in all but this was the toughest assignment I’ve ever come across. Would we have to start from scratch like this a lot as a librarian, or does a vendor make this part easier?

Technorati Tags: library,libraries,library science,literature,teen,twu,ya,children,collection dev,Collection Development,course,classes,mls

del.icio.us Tags: library,libraries,library science,literature,teen,twu,ya,children,collection dev,Collection Development,course,classes,mls

Notes on "Everyone Loves Hugo"

Knew the bit with the dynamite would happen. They had a whole episode about them being super careful with transporting it across the island.
The new arrival is Desmond - Bad Locke knows he's important.
Still don't know where this season is going to go. Ben has a good point about "Makes you wonder what will happen when it's done with us."
So everyone is going to leave on a plane now that they're back? This is our plan. The rest of the plot will just be about going back and forth, trying to get everyone together and on the plane?
And apparently Hugo's not been crazy or in the nut house before according to Bizarro L.A.
Okay, who's the kid?
"What the island is." Oooh.
Hugo's in charge now? He was right and he said to go back before.
An answer? Holy cow!
Is that golden glow from the torch intentional on Hugo's face?
Knew it was gonna happen with the kiss. Cool!
Knew that would happen with the well too! Bad, Bad Locke!
Beware Jack! Bad Locke will get you next!
What the heck, Desmond?! So he'd remember?
And that Willy Wonka advert - awesome!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Whilst waiting at the Post Office

Collection Development project is organized and I know what to do. It's the taking the notes and putting them into my fancy Word document, tables and all, that is what I have to spend this week doing. We have to find two justifications for each book or material we list. So that's the main part that gets complicated - I've used actual "Booklist" magazines to find recent YA books that have good reviews. Then I have to find a second positive review by using "Books in Print" for example. But, again, I have a clear grasp on the whole thing, it's just the organization of it. And I love organization and book shopping so it's actually quite fun.
My classes will be doing their own Literary Criticism projects in the library this week. By May 6th they'll have their Finals done and the term will be over.
Our vacation is all arranged and I'll just have to get our Disney tickets before Steve gets here. We're both excited.
Okay, out of line at the Post Office. There had to be 20 people in there waiting!
Off to the store...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Barna Ave,Titusville,United States