During the 1800's, crafts were often done out of necessity, but this also provided a bonding experience for those involved. It also provided an interesting form of recycling, as many items were made form old clothes, (as in rugs, dolls, quilts, etc.) or even old fat drippings( soap, candles). Early settlers of this country tried to use everything they had as efficiently as possible. The two crafts I will discuss are yarn dolls and braided rugs.
Braided rugs
This my favorite. When I was younger, my dad's girlfriend gave me a multi-colored heartshaped braided rug. I thought it was the neatest thing and was really special, because I knew she spent so much time on it. The braided rug was really the first kind of rug to cover floors in early America. They are very practical and durable, and can be very colorful. Traditionally, the art of making braided rugs is passed down through the generations, but lately that has fallen away. Braided rugs were once make from old dresses, blankets, coats or any other spare cloth. Little girls, mothers and grandmothers would all sit around braiding rugs together. This was a time for bonding. The most common braid was the flat braid. It is a very old type of braid, utilizing a three strip braid system. Theses rugs could be made in any size, depending on the amount of space you wanted to cover.
Directions:
Tie three strips of fabric together, then attach (with tape or something) to a
fixed surface, like a table or chair. Braid the strips together. When approaching the ends of the fabric, sew another piece of fabric to the ends of each original piece of fabric. Continue braiding and attaching more fabric until the desired length is reached. Tie a knot at the end of the braid. Start coiling the braid around one of the end knots. Use a backstitch to attach the braid to the knot. Keep coiling the braid around, stitching it to the braid next to it every so often. When you have coiled all the braid, stitch the last knot to the underside of the mat or rug.
Yarn dolls
Hand made dolls have been around for thousands of years. Early settlers in America make dolls from yarn, rags, corn husks, corn cobs, and even clay. Yarn was often hand made. Young girls were taught to spin the yarn from the raw wool of sheep and then dye it. The yarn was used for many things including stockings, hats, scarves and even rugs. Using the yarn to make dolls was also something fun for the children to do. Native Americans commonly used the husks of corn at harvest to make dolls, and even used the corn cobs also. Every part of the corn harvest was useful. A traditional Native American corn husk doll does not have a face.
Directions: (yarn doll)
Get several yards of yarn. The larger doll you want, the more yarn you need. Also, cut a piece of cardboard, the length desired for the doll. Wrap the yarn around the cardboard lengthwise a few times. 10-20 would probably be good. Take a small piece of yarn ad slip it in between the yarn and the cardboard. Move to top of cardboard and tie in a knot. Cut the yarn at the bottom and slip off of the cardboard. Place a small ball under the yarn. Tie a knot under it. This will be the head. Divide the remaining yarn into four parts and tie off, to make the arms and legs. Cut the yarn a little shorter for the arms. Or, if you want to make a girl doll, you don't have to separate and tie off the legs of the doll. You can leave it together for a skirt. Using buttons for eyes and nose, and more yarn for hair and mouth, decorate your doll as you wish. You might even want to make clothes for it.
This is only a description of one set of directions I found for yarn dolls. There were quite a few.
The directions for making the Native American corn husk dolls were similar. Soak the corn husks in warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften them. Tie six leaves together with a thin strip of corn husk, pointed ends up. Peel the pointed ends back to make the head. Tie back with another thin strip of husk. Arms and legs are made with two braided pieces of cornhusk inserted through bundle and tied. Decorate as you choose, but remember, no face!
References:
"Braided Rugs" retrieved from http://www.area-rug.info/braid-rugs.htm
Evert, Jodi. Kristen's Craft Book. Pleasant Company Publications. 1994. 44 pages
Stoddard, Dr. Sharon "The Making of Braided Rugs" retrieved from http://ds5.cgpublisher.com/proposals/13/index_html
Trottier, Maxine Native Crafts Kids Can Press LTD. 2000. 40pages
Story time
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Nursery Rhymes and Hymns
Researching the three nursery rhymes as been very interesting and informative. All my life, I have heard many of these, but never thought about their origin. It was also interesting to get a glimpse of the hundreds of other rhymes that I knew nothing of. I better start reading more!
Mary Had a Little Lamb
This poem was published in Poems for Our Children in 1830 by Sarah J. Hale, who claims to be the author. There is a bit of controversy to the origin of this poem, as there are to many other nursery rhymes. One story claims that the poem is based on a real incident involving a girl named Mary Sawyer. One day, Mary Sawyer, provoked by her brother, brought her pet lamb to school. It caused quite a disturbance, as you can imagine. The next day, John Roulstone, a visiting Harvard teaching student, present Mary with the first few verses of the poem. According to this story, Mrs. Hale came across the poem, and incorporated it into her poem. Mrs. Hale says that this story is completely inaccurate and she wrote the poem completely saying, "an incident of an adopted lamb following a child to school has probably occurred many times."(Opie, 1951. p.300). A Mary Tyler, supposedly a married Mary Sawyer claims that the John Roulstone version of the origin is correct. In Sterling, Massachusetts, where the young Mary lived, there is a statue of her lamb where her home, which long since burned, once stood. Thomas Edison read the first voice of the poem to make the first recording of the human voice in 1877. Below is the original version of the poem. It has since been edited (repeating words and lines) and set to a melody for singing.
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow;
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
That was against the rule;
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near,
And waited patiently about
Till Mary did appear.
And then it ran to her and laid
Its head upon her arm,
As if it said, 'I'm not afraid-
You'll keep me from all harm.
Why does the lamb love Mary so?
The eager children cry;
Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,
The teacher did reply.
Oh Where, oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
This rhyme was written by Septimus Winner from Philadelphia. He was a music publisher, critic, arranger and composer of more than 2000 pieces. In 1864, he published Der Deitcher's Dog set to the German folk tune "Im Lauterbach hab'ich mein Strumpf verlorn." The original version is also written in a German dialect, which you can read here. Winner also published songs under the name Alice Hawthorne, which became very popular and known as Hawthorne's Ballads. Another song that Winner is famous for is "Ten Little Indians" also published in 1864.
Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long,
Oh where, oh where is he?
Wee Willie Winkie
"Wee Willie Winkie" was written by William Miller. Miller was born in Glasgow, Scotland and considered to be the "Laureate of the Nursery." "Wee Willie Winkie" was first published in Whistle-Binkie; a Collection of Songs for the Social Circle in 1841. It was later published in Nursery Rhymes, Tales and Jingles in 1844 and The Cries of Banbury and London. It is interesting to note that Willie Winkie was the nickname for King William III, but it is probably not the case that the rhyme was written about him. William Miller originally wanted to be a surgeon, but couldn't because of his health. Instead, he began working as a woodcutter and a cabinet maker. He also wrote rhymes on the side. After writing and getting "Winkie" published, Miller did achieve some degree of fame, but not any real fortune. He still remained a cabinetmaker. In 1872, he died a very poor man. The original version of the poem is in Scottish dialect, which you can read here. The following is the English translation. The first verse is the one most are familiar with.
Wee Willie Winkie
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Up stairs and down stairs in his night-gown,
Tapping at the window, crying at the lock,
Are the children in their bed, for it's past ten o'clock?
Hey, Willie Winkie, are you coming in?
The cat is singing purring sounds to the sleeping hen,
The dog's spread out on the floor, and doesn't give a cheep,
But here's a wakeful little boy who will not fall asleep!
Anything but sleep, you rogue! glowering like the moon,
Rattling in an iron jug with an iron spoon,
Rumbling, tumbling round about, crowing like a cock,
Shrieking like I don't know what, waking sleeping folk.
Hey, Willie Winkie - the child's in a creel!
Wriggling from everyone's knee like an eel,
Tugging at the cat's ear, and confusing all her thrums
Hey, Willie Winkie - see, there he comes!
Weary is the mother who has a dusty child,
A small short little child, who can't run on his own,
Who always has a battle with sleep before he'll close an eye
But a kiss from his rosy lips gives strength anew to me.
Hymns
I chose "How Great Thou Art." This is one of my favorite hymns and has been performed and recorded by a number of artists, Christian and secular.
"How Great Thou Art" comes from the poem, "O Store Gud"(O Great God), by the Swedish pastor Carl Gustaf Boberg. Boberg is said to have written the poem after being caught in a wonderful and terrible thunderstorm during a walk. He later published the poem in 1891 in Witness and Truth magazine, which he edited. The poem was later translated into German and Russian in 1927. A English missionary to the Ukraine, Stuart K. Hine came across the Russian translation and sang it with his wife during a evangelical meeting. He translated the first three verses into English, and wrote the fourth verse himself, and in 1949, published it in English and Russian in Grace and Peace, a Russian evangelical paper he edited.
There are several different stories about how it came to America, but a popular one is that Dr. J. Edwin Orr of Fuller Theological Seminary brought it over, after hearing it at a revival in India. Eventually, Manna Music obtained the copyright for the song and published it. "How Great Thou Art" became the best loved hymn of the Billy Graham Crusade, with George Beverly Shea, a singer with the crusade, as the most loved singer of the song. In 1959, it became the theme for Billy Graham's "Hour of Decision" weekly radio broadcast. Lawrence Welk once said that it was the most requested song on his television program. There are over 1700 documented recordings of "How Great Thou Art." One of my favorites is by Elvis Presley, who won a Grammy for his live version in 1974, on the album, Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis.
How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
References:
Adams, Lucy. "How Great Thou Art-Old Time Favorite" retrieved from http://www.allaboutgod.com/how-great-thou-art.htm
Baring-Gould, William and Ceil The Annotated Mother Goose.Bramhall House.1962. 350 pages
Bewley, John "Philadelphia Composers and Music Publishers: Septimus Winner (1827-1902)" retrieved from http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/rbm/keffer/winners.html
"How Great Thou Art" retrieved from http://www.mannamusic.com/hgta.htm
Opie, Iona and Peter. The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes. Oxford University Press.1951. 467 pages.
Tarrant, Margaret. Nursery Rhymes. Ward Lock Unlimited.1978. 96 pages.
"William Miller" retrieved from http://www.undiscovered scotland.co.uk/usbiography/m/williammiller/html
Mary Had a Little Lamb
This poem was published in Poems for Our Children in 1830 by Sarah J. Hale, who claims to be the author. There is a bit of controversy to the origin of this poem, as there are to many other nursery rhymes. One story claims that the poem is based on a real incident involving a girl named Mary Sawyer. One day, Mary Sawyer, provoked by her brother, brought her pet lamb to school. It caused quite a disturbance, as you can imagine. The next day, John Roulstone, a visiting Harvard teaching student, present Mary with the first few verses of the poem. According to this story, Mrs. Hale came across the poem, and incorporated it into her poem. Mrs. Hale says that this story is completely inaccurate and she wrote the poem completely saying, "an incident of an adopted lamb following a child to school has probably occurred many times."(Opie, 1951. p.300). A Mary Tyler, supposedly a married Mary Sawyer claims that the John Roulstone version of the origin is correct. In Sterling, Massachusetts, where the young Mary lived, there is a statue of her lamb where her home, which long since burned, once stood. Thomas Edison read the first voice of the poem to make the first recording of the human voice in 1877. Below is the original version of the poem. It has since been edited (repeating words and lines) and set to a melody for singing.
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow;
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
That was against the rule;
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near,
And waited patiently about
Till Mary did appear.
And then it ran to her and laid
Its head upon her arm,
As if it said, 'I'm not afraid-
You'll keep me from all harm.
Why does the lamb love Mary so?
The eager children cry;
Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,
The teacher did reply.
Oh Where, oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
This rhyme was written by Septimus Winner from Philadelphia. He was a music publisher, critic, arranger and composer of more than 2000 pieces. In 1864, he published Der Deitcher's Dog set to the German folk tune "Im Lauterbach hab'ich mein Strumpf verlorn." The original version is also written in a German dialect, which you can read here. Winner also published songs under the name Alice Hawthorne, which became very popular and known as Hawthorne's Ballads. Another song that Winner is famous for is "Ten Little Indians" also published in 1864.
Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long,
Oh where, oh where is he?
Wee Willie Winkie
"Wee Willie Winkie" was written by William Miller. Miller was born in Glasgow, Scotland and considered to be the "Laureate of the Nursery." "Wee Willie Winkie" was first published in Whistle-Binkie; a Collection of Songs for the Social Circle in 1841. It was later published in Nursery Rhymes, Tales and Jingles in 1844 and The Cries of Banbury and London. It is interesting to note that Willie Winkie was the nickname for King William III, but it is probably not the case that the rhyme was written about him. William Miller originally wanted to be a surgeon, but couldn't because of his health. Instead, he began working as a woodcutter and a cabinet maker. He also wrote rhymes on the side. After writing and getting "Winkie" published, Miller did achieve some degree of fame, but not any real fortune. He still remained a cabinetmaker. In 1872, he died a very poor man. The original version of the poem is in Scottish dialect, which you can read here. The following is the English translation. The first verse is the one most are familiar with.
Wee Willie Winkie
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Up stairs and down stairs in his night-gown,
Tapping at the window, crying at the lock,
Are the children in their bed, for it's past ten o'clock?
Hey, Willie Winkie, are you coming in?
The cat is singing purring sounds to the sleeping hen,
The dog's spread out on the floor, and doesn't give a cheep,
But here's a wakeful little boy who will not fall asleep!
Anything but sleep, you rogue! glowering like the moon,
Rattling in an iron jug with an iron spoon,
Rumbling, tumbling round about, crowing like a cock,
Shrieking like I don't know what, waking sleeping folk.
Hey, Willie Winkie - the child's in a creel!
Wriggling from everyone's knee like an eel,
Tugging at the cat's ear, and confusing all her thrums
Hey, Willie Winkie - see, there he comes!
Weary is the mother who has a dusty child,
A small short little child, who can't run on his own,
Who always has a battle with sleep before he'll close an eye
But a kiss from his rosy lips gives strength anew to me.
Hymns
I chose "How Great Thou Art." This is one of my favorite hymns and has been performed and recorded by a number of artists, Christian and secular.
"How Great Thou Art" comes from the poem, "O Store Gud"(O Great God), by the Swedish pastor Carl Gustaf Boberg. Boberg is said to have written the poem after being caught in a wonderful and terrible thunderstorm during a walk. He later published the poem in 1891 in Witness and Truth magazine, which he edited. The poem was later translated into German and Russian in 1927. A English missionary to the Ukraine, Stuart K. Hine came across the Russian translation and sang it with his wife during a evangelical meeting. He translated the first three verses into English, and wrote the fourth verse himself, and in 1949, published it in English and Russian in Grace and Peace, a Russian evangelical paper he edited.
There are several different stories about how it came to America, but a popular one is that Dr. J. Edwin Orr of Fuller Theological Seminary brought it over, after hearing it at a revival in India. Eventually, Manna Music obtained the copyright for the song and published it. "How Great Thou Art" became the best loved hymn of the Billy Graham Crusade, with George Beverly Shea, a singer with the crusade, as the most loved singer of the song. In 1959, it became the theme for Billy Graham's "Hour of Decision" weekly radio broadcast. Lawrence Welk once said that it was the most requested song on his television program. There are over 1700 documented recordings of "How Great Thou Art." One of my favorites is by Elvis Presley, who won a Grammy for his live version in 1974, on the album, Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis.
How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
References:
Adams, Lucy. "How Great Thou Art-Old Time Favorite" retrieved from http://www.allaboutgod.com/how-great-thou-art.htm
Baring-Gould, William and Ceil The Annotated Mother Goose.Bramhall House.1962. 350 pages
Bewley, John "Philadelphia Composers and Music Publishers: Septimus Winner (1827-1902)" retrieved from http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/rbm/keffer/winners.html
"How Great Thou Art" retrieved from http://www.mannamusic.com/hgta.htm
Opie, Iona and Peter. The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes. Oxford University Press.1951. 467 pages.
Tarrant, Margaret. Nursery Rhymes. Ward Lock Unlimited.1978. 96 pages.
"William Miller" retrieved from http://www.undiscovered scotland.co.uk/usbiography/m/williammiller/html
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
The Newbery Medal and Mr. Popper's Penguins
The Newbery Medal
The Newbery Medal is the first award for children's books in the world. It is awarded every year by the American Library Association's division called the Association for Library Service to Children. The award came about in June of 1921 when Frederic G. Melcher proposed it to the Children's Library Section, a division of the American Library Association. Melcher believed the medal should be named after the great English publisher and "Father of Children's Literature", John Newbery. It was to be awarded to the best children's book in America of the previous year. The medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan. It is bronze and the winner's name and year are engraved on the back of the medal. Submissions for the award go to a committee, which decides the winner and also the list of Honor Books for the year, which are other books of distinction. The criteria for the medal are: the book must be a distinguished contribution to American literature for children, published by an American publisher in English, during the preceding year, only authors who are citizens of the United States or residents many win. The award is based on the literary quality of the book in relation to children, not necessarily the popularity of the book.
John Newbery was considered the Father of Children's Literature because he did great things for children's literature in England in the 18th century. His bookshop was called The Bible and the Sun. From here, he published religious works, periodicals, newspapers, books and children's books. In 1744, he published the first book for children, which he wrote himself. A Little Pretty Pocket-Book was the first in a series of books for children. He founded the first children's periodical The Lilliputian Magazine in 1751. Before his death, he wrote and published the classic The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes in 1765. Many of these stories focused on morals and education, which were popular subjects at the time.
Mr.. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Mr.. Popper's Penguins was a Newbery Honor Book for 1939. Mr.. Popper was a housepainter with big dreams. He loved to imagine himself traveling to far off lands. Many days, after a hard day's work, he would settle into his chair with a book about India, the South Seas or an issue of National Geographic. His favorite topic was the polar region. Mr.. Popper dreamed of visiting that area and studied everything he could find about it, and saw every movie that came out about it. The book begins in September, which is the end of the housepainting season. Mr. Popper is about to begin his vacation, because people don't get their houses painted in the winter. He plans to sit around and read his travel books without any interruptions by work. Mrs. Popper is concerned with the lack of money coming in, but is somewhat prepared, having gone through this year after year. While listening to a radio broadcast of the Drake Antarctic Expedition one evening, Mr. Popper is surprised when Admiral Drake mentions him. He received a letter Mr. Popper sent him about penguins and his sending Mr. Popper a surprise. This delights Mr. Popper to no end, but he cannot imagine what Admiral Drake could be sending him. He finds out in a few days, when a package arrives Air Express from Antarctica. It's a penguin! The penguin begins to explore around the home of the Poppers. When the Popper children, Janie and Bill, arrive home from school, they are surprised to see the black and white bird marching around the living room. The penguin is named Captain Cook, after the English explorer who made some discoveries around the Antarctic region. The Popper's set up the icebox (refrigerator) for the penguin to sleep in. They fed him canned shrimp. Captain Cook went around the house, gathering random objects to make a nest. After a few days, they noticed the penguin was not as active, almost depressed. Mr. Popper wrote to the curator of an aquarium a few towns over, where he knew there was another penguin. The curator said their penguin was depressed as well. He sent the penguin, a female, to the Popper's. They named her Greta. Captain Cook and Greta got along famously. Soon, Greta laid an egg. And then laid another, and another. Every three days, she laid another egg, until there were ten. When they hatched, the Poppers had twelve penguins to care for. The penguins had grown tired of the canned shrimp, so the Poppers ordered live fish trucked in for them. They built a cold room in the basement, so the penguins would be comfortable. All this began to take a financial toll on the Poppers, especially since Mr. Popper wasn't working. He decided that he was going to train the penguins to perform an act, which he was going to show to a theater manager, and hopefully make money that way. The manager loved the act, which included the penguins climbing up a ladder, waddling across a board, and tobogganing down the other side, as well as some other things. He booked the Poppers and their penguins for a ten week touring act, at $5000 a week. The show was successful, but the money was not always enough. It was very expensive to travel with twelve penguins, keeping enough ice to cool them. One day, Mr. Popper wasn't paying attention to his schedule and took the penguins to the wrong theater, where they interrupted a seal show. Pandemonium broke out. The penguins were curious about the seals, but the Poppers were trying to round them up, because in the wild, penguins are seal food. The owner of the seal act was furious, and had Mr. Popper and his penguins arrested. They had to stay in jail for a few days, because they didn't have enough money to bail themselves out. The manager couldn't be reached and their paycheck for the week was not due for a few more day. The newspapers got a hold of the story of the jailed man and his penguins. Finally, Mr. Popper and the penguins are bailed out of jail, not by the tour manager, but by Admiral Drake himself! Admiral Drake wanted to take the penguins to the North Pole and start a race of penguins up there. He said that the explorers up there get very lonely, and have no pets. The penguins could fill in as surrogate pets up there, just as they had in the South Pole. At the same time, a movie producer is trying to get Mr. Popper to sign a contract to make movies starring the penguins. In the end, Mr. Popper decided that a life in Hollywood would not be good for the penguins, and that they would fare better in the climate of the North Pole. The movie producer still was able to make a short film about the penguins embarking on their North Pole journey, and the Poppers were paid quite handsomely for it. The penguins were all loaded up on the ship and ready to go. Then Mr. Popper received another surprise. Admiral Drake wanted him to go to the North Pole too, as the keeper of the penguins. So, Mr. Popper finally got to realize his dream of traveling to a far off land.
I am not sure if this book would be chosen as an Honor Book today. It is very simple, maybe too simple for today's children. Also, I wonder if one of the reasons for it being an Honor Book was the topic. The exploration of Antarctica was very new and exciting back then. Maybe people had not seem many penguins or even knew very much about them, so the story seemed exciting. What do you think?
My other thought was about the Newbery Award itself. It is an award for an author who is a citizen of the United States, who writes books in English, published by an American publisher for American literature. But, it is named after an English publisher of children's literature. Does that seem strange to anyone else?
"The John Newbery Medal" retrieved from www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/aboutnewbery/aboutnewbery.cfm
"John Newbery, Father of Children's Literature" retrieved from www.mothergoose.com/History/Newbery.htm
Atwater, Richard and Florence. Mr. Popper's Penguins. Scholastic, Inc. 1938. 139 pages
The Newbery Medal is the first award for children's books in the world. It is awarded every year by the American Library Association's division called the Association for Library Service to Children. The award came about in June of 1921 when Frederic G. Melcher proposed it to the Children's Library Section, a division of the American Library Association. Melcher believed the medal should be named after the great English publisher and "Father of Children's Literature", John Newbery. It was to be awarded to the best children's book in America of the previous year. The medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan. It is bronze and the winner's name and year are engraved on the back of the medal. Submissions for the award go to a committee, which decides the winner and also the list of Honor Books for the year, which are other books of distinction. The criteria for the medal are: the book must be a distinguished contribution to American literature for children, published by an American publisher in English, during the preceding year, only authors who are citizens of the United States or residents many win. The award is based on the literary quality of the book in relation to children, not necessarily the popularity of the book.
John Newbery was considered the Father of Children's Literature because he did great things for children's literature in England in the 18th century. His bookshop was called The Bible and the Sun. From here, he published religious works, periodicals, newspapers, books and children's books. In 1744, he published the first book for children, which he wrote himself. A Little Pretty Pocket-Book was the first in a series of books for children. He founded the first children's periodical The Lilliputian Magazine in 1751. Before his death, he wrote and published the classic The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes in 1765. Many of these stories focused on morals and education, which were popular subjects at the time.
Mr.. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Mr.. Popper's Penguins was a Newbery Honor Book for 1939. Mr.. Popper was a housepainter with big dreams. He loved to imagine himself traveling to far off lands. Many days, after a hard day's work, he would settle into his chair with a book about India, the South Seas or an issue of National Geographic. His favorite topic was the polar region. Mr.. Popper dreamed of visiting that area and studied everything he could find about it, and saw every movie that came out about it. The book begins in September, which is the end of the housepainting season. Mr. Popper is about to begin his vacation, because people don't get their houses painted in the winter. He plans to sit around and read his travel books without any interruptions by work. Mrs. Popper is concerned with the lack of money coming in, but is somewhat prepared, having gone through this year after year. While listening to a radio broadcast of the Drake Antarctic Expedition one evening, Mr. Popper is surprised when Admiral Drake mentions him. He received a letter Mr. Popper sent him about penguins and his sending Mr. Popper a surprise. This delights Mr. Popper to no end, but he cannot imagine what Admiral Drake could be sending him. He finds out in a few days, when a package arrives Air Express from Antarctica. It's a penguin! The penguin begins to explore around the home of the Poppers. When the Popper children, Janie and Bill, arrive home from school, they are surprised to see the black and white bird marching around the living room. The penguin is named Captain Cook, after the English explorer who made some discoveries around the Antarctic region. The Popper's set up the icebox (refrigerator) for the penguin to sleep in. They fed him canned shrimp. Captain Cook went around the house, gathering random objects to make a nest. After a few days, they noticed the penguin was not as active, almost depressed. Mr. Popper wrote to the curator of an aquarium a few towns over, where he knew there was another penguin. The curator said their penguin was depressed as well. He sent the penguin, a female, to the Popper's. They named her Greta. Captain Cook and Greta got along famously. Soon, Greta laid an egg. And then laid another, and another. Every three days, she laid another egg, until there were ten. When they hatched, the Poppers had twelve penguins to care for. The penguins had grown tired of the canned shrimp, so the Poppers ordered live fish trucked in for them. They built a cold room in the basement, so the penguins would be comfortable. All this began to take a financial toll on the Poppers, especially since Mr. Popper wasn't working. He decided that he was going to train the penguins to perform an act, which he was going to show to a theater manager, and hopefully make money that way. The manager loved the act, which included the penguins climbing up a ladder, waddling across a board, and tobogganing down the other side, as well as some other things. He booked the Poppers and their penguins for a ten week touring act, at $5000 a week. The show was successful, but the money was not always enough. It was very expensive to travel with twelve penguins, keeping enough ice to cool them. One day, Mr. Popper wasn't paying attention to his schedule and took the penguins to the wrong theater, where they interrupted a seal show. Pandemonium broke out. The penguins were curious about the seals, but the Poppers were trying to round them up, because in the wild, penguins are seal food. The owner of the seal act was furious, and had Mr. Popper and his penguins arrested. They had to stay in jail for a few days, because they didn't have enough money to bail themselves out. The manager couldn't be reached and their paycheck for the week was not due for a few more day. The newspapers got a hold of the story of the jailed man and his penguins. Finally, Mr. Popper and the penguins are bailed out of jail, not by the tour manager, but by Admiral Drake himself! Admiral Drake wanted to take the penguins to the North Pole and start a race of penguins up there. He said that the explorers up there get very lonely, and have no pets. The penguins could fill in as surrogate pets up there, just as they had in the South Pole. At the same time, a movie producer is trying to get Mr. Popper to sign a contract to make movies starring the penguins. In the end, Mr. Popper decided that a life in Hollywood would not be good for the penguins, and that they would fare better in the climate of the North Pole. The movie producer still was able to make a short film about the penguins embarking on their North Pole journey, and the Poppers were paid quite handsomely for it. The penguins were all loaded up on the ship and ready to go. Then Mr. Popper received another surprise. Admiral Drake wanted him to go to the North Pole too, as the keeper of the penguins. So, Mr. Popper finally got to realize his dream of traveling to a far off land.
I am not sure if this book would be chosen as an Honor Book today. It is very simple, maybe too simple for today's children. Also, I wonder if one of the reasons for it being an Honor Book was the topic. The exploration of Antarctica was very new and exciting back then. Maybe people had not seem many penguins or even knew very much about them, so the story seemed exciting. What do you think?
My other thought was about the Newbery Award itself. It is an award for an author who is a citizen of the United States, who writes books in English, published by an American publisher for American literature. But, it is named after an English publisher of children's literature. Does that seem strange to anyone else?
"The John Newbery Medal" retrieved from www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/aboutnewbery/aboutnewbery.cfm
"John Newbery, Father of Children's Literature" retrieved from www.mothergoose.com/History/Newbery.htm
Atwater, Richard and Florence. Mr. Popper's Penguins. Scholastic, Inc. 1938. 139 pages
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Carlo Collodi, the creator of Pinocchio
Carlo Collodi was the pseudonym of Carlo Lorenzini. He was born in Florence, Italy on November 24, 1826. The parents of Lorenzini were poor servants, and he was one of ten children. Only two of his siblings survived to adulthood. When Carlo was a child, he was sent to live with his grandparents in his mother's hometown of Collodi. The employer of his parents, the Marquis Lorenzo Ginori paid for Carlo's education. He spent five years studying the priesthood at Seminary of Val di Elsa (Liukkonen, 2008).
After graduation, Carlo went to work at a bookseller, Libreria Piatti, where he prepared catalogs with Giuseppe Arazzi, who was a specialist for manuscripts in Italy (Zipes, 1999). Italy was in political upheaval at the time, and while working at the bookseller, Carlo began to identify with ideals of the patriots. At the age of 22, he became a journalist.
In 1848, he started a satirical newspaper, Il Lampione. The paper was shut down by the censors a year later(Wunderlich, 2002).
Over his life, Carlo volunteered for military service twice. The first was during the unsuccessful revolt against Austria in 1848. The second time was in 1859, during the Piedmontese War against Austria. (Wunderlich, 2002). He volunteered for the calvary, and that endeavor was successful.
Over time he wrote political commentary, a novel, an opera, music and theater criticisms, contributed to the new Italian dictionary, and some children's books.
The first use of his pseudonym, Carlo Collodi, occurred in 1860. He took the pseudonym from the name of the town where his mother grew up. He used the pseudonym on a booklet, Il Signor Alberi ha ragione! Dialogo apologetico. It was a defense of unified Italy and was written as a response to an disagreement between Carlo and Professor Eugenio Alberi de Pisa (Zipes, 1999). The first book to have the name Carlo Collodi was his translation into Italian of French fairy tales by Charles Perrault in 1875.
In July 1881, Carlo Collodi began his first installment of Storia di un burattino (Story of a Puppet) in Il giornale per i bambini (The Children's Magazine). It was an immediate success, although the Church was afraid that the story would encourage rebellion in children (Liukkonen, 2008). Originally, the story was supposed to end in Chapter 15, with the puppet hanging on a tree, left for dead. There was a public outcry, and demand for Collodi to continue the story. The story ran from 1881-1883. In 1883, Felice Paggi published the story in book form under the name Le avventura di Pinocchio (The Adventures of Pinocchio). The original illustrations were done by Eugenio Mazzanti. The first English translation was by Mary Alice Murray in 1891. It was published by T. Fisher Unwin in London, just in time for Christmas. That edition included the Mazzanti sketches borrowed from the 1883 Italian edition(Wunderlich, 2002). In 1940, Walt Disney adapted the story into full length animated feature. This is actually the version of Pinocchio that many people are most familiar with. The book has been translated in over a hundred languages and become a bestseller all over the world.
Carlo Collodi also wrote a series with a character Giannettino, which included several children's textbooks. Although his most famous work is a children's book, Collodi never felt his writing for children was his true calling(Liukkonen, 2008). He never married, and died on October 26, 1890 in Florence. He is buried in Cimitero Monumentale Delle Porte Sante, Firenze, Toscana, Italy. Currently, the National "Carlo Collodi" Foundation, in Italy, promotes education and the works of Carlo Lorenzini. (Merriman, 2006). There is also a Park of Pinocchio in Collodi, which attracts visitors from all over the world.
The Adventures of Pinocchio is the most famous work of Carlo Collodi. It is the story of a puppet, who desires to be a real boy. The beginning of the story begins similarly to other fairy tales: "There was once upon a time...."A king!" my little readers will instantly exclaim. No, children, you are wrong. There was once upon a time a piece of wood.(Collodi, p.3). This is how we are first introduced to Pinocchio. The carpenter Geppetto takes the wood, which is somewhat enchanted (it talks!), and carves a puppet from it. After the puppet is complete, it comes to life and runs off, causing Geppetto the first of his hardships. Throughout the book, Pinocchio is confronted with decisions common to all children. When he lies, his nose grows, and either has to be cut down, or at one point during the stories, woodpeckers peck it down to the right size. He is tempted and must face the consequences of his decisions and actions. He truly desires to be a real boy but must first prove that he can be a good boy. After many adventures, near death experiences, and many disappointments to his "father" Geppetto, Pinocchio finally does the right thing and becomes a real boy. As Geppetto says at the end of the book, "Because when boys who have behaved badly turn over a new leaf and become good, they have the power of bringing content and happiness to their families." This book was intended for children and adults. Some of the behaviors of Pinocchio are extreme and may not appeal to younger children. They probably would care much for the murder of the Talking Cricket, or for Pinocchio being hung from the tree and left for dead. Collodi actually portrayed the child realistically and comically. All Pinocchio is concerned with is what is good for him and what he wants. The results of his actions on others are not important to him, at least not at first. Pinocchio can be used as a cautionary tale for what happens to children when they disobey their parents and are selfish.
Collodi, Carlo.Pinocchio. il., Anne Heyneman Lippencott Co., 1948. 231 pages
(not original which was published in 1883)
Liukkonen, Petri(2008) "Carlo Collodi (1826-1890)" http://kirjasto.sci.fi/collodi.htm
Merriman, C.D(2006) "Carlo Collodi" retrieved from http:// www.online-literature.com/collodi
Wunderlich, Richard and Morrissey, Thomas J. Pinocchio Goes Postmodern. Routledge, 2002. 257 pages
Zipes, Jack. When Dreams Came True. Routledge, 1999. 238 pages
After graduation, Carlo went to work at a bookseller, Libreria Piatti, where he prepared catalogs with Giuseppe Arazzi, who was a specialist for manuscripts in Italy (Zipes, 1999). Italy was in political upheaval at the time, and while working at the bookseller, Carlo began to identify with ideals of the patriots. At the age of 22, he became a journalist.
In 1848, he started a satirical newspaper, Il Lampione. The paper was shut down by the censors a year later(Wunderlich, 2002).
Over his life, Carlo volunteered for military service twice. The first was during the unsuccessful revolt against Austria in 1848. The second time was in 1859, during the Piedmontese War against Austria. (Wunderlich, 2002). He volunteered for the calvary, and that endeavor was successful.
Over time he wrote political commentary, a novel, an opera, music and theater criticisms, contributed to the new Italian dictionary, and some children's books.
The first use of his pseudonym, Carlo Collodi, occurred in 1860. He took the pseudonym from the name of the town where his mother grew up. He used the pseudonym on a booklet, Il Signor Alberi ha ragione! Dialogo apologetico. It was a defense of unified Italy and was written as a response to an disagreement between Carlo and Professor Eugenio Alberi de Pisa (Zipes, 1999). The first book to have the name Carlo Collodi was his translation into Italian of French fairy tales by Charles Perrault in 1875.
In July 1881, Carlo Collodi began his first installment of Storia di un burattino (Story of a Puppet) in Il giornale per i bambini (The Children's Magazine). It was an immediate success, although the Church was afraid that the story would encourage rebellion in children (Liukkonen, 2008). Originally, the story was supposed to end in Chapter 15, with the puppet hanging on a tree, left for dead. There was a public outcry, and demand for Collodi to continue the story. The story ran from 1881-1883. In 1883, Felice Paggi published the story in book form under the name Le avventura di Pinocchio (The Adventures of Pinocchio). The original illustrations were done by Eugenio Mazzanti. The first English translation was by Mary Alice Murray in 1891. It was published by T. Fisher Unwin in London, just in time for Christmas. That edition included the Mazzanti sketches borrowed from the 1883 Italian edition(Wunderlich, 2002). In 1940, Walt Disney adapted the story into full length animated feature. This is actually the version of Pinocchio that many people are most familiar with. The book has been translated in over a hundred languages and become a bestseller all over the world.
Carlo Collodi also wrote a series with a character Giannettino, which included several children's textbooks. Although his most famous work is a children's book, Collodi never felt his writing for children was his true calling(Liukkonen, 2008). He never married, and died on October 26, 1890 in Florence. He is buried in Cimitero Monumentale Delle Porte Sante, Firenze, Toscana, Italy. Currently, the National "Carlo Collodi" Foundation, in Italy, promotes education and the works of Carlo Lorenzini. (Merriman, 2006). There is also a Park of Pinocchio in Collodi, which attracts visitors from all over the world.
The Adventures of Pinocchio is the most famous work of Carlo Collodi. It is the story of a puppet, who desires to be a real boy. The beginning of the story begins similarly to other fairy tales: "There was once upon a time...."A king!" my little readers will instantly exclaim. No, children, you are wrong. There was once upon a time a piece of wood.(Collodi, p.3). This is how we are first introduced to Pinocchio. The carpenter Geppetto takes the wood, which is somewhat enchanted (it talks!), and carves a puppet from it. After the puppet is complete, it comes to life and runs off, causing Geppetto the first of his hardships. Throughout the book, Pinocchio is confronted with decisions common to all children. When he lies, his nose grows, and either has to be cut down, or at one point during the stories, woodpeckers peck it down to the right size. He is tempted and must face the consequences of his decisions and actions. He truly desires to be a real boy but must first prove that he can be a good boy. After many adventures, near death experiences, and many disappointments to his "father" Geppetto, Pinocchio finally does the right thing and becomes a real boy. As Geppetto says at the end of the book, "Because when boys who have behaved badly turn over a new leaf and become good, they have the power of bringing content and happiness to their families." This book was intended for children and adults. Some of the behaviors of Pinocchio are extreme and may not appeal to younger children. They probably would care much for the murder of the Talking Cricket, or for Pinocchio being hung from the tree and left for dead. Collodi actually portrayed the child realistically and comically. All Pinocchio is concerned with is what is good for him and what he wants. The results of his actions on others are not important to him, at least not at first. Pinocchio can be used as a cautionary tale for what happens to children when they disobey their parents and are selfish.
Collodi, Carlo.Pinocchio. il., Anne Heyneman Lippencott Co., 1948. 231 pages
(not original which was published in 1883)
Liukkonen, Petri(2008) "Carlo Collodi (1826-1890)" http://kirjasto.sci.fi/collodi.htm
Merriman, C.D(2006) "Carlo Collodi" retrieved from http:// www.online-literature.com/collodi
Wunderlich, Richard and Morrissey, Thomas J. Pinocchio Goes Postmodern. Routledge, 2002. 257 pages
Zipes, Jack. When Dreams Came True. Routledge, 1999. 238 pages
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Popular Toys from 1800-1945
I chose to discuss three toys that were popular in our given time period, but are also still popular today. They are also examples of toys I had as a child.
The first is the Noah's Ark toy. I found this toy to be very interesting. It seems that miniature objects were very popular in the 19th century, including dollhouses, zoos, animals, etc. The Noah's Ark was one of the most popular animal toys in the 19th and early 20th century. Originating in the Erzgebirge region of Germany, these toys were handmade. Entire families were involved in the creation of thousands of these models, from the carving to the painting. However, the income received was often barely enough to put food on the table. Georg Lang was a large producer of these types of toys.
The toys were popular with both boys and girls, probably due to fascination of exotic animals that many had never seen before. The Ark ranged from primitive huts on rafts to more sophisticated ships. A hinged roof was a must, so that Noah, his family and the animals could be stored inside. These toys were often referred to as "Sunday toys because they were suitable to play with on the Sabbath due to their Biblical theme (Dalrymple, 46). The animals were often carved from wood, but their was experimentation with other materials, which didn't work really well. Most of the time, the animals were painted, but it was not always the case(King, 256).
I didn't actually have a Noah's Ark menagerie, but I did have a huge collection of plastic miniature animals, which included exotics, like lions, bears, zebras and other zoo type animals.
The Jack in the Box
A Jack in the Box is a figure that jumps out of a box on a coiled spring when the lid is unlatched. The lid usually comes undone after a crank is turned. It is one of the oldest types of mechanical toys(Dalrymple, 76). The first known appearance of the Jack in the Box is in Europe in the 16th century. It has also been known as the Punchbox, because the figure in the box was usually modeled after the puppets Punch and his wife, Judy. The name Jack in the Box came around in the 17th century. By the mid 1800s, most of these toys were made in either Germany or America.
The boxes were usually made of wood, which was covered with a colorful paper or lithograph, depicting a colorful scene. The figure, maybe a clown, is usually made with molded plaster or papier mache, and painted bright colors. The clothes of the figure cover the coiled spring and were either made of colorful cloth or crepe paper.
The Jack in the Box is still popular today. I had one as a child and, at the time, had mixed feelings about it. The box was plastic, and very bright, and the figure inside was a very bright clown. It wasn't scary at all. When the crank was turned, the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel" was played. I just always found the sudden "pop" of the figure out the box a little unsettling. It would kind of take my breath away with surprise. I guess this is part of the attraction of this toy, and the reason it's popularity has lasted several hundred years.
Building blocks
This toy was popular due to its educational and fun factor. The first blocks were alphabet blocks made of wood or bone and used in England in the 1600s(Dalrymple,108). S.L. Hill was the first person in America to manufacture blocks in a large quantity. He patented his "Spelling Blocks" which included letters, numbers and pictures. Most of the blocks used were engraved, but by the 1870s, manufactures began to use colorful lithographs to decorate their blocks (Dalrymple,110). They also began to have more than just the ABCs on them. Many blocks had pictures of various scenes from nursery rhymes or other children's stories. In 1880, the Anchor Building blocks were patented by F. Ad. Rickter Company. These were building blocks of cast cement and were construction toys. The blocks included pillars, arches and other shapes conducive to building. Other interlocking block sets or puzzle block sets were also popular, eventually leading to the popular Lincoln Logs and that style building block sets.
Colorful wooden blocks displaying the alphabet, numbers and pictures are still popular today. It is an excellent way to educate children. I remember my set of alphabet blocks and the many hours spent playing with them.
Dalrymple, Marya. Toys and Games. Time-Life Books,1991. 174 pages
King, Constance E. Antique Toys and Dolls. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc, 1979. 256pages
"Classic Toys: Jack-in-the-Box" (2009, August 4) retrieved from http://www.retroplanet.com/blog/retro-archives/classic-toys/jack-in-the-box/
"Erzgebirge History and History of Noah's Ark" (2011) retrieved from www.germanchristmasgifts.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=history
The first is the Noah's Ark toy. I found this toy to be very interesting. It seems that miniature objects were very popular in the 19th century, including dollhouses, zoos, animals, etc. The Noah's Ark was one of the most popular animal toys in the 19th and early 20th century. Originating in the Erzgebirge region of Germany, these toys were handmade. Entire families were involved in the creation of thousands of these models, from the carving to the painting. However, the income received was often barely enough to put food on the table. Georg Lang was a large producer of these types of toys.
The toys were popular with both boys and girls, probably due to fascination of exotic animals that many had never seen before. The Ark ranged from primitive huts on rafts to more sophisticated ships. A hinged roof was a must, so that Noah, his family and the animals could be stored inside. These toys were often referred to as "Sunday toys because they were suitable to play with on the Sabbath due to their Biblical theme (Dalrymple, 46). The animals were often carved from wood, but their was experimentation with other materials, which didn't work really well. Most of the time, the animals were painted, but it was not always the case(King, 256).
I didn't actually have a Noah's Ark menagerie, but I did have a huge collection of plastic miniature animals, which included exotics, like lions, bears, zebras and other zoo type animals.
The Jack in the Box
A Jack in the Box is a figure that jumps out of a box on a coiled spring when the lid is unlatched. The lid usually comes undone after a crank is turned. It is one of the oldest types of mechanical toys(Dalrymple, 76). The first known appearance of the Jack in the Box is in Europe in the 16th century. It has also been known as the Punchbox, because the figure in the box was usually modeled after the puppets Punch and his wife, Judy. The name Jack in the Box came around in the 17th century. By the mid 1800s, most of these toys were made in either Germany or America.
The boxes were usually made of wood, which was covered with a colorful paper or lithograph, depicting a colorful scene. The figure, maybe a clown, is usually made with molded plaster or papier mache, and painted bright colors. The clothes of the figure cover the coiled spring and were either made of colorful cloth or crepe paper.
The Jack in the Box is still popular today. I had one as a child and, at the time, had mixed feelings about it. The box was plastic, and very bright, and the figure inside was a very bright clown. It wasn't scary at all. When the crank was turned, the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel" was played. I just always found the sudden "pop" of the figure out the box a little unsettling. It would kind of take my breath away with surprise. I guess this is part of the attraction of this toy, and the reason it's popularity has lasted several hundred years.
Building blocks
This toy was popular due to its educational and fun factor. The first blocks were alphabet blocks made of wood or bone and used in England in the 1600s(Dalrymple,108). S.L. Hill was the first person in America to manufacture blocks in a large quantity. He patented his "Spelling Blocks" which included letters, numbers and pictures. Most of the blocks used were engraved, but by the 1870s, manufactures began to use colorful lithographs to decorate their blocks (Dalrymple,110). They also began to have more than just the ABCs on them. Many blocks had pictures of various scenes from nursery rhymes or other children's stories. In 1880, the Anchor Building blocks were patented by F. Ad. Rickter Company. These were building blocks of cast cement and were construction toys. The blocks included pillars, arches and other shapes conducive to building. Other interlocking block sets or puzzle block sets were also popular, eventually leading to the popular Lincoln Logs and that style building block sets.
Colorful wooden blocks displaying the alphabet, numbers and pictures are still popular today. It is an excellent way to educate children. I remember my set of alphabet blocks and the many hours spent playing with them.
Dalrymple, Marya. Toys and Games. Time-Life Books,1991. 174 pages
King, Constance E. Antique Toys and Dolls. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc, 1979. 256pages
"Classic Toys: Jack-in-the-Box" (2009, August 4) retrieved from http://www.retroplanet.com/blog/retro-archives/classic-toys/jack-in-the-box/
"Erzgebirge History and History of Noah's Ark" (2011) retrieved from www.germanchristmasgifts.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=history
Friday, September 2, 2011
Discussion Assignment for History of Children's Literature : The Horn Book
I was assigned the years 1935-1939.
Summarize an article from one issue:
In "Book Visits in England and Scotland," Helen Dean Fish met and interviewed several authors of children's books while visiting those countries. Her first visit was with Helen Bannerman, the author of "The Story of Little Black Sambo." After a sequel was written nearly 37 years later, titled "Sambo and the Twins," the public began to be interested in Mrs. Bannerman again and wanted to know more about her. Ms Fish visited the author at her home in Edinburgh, and was invited to tea. The article went into detail about the life of Mrs. Bannerman, of her birth in Edinburgh as the daughter of an army chaplain, and how her family lived all over the British Empire. During her marriage, she lived in India, due to her husband's military career. Her children were left in Scotland for health and education reasons. It was on a train to India that she first wrote the story of Sambo. She wrote it while on the train to India, after being separated from her children. This was just one of the many ways Mrs.. Bannerman corresponded with her children during this separation. Ms Fish also spoke to the daughter of Mrs.. Bannerman, who said that it was very sad without her mother around but the children "cherished the letters she wrote home."(p.356)
In Sussex, Ms Fish went to see Eleanor Farjeon, who had just finished her new book, "Martin Pippin in the Daisy Field." She was ready for a break and they embarked on a picnic lunch. During this lunch, they encountered a man trying to put out a wildfire along the road, so they stopped to help. Before leaving, Ms Fish was privileged to hear a story out of the new book.
The last place Ms Fish ventured to was Blewbury in Berkshire. This was the home of Kenneth Grahame, of "The Wind in the Willows" fame. She just had to include this in her pilgrimage, even though Mr.. Grahame was no longer alive and living there. The present owners did give her a tour of the house, including the study where he wrote and some of the views that were included in the book.
To me, the opportunity to visit these authors, who were popular at the time, and make a pilgrimage to one of your favorite author's homes, seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. What lover of books wouldn't jump at a chance like this? Ms Fish seemed to have a wonderful time during her journey, even if she did have to help put out a wildfire. It's always interesting to see or read about the stories behind the story and here is a person who got to experience it first hand.
Fish, Helen Dean "Book Visits in England and Scotland" The Horn Book v. 13 (November/December 1937) p. 355-358
Compare a regular column in two separate issues:
I chose to compare the editorial. In some issues, the editorial was an opinion peace by the editor. In some, it was just a poem. One editorial I chose describes a character from a book that was just coming out. The other editorial described a certain type of book.
The first editorial was about Mary Poppins and was written by Anne Carroll Moore. The book by P.L. Travers was getting ready to be released. Ms Moore describes the character of Mary Poppins as being sharp with "gifts of magic and cryptic speech."(p.6) According to Ms Moore, all children should read this book and all adults, too. She thought that this book would definitely have a place as one of the best of the 1930s. I wonder if she thought the book and character of Mary Poppins would still be loved as much almost 80 years later.
The second editorial was written by the editor of The Horn Book, Bertha E. Mahony. It is about quest books or adventure, and their popularity among children. In a quest book, there is always some sort of adventure, with one character that possesses magical powers or sees some kind of vision. Most if not all of the other characters do not share in the magic or visions. One book described is "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien, which had been released shortly before. According to the editor, quest books are read over and over again by children, who might not quite catch their meaning, but may realize it many years later.
The interesting thing about these two editorials is they are about books written many years ago, but are still just as popular today. In fact, The Hobbit is being made into a movie right now, to be released next year. And of course, there is a Disney movie version of Mary Poppins that is still enjoyed by children today. There were several other issues that I looked at that featured books I read as a child. It was interesting to read the articles written about them when they were first published, or even to see the descriptions in the advertisements or booklists.
Mahony, Bertha E. "Wayfarers All." The Horn Book v.11 (May/June 1938)p. 141
Moore, Anne Carroll "Mary Poppins" The Horn Book v.14 (January-February 1935) p.6-7
Summarize a review of a nonfiction book:
Jessie Campbell Evans reviewed "Man's Worldly Goods" by Leo Huberman. This book is the "story of man's work from the feudal age to the present."(109). Evans described it as a really good way to describe economic growth and social development to a child. The book is divided into two parts. The first parts discuss the feudal periods of Europe all the way through to capitalism in the 18th century. Huberman discusses the growth of trade, manufacturing and banking and how this led to the revolutions in Europe resulting in the feudal system breakup and capitalism being established. This also led to the discovery of America, because there needed to be more trade and manufacturing, so the different countries sent explorers. All economic development in the world seemed to lead straight into the next one, with no gaps or breaks in between. The second part of the book discusses the time between 19th and 20th century(up until 30s). Huberman's book focused a lot on the combination of industry, money and banking, and the rise of imperialism and the labor movements. One thing he stresses is the oppressive conditions of the Russian people, and how they eventually revolted and became a socialist government. According to Evans, the book is a simple read, with clearly expressed ideas. It is described as a children's book, but some of the ideas might be over a young child's head, but older ones should understand. There are a lack of photographs and maps, which Evans believes would have enhanced the book. Another thing that Evans talks about is the fact that Huberman is overly excited about Russian socialism. He thinks this book would be a great supplement in a European or American history class.
I wonder what people thought of this book a few years later when people were being blacklisted or accused of being Russian spies. It probably wasn't recommended reading in schools during the Cold War. This is another example of how interesting it is to go back so many years and read this reviews about these books. This book was hailed as a great history of economics in 1938, but might have even been banned 25 years later.
Evans, Jessie Campbell "Man's Worldly Goods" The Horn Book v. 14 (March/April 1938)p. 109-112
Summarize an article from one issue:
In "Book Visits in England and Scotland," Helen Dean Fish met and interviewed several authors of children's books while visiting those countries. Her first visit was with Helen Bannerman, the author of "The Story of Little Black Sambo." After a sequel was written nearly 37 years later, titled "Sambo and the Twins," the public began to be interested in Mrs. Bannerman again and wanted to know more about her. Ms Fish visited the author at her home in Edinburgh, and was invited to tea. The article went into detail about the life of Mrs. Bannerman, of her birth in Edinburgh as the daughter of an army chaplain, and how her family lived all over the British Empire. During her marriage, she lived in India, due to her husband's military career. Her children were left in Scotland for health and education reasons. It was on a train to India that she first wrote the story of Sambo. She wrote it while on the train to India, after being separated from her children. This was just one of the many ways Mrs.. Bannerman corresponded with her children during this separation. Ms Fish also spoke to the daughter of Mrs.. Bannerman, who said that it was very sad without her mother around but the children "cherished the letters she wrote home."(p.356)
In Sussex, Ms Fish went to see Eleanor Farjeon, who had just finished her new book, "Martin Pippin in the Daisy Field." She was ready for a break and they embarked on a picnic lunch. During this lunch, they encountered a man trying to put out a wildfire along the road, so they stopped to help. Before leaving, Ms Fish was privileged to hear a story out of the new book.
The last place Ms Fish ventured to was Blewbury in Berkshire. This was the home of Kenneth Grahame, of "The Wind in the Willows" fame. She just had to include this in her pilgrimage, even though Mr.. Grahame was no longer alive and living there. The present owners did give her a tour of the house, including the study where he wrote and some of the views that were included in the book.
To me, the opportunity to visit these authors, who were popular at the time, and make a pilgrimage to one of your favorite author's homes, seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. What lover of books wouldn't jump at a chance like this? Ms Fish seemed to have a wonderful time during her journey, even if she did have to help put out a wildfire. It's always interesting to see or read about the stories behind the story and here is a person who got to experience it first hand.
Fish, Helen Dean "Book Visits in England and Scotland" The Horn Book v. 13 (November/December 1937) p. 355-358
Compare a regular column in two separate issues:
I chose to compare the editorial. In some issues, the editorial was an opinion peace by the editor. In some, it was just a poem. One editorial I chose describes a character from a book that was just coming out. The other editorial described a certain type of book.
The first editorial was about Mary Poppins and was written by Anne Carroll Moore. The book by P.L. Travers was getting ready to be released. Ms Moore describes the character of Mary Poppins as being sharp with "gifts of magic and cryptic speech."(p.6) According to Ms Moore, all children should read this book and all adults, too. She thought that this book would definitely have a place as one of the best of the 1930s. I wonder if she thought the book and character of Mary Poppins would still be loved as much almost 80 years later.
The second editorial was written by the editor of The Horn Book, Bertha E. Mahony. It is about quest books or adventure, and their popularity among children. In a quest book, there is always some sort of adventure, with one character that possesses magical powers or sees some kind of vision. Most if not all of the other characters do not share in the magic or visions. One book described is "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien, which had been released shortly before. According to the editor, quest books are read over and over again by children, who might not quite catch their meaning, but may realize it many years later.
The interesting thing about these two editorials is they are about books written many years ago, but are still just as popular today. In fact, The Hobbit is being made into a movie right now, to be released next year. And of course, there is a Disney movie version of Mary Poppins that is still enjoyed by children today. There were several other issues that I looked at that featured books I read as a child. It was interesting to read the articles written about them when they were first published, or even to see the descriptions in the advertisements or booklists.
Mahony, Bertha E. "Wayfarers All." The Horn Book v.11 (May/June 1938)p. 141
Moore, Anne Carroll "Mary Poppins" The Horn Book v.14 (January-February 1935) p.6-7
Summarize a review of a nonfiction book:
Jessie Campbell Evans reviewed "Man's Worldly Goods" by Leo Huberman. This book is the "story of man's work from the feudal age to the present."(109). Evans described it as a really good way to describe economic growth and social development to a child. The book is divided into two parts. The first parts discuss the feudal periods of Europe all the way through to capitalism in the 18th century. Huberman discusses the growth of trade, manufacturing and banking and how this led to the revolutions in Europe resulting in the feudal system breakup and capitalism being established. This also led to the discovery of America, because there needed to be more trade and manufacturing, so the different countries sent explorers. All economic development in the world seemed to lead straight into the next one, with no gaps or breaks in between. The second part of the book discusses the time between 19th and 20th century(up until 30s). Huberman's book focused a lot on the combination of industry, money and banking, and the rise of imperialism and the labor movements. One thing he stresses is the oppressive conditions of the Russian people, and how they eventually revolted and became a socialist government. According to Evans, the book is a simple read, with clearly expressed ideas. It is described as a children's book, but some of the ideas might be over a young child's head, but older ones should understand. There are a lack of photographs and maps, which Evans believes would have enhanced the book. Another thing that Evans talks about is the fact that Huberman is overly excited about Russian socialism. He thinks this book would be a great supplement in a European or American history class.
I wonder what people thought of this book a few years later when people were being blacklisted or accused of being Russian spies. It probably wasn't recommended reading in schools during the Cold War. This is another example of how interesting it is to go back so many years and read this reviews about these books. This book was hailed as a great history of economics in 1938, but might have even been banned 25 years later.
Evans, Jessie Campbell "Man's Worldly Goods" The Horn Book v. 14 (March/April 1938)p. 109-112
Fall Semester!!!!
Here we are, only the end of the 2nd week of the fall semester, and already way too much work to do. I am just going to post some of my assignments up here, so if anyone wants to keep up with what I am doing they can. This means you DAD!!!!! Anyway, I am taking 4 classes this fall, which is kind of a lot. But I am determined and will plod my way through. My classes are Intro to Library Administration(required), Organization of Knowledge(required), History of Children's Lit(taught by the famous Dr. Henrietta Smith) and Materials for Young Adults(my favorite!). So far, so good, but as I mentioned, a lot of work.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Library Analysis - Special Library
Children's Board of Hillsborough County Library
1002 E. Palm Ave. Tampa, FL 33605
(813)204-1741
Website: www.childrensboard.org/cbhc_library.aspx
Hours of operation: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am-4pm Tuesday and Thursday 12pm-7pm
This library is located inside the Children's Board of Hillsborough County. The library is very small consisting of two rooms. The first room is open, with three rows of bookshelves. There are two desks along the right wall, one for the librarian and the other for the other staff. The library has four computers, located in the center of the room. On the left side of the room is an informational table, with lots of brochures about the Children's Board, some resources and the library. A separate room houses the children's section. This room looks like a children's play area. It is very colorful, with lots of toys and a bookshelf full of books.
Thi librarian I interviewed was Marci Delaney. Marci obtained her MLIS degree from USF in December of 2004. This library is her only library experience. Marci came to work at the Children's Board after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Campbell University in North Carolina. While working for the Children's Board, she became interested in the library position, so she decided to take a few classes in library science, which eventually led to her completing her master's degree. She has been with the Children's Board for 13 years, with the last 6 being in the library. She is the only full time librarian, so she pretty much does everything. She also runs a family resource and support center. Marci does not belong to any of the professional organizations. Several times of year, she does participate in continuing education through the Tampa Bay Library Consortium. One example would be a cataloging class.
The Children's Board in a funding organization that works with organizations related to family or children's best interests. The library was created to hold their research material. There are a lot of books about leadership, career exploration, sustainability, grant writing, funding, child development and family. There is also a large mental health section because they were given a grant for that purpose about ten years ago. This section includes many books about ADD or ADHD in children. There are about 3,000 volumes in the collection, and 85 different periodicals. The library is also part of the Hillsborough County Public Library System, so any patrons of this library also have access to the public library. This library serves any members of the public, or organizations looking for funding, and also employees of the Children's Board working in the building that may need information. The books in this library are also available to the public through the public library catalog. Marci explained that there are some books they have that the public library does not have, so sometimes those go out. Year to date, they have had 160 books checked out at their location, and 619 books have gone out to other libraries in the system.
As I said earlier, Marci is the only librarian, but the library is also staffed with three part time staff members. While there, I met two women, one answering phones in the main room of the library and another working in the children's section. They were very nice and welcoming. One of them was very helpful when I called earlier during the week. Pretty much all decisions concerning the library are left up to Marci. She decides what to buy, what to get rid of , how its cataloged, and any other library matters. She is kept pretty busy.
The technology used in this library is through the computers. Access to the Hillsborough County Library is available. There are also a couple of databases related to grants and funding available. One is Foundation Center Search and another is Florida Information Network Databases. Appointments are available if someone wants to use these and needs assistance. The Children's Board itself has a social media presence, with a facebook page, a Twitter account (@MyCBHC), and an IPhone App. You can also keep up with their activities through their email list.
I don't think that I would like to work here. It is probably a great place if you have a passion for the organizations and some knowledge of the subject. It is just too small for me. Also, it seems like it could get pretty hectic with the small number of staff. A lot of responsibility falls on one person. This might be a good opportunity for a fieldwork or volunteer position. I asked Marci if they ever had volunteers, and evidently the Children's Board isn't set up for that with their organization. They have resources to sent volunteers to other organizations, but not in their own.
What did I leave with? This library is truly an example of a special library. Although it is part of the HCPLC system, it is a collection designed around one thing, the family. Most of the books are about different ways to better the family, either by getting a job, taking better care of your children, understanding children, etc. This library is an important asset to the community. It is concerning that there is such a small staff in this library, but they make it work the best they can.
I definitely feel I am on the right career path. This library is just another example of how libraries and librarians provide a great community service. That is something that is very important to me. This library may even fall more into that category than the others. Pretty much it's whole purpose is to provide community service, by helping organizations, and sometimes individuals, find ways to assist those in need. In times like these, this service is invaluable.
1002 E. Palm Ave. Tampa, FL 33605
(813)204-1741
Website: www.childrensboard.org/cbhc_library.aspx
Hours of operation: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am-4pm Tuesday and Thursday 12pm-7pm
This library is located inside the Children's Board of Hillsborough County. The library is very small consisting of two rooms. The first room is open, with three rows of bookshelves. There are two desks along the right wall, one for the librarian and the other for the other staff. The library has four computers, located in the center of the room. On the left side of the room is an informational table, with lots of brochures about the Children's Board, some resources and the library. A separate room houses the children's section. This room looks like a children's play area. It is very colorful, with lots of toys and a bookshelf full of books.
Thi librarian I interviewed was Marci Delaney. Marci obtained her MLIS degree from USF in December of 2004. This library is her only library experience. Marci came to work at the Children's Board after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Campbell University in North Carolina. While working for the Children's Board, she became interested in the library position, so she decided to take a few classes in library science, which eventually led to her completing her master's degree. She has been with the Children's Board for 13 years, with the last 6 being in the library. She is the only full time librarian, so she pretty much does everything. She also runs a family resource and support center. Marci does not belong to any of the professional organizations. Several times of year, she does participate in continuing education through the Tampa Bay Library Consortium. One example would be a cataloging class.
The Children's Board in a funding organization that works with organizations related to family or children's best interests. The library was created to hold their research material. There are a lot of books about leadership, career exploration, sustainability, grant writing, funding, child development and family. There is also a large mental health section because they were given a grant for that purpose about ten years ago. This section includes many books about ADD or ADHD in children. There are about 3,000 volumes in the collection, and 85 different periodicals. The library is also part of the Hillsborough County Public Library System, so any patrons of this library also have access to the public library. This library serves any members of the public, or organizations looking for funding, and also employees of the Children's Board working in the building that may need information. The books in this library are also available to the public through the public library catalog. Marci explained that there are some books they have that the public library does not have, so sometimes those go out. Year to date, they have had 160 books checked out at their location, and 619 books have gone out to other libraries in the system.
As I said earlier, Marci is the only librarian, but the library is also staffed with three part time staff members. While there, I met two women, one answering phones in the main room of the library and another working in the children's section. They were very nice and welcoming. One of them was very helpful when I called earlier during the week. Pretty much all decisions concerning the library are left up to Marci. She decides what to buy, what to get rid of , how its cataloged, and any other library matters. She is kept pretty busy.
The technology used in this library is through the computers. Access to the Hillsborough County Library is available. There are also a couple of databases related to grants and funding available. One is Foundation Center Search and another is Florida Information Network Databases. Appointments are available if someone wants to use these and needs assistance. The Children's Board itself has a social media presence, with a facebook page, a Twitter account (@MyCBHC), and an IPhone App. You can also keep up with their activities through their email list.
I don't think that I would like to work here. It is probably a great place if you have a passion for the organizations and some knowledge of the subject. It is just too small for me. Also, it seems like it could get pretty hectic with the small number of staff. A lot of responsibility falls on one person. This might be a good opportunity for a fieldwork or volunteer position. I asked Marci if they ever had volunteers, and evidently the Children's Board isn't set up for that with their organization. They have resources to sent volunteers to other organizations, but not in their own.
What did I leave with? This library is truly an example of a special library. Although it is part of the HCPLC system, it is a collection designed around one thing, the family. Most of the books are about different ways to better the family, either by getting a job, taking better care of your children, understanding children, etc. This library is an important asset to the community. It is concerning that there is such a small staff in this library, but they make it work the best they can.
I definitely feel I am on the right career path. This library is just another example of how libraries and librarians provide a great community service. That is something that is very important to me. This library may even fall more into that category than the others. Pretty much it's whole purpose is to provide community service, by helping organizations, and sometimes individuals, find ways to assist those in need. In times like these, this service is invaluable.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Library Analysis - Academic Library
Macdonald Kelce Library at the University of Tampa
401 W. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33606
(813)257-3057
website: utopia.ut.edu
Hours of operation: Summer: Monday-Thursday 8am-11pm, Friday closed, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 1pm-6pm
Fall and Spring: Monday-Thursday 8am-12midnight, Friday 8am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 2pm-9pm
The Macdonald Kelce Library at the University of Tampa is located on the banks of the Hillsborough River. It has been around since 1969. The library has over 275,000 books and 1,600 periodicals. This library is a government depository, so they have an entire section devoted to government documents. Some of the services offered at this library are free wifi, computer labs, and study rooms.
The librarian I chose to interview was Melisandre Hilliker, the information literacy and outreach librarian. Her MLIS is from USF. She began her library career much earlier, while working in the library at Duke University. While working for the Duke library for twelve years, Mrs. Hilliker was able to move up within the system, even without a graduate degree. When her husband relocated to Tampa for employment, Mrs. Hilliker sought employment in the library at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. She was hired as a circulation staff member, but was encouraged to obtain her MLIS, in order to further advance her career. While working on her degree, she worked as a graduate assistant in the USF library. She described it as an invaluable learning experience. Upon graduation, Mrs. Hilliker went to work at St. Pete College, and eventually found her place at University of Tampa. At University of Tampa, she is a teaching librarian. Every semester, she holds classes for incoming freshman, nursing students, and business students, on how to utilize the library and everything the library offers. She also rotates with the other librarians and spends approximately twenty hours a week working the reference desk. Mrs. Hilliker participates in several professional organizations, including the Florida Library Association, American Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries. She is active in these associations and goes to conferences, every year or so. Her supervisor is Marlyn Pethe, the library director.
Walking into the library, I was a little intimidated, but probably because I had never been there. When walking into the library, there is no real lobby, you are just in. There are shelves for new books to the right, with a couple of nice armchairs for reading. Across from that is the reference desk, where I met and interviewed Mrs. Hilliker. Behind the reference desk are the print reference materials, of which there are a lot. The circulation desk is located towards the front of the library, against the wall. Across from the reference desk are the stacks containing print and bound periodicals. The print government documents are also located on this side. Beyond those shelves, in an area all the way to the right of the building, near some lovely windows is an area or working or reading. There are tables with outlets nearby for those wanting to work on their laptops. There are comfy chairs and couches for reading. I really wanted to curl up on one of those couches with a good book. It was really quite and serene, but I was informed that during the fall and spring semesters, especially during finals, it can get quite loud, with students piled up everywhere. The main collection of books is located on the second floor. There were a few people in the library the morning I visited. Many were working on computers and printing out things for their classes. There is no food allowed in the library and drinks are only allowed in containers with screw on or hard plastic tops. That is a big difference from USF library. Also, cell phone use is not allowed inside the library and smoking is not permitted with twenty-five feet of the library doors.
This library serves the students, faculty and staff of University of Tampa, but anyone is welcome inside its walls. There is one computer that is accessible to members of the public, but priority is given to UT students. Sometimes, members of the public may be directed across the river to the John F. Germany public library. There are statistics about how many people enter the library and how many books are circulated, but that information was not available. I was told that particular information is used to determine how much money the library gets and how to staff the library. Currently there are ten librarians, including the library director, and ten paraprofessional staff. During the semester, the library also has a team of work-study students at their disposal.
The Macdonald Kelce Library has several special collections.
First, it has a Florida Military Collection. This collection was founded in 1973, and houses one of the Southeast United States' largest private collections of military books, documents and military memorabilia. There are more than 7,500 volumes in this collection and it is located in its own room on the first floor. This room is favorite of students for studying because it is usually very quiet. This collection is used mostly by history students or those in ROTC, but sometimes requests will come from all over the country, from the Interlibrary Loan service. Members of the public are also welcome to use the Florida Military Collection.
Another special collection would be the archives. This is where the rare and old books or documents are kept. Some examples would be UT documents, administrative records, local history items and much, much more. These items can be seen by appointment only.
As I mentioned earlier, UT library is a government depository, and this collection contains just a part of all the print materials the government puts out. A lot of these material are available online now, and the library also has access to those.
What did I leave with? I always thought that the public library was where I would be able to help the community the most, but I found that the academic library helps the community also, just in different ways. The academic librarian is there for the students, but not just the ones that go to that particular school. Any students, or member of the public for that matter, are welcome to come in, ask questions, look at magazines, etc. The librarian has no way of knowing who is a student of their college, or the next one over, or just a random person. I never thought about going into an academic library other than my own for resources. I always thought that wasn't allowed. Of course, it's not. The purpose of the academic library is to educate, so all seeking education should be welcome. Of course, all the services might not be available, but many are.
I also learned that the profession of librarianship is a very close knit community, in a very small world. These librarians also had a passion for their profession. They were happy to be there, happy to help and eager to learn more about their field. I think working in an academic librarian would also be a very exciting experience. There are lots of opportunities, especially to grow and learn in your field, and to assist others in their career path and growth.
401 W. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33606
(813)257-3057
website: utopia.ut.edu
Hours of operation: Summer: Monday-Thursday 8am-11pm, Friday closed, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 1pm-6pm
Fall and Spring: Monday-Thursday 8am-12midnight, Friday 8am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 2pm-9pm
The Macdonald Kelce Library at the University of Tampa is located on the banks of the Hillsborough River. It has been around since 1969. The library has over 275,000 books and 1,600 periodicals. This library is a government depository, so they have an entire section devoted to government documents. Some of the services offered at this library are free wifi, computer labs, and study rooms.
The librarian I chose to interview was Melisandre Hilliker, the information literacy and outreach librarian. Her MLIS is from USF. She began her library career much earlier, while working in the library at Duke University. While working for the Duke library for twelve years, Mrs. Hilliker was able to move up within the system, even without a graduate degree. When her husband relocated to Tampa for employment, Mrs. Hilliker sought employment in the library at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. She was hired as a circulation staff member, but was encouraged to obtain her MLIS, in order to further advance her career. While working on her degree, she worked as a graduate assistant in the USF library. She described it as an invaluable learning experience. Upon graduation, Mrs. Hilliker went to work at St. Pete College, and eventually found her place at University of Tampa. At University of Tampa, she is a teaching librarian. Every semester, she holds classes for incoming freshman, nursing students, and business students, on how to utilize the library and everything the library offers. She also rotates with the other librarians and spends approximately twenty hours a week working the reference desk. Mrs. Hilliker participates in several professional organizations, including the Florida Library Association, American Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries. She is active in these associations and goes to conferences, every year or so. Her supervisor is Marlyn Pethe, the library director.
Walking into the library, I was a little intimidated, but probably because I had never been there. When walking into the library, there is no real lobby, you are just in. There are shelves for new books to the right, with a couple of nice armchairs for reading. Across from that is the reference desk, where I met and interviewed Mrs. Hilliker. Behind the reference desk are the print reference materials, of which there are a lot. The circulation desk is located towards the front of the library, against the wall. Across from the reference desk are the stacks containing print and bound periodicals. The print government documents are also located on this side. Beyond those shelves, in an area all the way to the right of the building, near some lovely windows is an area or working or reading. There are tables with outlets nearby for those wanting to work on their laptops. There are comfy chairs and couches for reading. I really wanted to curl up on one of those couches with a good book. It was really quite and serene, but I was informed that during the fall and spring semesters, especially during finals, it can get quite loud, with students piled up everywhere. The main collection of books is located on the second floor. There were a few people in the library the morning I visited. Many were working on computers and printing out things for their classes. There is no food allowed in the library and drinks are only allowed in containers with screw on or hard plastic tops. That is a big difference from USF library. Also, cell phone use is not allowed inside the library and smoking is not permitted with twenty-five feet of the library doors.
This library serves the students, faculty and staff of University of Tampa, but anyone is welcome inside its walls. There is one computer that is accessible to members of the public, but priority is given to UT students. Sometimes, members of the public may be directed across the river to the John F. Germany public library. There are statistics about how many people enter the library and how many books are circulated, but that information was not available. I was told that particular information is used to determine how much money the library gets and how to staff the library. Currently there are ten librarians, including the library director, and ten paraprofessional staff. During the semester, the library also has a team of work-study students at their disposal.
The Macdonald Kelce Library has several special collections.
First, it has a Florida Military Collection. This collection was founded in 1973, and houses one of the Southeast United States' largest private collections of military books, documents and military memorabilia. There are more than 7,500 volumes in this collection and it is located in its own room on the first floor. This room is favorite of students for studying because it is usually very quiet. This collection is used mostly by history students or those in ROTC, but sometimes requests will come from all over the country, from the Interlibrary Loan service. Members of the public are also welcome to use the Florida Military Collection.
Another special collection would be the archives. This is where the rare and old books or documents are kept. Some examples would be UT documents, administrative records, local history items and much, much more. These items can be seen by appointment only.
As I mentioned earlier, UT library is a government depository, and this collection contains just a part of all the print materials the government puts out. A lot of these material are available online now, and the library also has access to those.
What did I leave with? I always thought that the public library was where I would be able to help the community the most, but I found that the academic library helps the community also, just in different ways. The academic librarian is there for the students, but not just the ones that go to that particular school. Any students, or member of the public for that matter, are welcome to come in, ask questions, look at magazines, etc. The librarian has no way of knowing who is a student of their college, or the next one over, or just a random person. I never thought about going into an academic library other than my own for resources. I always thought that wasn't allowed. Of course, it's not. The purpose of the academic library is to educate, so all seeking education should be welcome. Of course, all the services might not be available, but many are.
I also learned that the profession of librarianship is a very close knit community, in a very small world. These librarians also had a passion for their profession. They were happy to be there, happy to help and eager to learn more about their field. I think working in an academic librarian would also be a very exciting experience. There are lots of opportunities, especially to grow and learn in your field, and to assist others in their career path and growth.
Library Analysis - Public Library
Seffner-Mango Branch: Hillsborough County Public Library
410 N. Kingsway Rd. Seffner, FL 33584
(813)273-3652
Website: hcplc.org/hcplc/locations/smb/
Hours of operation: Monday 10am-8pm, Tuesday 12pm-8pm, Wed-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun-closed
The Seffner-Mango branch of the Hillsborough County Public Library is a 15,000 sq. foot building, housing 84,524 volumes, located in between the communities of Seffner and Mango, Florida. It offers free wifi, and Internet access through 16 PCs. There is a public meeting room, study rooms, Friends of the Library bookstore, separate children's department, photocopiers and public FAX.
The librarian I chose to interview was Cindy Nichols. She is the senior librarian and site coordinator for the Seffner-Mango branch and has been a librarian for eight years. Her MLS is from Queens College in New York. She discovered her love for the library working at her campus library while pursuing her undergraduate degree in social work at Hunter College. During pursuit of her master's degree, she worked in circulation at the campus library of Barnard College in New York City. Upon graduation, she worked as a media specialist for about a year, and then she moved to Florida. Her decision to change from working in a school library as a media specialist to working in the public sector was financially based. Mrs. Nichols has been a member of professional organizations in the past, but does not currently participate. Every year, she takes a few different courses through the Tampa Bay Library Consortium or the county continuing education classes. One interesting one was "Better Storytelling for Librarians."
This location of the Seffner-Mango library is relatively new. It has been opened for a little over two years. When walking through the door, one sees the lobby of the library. There is a table with informational materials against one wall and vending machines on the opposite wall. The Friends of the Library bookstore is also located in the lobby. This store operates on the honor system, just like most of the FOL departments of the library. Opposite of the bookstore are the restrooms. Walking through the library, you reach another set of double doors. To the right is the desk, where one can talk to staff and librarians, drop books off and check more out. The children's department is located in it's own room, opposite from the desk. Once past the desk, there are stacks to the left for young adult and adult books. In the center are tables for working or couches and chairs for reading. Over to the far right are shelves housing DVD's, CD's and materials on hold. Not so far over to the right are the computers for internet access. On the day of my visit, the library was pretty busy. It was a Thursday morning, about 45 minutes after they opened. There were quite a few people on the computers already. Many people were also wandering around the stacks. Volunteers were walking around, pushing carts and shelving books. I observed staff members assisting patrons with the copy machine/printer, and also showing them how to access the computers.
Mrs. Nichols stated that this library stays pretty busy. While she didn't have an exact figure, she estimates that they see approximately 5,000 patrons a week. In June 2011, there were a total of 28,029 volumes checked out. 49% of those were juvenile materials. From January to June 2011, the total was 221,931. This number does not include books going out to other branches for patrons putting things on hold. This library serves the Seffner and Mango communities and other surrounding areas. Anyone with a Hillsborough County Public Library card can use this library. Any resident of the county can obtain a card, for free. If you are a non-resident of the county, you can still get a library card, but there is a $100 fee.
This library employees two full time librarians and a library technician. These three individuals compose the reference staff. Other employees include the three members of the circulation staff. Volunteer service is greatly appreciated at this branch, and they probably need more, even though they already have 10-15 volunteers. All of the staff seemed to be very friendly. I observed them welcoming patrons coming through the door, listening to a patron vent his frustrations, and answer several different questions. They took a personal interest in their patrons, often knowing their names and holding short conversations with some.
This library carries a very special collection. It is the realia exhibit. It includes a microscope, telescope, slides, globes, charts, skeletons, etc. Patrons are welcome to check out these materials (and much more), but are only allowed to have them for one week. There is no grace period and $1 fines will start to accrue on the first day late. There used to be another collection just like this at the MOSI branch of the library, but it is no longer open, so currently, Seffner-Mango is the only one.
The Seffner-Mango library does not have a presence on Twitter or Facebook. Some of the online features for the entire library system are Ask-a-Librarian, email service and updates, or text alerts to stay updated.
What did I leave with? Well, for one thing, I was really impressed with the realia collection. For just the price of my library card (free!), I could walk out of there with a telescope, microscope and whole other host of things for science study. How awesome! This is great for people who can't afford these things but have these kinds of interests. What a great resource for homeschoolers! I wish stuff like this had been at my library growing up. I also learned that the library had free wifi, and study rooms, which is great because it is closer to my house and sometimes, I don't feel like driving all the way to the USF library. One thing that concerned me was the lack of staff. I saw alot of work being done by a few people, and from what I understood, they could use more help, either with staff or volunteers. Might be a good place for an internship or fieldwork.
I think visiting this library further convinced me that I am on the right path. Just being in the library, with all the excitement and hustle and bustle of the patrons, made me realize that I wouldn't want to be any where else. I always thought I would want to be a librarian in the public sector, and as of right now, that remains true. I feel like in the public library, you would get a real sense of community, and helping out those in the community. Of course, it might not be as exciting as an academic or research library, where you may get interesting reference questions, but you would still feel satisfied at the end of the day.
410 N. Kingsway Rd. Seffner, FL 33584
(813)273-3652
Website: hcplc.org/hcplc/locations/smb/
Hours of operation: Monday 10am-8pm, Tuesday 12pm-8pm, Wed-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun-closed
The Seffner-Mango branch of the Hillsborough County Public Library is a 15,000 sq. foot building, housing 84,524 volumes, located in between the communities of Seffner and Mango, Florida. It offers free wifi, and Internet access through 16 PCs. There is a public meeting room, study rooms, Friends of the Library bookstore, separate children's department, photocopiers and public FAX.
The librarian I chose to interview was Cindy Nichols. She is the senior librarian and site coordinator for the Seffner-Mango branch and has been a librarian for eight years. Her MLS is from Queens College in New York. She discovered her love for the library working at her campus library while pursuing her undergraduate degree in social work at Hunter College. During pursuit of her master's degree, she worked in circulation at the campus library of Barnard College in New York City. Upon graduation, she worked as a media specialist for about a year, and then she moved to Florida. Her decision to change from working in a school library as a media specialist to working in the public sector was financially based. Mrs. Nichols has been a member of professional organizations in the past, but does not currently participate. Every year, she takes a few different courses through the Tampa Bay Library Consortium or the county continuing education classes. One interesting one was "Better Storytelling for Librarians."
This location of the Seffner-Mango library is relatively new. It has been opened for a little over two years. When walking through the door, one sees the lobby of the library. There is a table with informational materials against one wall and vending machines on the opposite wall. The Friends of the Library bookstore is also located in the lobby. This store operates on the honor system, just like most of the FOL departments of the library. Opposite of the bookstore are the restrooms. Walking through the library, you reach another set of double doors. To the right is the desk, where one can talk to staff and librarians, drop books off and check more out. The children's department is located in it's own room, opposite from the desk. Once past the desk, there are stacks to the left for young adult and adult books. In the center are tables for working or couches and chairs for reading. Over to the far right are shelves housing DVD's, CD's and materials on hold. Not so far over to the right are the computers for internet access. On the day of my visit, the library was pretty busy. It was a Thursday morning, about 45 minutes after they opened. There were quite a few people on the computers already. Many people were also wandering around the stacks. Volunteers were walking around, pushing carts and shelving books. I observed staff members assisting patrons with the copy machine/printer, and also showing them how to access the computers.
Mrs. Nichols stated that this library stays pretty busy. While she didn't have an exact figure, she estimates that they see approximately 5,000 patrons a week. In June 2011, there were a total of 28,029 volumes checked out. 49% of those were juvenile materials. From January to June 2011, the total was 221,931. This number does not include books going out to other branches for patrons putting things on hold. This library serves the Seffner and Mango communities and other surrounding areas. Anyone with a Hillsborough County Public Library card can use this library. Any resident of the county can obtain a card, for free. If you are a non-resident of the county, you can still get a library card, but there is a $100 fee.
This library employees two full time librarians and a library technician. These three individuals compose the reference staff. Other employees include the three members of the circulation staff. Volunteer service is greatly appreciated at this branch, and they probably need more, even though they already have 10-15 volunteers. All of the staff seemed to be very friendly. I observed them welcoming patrons coming through the door, listening to a patron vent his frustrations, and answer several different questions. They took a personal interest in their patrons, often knowing their names and holding short conversations with some.
This library carries a very special collection. It is the realia exhibit. It includes a microscope, telescope, slides, globes, charts, skeletons, etc. Patrons are welcome to check out these materials (and much more), but are only allowed to have them for one week. There is no grace period and $1 fines will start to accrue on the first day late. There used to be another collection just like this at the MOSI branch of the library, but it is no longer open, so currently, Seffner-Mango is the only one.
The Seffner-Mango library does not have a presence on Twitter or Facebook. Some of the online features for the entire library system are Ask-a-Librarian, email service and updates, or text alerts to stay updated.
What did I leave with? Well, for one thing, I was really impressed with the realia collection. For just the price of my library card (free!), I could walk out of there with a telescope, microscope and whole other host of things for science study. How awesome! This is great for people who can't afford these things but have these kinds of interests. What a great resource for homeschoolers! I wish stuff like this had been at my library growing up. I also learned that the library had free wifi, and study rooms, which is great because it is closer to my house and sometimes, I don't feel like driving all the way to the USF library. One thing that concerned me was the lack of staff. I saw alot of work being done by a few people, and from what I understood, they could use more help, either with staff or volunteers. Might be a good place for an internship or fieldwork.
I think visiting this library further convinced me that I am on the right path. Just being in the library, with all the excitement and hustle and bustle of the patrons, made me realize that I wouldn't want to be any where else. I always thought I would want to be a librarian in the public sector, and as of right now, that remains true. I feel like in the public library, you would get a real sense of community, and helping out those in the community. Of course, it might not be as exciting as an academic or research library, where you may get interesting reference questions, but you would still feel satisfied at the end of the day.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Blog Project: Week of July 11-July 17
This is the last week for my analysis of my two blogs! While I will probably continue to read them from time to time, I will not be posting anymore about them, unless something really catches my eye.
This week in Annoyed Librarian:
First post of the week was Stuck here in Onepointopia. This is a post about libraries use of Web 2.0, or Library 2.0, as some would call it. AL discusses a survey of WebJunction employees, and their use, or lack of use, of the new Web 2.0 skills. WebJunction is a "learning community working together to ensure all library staff have the resources they need to power relevant, vibrant libraries."-WebJunction website. They are very big into the use of Web 2.0 technologies in libraries. However, they conducted a survey and found that many of their members weren't really using these online tools. The most heavily used of the tools were email listservs. 64% of respondents used the listserv daily or weekly. 16% said they never used them. However, the question was kind of confusing, calling them "email discussion lists." If they would have said just email, the numbers would probably have been closer to 99% and 0% respectively. Supposedly, email is supposed to be a dying form of communication. In reality, it is the way that most professionals communicate on a daily basis. People always talk about wanting to give up their email because it is too overwhelming. This is not because it is a dying form of communication, but shows that it is widely used. Another question on the survey was about social networking. 39% of respondents said they used it daily or weekly for professional purposes and 63% used it in their private lives. AL doesn't believe that many people are actually using social networking for real work related issues, more like for issues semi-related to work issues. According to AL, the WebJunction survey questions are skewed to favor the "twopointopians," even if that was not their intention.
My thoughts: I can see where a lot of the WebJunction members might not be making the best use out of the Web 2.0 tools. We just learned about them, and I don't see myself using them a great deal. I do agree that some of the questions may have been asked in a manner to favor the use of the Web 2.0 online tools. Asking someone if they use email listservs or if they use email are two totally different things. You can't ask about one, and then exclude the other. I think that, in time, members will become more confidant with the numerous tools available to them and will gladly use them with more frequency.
The second post for AL this week is Skills for the Next Generation...They Look Familiar, Sort of. In this posting, AL discusses a paper "Key Skills and Competencies of a New Generation of LIS Professionals." It is basically just a study of other studies and summary of the results. According to the paper, the results illustrate a complete picture of all the skills needed by a modern LIS professional. It then goes on to describe a long list of skills and competencies. AL points out that most of these skills would have been useful to many generations of librarians, and that most of them are already in use. the only new things needed are skills with technology. She also points out that many of the skills are useful in other professional disciplines, not just library science. AL believes that very few, if any, librarians can possess all of these skills, but it would be wonderful if they did.
My thoughts: I agree with AL in that many of the skills listed by this paper are skills that would make you successful in any profession, not just library science. If the authors of the paper truly expect one single person to exhibit all skills and competencies listed, they are being slightly unreasonable. I think that expecting one person to have a sprinkling of some of the skills is more like it. They can always be complementary of others who exhibit some of the other desired skills.
HeyJude had one post this week. It was called Google+plus Deeper Web. She states that she forgot that Google filters search if you are logged into Google and suggests logging out for serious searching. She was reminded, by someones tweet about Deeper Web. While using Deeper Web, the search results were organized differently. Tags and phrases could be deleted, and the search would resort itself. There are a few different source boxes on the page, and the layout is quite different from just plain Google. You can find your sources in a metrics search, news search or blog search. HJ feels that she needs to explore this search engine booster further, but sees it as a definite way to enhance your searches with Google.
My thoughts: I don't really use too many of Google's products, but this one seems very interesting. The information is laid out so much differently and it seems like there is more than on just plain Google. There were some adds on the very top of the page, that kind of took up alot of room, and I didn't really care for that. Time will tell if I begin to utilize this on a regular basis.
This week in Annoyed Librarian:
First post of the week was Stuck here in Onepointopia. This is a post about libraries use of Web 2.0, or Library 2.0, as some would call it. AL discusses a survey of WebJunction employees, and their use, or lack of use, of the new Web 2.0 skills. WebJunction is a "learning community working together to ensure all library staff have the resources they need to power relevant, vibrant libraries."-WebJunction website. They are very big into the use of Web 2.0 technologies in libraries. However, they conducted a survey and found that many of their members weren't really using these online tools. The most heavily used of the tools were email listservs. 64% of respondents used the listserv daily or weekly. 16% said they never used them. However, the question was kind of confusing, calling them "email discussion lists." If they would have said just email, the numbers would probably have been closer to 99% and 0% respectively. Supposedly, email is supposed to be a dying form of communication. In reality, it is the way that most professionals communicate on a daily basis. People always talk about wanting to give up their email because it is too overwhelming. This is not because it is a dying form of communication, but shows that it is widely used. Another question on the survey was about social networking. 39% of respondents said they used it daily or weekly for professional purposes and 63% used it in their private lives. AL doesn't believe that many people are actually using social networking for real work related issues, more like for issues semi-related to work issues. According to AL, the WebJunction survey questions are skewed to favor the "twopointopians," even if that was not their intention.
My thoughts: I can see where a lot of the WebJunction members might not be making the best use out of the Web 2.0 tools. We just learned about them, and I don't see myself using them a great deal. I do agree that some of the questions may have been asked in a manner to favor the use of the Web 2.0 online tools. Asking someone if they use email listservs or if they use email are two totally different things. You can't ask about one, and then exclude the other. I think that, in time, members will become more confidant with the numerous tools available to them and will gladly use them with more frequency.
The second post for AL this week is Skills for the Next Generation...They Look Familiar, Sort of. In this posting, AL discusses a paper "Key Skills and Competencies of a New Generation of LIS Professionals." It is basically just a study of other studies and summary of the results. According to the paper, the results illustrate a complete picture of all the skills needed by a modern LIS professional. It then goes on to describe a long list of skills and competencies. AL points out that most of these skills would have been useful to many generations of librarians, and that most of them are already in use. the only new things needed are skills with technology. She also points out that many of the skills are useful in other professional disciplines, not just library science. AL believes that very few, if any, librarians can possess all of these skills, but it would be wonderful if they did.
My thoughts: I agree with AL in that many of the skills listed by this paper are skills that would make you successful in any profession, not just library science. If the authors of the paper truly expect one single person to exhibit all skills and competencies listed, they are being slightly unreasonable. I think that expecting one person to have a sprinkling of some of the skills is more like it. They can always be complementary of others who exhibit some of the other desired skills.
HeyJude had one post this week. It was called Google+plus Deeper Web. She states that she forgot that Google filters search if you are logged into Google and suggests logging out for serious searching. She was reminded, by someones tweet about Deeper Web. While using Deeper Web, the search results were organized differently. Tags and phrases could be deleted, and the search would resort itself. There are a few different source boxes on the page, and the layout is quite different from just plain Google. You can find your sources in a metrics search, news search or blog search. HJ feels that she needs to explore this search engine booster further, but sees it as a definite way to enhance your searches with Google.
My thoughts: I don't really use too many of Google's products, but this one seems very interesting. The information is laid out so much differently and it seems like there is more than on just plain Google. There were some adds on the very top of the page, that kind of took up alot of room, and I didn't really care for that. Time will tell if I begin to utilize this on a regular basis.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Blog Project: Week of July 4-July 10
As always, I will start with the Annoyed Librarian.
In the posting, Future Less Imperfect, AL writes about a document discussed at the recent ALA conference in New Orleans. This document is "Envisioning ALA's Governance in the 21st Century" by the "Future Perfect Presidential Task Force." I cannot link to this document because it is only available on the ALA listserv, not the public. According to AL, this task force consists of people who have never served on the ALA Council or really know anything about ALA governance. There is another document that discusses ways to make the ALA Council more effective. The "Future Perfect" document wants to eliminate the Council altogether, and replace it with a participatory democracy.
They also want the ALA to offer free video streaming and audio archives of the conference and sessions. This is supposed to alleviate fiscal issues surrounding conference attendees. AL points out that the only fiscal issues being alleviated would be those of librarians not in attendance. It wouldn't be fair to the librarians who did pay for the conference, or the ALA itself, or the vendors in the exhibit halls. The free streaming would increase the costs of the conference, because someone would have to pay for the video and computer technology. This could possibly lead to lower attendance in the future for the conference. The costs would have to be made up by charging more to a lower amount of attendees and charging more for the vendors.
Another issue raised was the creation of new ALA division devoted to "diversity." This division would be free to join, but has to be funded somehow. Maybe some of the other divisions would hand over part of their money to fund the new division. According to AL, the concern with racial or ethnic diversity in librarianship is related to lower percentage of minorities graduating high school or college.
The "Future Perfect Presidential Task Force" also wants the ALA to explore alternative cities for its conference. They would like to see the conference held in a city that may be less expensive than the "tourist cities" the ALA usually picks. Annoyed Librarian agrees with this, but also suggests that many "alternative" cities many not be equipped to deal with a conference of such a large magnitude.
There is also a desire to increase voter participation. According to AL, most people don't really care about the ALA proper, but participate mostly in their divisions. She thinks that maybe the ALA should divide up into it's divisions, since they are the ones that actually address issues, put on programs, etc.
My thoughts:Some of the ideas of the task force are interesting and should probably be considered by the ALA. Having the conference in more affordable cities is a good idea, if one can be found capable of handling such a large conference. Of course, they might desire a city that has some entertainment value as well. I don't think the streaming idea is a good idea, unless there is some sort of fee involved. It doesn't seem fair for people to pay to go to the conferences, when others get to watch it free from the comfort of their own home.
The second post of the week was Rounding Up. It is basically just a recap of all the reading that didn't get looked at while AL was at the conference.
In the article "This Librarian is Smashing Stereotypes, One Tattoo at a Time, " AL was disappointed by the over zealous headline. The article is really about a library circulation clerk, not librarian, who is a recent MLS graduate. The interviewer mainly asks about her tattoos, but doesn't really get into any other stereotypes.
The blog post Search for America's Most Glamorous Librarian has AL wondering if all professions are focused on the looks of their professionals, or if it is just because 85% of librarians are women.
Street Librarian is a blog posting about a woman in Portland who peddles around a box of books and checks them out to homeless people. AL believes that this is an illustration of a great social failure.
AL also discusses Google+, wondering if it will indeed be bigger than facebook. She is generally not impressed with Google products overall.
The last thing discussed in this blog post has to do with an issue for the Office of Intellectual Freedom. It seems that a man in prison in Michigan is suing the state because it doesn't allow inmates to have pornography. If the ALA wanted to get involved, they could pass a resolution on this because the "Prisoner's Right to Read" states that "material with sexual content should not be banned unless it violates state and federal law." AL claims that it doesn't since state libraries allow Penthouse and Playboy. Of course, if a resolution like this would be passed, it would surely get ALA many headlines.
My thoughts: I did find the "Search for America's Most Glamorous Librarian" interesting. Many people do think of librarians as being dowdy, old women with buns and eyeglasses. That is so far from the truth. It is nice to see someone trying to show librarians in a more fashionable light. Of course, I don't think librarians should have to dress this way. Everyone should be able to dress, for their job, as comfortable as they want. AL's question does remind me of a story I read a few weeks ago about a Harrods shop girl fired
HeyJude had a couple of interesting posts this week.
The first blog posting of the week is Things Worth Tweeting About. She discusses one of the upcoming classes she will be teaching, Social Networking for Information Professionals. This course will use new media tools and explore ways of using them to empower library services. HJ also discusses the fact that the Google Wonder Wheel has been taken offline. This was used by educators, libraries and students for keyword discovery and to spot new word relationships and concepts. Librarians used it to identify new words to search for on a topic. Teachers used it to assist students in coming up with ideas for research projects. Google Real time also seems to be offline. HJ also talks a little bit about Google+, but is still undecided. The really interesting thing discussed in this posting is the new phase-change memory from IBM. It can handle 10 million write-erase cycles while a typical flash memory can only be overwritten 3-10 thousand times.
Flipback books are the last thing HJ comments on in this blog. These books are supposed to be the competition for the e-reader. They are small, 12x8cm and weigh little more than an IPhone. These books are more convenient than regular books because of their size. They are made with excess Bible paper, thus accounting for their light weight. They are able to be read using one hand, making them perfect for commuters on buses or trains.
My thoughts: Pretty generic post this week. Nothing too thought provoking. The new phase-change memory drive is interesting, though. Wonder if it will be really expensive? The flipback books are really interesting too, but do people really want a book that small? Seems like it would be hard to read.
The second posting this weeks is called Creative Commons Elements Beautifully Explained. This is just a video, explaining what Creative Commons is. It is a website, where people can share their art, be it drawings, photos, books, or whatever. Other people can use this artwork for their own use, in different levels. The artist decides which license level he will have for his artwork, and the user must comply.
My thoughts: The video did a very good job of explaining exactly what Creative Commons was about. The idea of artists sharing their work for so many others to use is quite wonderful. They realize that it is all about getting their art out there, to the public, in any way possible. They determine how much someone can alter their work, and I think it would be a great honor for someone to use another's work, as long as the correct attribution is there, of course.
In the posting, Future Less Imperfect, AL writes about a document discussed at the recent ALA conference in New Orleans. This document is "Envisioning ALA's Governance in the 21st Century" by the "Future Perfect Presidential Task Force." I cannot link to this document because it is only available on the ALA listserv, not the public. According to AL, this task force consists of people who have never served on the ALA Council or really know anything about ALA governance. There is another document that discusses ways to make the ALA Council more effective. The "Future Perfect" document wants to eliminate the Council altogether, and replace it with a participatory democracy.
They also want the ALA to offer free video streaming and audio archives of the conference and sessions. This is supposed to alleviate fiscal issues surrounding conference attendees. AL points out that the only fiscal issues being alleviated would be those of librarians not in attendance. It wouldn't be fair to the librarians who did pay for the conference, or the ALA itself, or the vendors in the exhibit halls. The free streaming would increase the costs of the conference, because someone would have to pay for the video and computer technology. This could possibly lead to lower attendance in the future for the conference. The costs would have to be made up by charging more to a lower amount of attendees and charging more for the vendors.
Another issue raised was the creation of new ALA division devoted to "diversity." This division would be free to join, but has to be funded somehow. Maybe some of the other divisions would hand over part of their money to fund the new division. According to AL, the concern with racial or ethnic diversity in librarianship is related to lower percentage of minorities graduating high school or college.
The "Future Perfect Presidential Task Force" also wants the ALA to explore alternative cities for its conference. They would like to see the conference held in a city that may be less expensive than the "tourist cities" the ALA usually picks. Annoyed Librarian agrees with this, but also suggests that many "alternative" cities many not be equipped to deal with a conference of such a large magnitude.
There is also a desire to increase voter participation. According to AL, most people don't really care about the ALA proper, but participate mostly in their divisions. She thinks that maybe the ALA should divide up into it's divisions, since they are the ones that actually address issues, put on programs, etc.
My thoughts:Some of the ideas of the task force are interesting and should probably be considered by the ALA. Having the conference in more affordable cities is a good idea, if one can be found capable of handling such a large conference. Of course, they might desire a city that has some entertainment value as well. I don't think the streaming idea is a good idea, unless there is some sort of fee involved. It doesn't seem fair for people to pay to go to the conferences, when others get to watch it free from the comfort of their own home.
The second post of the week was Rounding Up. It is basically just a recap of all the reading that didn't get looked at while AL was at the conference.
In the article "This Librarian is Smashing Stereotypes, One Tattoo at a Time, " AL was disappointed by the over zealous headline. The article is really about a library circulation clerk, not librarian, who is a recent MLS graduate. The interviewer mainly asks about her tattoos, but doesn't really get into any other stereotypes.
The blog post Search for America's Most Glamorous Librarian has AL wondering if all professions are focused on the looks of their professionals, or if it is just because 85% of librarians are women.
Street Librarian is a blog posting about a woman in Portland who peddles around a box of books and checks them out to homeless people. AL believes that this is an illustration of a great social failure.
AL also discusses Google+, wondering if it will indeed be bigger than facebook. She is generally not impressed with Google products overall.
The last thing discussed in this blog post has to do with an issue for the Office of Intellectual Freedom. It seems that a man in prison in Michigan is suing the state because it doesn't allow inmates to have pornography. If the ALA wanted to get involved, they could pass a resolution on this because the "Prisoner's Right to Read" states that "material with sexual content should not be banned unless it violates state and federal law." AL claims that it doesn't since state libraries allow Penthouse and Playboy. Of course, if a resolution like this would be passed, it would surely get ALA many headlines.
My thoughts: I did find the "Search for America's Most Glamorous Librarian" interesting. Many people do think of librarians as being dowdy, old women with buns and eyeglasses. That is so far from the truth. It is nice to see someone trying to show librarians in a more fashionable light. Of course, I don't think librarians should have to dress this way. Everyone should be able to dress, for their job, as comfortable as they want. AL's question does remind me of a story I read a few weeks ago about a Harrods shop girl fired
HeyJude had a couple of interesting posts this week.
The first blog posting of the week is Things Worth Tweeting About. She discusses one of the upcoming classes she will be teaching, Social Networking for Information Professionals. This course will use new media tools and explore ways of using them to empower library services. HJ also discusses the fact that the Google Wonder Wheel has been taken offline. This was used by educators, libraries and students for keyword discovery and to spot new word relationships and concepts. Librarians used it to identify new words to search for on a topic. Teachers used it to assist students in coming up with ideas for research projects. Google Real time also seems to be offline. HJ also talks a little bit about Google+, but is still undecided. The really interesting thing discussed in this posting is the new phase-change memory from IBM. It can handle 10 million write-erase cycles while a typical flash memory can only be overwritten 3-10 thousand times.
Flipback books are the last thing HJ comments on in this blog. These books are supposed to be the competition for the e-reader. They are small, 12x8cm and weigh little more than an IPhone. These books are more convenient than regular books because of their size. They are made with excess Bible paper, thus accounting for their light weight. They are able to be read using one hand, making them perfect for commuters on buses or trains.
My thoughts: Pretty generic post this week. Nothing too thought provoking. The new phase-change memory drive is interesting, though. Wonder if it will be really expensive? The flipback books are really interesting too, but do people really want a book that small? Seems like it would be hard to read.
The second posting this weeks is called Creative Commons Elements Beautifully Explained. This is just a video, explaining what Creative Commons is. It is a website, where people can share their art, be it drawings, photos, books, or whatever. Other people can use this artwork for their own use, in different levels. The artist decides which license level he will have for his artwork, and the user must comply.
My thoughts: The video did a very good job of explaining exactly what Creative Commons was about. The idea of artists sharing their work for so many others to use is quite wonderful. They realize that it is all about getting their art out there, to the public, in any way possible. They determine how much someone can alter their work, and I think it would be a great honor for someone to use another's work, as long as the correct attribution is there, of course.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Blog Project: Week of June 27-July 3
This week, there were no posts from HeyJude, so I will just discuss the ones from Annoyed Librarian.
In Melting in the Big Easy, AL is in New Orleans for the annual ALA conference. She discusses the merits of Twitter, which is being used in great abundance by other attendees of the conference. They mostly are tweeting about trivial aspects of the conference, like their huge bounties of "swag" or a particular session was boring. AL wonders if only shallow and bored people tweet, or maybe regular interesting people do it too, but only show their shallow and bored side. AL does commend the keynote speaker, Dan Savage, as being good, but doesn't understand why he was invited to speak at the conference. This year's conference was pretty much the same-old, same-old, to AL. She does go on to praise the food of New Orleans and the social aspect of the conference, if you had friends there.
My thoughts: AL's thoughts on the conference seem pretty on point, especially for someone who has probably been to many of these over the years. In fact, most conferences are very similar to this one. Glad that AL was satisfied with the food in the area, as it is some of the best around. I am from South Louisiana, so I know that the food in New Orleans is wonderful. If the ALA was going to have a generally boring conference, at least they picked a good city to hold it.
The second post of the week was Beware the Radical Militant Libraries. In this post, AL discusses a critique one of her fans sent her. It is by a conservative from Nassau County, Florida. This particular conservative seems to hate anyone that is different than him. This critique is very different from the one made by "the Boss" in Oakland. There seems to be alot of hatred coming from this critique. This particular conservative complains that the ALA is a group leaning too far to the left, and they have too much influence over what people read, from the library. AL points out that while librarians make buy books because of their likes or what they think the public will like, they have no critical say. If a patron wants something, they will try to get it. One complaint by the conservative is that the library seems to have more anti-Bush books and more pro-Obama books. AL points out that is probably what the public wanted. The conservative also states that the public library is pro-Muslim and pro-homosexual. AL believes that the conservative obviously has no idea what he is talking about, because if the library were pro-Muslim, it would not also be pro-homosexual. That goes against the Muslim faith.
My thoughts: I think this person sounds crazy and hateful. If there were more conservative books on the shelves at the public library, maybe he wouldn't be complaining. Your public library is pretty much what you make it. It is supposed to be a reflection of your community. Maybe he should get more involved and also get more of his like-minded friends involved. Maybe then his library shelves wouldn't be so "slanted."
In Melting in the Big Easy, AL is in New Orleans for the annual ALA conference. She discusses the merits of Twitter, which is being used in great abundance by other attendees of the conference. They mostly are tweeting about trivial aspects of the conference, like their huge bounties of "swag" or a particular session was boring. AL wonders if only shallow and bored people tweet, or maybe regular interesting people do it too, but only show their shallow and bored side. AL does commend the keynote speaker, Dan Savage, as being good, but doesn't understand why he was invited to speak at the conference. This year's conference was pretty much the same-old, same-old, to AL. She does go on to praise the food of New Orleans and the social aspect of the conference, if you had friends there.
My thoughts: AL's thoughts on the conference seem pretty on point, especially for someone who has probably been to many of these over the years. In fact, most conferences are very similar to this one. Glad that AL was satisfied with the food in the area, as it is some of the best around. I am from South Louisiana, so I know that the food in New Orleans is wonderful. If the ALA was going to have a generally boring conference, at least they picked a good city to hold it.
The second post of the week was Beware the Radical Militant Libraries. In this post, AL discusses a critique one of her fans sent her. It is by a conservative from Nassau County, Florida. This particular conservative seems to hate anyone that is different than him. This critique is very different from the one made by "the Boss" in Oakland. There seems to be alot of hatred coming from this critique. This particular conservative complains that the ALA is a group leaning too far to the left, and they have too much influence over what people read, from the library. AL points out that while librarians make buy books because of their likes or what they think the public will like, they have no critical say. If a patron wants something, they will try to get it. One complaint by the conservative is that the library seems to have more anti-Bush books and more pro-Obama books. AL points out that is probably what the public wanted. The conservative also states that the public library is pro-Muslim and pro-homosexual. AL believes that the conservative obviously has no idea what he is talking about, because if the library were pro-Muslim, it would not also be pro-homosexual. That goes against the Muslim faith.
My thoughts: I think this person sounds crazy and hateful. If there were more conservative books on the shelves at the public library, maybe he wouldn't be complaining. Your public library is pretty much what you make it. It is supposed to be a reflection of your community. Maybe he should get more involved and also get more of his like-minded friends involved. Maybe then his library shelves wouldn't be so "slanted."
Blog Project: Week of June 20-26
Annoyed Librarian
In Anarchists @ your Libraray, the AL refers back to the criticism of libraries by "the Boss" in Oakland. She thought that surely if the Oakland libraries lost the financial battle, they would win the intellectual one. Unfortunately, there may be a setback. Pro library protests are being made by an "anti-capitalist initiative" called Bay of Rage. The reason this may be a setback is because these people are basically anarchists, and anarchists tend to annoy people. They will do no good to save the library, leading people to believe that libraries are social institutions, which they pretty much are, but attaching that kind of name is not so good. The Bay of Rage group believes that the city should cut the number of police before it closes down the libraries. They also compare the libraries to banks because they are both open for borrowing, lending, etc. That point is not really clear. Alot of their comparisons are just confusing and don't make much sense. The group says there is something "old-fashioned" about libraries and they are all about sharing. In their article "Anarchy in the Library", they say that "knowledge and information should be accessible to all for free and ideas are not private property of the elite or even those who create the idea." This idea is essentially one of the beliefs of most libraries, and other institutions. However, the whole anarchist's idea that everything belongs to everyone does not coincide with the principles of the public library. Then AL compares anarchists principle with public library principles showing why their idea wouldn't work. The opposing sides are too extreme in this argument. They really just need someone to step in with some reason and figure it out.
My thoughts:While I can see the point of the anarchists, it is dangerous to have groups like that on your side. Like AL said, anarchist groups tend to annoy people and sometimes frighten them. Many members of the public may want the libraries to stay open, but you start throwing around words like "social institution" and people get weird, even if they are true. I believe that Oakland can find some sort of compromise in these hard times, and do a better job of trying to keep these libraries open. Closing 14 of 18 libraries for a major community seems a bit drastic.
Upcoming Council Controversies!
AL discusses the upcoming ALA conference and some resolutions to be debated and possibly passed. One is about Wikileaks. The resolution supports the right to publish leaked government documents, claiming this is backed by the Library Bill of Rights. AL doesn't believe this to be necessarily right. If it is okay to publish government documents, then does it make it okay to publish all documents, including those involved in the safety of witness protection or espionage? It is possible for Wikileaks to expunge names and other material that may be harmful from the documents, but who decides what is harmful? AL does not believe that the Library Bill of Rights supports this and thinks that if everyone had full access to government documents, we would be less safe.
There is also a resolution to release Pfc. Bradley Manning, who was arrested in May 2010 for allegedly passing restricted documents to the website Wikileaks. The resolution calls for his release from pre-trial confinement and for the charges against him to be dropped. Most people see him as a whistleblower, not really a traitor. AL believes that this resolution is pointless, because the likelihood of the charges being dropped is practically none.
Another reslolution being debated is about self-service holds. This resolution calls for libraries to reject practices of putting patrons information on materials that are in view of the public. This is to protect patron identity and their right to privacy for what materials they may be checking out. Practices to conceal patron identity on materials should be enforced. AL believes this is overboard, as most patrons using self service for pickup of holds don't seem to mind. If passed, AL does not believe these resolutions will be effective or widely followed.
My thoughts: I think that the public should have access to government documents, but I don't think that applies to all documents. I do see the reasoning behind keeping some documents private due to safety issues, however, there may not be an easy solution to determine which documents can be public and which need to be private. The issue with the self-service holds is something I am more familiar with. The Hillsborough County Library District practices a self-service hold pickup. I have never thought that it could be an invasion of privacy. My biggest concern was that someone could come and take my materials off the shelf! Of course, I guess maybe the librarian wouldn't let them check it out, but it was always a thought going through my head.
Hey Jude
There was only one blog post this week from HJ. It was called Leaders Can Make Magic Happen Too. She states that leaders in schools are also responsible in helping to change the teaching culture. "Good" teaching has to make good use of technology. She states that technology is used to think and learn, not because it is cool or teachers have to use it because of curriculum requirement. The action now has been moved from teaching the teachers how to use the technology to encouraging them to "think with and because of the technology." She also goes on the discuss a conference workshop at theTara Anglican School which is based on these ideas.
My thoughts: The ideas of HJ
In Anarchists @ your Libraray, the AL refers back to the criticism of libraries by "the Boss" in Oakland. She thought that surely if the Oakland libraries lost the financial battle, they would win the intellectual one. Unfortunately, there may be a setback. Pro library protests are being made by an "anti-capitalist initiative" called Bay of Rage. The reason this may be a setback is because these people are basically anarchists, and anarchists tend to annoy people. They will do no good to save the library, leading people to believe that libraries are social institutions, which they pretty much are, but attaching that kind of name is not so good. The Bay of Rage group believes that the city should cut the number of police before it closes down the libraries. They also compare the libraries to banks because they are both open for borrowing, lending, etc. That point is not really clear. Alot of their comparisons are just confusing and don't make much sense. The group says there is something "old-fashioned" about libraries and they are all about sharing. In their article "Anarchy in the Library", they say that "knowledge and information should be accessible to all for free and ideas are not private property of the elite or even those who create the idea." This idea is essentially one of the beliefs of most libraries, and other institutions. However, the whole anarchist's idea that everything belongs to everyone does not coincide with the principles of the public library. Then AL compares anarchists principle with public library principles showing why their idea wouldn't work. The opposing sides are too extreme in this argument. They really just need someone to step in with some reason and figure it out.
My thoughts:While I can see the point of the anarchists, it is dangerous to have groups like that on your side. Like AL said, anarchist groups tend to annoy people and sometimes frighten them. Many members of the public may want the libraries to stay open, but you start throwing around words like "social institution" and people get weird, even if they are true. I believe that Oakland can find some sort of compromise in these hard times, and do a better job of trying to keep these libraries open. Closing 14 of 18 libraries for a major community seems a bit drastic.
Upcoming Council Controversies!
AL discusses the upcoming ALA conference and some resolutions to be debated and possibly passed. One is about Wikileaks. The resolution supports the right to publish leaked government documents, claiming this is backed by the Library Bill of Rights. AL doesn't believe this to be necessarily right. If it is okay to publish government documents, then does it make it okay to publish all documents, including those involved in the safety of witness protection or espionage? It is possible for Wikileaks to expunge names and other material that may be harmful from the documents, but who decides what is harmful? AL does not believe that the Library Bill of Rights supports this and thinks that if everyone had full access to government documents, we would be less safe.
There is also a resolution to release Pfc. Bradley Manning, who was arrested in May 2010 for allegedly passing restricted documents to the website Wikileaks. The resolution calls for his release from pre-trial confinement and for the charges against him to be dropped. Most people see him as a whistleblower, not really a traitor. AL believes that this resolution is pointless, because the likelihood of the charges being dropped is practically none.
Another reslolution being debated is about self-service holds. This resolution calls for libraries to reject practices of putting patrons information on materials that are in view of the public. This is to protect patron identity and their right to privacy for what materials they may be checking out. Practices to conceal patron identity on materials should be enforced. AL believes this is overboard, as most patrons using self service for pickup of holds don't seem to mind. If passed, AL does not believe these resolutions will be effective or widely followed.
My thoughts: I think that the public should have access to government documents, but I don't think that applies to all documents. I do see the reasoning behind keeping some documents private due to safety issues, however, there may not be an easy solution to determine which documents can be public and which need to be private. The issue with the self-service holds is something I am more familiar with. The Hillsborough County Library District practices a self-service hold pickup. I have never thought that it could be an invasion of privacy. My biggest concern was that someone could come and take my materials off the shelf! Of course, I guess maybe the librarian wouldn't let them check it out, but it was always a thought going through my head.
Hey Jude
There was only one blog post this week from HJ. It was called Leaders Can Make Magic Happen Too. She states that leaders in schools are also responsible in helping to change the teaching culture. "Good" teaching has to make good use of technology. She states that technology is used to think and learn, not because it is cool or teachers have to use it because of curriculum requirement. The action now has been moved from teaching the teachers how to use the technology to encouraging them to "think with and because of the technology." She also goes on the discuss a conference workshop at theTara Anglican School which is based on these ideas.
My thoughts: The ideas of HJ
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Blog Project: Week of June 13-19
Let's start with Annoyed Librarian.
In Improvisational Innovation, discussion is sparked by the Play, Learn, Innovate symposium sponsored by Library Journal. In one of the discussions, we learn that the "rules of improv act as a frame for broader discussion of fostering innovation and creativity." These rules are: always say yes and agree, make statements(don't ask questions), and there are no mistakes-just opportunities. These rules are supposed to create innovation. They also remind AL of a particular librarian that she had worked with in the past who had similar rules. This librarian put their department through many re-organizational changes in a short period, only five years. Her adherence to rules similar to the ones listed above caused chaos and havoc. Questions couldn't be asked. Mistakes were never made, just turned into instances for opportunity. However, because of all the attention and innovation (and sometimes chaos) caused by this librarian, she eventually went on to bigger and better things. Goes to show that innovation can be a good thing, in the long run, even if it causes chaos and havoc in the short term.
My thoughts: I think that the improv rules are interesting, and wonder if they could be applied to daily life. Makes me think of the movie, Yes Man, with Jim Carrey. He had to say yes to everything, and sometimes his life got crazy, but he experienced so many things that would have never happened initially. Sometimes a little chaos can be good. It's gets our attention and people take notice.
Libraries or Librarians? is about an opinion article written to discuss AB438, a bill in California that would make it difficult for a municipal government to outsource libraries to private contractors, like the LSSI (Library Systems and Services.) The ultimate goal here is to save money. Many municipalities are facing huge budget cuts, and many libraries face the possibility of closure. The bill is supported by the Service Employees International Union and says that any outsourcing still has to protect union jobs. If a library is privatized, none of its librarians can lose their jobs. People are arguing that public libraries should be public, not private, but if they are outsourced, the services are usually the same as before, or better. The outsourced libraries do the same thing as public libraries. There has been alot of success with these outsourced libraries. Services have actually improved, with more traffic, more hours of operation, more staff...... AL believes that the American Library Association should get involved and pass some sort of resolution to do whatever it takes to keep the libraries open. This all boils down to are the libraries or the librarians more important?
My thoughts: I don't really know about the politics of a library system, but I would say that whatever can be done to keep the libraries open is the best option. There will be jobs for librarians within those privatized libraries. I guess maybe they won't be union jobs, though. I have never had a union job, so I don't really know what that is all about. Libraries are very important to a community and I can't imagine one closing for lack of funds, when there are options out there.
Heyjude
Too Easy-with EasyBib is about using the EasyBib App for your smartphone. You can scan a book's barcode or type in the name of the book and are provide with a citation in either APA, MLA or Chicago style. These citations can be emailed to yourself or wherever, or stored on EasyBib.com's bibliography management service. Currently, they are working on a customizable library version. The library version will eventually offer a number of features to extend library features. A library interface will connect to library home page, catalog, and much more. The author also finds it a useful way to keep a record of resources or just to create a reading list.
My thoughts: This application seems to be extremely useful and has potential for doing alot of great things. Unfortunately, I do not have a smartphone, so cannot utilize this wonderful app.
In Uplifting School Libraries, the author discusses a blog post called Not Your Mother's School Library by Doug Johnson. He writes about some library college workshops at Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information School in Boston, and how cutting edge they seem to be and not what he expected. HJ is surpriesd at his surprise because these workshops are similar to courses taught in the CSU Master of Education(Teacher Librarianship) program. In the courses she teaches, HJ uses current technologies to keep up, like blogs, wikis and Facebook. She teaches her students how to use these online tools and incorporate them into their schools and meeting the needs of students.
My thoughts: I agree with HJ that these course don't seem very cutting edge and also seem very similar to courses offered in any MLS program. Of course, before I started the program, I might have felt differently, like Doug Johnson. Many people unfamiliar with what librarians actually do would probably be surprised at those courses. I get confuse looks all the time when people find out I am in a graduate program to be a librarian. Most people don't know that a graduate degree is required. I didn't.
In Improvisational Innovation, discussion is sparked by the Play, Learn, Innovate symposium sponsored by Library Journal. In one of the discussions, we learn that the "rules of improv act as a frame for broader discussion of fostering innovation and creativity." These rules are: always say yes and agree, make statements(don't ask questions), and there are no mistakes-just opportunities. These rules are supposed to create innovation. They also remind AL of a particular librarian that she had worked with in the past who had similar rules. This librarian put their department through many re-organizational changes in a short period, only five years. Her adherence to rules similar to the ones listed above caused chaos and havoc. Questions couldn't be asked. Mistakes were never made, just turned into instances for opportunity. However, because of all the attention and innovation (and sometimes chaos) caused by this librarian, she eventually went on to bigger and better things. Goes to show that innovation can be a good thing, in the long run, even if it causes chaos and havoc in the short term.
My thoughts: I think that the improv rules are interesting, and wonder if they could be applied to daily life. Makes me think of the movie, Yes Man, with Jim Carrey. He had to say yes to everything, and sometimes his life got crazy, but he experienced so many things that would have never happened initially. Sometimes a little chaos can be good. It's gets our attention and people take notice.
Libraries or Librarians? is about an opinion article written to discuss AB438, a bill in California that would make it difficult for a municipal government to outsource libraries to private contractors, like the LSSI (Library Systems and Services.) The ultimate goal here is to save money. Many municipalities are facing huge budget cuts, and many libraries face the possibility of closure. The bill is supported by the Service Employees International Union and says that any outsourcing still has to protect union jobs. If a library is privatized, none of its librarians can lose their jobs. People are arguing that public libraries should be public, not private, but if they are outsourced, the services are usually the same as before, or better. The outsourced libraries do the same thing as public libraries. There has been alot of success with these outsourced libraries. Services have actually improved, with more traffic, more hours of operation, more staff...... AL believes that the American Library Association should get involved and pass some sort of resolution to do whatever it takes to keep the libraries open. This all boils down to are the libraries or the librarians more important?
My thoughts: I don't really know about the politics of a library system, but I would say that whatever can be done to keep the libraries open is the best option. There will be jobs for librarians within those privatized libraries. I guess maybe they won't be union jobs, though. I have never had a union job, so I don't really know what that is all about. Libraries are very important to a community and I can't imagine one closing for lack of funds, when there are options out there.
Heyjude
Too Easy-with EasyBib is about using the EasyBib App for your smartphone. You can scan a book's barcode or type in the name of the book and are provide with a citation in either APA, MLA or Chicago style. These citations can be emailed to yourself or wherever, or stored on EasyBib.com's bibliography management service. Currently, they are working on a customizable library version. The library version will eventually offer a number of features to extend library features. A library interface will connect to library home page, catalog, and much more. The author also finds it a useful way to keep a record of resources or just to create a reading list.
My thoughts: This application seems to be extremely useful and has potential for doing alot of great things. Unfortunately, I do not have a smartphone, so cannot utilize this wonderful app.
In Uplifting School Libraries, the author discusses a blog post called Not Your Mother's School Library by Doug Johnson. He writes about some library college workshops at Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information School in Boston, and how cutting edge they seem to be and not what he expected. HJ is surpriesd at his surprise because these workshops are similar to courses taught in the CSU Master of Education(Teacher Librarianship) program. In the courses she teaches, HJ uses current technologies to keep up, like blogs, wikis and Facebook. She teaches her students how to use these online tools and incorporate them into their schools and meeting the needs of students.
My thoughts: I agree with HJ that these course don't seem very cutting edge and also seem very similar to courses offered in any MLS program. Of course, before I started the program, I might have felt differently, like Doug Johnson. Many people unfamiliar with what librarians actually do would probably be surprised at those courses. I get confuse looks all the time when people find out I am in a graduate program to be a librarian. Most people don't know that a graduate degree is required. I didn't.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Blog Project: Week of June 6-12 2011
This week didn't have as many posts as last week. However, they were still quite interesting.
I'll start with Annoyed Librarian.
In Working 'til I die, the Annoyed Librarian discusses the Retired Members Round Table, which is one of the groups at the ALA annual conference. The RMRT is a group that exists to develop programs for retired librarians or library workers. A more elaborate definition is on their website. Any one can join this group, or the ALA, for that matter, you just have to pay the appropriate dues. The planned activity for the RMRT at the conference is actually pretty funny.
Retired Members Cafe
RMRT. Sun., Jun. 26, 4–5:30 p.m. They will plan activities for the new RMRT. The top priority should be convincing over-the-hill colleagues to retire and make room for the growing number of young, new, unemployed librarians. At the very least, they ought to buy them drinks and dinner.
While AL does give them props for having a sense of humor, AL does not believe that making room for new or young librarians is a good reason to retire and lists the following reasons: job security, lots of vacations (for academic librarians, sorry those in public), mental labor, not manual, varied work, good health benefits, and money.
My thoughts: I think that it is nice that there is a group for retired librarians at the conference. That way they can still be a part of something they may love and interact with people who feel the same way. I really don't know what my opinion on retirement is, as I am nowhere near that age. But, I feel like if you love what you do, and are still healthy enough to do it, and still want to do it, you shouldn't have to retire. You should always be able to do whatever makes you happy in life. And if it is to die in the stacks, then so be it.
Fighting Libraries in Oakland takes us to Oakland, California, where the mayor is threatening to close down 90% of library services due to budget cuts. AL mostly discusses some of the comments made on the blog, especially those made by "The Boss," who seems to be extremely anti-library. Some of his comments include, "libraries serve no purpose in the digital age," and the "Internet is better than any library." According to this man, ebooks will be the end of the library and everyone should get rid of their books and replace them with a Nook or Kindle. AL states that many people who are anti-library are also anti-government, and this person seems to be no exception. He goes on to further insult many who try to engage in dialogue and disagree with him.
My thoughts: I don't understand how someone can be anti-library. Of course, I am biased because I LOVE the library. This guy is just anti-government and social programs, only concerned with private enterprise and what that can get him. To me, these statements of how the library is pretty much useless and should be shut down are signs of ignorance and kind of hateful. I feel bad if he has children and they can't enjoy the wonderful programs of a children's library.
HeyJude only had one post this week.
What's Wrong with Being a geek and an academic?, is about a blog Deanna Peluso wrote about misconceptions people have of her. She doesn't understand why it is so hard for people to understand that she has an academic side to her and also a side that likes to sit around playing video games. A quote that I really like is "within the world of academia, you will find all sorts of people with all sorts of interests and backgrounds." The reason I really like this quote is because I believe it to be true of everyone, not just those in academia. Everyone has so many different layers to them. Just because people like to play video games, doesn't mean they might not like to do something athletic. Many people have wide and varied interests and that is what makes everyone interesting. This is another way of saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover."
The second part of the blog was kind of weird, not really related to the first at all. It is about how Charles Stuart University is re-branding itself to be more technology friendly, and unleashing a marketing frenzy to get it known. They hope to meet the online needs of their students, and evolve their courses. Another thing they are doing is called CSU on the go. This is mobile access through smartphones. The content has been formatted for quick and easy use. Some things accessible at m.csu are contact information, campus maps, bus timetables, hours of operation, and library services.
My thoughts: I really like the blog posting of Deanna Peluso. I already explained why I liked the one quote, but her blog goes into it further. The CSU to go system is very interesting and would probably be an asset to any university.
I'll start with Annoyed Librarian.
In Working 'til I die, the Annoyed Librarian discusses the Retired Members Round Table, which is one of the groups at the ALA annual conference. The RMRT is a group that exists to develop programs for retired librarians or library workers. A more elaborate definition is on their website. Any one can join this group, or the ALA, for that matter, you just have to pay the appropriate dues. The planned activity for the RMRT at the conference is actually pretty funny.
Retired Members Cafe
RMRT. Sun., Jun. 26, 4–5:30 p.m. They will plan activities for the new RMRT. The top priority should be convincing over-the-hill colleagues to retire and make room for the growing number of young, new, unemployed librarians. At the very least, they ought to buy them drinks and dinner.
While AL does give them props for having a sense of humor, AL does not believe that making room for new or young librarians is a good reason to retire and lists the following reasons: job security, lots of vacations (for academic librarians, sorry those in public), mental labor, not manual, varied work, good health benefits, and money.
My thoughts: I think that it is nice that there is a group for retired librarians at the conference. That way they can still be a part of something they may love and interact with people who feel the same way. I really don't know what my opinion on retirement is, as I am nowhere near that age. But, I feel like if you love what you do, and are still healthy enough to do it, and still want to do it, you shouldn't have to retire. You should always be able to do whatever makes you happy in life. And if it is to die in the stacks, then so be it.
Fighting Libraries in Oakland takes us to Oakland, California, where the mayor is threatening to close down 90% of library services due to budget cuts. AL mostly discusses some of the comments made on the blog, especially those made by "The Boss," who seems to be extremely anti-library. Some of his comments include, "libraries serve no purpose in the digital age," and the "Internet is better than any library." According to this man, ebooks will be the end of the library and everyone should get rid of their books and replace them with a Nook or Kindle. AL states that many people who are anti-library are also anti-government, and this person seems to be no exception. He goes on to further insult many who try to engage in dialogue and disagree with him.
My thoughts: I don't understand how someone can be anti-library. Of course, I am biased because I LOVE the library. This guy is just anti-government and social programs, only concerned with private enterprise and what that can get him. To me, these statements of how the library is pretty much useless and should be shut down are signs of ignorance and kind of hateful. I feel bad if he has children and they can't enjoy the wonderful programs of a children's library.
HeyJude only had one post this week.
What's Wrong with Being a geek and an academic?, is about a blog Deanna Peluso wrote about misconceptions people have of her. She doesn't understand why it is so hard for people to understand that she has an academic side to her and also a side that likes to sit around playing video games. A quote that I really like is "within the world of academia, you will find all sorts of people with all sorts of interests and backgrounds." The reason I really like this quote is because I believe it to be true of everyone, not just those in academia. Everyone has so many different layers to them. Just because people like to play video games, doesn't mean they might not like to do something athletic. Many people have wide and varied interests and that is what makes everyone interesting. This is another way of saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover."
The second part of the blog was kind of weird, not really related to the first at all. It is about how Charles Stuart University is re-branding itself to be more technology friendly, and unleashing a marketing frenzy to get it known. They hope to meet the online needs of their students, and evolve their courses. Another thing they are doing is called CSU on the go. This is mobile access through smartphones. The content has been formatted for quick and easy use. Some things accessible at m.csu are contact information, campus maps, bus timetables, hours of operation, and library services.
My thoughts: I really like the blog posting of Deanna Peluso. I already explained why I liked the one quote, but her blog goes into it further. The CSU to go system is very interesting and would probably be an asset to any university.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)