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.
Story time
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
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.
Blog Project: Week of May 31- June 5 2011
I have decided to go through my blogs on a week by week basis. This will make it easier to summarize the issues and my thoughts. I will refer to Annoyed Librarian as AL and Hey Jude as HJ, just to make things easier.
Annoyed Librarian had two posts this week.
In Provocative to Whom?, there is a discussion of the "provocative statements" released by the Taiga Forum, which describes itself as a "community of AULs, and ADs challenging the traditional boundaries in libraries." (AULs are Assistant or Associate University Librarians and ADs are Associate Deans or Assistant Directors.) These released statements are meant to start conversation and critical thinking about library issues, not necessarily predict the future. AL points out that in the past, when the first "provocative statements" were released, they were neither very provocative because most were already happening. The same goes for the new statements.
My thoughts: I agree with AL in that the statements are not very predictive of the future, and any conversation provoked by them is already late. Many of the statements are examples of things already happening, especially statement #2: radical cooperation, which states that withing five years, research libraries should reduce budget cuts by cooperating with other universities in jointly-owned collections, etc. Well, I am pretty sure we do that or at least something similar, with our database and e-journals and any other online sources that we use.
In Teachers and Librarians in L.A., the NPR story L.A. School District Tells Librarians: You're Not Teachers Anymore. Apparently, L.A. is trying to alleviate budget cuts by reclassifying the job titles of school librarians, from teacher librarians to just school librarian. This will make it easier to cut these jobs, and approximately 85 librarian positions are being cut. AL states that the school district is right. They are librarians, not teachers. However, that doesn't mean that they don't teach things. But, according to the school district, teaching students how to use the library and promoting English and literacy does not count. They are even trying to decide if librarians with education degrees can be classroom teachers. There is a similar mindset in academic libraries. Many librarians have trouble referring to themselves as professors or even faculty, even when they teach a class! For some reason, teaching a "real" subject in a semester long class is different than teaching a semester long class in information literacy, or any other class a librarian may need to teach.
Librarians are considered to be the low end of the totem pole because people are uninformed of what they actually do. It is the school librarians job to get out there and make a case to the public and the school boards. They need to let everyone know exactly what it is that they do, and why it is important. Unfortunately, they haven't done this very well in the past.
My thoughts: I agree with a lot of things in this blog. However, if the school librarians in California are required to get a teaching certificate, then, I believe, this classifies them as teachers. Maybe the school district doesn't see them as relevant because their programs are behind and haven't gotten a chance to catch up with new technology. This is very unfortunate for these schools and the students. Twenty-five years later, I still remember going to my elementary school library and being so happy to search for and check out my books. Then we would all sit around the table, while the librarian read to us. It is a wonderful memory that many children will miss out on.
HeyJude had several posts this week. This blog is by a librarian in Australia, so many of her posts are going to be about things happening in the Australian library systems. But, we are a global community, so it will apply here as well.
In Essential Tools: Using Easy Bib, there is a guest post by Stacy Taylor, Information Services Manager at Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College, who uses Easy Bib in her International Baccalaureate secondary school for girls. Easy Bib is a free bibliography maker. It helps with works cited and has formatting for APA, MLA and Chicago styles. Ms Taylor explains that the school used to use a Harvard referencing tool called citation, but had to switch to a different application for several reasons. One was that their school became a Mac school and the previous referencing tool was incompatible. Secondly, a higher standard of reference was required for the essays and projects. Also, many of the teachers hadn't done a bibliography since their college days, and were unfamiliar with the current styles.
My thoughts: It is great to know that those programs are out there, to provide reference. I wonder if the schools are actually teaching the students to make the bibliography on their own, or just allowing them to generate them through the program?
For Paint Your Own Horizons, the author shares some information on advocacy and promotion of your library. In the Horizon Report 2011 K-12, school library professionals are told to keep technologies in the forefront of their thinking. The National Australian Library Association put together a website to inform people about the role of the school library in their community. It is called What a Difference a School Library Makes.
My thoughts: It is important for librarians and members of the community alike to be informed of what's going on in the academic/school library world. Other libraries should think of ways to use technology, or Web 2.0 principles, to find opportunities for promotion of their services and programs. This would help the public to perceive them in a different light.
Our Book Passion- in an ebook age describes the author's experience going to a Reading Matters conference hosted by the State Library of Victoria. This conference enabled librarians, teachers, and teacher librarians to mingle with authors and learn about the topics they write about. It was an excellent opportunity to speak with your favorite author, and get a book signed. The author later lamented the fact that now that she uses an e-reader, she no longer buys paper books, thus had nothing to get signed, which was a favorite thing to do.
This blog also mentions the website Inside a Dog, which is by the State Library of Victoria. It is a place where students can post book reviews or participate in Book Clubs, no matter their location.
My thoughts: This reading conference sounds like a lot of fun. I can't believe the author passed up an opportunity to obtain signatures from authors just because she had an e-reader. Yet another reason why I don't need/want one. The website seems really interesting. I wish they had something like that around when I was younger. That would have been something I was all over. But, unfortunately, there was no internet back then........
Annoyed Librarian had two posts this week.
In Provocative to Whom?, there is a discussion of the "provocative statements" released by the Taiga Forum, which describes itself as a "community of AULs, and ADs challenging the traditional boundaries in libraries." (AULs are Assistant or Associate University Librarians and ADs are Associate Deans or Assistant Directors.) These released statements are meant to start conversation and critical thinking about library issues, not necessarily predict the future. AL points out that in the past, when the first "provocative statements" were released, they were neither very provocative because most were already happening. The same goes for the new statements.
My thoughts: I agree with AL in that the statements are not very predictive of the future, and any conversation provoked by them is already late. Many of the statements are examples of things already happening, especially statement #2: radical cooperation, which states that withing five years, research libraries should reduce budget cuts by cooperating with other universities in jointly-owned collections, etc. Well, I am pretty sure we do that or at least something similar, with our database and e-journals and any other online sources that we use.
In Teachers and Librarians in L.A., the NPR story L.A. School District Tells Librarians: You're Not Teachers Anymore. Apparently, L.A. is trying to alleviate budget cuts by reclassifying the job titles of school librarians, from teacher librarians to just school librarian. This will make it easier to cut these jobs, and approximately 85 librarian positions are being cut. AL states that the school district is right. They are librarians, not teachers. However, that doesn't mean that they don't teach things. But, according to the school district, teaching students how to use the library and promoting English and literacy does not count. They are even trying to decide if librarians with education degrees can be classroom teachers. There is a similar mindset in academic libraries. Many librarians have trouble referring to themselves as professors or even faculty, even when they teach a class! For some reason, teaching a "real" subject in a semester long class is different than teaching a semester long class in information literacy, or any other class a librarian may need to teach.
Librarians are considered to be the low end of the totem pole because people are uninformed of what they actually do. It is the school librarians job to get out there and make a case to the public and the school boards. They need to let everyone know exactly what it is that they do, and why it is important. Unfortunately, they haven't done this very well in the past.
My thoughts: I agree with a lot of things in this blog. However, if the school librarians in California are required to get a teaching certificate, then, I believe, this classifies them as teachers. Maybe the school district doesn't see them as relevant because their programs are behind and haven't gotten a chance to catch up with new technology. This is very unfortunate for these schools and the students. Twenty-five years later, I still remember going to my elementary school library and being so happy to search for and check out my books. Then we would all sit around the table, while the librarian read to us. It is a wonderful memory that many children will miss out on.
HeyJude had several posts this week. This blog is by a librarian in Australia, so many of her posts are going to be about things happening in the Australian library systems. But, we are a global community, so it will apply here as well.
In Essential Tools: Using Easy Bib, there is a guest post by Stacy Taylor, Information Services Manager at Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College, who uses Easy Bib in her International Baccalaureate secondary school for girls. Easy Bib is a free bibliography maker. It helps with works cited and has formatting for APA, MLA and Chicago styles. Ms Taylor explains that the school used to use a Harvard referencing tool called citation, but had to switch to a different application for several reasons. One was that their school became a Mac school and the previous referencing tool was incompatible. Secondly, a higher standard of reference was required for the essays and projects. Also, many of the teachers hadn't done a bibliography since their college days, and were unfamiliar with the current styles.
My thoughts: It is great to know that those programs are out there, to provide reference. I wonder if the schools are actually teaching the students to make the bibliography on their own, or just allowing them to generate them through the program?
For Paint Your Own Horizons, the author shares some information on advocacy and promotion of your library. In the Horizon Report 2011 K-12, school library professionals are told to keep technologies in the forefront of their thinking. The National Australian Library Association put together a website to inform people about the role of the school library in their community. It is called What a Difference a School Library Makes.
My thoughts: It is important for librarians and members of the community alike to be informed of what's going on in the academic/school library world. Other libraries should think of ways to use technology, or Web 2.0 principles, to find opportunities for promotion of their services and programs. This would help the public to perceive them in a different light.
Our Book Passion- in an ebook age describes the author's experience going to a Reading Matters conference hosted by the State Library of Victoria. This conference enabled librarians, teachers, and teacher librarians to mingle with authors and learn about the topics they write about. It was an excellent opportunity to speak with your favorite author, and get a book signed. The author later lamented the fact that now that she uses an e-reader, she no longer buys paper books, thus had nothing to get signed, which was a favorite thing to do.
This blog also mentions the website Inside a Dog, which is by the State Library of Victoria. It is a place where students can post book reviews or participate in Book Clubs, no matter their location.
My thoughts: This reading conference sounds like a lot of fun. I can't believe the author passed up an opportunity to obtain signatures from authors just because she had an e-reader. Yet another reason why I don't need/want one. The website seems really interesting. I wish they had something like that around when I was younger. That would have been something I was all over. But, unfortunately, there was no internet back then........
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