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
Showing posts with label Library Analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Library Analysis. Show all posts
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.
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