Reference Librarian Interview

When we first received this assignment, I remember asking Professor Oakleaf if I should be trying to talk to a school librarian or not, since they are not “reference librarians” per se (I know, I know- what a learning experience this has been!). At that time, the professor said that I should try to expand my idea of what a reference librarian is, and that a school librarian was a fine choice for my observation. I only knew one school librarian to ask, and she was unavailable, so I “cold e-mailed” a local school librarian, because, based on her website, I felt she would be as innovative and forward thinking as our program is here at Syracuse.The first time I met with the librarian, I conducted the interview and we set up times for the observations. As we went through the list of questions and I heard her responses a part of me thought, “Oh no, maybe I did not pick the right person for this.” We were not too far into the semester, and we had just spent a fair amount of time on reference interviewing, and were just starting reference books on reference books. I was expecting answers that would be similar to what we had thus far learned.For example, when we talked about how she provides reference service to her patrons, she said that her library does not have a reference desk, and that questions are asked and answered on the fly. She even mentioned answering reference questions in the bathroom! The bathroom again came up when asked about the typical reference questions (as in, “Can I have the bathroom pass?”). She also said that her most often used reference resources were Google, Wikipedia, and OPAC. She claimed her goals for reference service were “down and dirty- just get the questions answered.” Her overall reference services are not evaluated in any way, because it was “not practical.” These were definitely not the type of answers I was expecting. What about the reference interview? The reference books on reference books? You use Google and Wikipedia? Is it too late to change librarians? Maybe the professor won’t like these answers, and will feel I should have changed if I don’t.I decided to go ahead with the observations and see what happened. Best choice I ever made! She is a fantastic school librarian, and it was my sense of what a reference librarian does that was off. This librarian has a very strong technical background, so a lot of her reference questions are AV related. I observed her one morning trying to help a teacher get set up who could not open her email, and could not print. She told me during the interview that a good area to focus on as I complete my program would be the technical aspect- AV issues, knowing Smartboard, Blackboard, My Grade Book, Photo Story, etc. She said that although they have a computer help- desk, most of the teachers will come to her first. On her list of things to focus on were also multi- tasking, flexibility, and life-skills. She demonstrated these beautifully throughout the semester. She mentioned to me that technology is a great inroad with the teachers- a way for them to see your capabilities and it provides chances to approach them about collaboration.Her style is casual, but you can tell right away the she is a real “go-getter.” When we discussed what reference service looks like to her, she talked about being very pro-active. She demonstrated this throughout the semester by pulling information for teachers, and approaching them on collaboration. Much of what I observed was the product of these efforts. One of the final projects I observed was having the students create Public Service Announcements about sexting. The health teacher she was collaborating with mentioned to me that it had been entirely the librarian’s brain child. In the day to day reference work, Lindsay said that reference questions span everything from readers advisory, to “where is…,” to technology help. She said that the “traditional” reference work is usually done on collaboration projects with teachers. When she is helping instruct on reference she said that she prefers a hands-off method, always trying to allow the student to run the mouse. As far as what a rookie needs to know, she mentioned OPAC, the internal circulations system (Mandarin for her), to know the library, and to know who to ask for help from. When deciding on reference resources, she said that most often it is the teacher setting the guidelines, however, aspects that she values are ease of access and speed (she genuinely is a busy person!), and that she feels Wiki can be a great place to start. When asked to describe a recent reference transaction, the story involved a DVD player not working for the teacher (surprise- a technology question!). The librarian realized the setting on the computer was wrong, but she does not have administrative access. She then tried finding the video on YouTube, but the school filters would not allow it. Eventually, they found the VHS copy and used that. Things that went wrong were having an unprepared teacher, not enough administrative access, and filters that would not allow her to get the job done. However, what went right was that they found a way (using the old technology) and the students got the information. She said that if she could change anything, she would like administrative access, and to be able to access YouTube. Overall, I was very pleased with my reference observations. She is vivacious, well-informed and has a real talent for her job. The answer that struck me the most though, was when asked what patrons she likes working with the most, she answered, “Kids who love to read.” And that, in a nutshell, is why we are here.

Fifth Reference Librarian Observation

Well, I was lucky enough to hit one more homerun in my last observation. I listened in as the school librarian, on November 9th, conducted a class on RADCAB. This, at first, seemed new to me, until I heard what it was. Lo and behold, it was almost exactly what we have been talking about as criteria for selecting web pages (or databases for that matter) for scholarly use. I had not heard this little “catch-phrase” before, so if you have not either, it stands forR= RelevancyA= AppropriatenessD= DetailC= CurrencyA= AuthorityB= BiasIn this class, the librarian started off only discussing three of them- Relevancy, Appropriateness, and Authority. She began with two methods that we have discussed in class- discussing the objectives for the day, and the use of a handout. The handout had questions that the students were to fill out while class was being conducted, and they were collected at the end of class as an assessment. For each of the three topics, the librarian began with asking the students for a definition. I noticed that for some reason (and this had not normally been the case) the students were lethargic and not eager to participate (perhaps a pre-lunch sugar low!). She would not go on, asking the same question, and in a very fun way, egged them into participating. Once the ball was going, participation picked right up. I think they may know she is not going to cave in and just move on!For each of the three topics, the librarian had two questions associated with each. For Relevancy, the questions were 1. Does this apply to what I need to know for my research? 2. Will it help answer my questions? For Appropriateness, the questions were 1. Can I understand everything without it being too easy? 2. Is there information that makes me or teachers uncomfortable? For Authority, the questions were 1. Who is the author? 2. Is the author an expert?She had, before class, prepared websites that the students went to in order to answer the questions for each topic. For each site, they students were given a few moments to click around, absorb the information on the site, and write down their answers to the two questions. This time, the answers were not discussed, and I believe this is because she was using the handout as an assessment tool, and not as a means of discussion, or take-away information. Again, she never sat down, but floated amongst the students, making sure everyone was on the same page (literally) and that they understood the information.The librarian wrapped up with questions. Correct answers received stickers for her “Thinker’s Board.” I am surprised at how eager junior high students are to get on the Thinker’s Board. Of course, they act as though it is a silly thing, but everyone who got a sticker made sure to put it on the board, and no sticker questions went unanswered. As usual, I felt this was a really great learning experience, and am quite sad that it was the last one. I contacted this particular librarian on a cold call, a pretty risky thing, and ended up with a fantastic observation project. I had such a tough time deciding which projects to look in on! She is extremely active in her collaboration with teachers, and always conducts herself and her class in a textbook perfect manner. I could not have asked for a better experience.

Fourth Reference Observation

My fourth session on November 3 with the school reference librarian was spent observing during a classroom instruction involving sexting. This classroom work was done in conjunction with the health class. About a quarter of the students take health at a time, so by the end of the year, all students in the school will have participated. Apparently, this is a big issue within the school (junior high, I may add!).The assignment involved creating a public service announcement about sexting. In true information literacy interest, Lindsay started by taking time with the students to evaluate what makes a successful PSA, including knowing the audience, knowing the goal, using “real” language, making it relatable, and emotional.For the assignment, the students were given many choices about the direction they could go. They could work alone, or in groups of two or three. They could create a poster, or an MP3 announcement. The poster could be done by hand or on the computer. All posters were to be hung in the school, and the best MP3 would be played on daily announcements.They were given a Rubrik to clearly show how to get a good grade. They were also given a handout that had room for their brainstorming, which had to be handed in as part of the project. The class also listened to a sample PSA a couple of times and discussed what elements it contained that they had discussed. The librarian applied the Think, Pair, Share method to get the students thinking and involved. All of these factors have come up as topics in our IST605 class. From allowing for different learning types to setting clear objectives, as well as getting the students interacting, the students were given an excellent chance to be both successful at their work, and to learn a valuable cultural lesson also. Much of the remainder of the class was spent working with the students on how to use Microsoft Publisher, Flickr and/or Audacity, depending on which type of PSA they chose. During this time, Lindsay also was clear about using Creative Commons, their own photos or clip-art to avoid copyright issues. Overall, this project served a dual purpose in both information literacy and the issues of sexting. By developing the project in the way that she did, Lindsay was able to really help develop the students in their information literacy, an important goal of the reference librarian of a school.Eisenburg and Brown are quoted “The IL individual recognizes a need for information, engages in information seeking behavior, explores, accesses and locates material, interacts with the information to formulate hypotheses, synthesizes, interprets and organizes the information, and finally evaluates the results. “ (from our Media Library in IST 605). I feel that the librarian provided a fantastic opportunity for her students to develop these goals.

Third Reference Librarian Observation

My third session with the school reference librarian occurred on October 15. I observed her on the final day of the Industrial Revolution movie project. Before class began, she was quite busy in a reference capacity attempting to assist a teacher in setting up her project in the library space. Although the librarian was not involved with the project per se, she spent a lot of time in the morning with the teacher, who was having a lot of trouble with her e-mail and printing (I was strongly reminded of our lesson plan unit in which we discussed always being prepared!!!).The responsibility of getting the computer and television/VCR set up ended up falling on the librarian. This came as no surprise, as during the interview, she mentioned to me to make sure to boost any technical skills I could. Apparently, she has become a bit of the “Go To Guru” for technology at the school. A couple of other reference issues she juggled before school began was scheduling space for a career resource program, and creating a responsibilities checklist for the library volunteers. Once class began, for this session, the librarian’s primary reference work was teaching and then assisting the students with the microphones for the narration of their parts of the movie. Reference issues included password management (a suspicious trend here), PhotoStory software questions, Creative Commons questions, and having the teacher from the morning pop into the computer lab a few more times for more answers about rewinding the VCR, and creating a link on the computer. During all this, the librarian managed to fix a couple of broken microphones and remind everyone of the importance of citation!When we were first assigned this project, I questioned whether shadowing a school librarian would be a benefit to my knowledge in a reference capacity. What a fool I was! I am beginning to see that a school librarian is bombarded with reference questions from the beginning of the day right up until the end (she has even mentioned getting reference questions in the restroom!). I have also appreciated this project in the sense of really getting a chance to see what “A Day in the Life of…” consists of for a school librarian.Although I am sad to not have seen the movie final project (I am supposed to be getting a link!), my next visit will involve a new project!

Second Reference Librarian Observation

My second observation of my school librarian occurred on October 9th. We met a little before school started for the day. Before homeroom began, the librarian fielded a few reference questions, and helped run the circulation desk. (I also checked student’s books out, and discovered that anime really is as popular as everyone has been saying!) The reference questions before school started involved a password management issue, scheduling with teachers, and a phone call that involved a student’s library privileges being revoked. I got the impression that this was a pretty typical reference morning.Once class started, the students began working on the on-line search aspect of their projects. Since we have just covered lesson plans in class, I was able to pick out many of our learning points as the librarian worked. First, she had a quick “What stuck?” session for a brief informal skill assessment. (While she did this, I answered my first reference question and looked up a computer password for a student). She then challenged the students to find a definition for copyright online in 60 seconds. As they did this, she walked around and noted the methods in which the students accepted the challenge. I thought this was a great way to get the students engaged and actively participating. At the end, she told the students how she would have done it (Google define: word), without forcing her way on to them. The students were able to apply this knowledge later to search other terms, but they were given the chance to try for themselves first, and evaluate their own way to search for a definition.Throughout the lesson, the students gained information knowledge on copyright, search methods, creative commons, and saving to a shared file. They were introduced to Wiki-media commons, Flickr, and United Streaming. Every time they moved to a new site, she reinforced to the students that the first thing to do when they found a usable source was to write down the citation. She also frequently did checks to make sure everyone was still together, by walking constantly around the room, looking at the screens, and also engaging the students with questions. At this point, it was a pleasure to observe that the students were really getting into their project- they really enjoyed conducting their search and making independent decisions of what pictures to use in their portion of the movie. The librarian also made a point to remind the students to analyze the pictures to determine how they would be organized. What a great way to help encourage their higher order thinking! The students were also encouraged to continue their search at home and save to a flash drive. At the end of class there was a brief discussion with the collaborating teacher. Both felt that too much time was spent on the information learning aspect and that the students did not have enough time for conducting their own search. They agreed that the plan would be slightly modified in the next period. I realized there may be a difficulty when collaborating with teachers- in some ways, the librarian and the teacher may have slightly separate goals, ie- history lesson versus citation lesson. I asked her if she has run into difficulty with teachers on this, and she felt that any problems she had encountered had been pretty mild. Overall, I felt this was a successful lesson plan, and though both instructors felt the need to tweak a little, in general, the students were able to learn in a rewarding, positive, and fruitful environment.

First Reference Librarian Observation

I have met with the school librarian who I am observing for my reference librarian observation. I met with the librarian once before, actually, to conduct some of the interview, but time flew and I would like to discuss and observe more with her before blogging about the interview. For this portion of observation, the librarian was collaborating with a history teacher on a unit researching the Industrial Revolution. The students will be in the library for a three step process for this project- the first part to use print resources, the second part to look at computer sources, and then the students will be creating a “movie” using PhotoStory. Each student is required to research and capture a specific portion of the period for their part of the movie. Overall, it was such a pleasure to do the observation. I genuinely felt that I was watching our readings in action. The librarian is highly interactive with her students. She did start the class off with a PowerPoint, but it was very brief, and she kept the students involved by asking a lot of questions, walking through the group, and complementing not just right answers, but also efforts at answering questions. One thing that she did that I thought was really great was that when she asked a question, the students responded not by a simple “Yes” or “No” but with standing up if you agree, holding up certain number of fingers depending on your answer, etc. I feel that it kept the students much more focused and interested. In her discussion portion of the class, she reviewed how to find key words, and how to know what type of information to look for. The students were filling out a Graphic Organizer based on a handout reading. I felt that the librarian was able to go over some basic points to make sure that everyone was “on the same page” without sounding redundant. She asked the students the questions, and utilized a “Thinkerboard” that students put their names onto for responding correctly. She reviewed how a thesaurus is organized and how to find both the information they needed for the report, and also what information was needed for citation and how to find it. I felt this was a good way to cover assessment needs, as some students wanted to look up Alexander Graham Bell under A (yes, this a junior high. Shocking, I know).After the lecture, the students paired up, and worked on the print resources together. Both the librarian and the history teacher circled throughout the class, offering guidance and keeping students on track. I was especially impressed when some boys (in a play to distract) asked her about her love for reading. She responded (briefly) about being read to frequently as a child, and then turned this into a short readers advisory reference moment by asking the boys what they enjoyed reading. This interaction only took a few moments, (not fooled by their tactics!) but now when these teenage boys come into her library, she will be ready with reading that will interest them. I appreciated that she treated them respectfully, but maintained their focus. During wrap-up, she asked students to hold up as many fingers as they had incomplete boxes on their Graphic Organizer (there were a total of 5). There was no admonition or criticism of those that accomplished nothing in the time period. The librarian merely pointed out that they would have a lot of work to complete independently before the next meeting. I felt this was a positive way to put the responsibility of learning in the hands of the students, without being judgmental. Overall, the class felt relaxed, and yet productive and respectful. I felt the students were at ease, and this was a positive learning environment. As the history teacher said, “This ain’t your momma’s library!” The librarian showed multiple reference librarian skills, from teaching to reader’s advisory to a quick password management question after the bell rang. I could see within just that one hour that the reference aspect of a school librarian is a continuous, multi-layered integral part of the job.

Hooray for school librarians!

I was very happy and excited today to hear from a school librarian from EMS. What an inspiration! I may very well be asking to do an internship with her. She discussed weeding school collections, where it has not been done in many years. As I do my project work for IST612 on my home district, I have been thinking quite a lot about how to step into a district that has fallen behind the times, as it looks like my district has. I have wondered how to and what it would take to get the collection up to snuff. And she was able to answer many of my questions, even as I thought them.
Although that was the guest speaker that I most closely connected with, today's other speakers were also inspirational and well-spoken (always a bonus when the guest speaker is vivacious on top of interesting!). The public librarian that spoke was also very inspirational, and in another example of how library careers seem to often meander, much to the pleasure of the "owner" of said career.
One last exciting thing happened- our group has by and large finished the poster project! We decided to do stacks of books , with open books interspersed throughout, with our information on the open books. We are exploring the issue of best use of space in libraries- amore traditional, academic feel, or a service, community feel. Overall, I feel we did well, although, given more time, I would like to make changes. Some of the changes we can perhaps sneak in come morning, but for now, I think it is time for me to retire and get some rest for the last day of bootcamp. Wonder if we will the trip to the ALA symposium......

Working hard on IST 511

This morning, our lecture and guest speakers were all about systems in the library. I take this to be the IT side of things. I realized just how far I need to go in my education, though, for much of what was said I was not able to fully comprehend. It did strike me, however, that many of the guest speakers have enjoyed a meandering career path, different in every single case, and very specific to the interests and/or needs of the librarians. This is a added bonus to the field, that there are such a variety of places to take this degree.
Today we got a tour of the rare book collection/archives area. What a beautiful thing a rare book is. It appears that creating books and buildings have something in common. In the past, they were created as works of art that were also functioning. Somehow, I think most of the time, that art combined with functionality has been lost. We have been talking about and seeing pictures of the new Seattle Library, and although impressive, to my eye, just does not have the beauty of many buildings I have seen in Europe that are centuries old. This holds true for books also. Don't get me wrong, I could not be more thankful to Guggenheim, but I also think in gaining one thing, we have lost another. Some of those books took my breath away. When I become independently wealthy, I shall become a rare book collector!
In the evening, the group got together for more posterboard project work. We are getting there, although I wish we were a little further along. But of course there is always tomorrow night!
In conclusion, I have to say that although I am sure of becoming a school librarian, I can see myself moving into other areas later in my career- just for the fun of it!

Poster Contest

In our bootcamp class of IST511, the professors have challenged us with creating posters to potentially be shown at ALA conference, or at least to our own cohorts on Friday! My group had decided to look at the disagreement between librarians about social commons in public libraries. It appears that this has become more socially accepted than previously anticipated. Most of the articles I find are quite in favor. However, I did find one article that shows, given the choice, children (more so boys) will choose not to do educational work in the library. I think we may switch to school libraries- I think that is more controversial than the public libraries. School libraries are still seen to be more traditional learning environment.
We also had the opportunity to hear from a couple of academic librarians today. They were both very interesting and vivacious. Although I do not want to go into academia, I found myself still eager to hear more of their work. Great speakers!
One last thing covered in IST511 today was the search assignments given before semester and yesterday. In this area, I am a slow learner. I do not feel I have come close yet to grasping the search skill. This is a difficult area to learn, as it seems one must really just "play around" in the databases to see what they do. The scientist in me would love a standard operating procedure! But I continue to embrace change!

Bootcamp

Just finishing my first day of IST511 (or rather starting my second day as it is now after midnite) and I am only beginning to find out why they call it bootcamp! We have covered so much ground today!
Prof. N. and Prof. C. started filling us up early in the morning reviewing the text work. Then we had great guest speakers on public libraries. We started our poster information and we were assigned a search project due tomorrow. Not to mention the advisement session.
Overall, things are going well. Maybe it is the scientist in me, but I think I would learn better froma a more structured lesson plan. The information is great and really interesting, but I know that without reviewing the power point, I will be missing a lot. Or maybe I am just tired!
i would like to be more inciteful, but all this information has to boil down a bit before I can make more sense of it- we will see tomorrow night!

One more step

About three years ago, I began to dream about becoming a librarian. There always seemed to be something in my way. I thought it was one thing, then I thought that it was another. I finally realized I was in my own way. I overcame my fears, and set a date to take the GRE's. And I surprised myself by doing well! So then I took the next step, and sent in my application to Syracuse University. Lo and behold, I was accepted!
The next step in my journey began this weekend as I attended my first graduate level course- IST601- Information and Information Environments. Yes, it was tough- I have been working really hard for the last several weeks, preparing for the 7 credits I will be taking over the next two weeks. I received my first graduate level grades- and again, surprise, I did OK! As I was walking to my car, tired but proud, I began to look a little further into my journey. Up until now, I have only been looking at the very next tree, too afraid of being overwhelmed by the forest. Today I lifted my eyes just a little, and I could see that when the professors talked about going out into the world, making our degrees obselete, and being instruments of change, they were talking to me! And better yet, I knew that I was up to the challenge.
At the end of the day today, we were asked to write down our Take Home thoughts. In class, I wrote down a couple that sprang to mind. One was just how important collaboration is. We had a group project due less than 24 hours after meeting one another, and not only did we have to quickly assess the strengths of our partners, but we also had to quickly utilize those strengths literally overnight. I was thankful for a fantastic group that was willing to really go the extra mile, and it showed, but I do realize that won't be the case every time. In a school library setting, I must learn to assess the strengths of both faculty and students, and help to bring out their best. I have already begun to realize that excelling in collaboration is absolutely necessary for a school librarian.
The second Take Home that I wrote down is related to the first, in that it deals with interacting with others. As Professor Heckman noted, in order to get people on board with your changes, you must be able to read them and "know what makes them tick." We must figure what motivates them- what flavor of carrot, so to speak. I actually spent a lot of time reflecting on that within the context of my current position, where the organizational culture has felt so rigid to me in the past. I have, after this weekend, realized that change is not something I need to do alone. I need to colloborate with my peers, and we need to present these changes to management in ways that are meaningful to these managers.
My last Take Home involved a deeper, more personal reflection, was not written down and did not come to immediate fruition. But as my evening has progressed, and I am settling into these new thoughts racing around my head, I have come to realize it is maybe the most important one for me personally. Not only can I do graduate level coursework at SU, but I really can be an instrument of change, and a source of positive energy wherever my future may lead me. Perhaps this is over simplified, but the fact remains that it is genuinely life- altering for me. Not only can I make a difference, but I will!

Reader's Response

In the article, Rethinking Collaboration: Transforming Web 2.0 Thinking into Real-Time Behavior, Sheila Cooper-Simon (2008) explores moving from a Web 1.0 to a Web 2.0 world, within the school library. She compares the use of Web 2.0 at the elementary level to the college level, as well as discussing various definitions of Web 2.0 and how they affect libraries and their relationship to knowledge. She also gives examples of how school librarians can transform existing problems into Web 2.0 solutions.Cooper-Simon begins by describing a project she developed with her fifth graders. In this project, there were elements of Web 1.0 (publishing), where the work should stand alone. There also needed to be areas to “construct knowledge through social networking processes.” In effect, a blend of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. Cooper-Simon then goes on to describe the work of Dr. Michael Wesch, directing the readers to his YouTube videos. The author compares the projects of Wesch's students to her own, and finds them different only in the level of sophistication. She also feels a correlation of both her and Wesch's ideas of using Web 2.0 tools such as Wikis, discussion boards, and blogs in education. Cooper-Simon then confesses her surprise at the correlation between the disconnect of college students in a didactic, large university lecture and the fractured discontinuity of school librarians attempting to work with so many students. However different the problems, the surprise solution, according to the author, is using a Web 2.0 frame of mind.Next, Cooper-Simon explores the various definitions of Web 2.0 and the idea that although some of these definitions appear contradictory, they all have common basic elements: Web 2.0 is social and open, it is a releasing of your data, and a mixing of local and global data. The author then goes on to explore how the traditional role of libraries being the “keepers” of knowledge is changing and evolving into a more fluid accountability to “reflect” knowledge. She says that the core of this process of change is collaboration. The library/librarian must move outside it's physical boundaries. “The library should be a physically viable place that represents a learning commons among many in and beyond the building. This is the shift from Web 1.0 thinking to Web 2.0 thinking.”In the next section, the author begins to explore specific ways to utilize Web 2.0 thinking. She discusses the frustration many librarians feel at their lack of time and resources, and claims that while these are legitimate concerns, librarians need to focus on the positive. Cooper-Simon challenges the school librarian to look at their use of time in a different way and to think of eliminating outdated activities. She describes goals such as “thinking globally and acting locally,” “seeing the forest through the trees,” and focusing on the “big picture.” Using a “spiraling curriculum,” is one way of achieving these goals. This involves being able to place focus where it is needed at the time, and to always keep the over-all complete curriculum in mind. There needs to be strong communication and collaboration with staff to keep everyone focused on the same goals. There needs to be a strong underlying basic grid that guides the instruction and assessment. Cooper-Simon also gives two brief examples of Web 2.0 thinking solutions in the school library. One is addressing the complaint that the librarian is no longer reading to the students. Two Web 2.0 solutions suggested by the author are developing an on-line book club and/or collaborating with staff to have someone else read books to the children. The second issue is the upkeep of a traditional Web 1.0 website with lists referencing good websites. A Web 2.0 solution, according to the author, is creating a learning commons where a group of students ultimately maintain the site and the librarian acts as managing editor.Sheila Cooper-Simon really explores the many facets of developing a school library into a Web 2.0 way of thinking. She discusses Web 2.0 definitions, different projects, gives specific “problems” with Web 2.0 solutions, and explores the modern libraries relationship with knowledge. She concludes that it is the librarians “delight and responsibility to listen carefully to how it unfolds.” Cooper-Simon (and Wesch) feel that we are in a “creating” culture , and the use of Web 2.0 is an integral part of this culture. Cooper-Simon, S. (2008). Rethinking Collaboration: Transforming Web 2.0 Thinking into Real-time Behavior. Teacher Librarian 36(1), 34-8.

Chapter 15, MLIS

Ron Powell’s “Research” chapter, in the Portable MLIS, really got me thinking about different types of research and the pros and cons of each- depending on what type of results you are looking for. I come from a predominantly science-oriented background, so I have definitive (narrow?) ideas of what “research” means. To me it has meant
1. Develop the hypothesis.
2. Design and run the test method to challenge the hypothesis- with a very standard set of rules using controls, etc.
3. Evaluate the data and conclude if the hypothesis was able to be proven or not.
I would say this is a distinctly qualitative view of research! As I move into this new field, I realize I must now develop new ideas and skills, utilizing other research methods. To help flex this under-developed muscle, I imagine my research “problem” to be learning to meet the needs of my student patrons (a never ending research!). With this in mind, I mulled over the different research methods discussed by Powell, and how they relate to my research “problem.”
The first method Powell discusses is the survey. I thought of taking quick informal surveys of the children after a book talk- just a hands up if you enjoyed the story and some general questions about what they liked/ disliked about it. I also remembered from my librarian interview with Ms. St. John that she mentioned having games of voting a favorite book from a list, but in a “March Madness bracket style list,” where books are weeded out, with a final winner. Ms. St John also has the children play question/ answer games that are based on books. The children actually come up with the questions themselves, so this could really be a way on surveying what books the children are reading. I realize these are non-traditional survey methods, non-the-less, the end result of finding out what the students like (and getting them to read!) is still success. (Darlene St. John, 6/8/2009).
There are several different types if focus groups that I envision developing. One would be with some of the teachers in the school (maybe one from each grade, maybe all from one grade…) in order to have complementary goals for the curriculum. Another idea from Ms. St. John was a focus group of all the librarians within the school district. They did their group to standardize a technology curriculum.
As far as the Delphi- style, I would like to utilize other elementary school librarians to help develop my collection, especially the first year or two. There seems to be an overwhelming number of choices in children’s book selections, and the input of some other field experts could definitely be beneficial. I do realize, however, that ethnography would need to be factored into the expert choices, in that their group of students may be different in culture, etc.
One last method that I anticipate great things from is the technology centered method. This is a great way of tracking (quantitatively!) what books/genres/authors are being checked out the most.
In science research, as I stated earlier, one must evaluate the data to see if the hypothesis will hold true. Although I have no hypothesis here, I still realize the value of analyzing all the input from these various methods. One is for myself, to know that I am giving 100% to my job, but also for the teachers and librarians that have collaborated with me in these projects. Certainly, the rationales that Powell presents apply here- personal growth and improved service, but also possibly budget justifications.
Powell states that “Research in LIS…has not been as rigorous… as would be ideal.” (p. 177). For my purposes here, though, informal as they may be, I feel that they could be informative, revealing, and ultimately a tremendous help in my achieving success at knowing the needs of my student patrons.

Interview with Darlene St. John, June 8, 2009.
Powell, R. (2008). Research In K. Haycock, & B. E. Sheldon (Eds.), The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts (pp. 168-178), Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited

Chapter 14, The Portable MLIS

As I read Mary Chelton's chapter on readers advisory services, I kept thinking about my interview with a librarian (Darlene St. John, June 8th), as well as some of the librarian blogs that I have started following. This chapter really excited me- engaging people in reading and the joy of books is the whole reason I am in this program, and Chelton discusses many of the things that I am eagerly anticipating.
One thing Chelton discusses is reading groups. I have been thinking about parent/student reading groups as a way of letting children explore some more controversial works. I know that being in a school setting, the controversial readings may not happen, but still to have a reading group where parents and students are involved seems like a great opportunity to both introduce new material and to help families connect! I have also been reading a lot in blogs about clubs and groups that meet in the libraries before and/or after school, and that seems like a great chance to develop some reading groups, too.
Another thought that went along with involving parents was utilization of the the school web-page. I perused the library web page of some local elementary schools, and found one in particular (West Genesee School District- East Hill Elementary) that had class projects posted that looked like they utilized such Web 2.0 resources as Flickr and podcasts. Every single child had a project posted for their parents to see. Electronic resources could also be used to have the kids develop a newsletter- giving them a chance to learn about things like graphics. Ms. St. John has her children write up a newsletter, but she dislikes the copying associated with it (can you believe that was her least favorite part of her job?!?!) so I thought maybe the newsletter could be posted on-line for other students and parents alike to see.
Chelton also briefly mentions author visits (pg. 163), which also made me think back to my interview with Ms. St. John. She had mentioned bringing in several different people, such as authors, as a way of engaging the children. I also found a web page where you can hire authors to fly in and speak. I realize though that some schools may have tighter budgets, and that these possibilities may not work. But what about getting the high school kids to come in and read to the younger kids something that they have authored? Or doing book talks?
One last item Chelton mentions that I am eagerly anticipating are the displays. I can't wait to start going through the collection and combining books in different ways to generate curiosity. After finishing this chapter, I went on-line and searched for library displays (some are even pictured on Flickr). One librarian mentioned pulling some old books out, dusting them off for a display, and they have been getting checked out regularly ever since! I definitely think that "merchandising" the collection is especially important with young children.
One thing that Chelton does not mention is the use of games, current events and contests to draw in children. Ms. St. John uses a lot of these type things- book voting contests based on sports, question games based on books, etc. to draw in the children. What a great way to get kids to read, even though they have not really asked for reading advice!
I am so excited to be learning about all the interactive programs that today's librarians are developing that I can only say one thing- I can't wait!

West Genesee School District- East Hill Elementary Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://blackboard.ocmboces.org/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_4368_1
Interview with Darlene St. John, June 8, 2009.
Chelton, M. (2008). Readers Advisory Services: How to Help Users Find a "Good Book." In K. Haycock, & B. E. Sheldon (Eds.), The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts (pp. 159-167), Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited

Chapter 11, The Portable MLIS

The ability to use databases effectively is an important aspect of a librarian's job. We are in a service oriented field, and most of our clients expect us to be able to aid them in their searches. Upon reading Judith Weedman's "Information Retrieval: Designing, Querying, and Evaluating Information Systems," I quickly realized that gathering "all but only relevant data" (p. 123) can be very complex. Weedman breaks it down into three areas: design, use and evaluation, all three of which, as I read, I looked at in reference to our search assignment.
Weedman states that "Understanding how a system is designed is crucial to understanding how to use and evaluate it (p. 115). She mentions knowing the mechanics of the search engines- all the parts of the algorithm that the database uses to rank it's output. When doing our search assignment, it was obvious that the systems (Ebsco and Wilson) we sampled are different, both in their algorithms used for ranking, and also in their pools of information to pull from. For example, it seemed that I would get a lot more international sources from Ebsco than from Wilson. Although these algorithms are "trade secrets," I believe the more you familiarize yourself with each system, the more you will have an inherent understanding of their capabilities.
Weedman also discusses the importance of making your search fit the system (p. 120). Typing in general words such as children, media, and literacy, gained me very different results in Ebsco and Wilson. Part of refining the search is knowing how I want those words to relate to one another. Do we want to know how literate children are in certain medias, or do we want to know how literacy is affected by media? One thing the databases did was to list other subject phrases that were similar to the search. I found this to be a great aid to help figure out the direction of the search, even with unclear goals in the beginning. Weedman also discusses that searchers need varied approaches and to be knowledgeable about the systems they are working with. I could really see that while doing the search assignment. When I first started , it felt like I was stabbing in the dark, but each time I go back to the databases, I gain another useful nugget of information. Querying databases is definitely a craft that combines skill and a certain level of thinking outside the box.
In the last area, evaluating, Weedman compares relevance to beauty- in the eye of the beholder (p. 123). How true! You could have twenty different people start with a general search of media, literacy and children, and in the end, wind up with twenty different positive outcomes. Weedman focuses on evaluating the search engines and the databases and leaves out evaluating the user. However, in my situation- a student learning to become a searcher that others rely on- it is my journey to be evaluating the user. A lot of work needs to go into learning how to maximize the databases available, and to also learn efficient ways to evaluate new databases. It is my job to see that my client's searches end up with the relevancy they desire.
In conclusion, I am learning that information retrieval is indeed a skilled art that is undervalued right now by our young. Getting people to take the time to evaluate databases, when Google and Yahoo are so accessible and fruitful, is and will continue to be a challenge for today's librarians. Teaching about reliable sources of information and how to develop a good search strategy should be started and emphasized at a young age. I know of a very bright high school student (now on a full scholarship to Colgate) who was recently devastated to learn that Wikipedia is not an infallible sourse of information! That is why librarians (like me!) need to lead the way in educating our young on proper information retrieval.
Weedman, J. (2008). Information Retrieval: Designing, Querying, and Evaluating Information Systems. In K. Haycock, & B. E. Sheldon (Eds.), The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts (pp. 112-126), Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited

The Portable MLIS, Chapter 9, Evans, G. E.

The biggest point that I came away with from reading G. Edward Evan's Chapter 9 of The Portable MLIS is that communication skills are an absolute requirement of an outstanding librarian. Although Evan's lists seven key areas as stand alone points, I feel that five in particular are integral in the developing librarian's communication skills.
It all comes down, really, to Evan's first area of "know/learn your service communities needs and interests." (pg. 88-90.) This is a multi-faceted area in a school setting. You have many factions of the community: the students, teachers, parents, and even those making the budget decisions. Each one of these factions may have very different ideas of what is needed, acceptable or beneficial material. For example, some parents may not want controversial material allowed, while teachers may disagree about specific subject matter or sources for information. As the librarian, you must consider all of the represented cultures, reading levels, ages and interests of the students. And with the growing emphasis on standardized testing, comparative needs should be given detailed attention. Evans states that using benchmarking can help to increase budget support (pg. 89), and that is something to really take note of, with budget cuts seeming to be across the board these days. By being able to back up your requests with statistics from other schools, you may get that additional funding. With all of these factors to consider, I understand why Evans says that newcomers to collection development rely heavily on normative needs (pg. 88)- it is a basis to start with until you get to know all of your community needs more intimately. I think it is important to learn these needs, using such ideas as questionnaires to students, parents and teachers, as well as comparisons to other schools, to name only a few. The ability to communicate (and do it well) with all sorts of people in all sorts of positions in respect to the library collection choices is fundamental to developing a successful collection.
Knowing your community is really the foundation of some of the other areas that Evans discusses. Expecting change, being flexible, scanning the environment, building relationships, engaging in collaborative ideas, and accessing information are all based on knowing who your community envelops and exactly what their needs are. Expecting change in an ever-changing community and being flexible is an exciting prospect of becoming a librarian, and I look forward to developing both my own life- long learning skills, and also those of the students and my co-workers. The next, engage in scanning, is directly linked to expecting change. When you are continuously scanning the environment, you should certainly get the heads up that change is occurring. The trick will be learning to scan all the relevant areas in your community (such as ethnicity as Evans points out, but also changing interests of children, new educational material, different teaching techniques in new staff members, and new technology), and knowing how to accommodate these changes in the best way on a limited budget!
Scanning and expecting change are two ways in which to get to know your community. Building relationships and engaging in collaborative activities are also facets of knowing your community. A tremendous part of building relationships professionally is to work collaboratively on programs. Again, there are so many different groups to build relations with: parents, teachers, vendors, and of course, the students themselves, that it is vitally important to be “scanning” these relationships, too, ensuring that the wants and needs of all the groups are not going to go unnoticed. Collaborative projects that incorporate two or more of these groups will help unify all of the benefits of a library within a school. When I went to my son’s open house at school, we visited the library as a family, and we were the only ones there! I think open house can be time to bring students, parents, and teachers together to start the dialogue, the importance of which can not be overstated. When else can you have everyone in the same building?!? Using posters, games, contests, free coffee- anything to get the families in there! This dovetails nicely with Evan’s last point of accessing the information. You may have the best collection out there, but if the community is not accessing it, the information is useless.
I hope that forging close relations with all aspects of my school community, listening to everyone’s needs, working together on projects and being flexible and open to change will help open the lines of communication. I will strive to have a close knit library community of the children, their parents and my coworkers, and to utilize all of our resources to the fullest. It is very important to me to not be a “status- quo” librarian, but to be an innovative, pro- active leader in my school community. I believe that really great communication skills using these areas of collection development are an integral part of these goals.
Evans, G. E., (2008). Reflections on Creating Information Service Collections. In K. Haycock, & B. E. Sheldon (Eds.), The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts (pp. 87-97), Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited

The Portable MLIS, Chapter 1,

What I found most fascinating about Richard Rubin's contribution to The Portable MLIS is the various roles that libraries have played in different cultures through history, and what today's roles reflect about our own culture. Historically, roles have ranged from business affairs, religion, personal fulfillment, education, and last but not least, public service. Looking at each role of the library is like holding a special filtering lens up to each society to get a very clear view of that culture's morals and values. I had not previously considered that a library could give such a clarifying perspective. I found myself especially pleased to be joining the ranks of librarians at a time when our culture places a high value on both education and public service. I am often teased that I am a "bleeding heart," but I feel adamently that a culture as stable and wealthy as ours has an obligation to provide educational opportunity to all.
Which is why I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Boston Library and especially Andrew Carnegie- can't wait to read a more thorough bio on him! (p. 8). They are excellent examples of the benefits to all of philanthropic endeavors. Regardless of what their initial reasons were for expanding library use, it became a win-win situation. If only we could trace all the people whose lives benefited from just these two philanthropic acts alone, we could clearly show the absolute necessity of allowing opportunity to all. How many have "pulled themselves up by their bootstraps" through the use of public libraries (Carnegie himself is an example!)? I must wonder where our culture could be if all our wealthiest donated as much as Carnegie did.
These musings tie in nicely with the ALA's Four Key Values, and my feelings about our culture's responsabilites. We can not possibly prepare our youth for a successful future without incorporating intellectual freedom, and serving all people within our society. Who knows at what social level the next Einstein will be born into? By providing an education to all, all will benefit from the more numerous advancements that can be made from a larger , more well- educated pool (as one with a science background, I know the value of standing on someone's shoulders to further research is immense). It is also critical to keep thorough, non-biased records of the past to ensure the greatest benefits to society- we need to be aware of these other shoulders to make use of them!
I can not fathom how some feel that libraries are an outdated artifact, however, there are some who do. It is paramount for us, as librarians, to educate everyone we meet on the importance of libraries and their role in society of service and education. In conclusion, when I imagine what our society would come to if we do not maintain our commitments to intellectual freedom, education, service, and a way to stay linked to our past, I fear writers such as George Orwell, Ray Bradbury and H. G. Wells may not be considered so fictitious after all. When I originally read 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and The Time Machine, I did not think about the role of libraries in these cultures, and the loss of these particular values. However, after reading Rubin's chapter, I feel an even stronger commitment to becoming a librarian and doing all that I can to pass on these core values, and evade the grim futures held forth in these novels!
References:
Rubin, R. E., (2008). Stepping Back and Looking Forward: Reflections on the Foundations of Libraries and Librarianship. In K. Haycock, & B. E. Sheldon (Eds.), The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts (pp. 3-14), Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited

New beginnings

It is with great excitement that I begin this journey.  I am making a career change, yes, but I also feel that it is somewhat more of a life change.  The ultimate goal is to become a school librarian, but I will really enjoy the trip there.  I had not realized just how much I genuinely miss learning.  Already I am having so much fun learning all of the Web 2.0 information.  Who knew I would be a blogger before classes really even get under way?!?  I am very interested in following some other bloggers, such as http://blogs.iis.syr.edu/mslis/ and a few others that I glanced through briefly in my short journey to this point.  I will definitely be going back and marking them to get updates.  I also look forward to trying the go@blogger.com function to send pictures from my phone- just for the learning experience!  I will also need to use mail-to-blogger to retrieve the picture.  I also will be checking out the ACRL blog.
It is very good to know that there is such a strong network community out there- it is a little intimidating that a whole schoolful of kids are depending on me to really bring books alive, amongst all the other information technology they need to learn about to be really successful in our developing world.   I have a feeling that the blog may come in very handy as a reference tool for myself, instead of having little scraps of paper with all the things I need to check out.
As excited as I am about the technology side of this journey, I must say that I am equally enthusiastic about learning to be a great librarian.  Everything I have done so far, such as reading about the historical functions of the library to reading about other librarians' ideas of drawing kids into the library re-convinces me every day that this one of the best decisions I have ever made.  May the games begin!