Oscars, here I come!

Okay, well maybe I need to refine my skills a bit, but it was really fun producing this first tutorial on finding a nursing article from a nursing journal in CINAHL.

Check it out...

Evaluating the TLP!

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm in the process of writing my evaluation of the Teach-Library Program from a students perspective. It's challenging to do this...While the program experience for me has been great - valuable, focused, tangible (in terms of project results) - I hope it is the same for the next person who comes along to fill this role.

I don't know why, but for some reason, I think my situation was different when I applied for this position. Coming into the LIS program, I knew that I wanted to combine my skills as an instructional designer with those of a librarian. When this position was posted and I saw that I would be working w/ Beth, receive free tution and a small stipend for only 20 hours a week - wow! - it was a no-brainer!

Even though the project is not over yet and I still have lots of work to do until the end of April, here are some of my thoughts for the next student coming into this internship....

1. Be flexible and keep your eyes open - you never know where a project might take you, how it can impact your portfolio or what networking connections you may make....so be open to new challenges and try everything you can
2. Look for connections - I had to work a little bit harder to align my courses with the practical aspects of my job, but it can be done! I created a distance education collection of resources from my 615 course and am using my 636 course to redo the Distance Education Services home page
3. Don't be afraid to speak up - if the project isn't going as planned or things seem to be moving in a direction that isn't benefiting your learning experience, it's okay to say so
4. Use what you know - everyone comes into a job or school with experience of some kind...so use it!
5. Have fun and get to know others in the library - I have to admit, I have had a ton of fun, but I have not done a very good job of getting to know others in the library - oops! So I'm going to try and work on that this last half of the year

So those are my words of (self-proclaimed) wisdom thus far...I plan on putting them into my formal evaluation but I thought I would put them here more informally. Trying to get my thoughts around what I need to say and how I'm going to say it...as I said above...is going to be challenging!

Cheers,

A

Crafting content....

It seems like we should be much farther along in the semester than week 4!?!? Oh well...I think I'm just anxious for spring to get here!

Thinking of spring and new beginnings...The Instructional Tech Toolkit v.1 was officially completed this past week. Laurie is going to upload it to the live site next week and we'll be able to do a soft roll out to faculty, students and staff. I still want to push it to some students for usuability testing, however, I want the final version link to be sent and not what we currently have up there. I will post it soon!

The toolkit project was great to work on, but I'm very happy I still had some work to do on it coming into this semester. I'm taking a web usability course and reading Jakob Nielsen's book helped me to focus on some areas that needed tightening up - namely, content. Nielsen points out that users don't read - they skim. And what they do read is nebulous until they get to what they really want to read - the information they've been searching for - the article or more indepth stuff that's not right up front on a site...basically, what I would call 'drill down' content. Thinking about this on the toolkit site helped me to hone the landing page text and (hopefully) make it easier for users to navigate to the tools they want to explore.

I'm applying the same principles to the redesign of the distance education services pages this spring. It's one of the projects we agreed to look at and since Camtasia is still being sorted out, it will give me a link between practice and classroom theory. I wish cataloging was more about organizing information as it pertains to the web, as having both of these classes together paired with this internship would have been a grand slam!!! Oh well...can't have it all...

Getting Back into the Groove...

After several weeks of cancellations, delays and other various false starts, I'm finally beginning to feel like I'm back into the mode of school, work and...well...LIFE!

Here's what I've been working on, thinking about or about reading to get going on:

Internship....
Things have been going great in this department! Beth had the toolkit reviewed and we've had some very positive feedback. The team went through with a fine-toothed comb and I just completed the edits this past week (on time, according to my deadline - whoo hoo!) So here's the 'soft rollout' of the site:

Instructional Technology Toolkit - I would love some feedback on it!

The next phase of the internship will be revamping Beth's website pages and revising various 'how to' tutorials. More to come on that...

School...
Fortunately, I am taking an online course this semester dedicated to usability and web design (636 - Web Production and Usability for Librarians) that is going to help me immensely in doing some of the above mentioned work. This class isn't all that taxing as far as the concepts, however, there is going to be a great deal of reading and production work. I'm not that familiar with conducting user testing and I'm thrilled to have an opportunity to do this phase of the project.

Cataloging is my other course, and...well...it's cataloging. However, I am enjoying it a bit more than when I first started it. (Did I just type that!??!) No, I do not want to be a cataloger, but my heart has softened towards those that do this type of work and enjoy it.

Life...
I'm working on a very exciting book project this semester that sort of just fell into my lap! I'm going to be interviewing two women librarians - one works in a public library and one is an entrepreneur - for a book about various types of entrepreneurial librarians. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the topic and hone my writing skills. I wish it was a paying project, but they handed me the job without question, so I'm hoping it leads to other paying opportunities in the future! Keeping my fingers crossed on that one...

And my little tidbit for today is to keep plugging...I read some comment on a blog that said librarians are antiquated and irrelevant...ouch...I had to think on that one for a long time and ask myself, "Does my profession fit this definition?" To this I say, "no" but we are in danger of heading this way if we don't promote, market and engage ourselves in more future-forward thinking. So keep plugging...there are some really great librarians out there doing some tremendous things!

Peace out -

A

Excuse me, are you using that AACR2 at the moment?

I'm learning something I never thought I would ever have to learn in my entire life. When you were a kid and you visited the library, did you ever wonder who typed up the cards that went in the card catalog? If you are asking, 'what's a card catalog'...here's a picture...and yes, I am that old!!!

Well, as a kid, we spent loads of time at the library and I can remember thinking about that very cool card catalog and how fun it would be to put the cards in there...hahahaha...I have no idea why...probably stemmed from my love of typewriters, rubber stamps and stamp pads, and almost any type of office supply.

So guess what I'm learning in my cataloging class...yep! All about how to create all those entries that go on the actual card! Oh joy...and what's even worse is that it's not just a few little rules to learn...there.is.an.entire.binder.of.rules! And not just a 1" binder..oh no...it's like a 3" binder!!

I keep asking myself - 'why do I need to know this?' 'what possible effect could it have on my future career as a librarian?'....you know what? I still don't have any answers for these questions (and a lot more, like 'what the heck is main entry other than my front door?')

So off I go, into the deep dark night, trying to figure out how to label title pages of books. I'll try and find the highlights for us non-catalogers before the semester ends...I promise!

Cheers -

A

Free, free, free (e)books please!

I'm officially an ereader as of December 25th! Thank you, Santa (er, Mark ; ) for my new Kindle! Amazon had a banner Christmas too, I see, with all the new Kindle owners out there. So, of course, like any good consumer, I wanted to start to actually read on my Kindle. Then I found out:

1. Kindle's don't work with EPUB or Adobe Digital Editions formatted books which meant (for me) no free library books

2. I need to shop at Amazon to get my books...boo

I guess I should have been a bit more thorough on selecting my ereader, however, I highly doubt I would have received the Sony eReader for almost $300 that does essentially the same thing as my Kindle for $189!!!! Yikes...

Like any good cheapskate, I started scouring the Internet looking for free ebooks. Here are some things I have learned:

1. Kindle books are in MOBI format which means...even if Kindles are on the list of supported devices, you still might be able to download the book and use Calibre to format it to read on your Kindle.

2. DRM = rotten, stinking bugger that won't allow you to read the newly downloaded books esp. if they are EPUB format! Arghh...so what do you do then?

3. eBook Converter - a little software download that removes the DRM and allows you to format your book so that you can read it on your Kindle. CAVEAT: This is a bit naughty...kind of like using Napster before Napster became regulated. >:( There are lots of debates about DRM (oh - Digital Rights (or Restriction) Management - sorry!) so read up and pick a side. >:)

But lets get back to why we are here...eReading on the cheap! Here is my list of resources of free reading material for your Kindle:

Free ebooks by Project Gutenberg
Feedbooks
Free Kindle Books on Amazon
Amazon - Limited Time offers (some free and some on the cheap!)

Happy Reading!

A

Gone, Daddy, Gone...

I am gone...no more papers, no more books..yada, yada, yada! A few weeks of not having to go to G'boro will be a HUGE treat for me.

Here's a recap of what I learned from both my classes:

Info Users & Uses:

Got to understand the people to understand how to best serve their information needs...that means leaving the library to do research!

Collection Management:

It's imperative that librarians learn to tell the communities story otherwise, no one will bother coming to use our libraries. Sad, but true.

Those are the BIG takeaways..there's lots of little stuff thrown in but I'm tired of writing epistles. ; ) Let's just keep it short and sweet and say, Merry Christmas everyone!

Cheers,

A

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I've held many jobs in my short life span. Some have been pretty unique, like the time I was an office manager for a volunteer fire station in rural northeastern PA. There was a time when I was an art conservator assistant where I cleaned wall and ceiling murals and mixed various soapy concoctions to clean a myriad of who-knows-what off of priceless state owned oil paintings. I've worked administrative assistant jobs (old schoolers know this as 'secretarial' work :) and I've even worked as a field reporter during college covering local news with a lead anchor.

I guess I've seen a lot/done a lot and maybe not everything, but in each job I've gained something to take with me. All lessons learned should not be forgotten because it seems that the world of situational experience is cyclical. To quote the great Yogi Berra, "It's like deja vu all over again." (Wikipedia, 2010)

However, there is something unique about being a 'working student' or GA. For some reason, the moment the student role is assumed, it seems that past experience, knowledge and respect go by the wayside. I have worked as a graduate assistant in my previous graduate degree program and I distinctly remember the hierarchical treatment by some faculty members...not all, but some.

As a member of the teach-library program, I have a certain level of responsibility to perform a job. Not only am I on the payroll of the library, but also, I am a representative of the caliber of student the LIS program is attracting to their program. I have had the pleasure this semester of working with people who respect the experience that I bring and have taken on this project by looking at it as not a GAship with some "extra writing work" tacked on to make it unique.

The reasons I applied for this position were because:

1. I wanted to work with someone who was doing the role I hope to do some day
2. I wanted to collaborate with faculty and practioner to (hopefully) make changes or enhance both the practice and the curriculum
3. I wanted to have a unique experience that might elevate me from the title of "student" to be included in big picture thinking about my profession as an information professional

This is, and should be, more than what a typical graduate assistantship entails. If it is not, than either the practioner or the faculty member are not performing in their role to allow the student to unite them and bring about rich discussion to our field. In my experience, the student in this role has the unique opportunity to perhaps influence the work within a particular specialty area and if, after getting the foundational elements, are not able to experiment or express their desires towards change or be included in a collaborative, than somewhere the model is failing that student.

People will always say 'that's the way it's always been done', however, if this was true, we would still be riding on horseback instead of driving hybrid vehicles. {insert your 'green' argument here} I think you get the point I'm making....

This is an opportunity to respect the ideas and experiences that a person who happens to be a student brings into the workplace. If treatment of the student is regarded by practioners that they should feel blessed to even be entering into such hallowed grounds, I think the praticioner needs to review why they signed up to join in on this program in the first place.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T - learn it, live it - if you want a GA, that's easy to get. If you want a teach-library student, then it's more of a give-and-take relationship and, at some level, those involved need to provide the necessary financial and curricular opportunities to attract the caliber of student with the necessary experiences to make the program successful for all.

Works Cited

Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia-Yogi Berra: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi_Berra#cite_note-21

More than a GAship: The Teach/Library Project Defined

Here I am w/ my poster....

Abstract

The Teach/Library project is a joint venture between UNCG’s Library and Information Studies department and Jackson Library to foster an innovative exchange of ideas, knowledge sharing and goals among a faculty member, librarian and student. During the course of one academic year, the student works with a librarian in a chosen specialty area. They collaborate to create projects that align with student’s interests and career objectives and practitioner’s needs. The faculty member contributes fundamental understanding, theory and/or learning objectives through either a course or regular meetings. All contribute to the shared knowledge by electronic journal, in this case, a wiki. The DEAL method is used to focus the weekly reflections by asking individuals to describe and examine their own “personal growth” and “academic enhancement”. The final step, “articulate the learning”, is a synthesis of the entire week’s experience; to understand why an experience matters and what changes can be made to improve an experience. (Ash, 2009)

The overall objective is that all three parties are sharing, learning and meeting individual goals. Each is an equal stakeholder in the learning process. Upon project completion, it is desired that a body of work (article, presentation, etc.) will be produced and shared with others outside the institution.

The Difference

The DEAL Method: (Ash, 2009)

• Describe
• Examine
• Articulate Learning

Each member reflects on this process each week and places it in context with experiences learned or observed. The wiki provides a collaborative and engaging space in which to share meaningful dialogue with each other.

The Benefits

• Practical experience while learning “the basics” of library studies
• Networking alliances
• Academic financial support (Student)
• Communicate academic initiatives and needs
• Practitioner viewpoint encouraged
• Collaborative and open – no hierarchy

Works Cited
Ash, Clayton & Moses. (2009). Learning Through Critical Reflection. A Tutorial for Service-Learning Students. Raleigh, NC.

Posters, posters, everywhere posters

I did my first ever poster presentation. I'm sure some of you may think, 'ho-hum', but it was a great first time experience. This is the second year that my LIS department has done a conference. It's a great way to meet people, network and see what other students are working on with faculty. The conference is called iDEALS...please take a look! I think it's a pretty good conference and if you are local, think about attending next year. (or presenting!)

My poster was about the Teach/Library Project that I am working on this year. My poster was a bit different from others as I didn't really do any research. I merely presented on the project, what made it a bit different from other internships or GAships, and how we are using Blackboard's Wiki feature to share our experiences.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing a poster and would do one again in a heartbeat. Here's my reasons why:

• It is more informal and not as intimidating as doing a presentation before a large group of people.
• There was no technology setup or snafu's to deal with
• If you are a social butterfly who likes talking to people, it's very fun!
• It's great to find out what others are doing and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE...

I would have loved to see more librarians from our campus or other campuses attend. It would have been great to see more faculty and students from other library school programs, too. I met two very nice UNC students, one of whom presented today. Aside from the great projects being done at UNCG's LIS department, it would be a great venue for recruiting! Something to think about next time...

Great experience and I highly recommend it!

Cheers,

Amy

Back to Community Mindedness...

In the beginning of the semester, Dr. Bird had us read a few articles by David Carr on the topic of a Community Mind. The premise is that libraries, museums and archives need to work together to tell the collectives story. These are the places where our histories are capture and stored, but they need to work together and present the entire communities stories, while constantly monitoring and adapting to the changing story.

Carr had 6 points in his article which he felt an institution should embody:

• Connecting Through Story
• Experimentations in Inquiry
• Public Spaces
• Foundations of A Community Mind
• Acts of Giving
• Necessity of Story (Carr, 2002)

I struggled with some of these concepts as I felt that libraries, museums and archives all struggle to finance themselves. There is only so much that can be allocated to staff salaries, preservation, collections, and acquisitions, not to mention the new collections/exhibits that need to be developed to present to the public. So my initial reaction was somewhat luke-warm. Our follow-up assignment was to read about digital libraries and then visit a few sites. Again, I wasn't too impressed with what I was seeing and, to be honest, I was having a hard time making 'connections' with some of the online libraries. They seemed totally disconnected and I wasn't sure how they would ever be useful to the public, especially after reading Carr's article.

However, the more I have thought about digital collections and libraries, the more intrigued I have become and am starting to see the value in them. I was on my way to ERIT Wednesday afternoon when a book on the shelves near the circulation desk caught my eye. "Library 2.0 and Beyond" is a compilation of works by various authors on technology use and users in the library, however, there is a great chapter on Digital Storytelling by Karen Diaz and Anne Fields. In this work, they discuss the importance and effect that regular storytelling has on a community and how, with our now digital capabilities, storytelling can open our structures to allowing users to learn more about who we are and what we do. (2007)

Of course, gleaning the stories and making them so that others would want to read them is part of the difficulties that they mention. I think, though, that people would read them if they saw them online. Digital stories can build relationships between the community of users, not only in the academic setting, but also in a public library where incentives can pay off in tax dollar amounts. (Diaz & Fields, 2007)

I know this is a bit much for a reflective post, but I wanted to share this thought and hopefully, generate some discussion about it. What would it mean for Jackson Library to start incorporating this model of digital storytelling on their website? How would it enhance the user experience according to Carr's ideas of community mindedness?

References

Carr, D. (2002). A Community Mind. Public Libraries , 41 (5), 284-288.

Diaz, K. & Fields, A. M. (2007). Digital Storytelling, Libraries, and Community. In N. Courtney (Ed.), Library 2.0 and Beyond: Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow's User (129-139). Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

My Tagxedo

Here is my 'peace librarian' tagxedo that I created tonight. It contains all the words that are in this blog. I love it! Now I need a t-shirt with it on it...

Hello Wiki! Meet My Blog!

I wanted to put this on my blog...This assignment is posted on our Blackboard course wiki, however, I won't be able to access it after class is over. The assignment was to create and present an electronic list of resources based on either material, process or user community. We then needed to market it to other librarians. I struggled with this assignment, but in the end, I think it came out okay. The Prezi is my marketing piece and the resources for Distance Education Users as a community are listed beneath it. Here are the fruits of my endeavors...

Distance Education User Community

Distance Education Users on Prezi

Introduction

As more universities and colleges begin to turn towards online education as a viable means of delivering classes, libraries are going to need to learn how to serve this community of users. Distance education students were typically students who received instruction by mail or traveled to a site designated by the school to receive instruction through video conferencing. With courses being available online, students can not only access their coursework, they can also access their college’s library and materials. Librarians who are looking to build a collection of online resources and materials to serve this population can use this guide to serve as introduction to meeting the needs of this user population. Resources are listed alphabetically by category.

Articles

Ault, M. (2002). Thinking Outside the Library: How to Develop, Implement and Promote Library Services for Distance Learners. Journal of Library Administration, 37, 1, 39.

Article is a bit dated but provides librarians with a framework for thinking about and using different strategies to reach distance students. The article focuses on identifying users and their needs and then building resources and services to meet their needs. UNCG’s Jackson Library owns this article and it can be accessed through Journal Finder.

Calvert, H. M. (2002). Distance Education from a Collections Development Perspective. Journal of Library Administration, 37, 1, 117.

The author focuses on the collaborative process that is needed between librarians and faculty who are delivering distance courses to provide a better experience for distance learners. Studies and initiatives are taken from Ball State University Library who have experienced these issues and have had successful distance program outcomes. UNCG’s Jackson Library owns this article and it can be accessed through Journal Finder.

Raraigh-Hopper, J. (2010). Improving Library Services for Distance Learners: A Literature Review. Reference Librarian, 51(1), 69-78.

“Academic libraries offer many services to distance learning students. The sources of literature reviewed here offer information that shows relevant similarities and differences between library services offered to traditional students and distance learning students. Likewise, the associated findings from the literature offer insight that is applicable for a project to modify and improve library services for distance learners in higher education.” (Raraigh-Hopper, 2010)

Associations

ACRL: Distance Learning Section
http://caspian.switchinc.org/~distlearn/

ACRL is a division of the American Libraries Association and has a section dedicated to topics on distance learning. This site maintains news, standards, statistics, research and other resources that would be of interest to librarians seeking information on distance education.

Lita: Library & Information Technology Association
http://www.lita.org/ala/mgrps/divs/lita/litamembership/litaigs/distancelearningb/distancelearning.cfm

A division of ALA, Lita focuses on technology education and services to all librarians, independent of library type. While some of the material may have more of a technology focus rather than the user, there is a Distance Learning users group within the body of Lita that may be of interest to librarians who support distance education users. Lita publishes a peer-reviewed journal, Library and Information Technology, that includes information on topics related to distance education.

Bibliography

ACRL Distance Learning Section: Library Services for Distance Learning: Fifth Bibliography – 2008-2010. Retrieved from http://caspian.switchinc.org/~distlearn/resources/5thBibliography/BibliographyHome.html

The fifth version of ACRL’s Distance Learning Section bibliography provides current information on library services for distance learning. The work was edited and compiled by an extensive committee of academic librarians including UNCG’s Jackson Library Distance Education librarian, Beth Filar Williams who was co-chair for this edition.

Blogs

Duke’s CIT: Center for Instructional Technology
http://cit.duke.edu/blog/category/library-resources/

Blog is written by members of Duke University’s Instructional Technology faculty. Entries contain information on technology tools, as well as, how to teach with them. Although posts are not all focused on distance education, they are focused on the use of technology with regards to teaching and learning. Interested users can subscribe to the blog’s RSS feeds for updates.

Books

Goodson, C. (2001). Providing Library Services for Distance Education Students: A How-To-Do It Manual. Neal-Schuman Publishers, New York, NY

This book gives librarians ideas and resources needed to provide online services to distance students. Since its publication date is nine years old, this book may not be quite so current in technology. However, the need to plan and strategize an approach to serving distance students can be independent of the technology. This books shares forms, documents, sample policies and other resource materials that will be helpful to librarians who are seeking more information on how to serve this user community. (Stahr, 2002)

Moore, M. G., & Anderson, W. G. (2007). Handbook of distance education. (2^nd ed.) L. Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ

This received favorable reviews by both Technical Communications and Indian Journal of Open Learning for its ease of use and ready-reference for anyone delivering instruction at a distance. Michael G. Moore is editor of the American Journal of Distance Education. This is a holding in the UNC library system. (Martinez, 2008)(Mishra, 2009)

Noah, C.B. and Braun, L.W. (2002). The Browsable Classroom: An Introduction to E-learning for Librarians. Neal-Schuman Publishers, New York, NY

While this book is geared more towards school and public librarians, it does offer a foundational understanding of distance education. The book offers an approach to planning, starting and ‘balancing’ online with onsite projects. (Lankford, 2002)

Arant, W., & Mosley, P. A. (2000). Library outreach, partnerships, and distance education: Reference librarians at the gateway. Haworth Information Press , New York

Albeit mixed reviews on the timeliness of the technology at the time of this printing, the book offers strategies and examples of how librarians are using technology to reach their patrons. The book is a compilation of twenty papers on such topics as “technology and outreach, targeting special connections, a different approach, and outreach in an academic library.” (Reid-Smith, 2001)

Book Series

Williams, D. E., & Golden, J. (Ed.). (2010). Advances in library administration and organization (Vols. 1 - 29). Bingley, UK: Emerald.

This series provides relevant and timely researched articles on numerous library topics, including distance education and technology. Series is available online and in print through Jackson library.

Conference Proceedings

Off-Campus Library Services Conference. (2010). Fourteenth Off-Campus Library Services Conference proceedings. Mount Pleasant, Mich: Central Michigan University.

For those who were unable to attend the conference but who work in distributed, branch, or electronic academic libraries, or interact with faculty teaching remotely or electronically, this invaluable resource covers a wide range of distance learning issues, including how to develop and promote library services for distance learners, how to establish a partnership with faculty to improve these services to students, and more. This volume is highly recommended for librarians and administrators at academic institutions with distance learning programs as it will provide them with awareness of the best practices and innovative methods to meet the needs of distance learners and faculty. (Stahr, 2003)

Dissertations/Thesis

Chatham, L. (2005). Exploring the guidelines for library services to distance education programs. Retrieved from http://www.ils.unc.edu/mpact/mpact.php?op=show_tree&id=4737

Chatham explores the way in which library services are provided to distance education programs. She aligns her research with the standards set forth by ACRL’s Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services to see how they compare and contrast. The results and recommendations are included in the summary.

Guidelines

ACRL: Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/guidelinesdistancelearning.cfm

These are the standards that have been set forth by the Association of College & Research Libraries on use and provisions for the distance education community. The guidelines provide an excellent starting point for librarians who are seeking initial information on serving the needs of this user group. Included in this online document are foundations and specific requirements, as well as, other links to resources that will assist libraries and librarians.

Journals

Moore, M. (Ed.). The American Journal of Distance Education. Routledge.

This journal focuses on use, effect and problems associated with distance education. Articles are composed of research studies as well as conceptual pieces, interviews with distance educators, book reviews, and short descriptions of publications received. “Libraries serving these populations [education, higher education and business] will find AJDE to be an essential title.” (UlrichsWeb, 1997) A link to the journals website is here: http://www.ajde.com/

Lee, S. H. (Ed.). The Journal of Library Administration. Routledge.

Many of the articles have a focus on librarians, distance education and technology related topics. UNCG’s Jackson Library owns this journal and it can be accessed through Journal Finder.

Poe, J. (Ed). Journal of Library & Information Service for Distance Learning. Routledge.

Aimed at serving librarians and information professionals, this journal is focused on the topic of distance education. Some subjects that will be of particular interest to librarians building collections for distance users are “collection development strategies, faculty/librarian partnerships or collaborations, cutting edge instruction and reference techniques, document delivery, remote access, evaluation, etc.” Description was taken from publisher’s website. Journal can be found at UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Pembroke, as well as, Winston-Salem State University and Appalachian State University. A link to the journals website is here: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/WLIS

Perry, E. H. and Pilati, M. L. (Eds.). Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. MERLOT.

A free and peer-reviewed online journal that is managed by the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT) website. Topics are geared towards online teaching and learning. The website link is http://jolt.merlot.org/currentissue.html

Websites

ASTD’s Learning Circuits
http://www.astd.org/lc
This is a website developed by the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) on the topics of e-learning and the resources to enable people to use technology effectively in teaching online. While this is primarily focused on the corporate training industry, it has many good tips, tricks and trend-watching guides that librarians can use when working with the faculty, staff and students at their institution. ASTD is a national recognized organization in training and online learning.

Library Conference Planner – Conferences that focus on Distance Education
http://lcp.douglashasty.com/
Provides links to various national and international librarian conferences. Several national conferences that librarians may want to focus on are Brick and Click, Distance Teaching and Learning, Educause 2010, and E-Learn 2010. Referred from UNCG’s Master’s in Library and Information Studies Resource page.

References

Lankford, M. (2002). [Review of the book The Browsable Classroom: an Introduction to E-Learning for Librarians, by C. Noah and L. Braun]. School Library Journal, 48(7), 147.

Martinez, D. (2008). [Review of the book Handbook of Distance Education, by M. G. Moore and W. G. Anderson]. Technical Communications, 55(4), 441.

Mishra, S. (2009). [Review of the book Handbook of Distance Education, by M. G. Moore and W. G. Anderson]. Indian Journal of Open Learning, 18(3), 167-168.

Raraigh-Hopper, J. (2010). Improving Library Services for Distance Learners: A Literature Review [Abstract]. Reference Librarian, 51(1), 69-78.

Reid-Smith, E. R. (2001). [Review of the book Library outreach, partnerships, and distance education: Reference librarians at the gateway, by W. Arendt and P.A. Mosley]. The Australian Library Journal,50(2), 191.

Stahr, B. (2002). "Distance education services “[Review of the book Providing Library Services for Distance Education Students: A How-To-Do It Manual, by C. Goodson]. Library Journal, 127(9), 132.

Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. (1997). Retrieved from http://libproxy.uncg.edu:2424/ulrichsweb/Search/fullCitation.asp?tab=6&navPage=1&serial_uid=185501&issn=

How do you NOT use information?

Okay, that's my question for the week...but let me give you a little bit of background so it makes sense. I think it's going to be very enlightening, not to mention interesting to see what types of info I don't use.

I need to observe people not using information this week for my Info Users & Use class...I know...how do you do that!?!? Kinda tricky, but my readings this week discussed some ways that people use different coping strategies:

Monitor (want to know everything on a topic right now) or Blunt (just give me what I can handle; I'll come back when I'm ready for more);

and whether information use is self-imposed (meaning you go ask the questions) or if they are imposed (you have someone else go ask the question for you and then bring you back the answer). I know that last one is tricky but hey...I'm new at this whole thing ; )

So with all the information that we down in a given week, think about what you don't use. Do you catch yourself skimming the house classifieds or help ads, but you don't need either? What about all the ads you watch on TV - what do we do w/ that information? See...I told you it would get interesting...have fun!

Cheers,

A

E-Everything...What's a librarian to do?

We've been talking about digital libraries in our Collection Management class and while I love (LOVE) the idea of all things being online so I can access them from the comfort of my own home, I have to admit, the inner paper/print-lover in me is getting a little squeamish.

I've been reading several articles on digital-this and e-book-that...the latest is an article by Jeffery Young in the Chronicle on professors building their own textbooks. In some ways it's wonderful because they would be able to mix-n-match chapters of books and have them assembled as either an actual print book or as an e-book for students.

CAVEAT #1: This is going to make buying used books a thing of the past for students.

CAVEAT #2: Professors won't be able to mix-n-match from competitor sites.

However, e-books can be more affordable. I know the e-version of my course text was much cheaper as an e-book than a print book. I have been learning that some of the e-books offer a limited number of views and that is concerning to me. If I buy an e-book, I want to 'own' that book in my collection, not 'rent' it!

The other BIG and LOOMING question I have is:

What does this mean for the future librarian?

I'm not exactly a Luddite, but it does make me wonder what a library is going to look like in 10 years. Fortunately, I know I want to work with faculty on online course design and distance education students. I want to bring my ID background into play. That will mean a focus on technology. Through my intern experience with Jackson's Distance Ed librarian, I have learned that a great deal of what I would be doing would involve technology. And a distance librarian, as far as I can tell, does not have a collection of books to manage like other areas of the library. There is more technology and tech tools management than actual printed documents.

However, it does make me pause and think how students are going to decipher who-wrote-what and is that really want we want to be doing - creating compilations of books rather than having them read the actual book? I know professors have been doing this for years - hello course reserves! - however, I'm not sure I like the "McDonald's effect" when it comes to learning. Hopefully, professors will still be requiring at least 1 complete text that relates to the course theme and then uses the e-book compilations as resource reading. I hope...

Some other readings about digitization & future library thinking can be found here:

A Truly Bookless Library

The Librarian's Crystal Ball - this is definitely a must read for those academic librarians out there

Libraries of the Future
Chronicle's review of The Limits of Digital Libraries based on The New Yorker's actual article, "Future Reading: Digitization and Its Discontents"

Happy Reading...and Cheers,

A

Love Cool Survey Tools

I found this nifty little survey tool online called Urtak. You can invite people to take 'yes/no' surveys that you create and then get some fun data from them. I'm working on my Information Users and Uses class and this week is all about.....

INFORMATION NEEDS AND SEEKING

Wow! I know...it's going to be interesting to observe this week. I haven't figured out where I'm going to do my observations yet, either. But I decided to check out this tool for work AND create my own survey for my class research at the same time. I know...you are thinking...what a genius this girl is! LOL!

So take my poll.. who knows...maybe we might learn something interesting together!

Peace out,

A

Where am !? What am I doing?

So far this semester has gotten off w/ a BANG! Literally, I think I heard the gun shot about the 23rd and feel like I've been running ever since. I need to slow the ponies if I'm going to make it until December.

Classes are good...1) Collection Management and 2) Information Users & Uses. I like them both, but not as thrilled with some aspects of CM. I would really appreciate a better organized syllabus esp. when it comes to what's-due-when. I don't know...I like things a bit tidier. I can see where this isn't going to be my favorite class, although I do find the readings to be enjoyable and interesting.

And here's the head kicker...already my prof for IUU is making my headache! Oh stop with the crazy references to scholars on the definition of information!!! I can't take it! LOL...just kidding...I love it, actually, as it makes my brain feel like it's getting a good workout. My summer was spent pumping iron in the gym. Now my brain needs to do it, too!

I LOVE (LOVE) my internship with the ERIT group. Really happy to be there and am loving my project work. I wish I could turn it into a class, that's how good it is (and time consuming with the journaling).

Okay..off to do my readings! 2 weeks down and 13 to go...

Orient Me!

I get "orientated" on Saturday - whoo hoo! So here's my schedule:

8:30-9:00 a.m.
Check-in and continental breakfast (muffins, fruit, juice, coffee, etc.)

9:00-9:30 a.m.
Welcome and introduction of faculty

9:30-10:00 a.m.
Introduction to the program requirements

10:00-10:15 a.m.
Break, refreshments will be served

10:15 -10:45 a.m.
Campus information: (Parking, Books, bookstores and other book buying options, Jackson Library, TLC and TRC, LISSA membership, Campus computer labs, A walk through Curry will be given on the way to lunch)

10:45-11:30
Various Classrooms (Assignments TBD)
Meet with Advisor (Andrews, Bird, Carmichael, Chow, Chu, Durham, Gann, Hersberger, Kealy, Martin, Oguz, and Shiflett)

11:30-1:00 p.m.
Lunch with a current LIS student/LISSA member
Each group will be assigned one current LIS student/LISSA member

1:00-4:00 p.m.
Technology Boot Camp (304 and 305 Curry) - Signed copy of a technology competency checklist at the session for student folder will be handed out upon completion.

This means I can get there closer to 9am which really excites me because I was dreading the thought of getting out of my bed at 6:30 on a Sat. I know, I know...summer is over, but I'm clinging a little bit harder to it this year as I'm a bit fearful of all the work I've signed up to do. I just need to get started...

My Teach-Library job, however, is rockin'! I've already edited a tutorial that my boss did on how to conduct research. Once it goes live I will post it because the Plagiarism/Paraphrasing part is probably the best thing I've seen on the topic. Good stuff!

Okay..now I need to go read how I am supposed to write about what I'm learning and all that good fal-de-rall.

Cheers,

A

Got Me A J.O.B....

I'm pretty excited about this new adventure I'll be heading into in just a few short weeks. A few weeks ago, I applied for the Teach Library Internship within the Electronic Resources & Information Technology (ERIT) group on campus. I was pretty sure I wouldn't get it...how's that for being optimistic (and confident!!)? So I was amazed when I received an email two weeks ago telling me that I was the recipient! Whoo hooo...thank you God! This pays for my tuition for the entire 2010-2011 year. A huge deal in our household..AND...it's in an area near and dear to my heart - distance education!

I don't know exactly what I'll be doing, yet, but I know that I'm working with the Distance Ed. Librarian and a faculty member from LIS. It's a project-based internship where I'll actually 'make' something and it will be (fingers crossed) used by the ERIT group.

Anyway...now comes the tough part of getting myself back in gear with ye old ID stuff. It's been awhile...almost 5 years...and although I think most of it is common sense, I don't want to walk in to this job with the "duh" sign hanging over my head. However, I AM excited about the possibility of doing some real ID work and possibly creating some online courses. That would be fab-u-lous!

More to come...cheers!

A

To Be Real

I just received my "welcome" and mandatory orientation invitation by email yesterday. Hmmmm...is this all for real?? Am I really going to be a full-fledged student AGAIN!?!? Guess me and Toto are going to find out on the 21st of August!

There's going to be lots to do and learn this year. My 2 courses for this semester are...drum roll...:
1 Core - Collection Mgmt
1 Elective - Info Users and Uses

I'm pretty doggone psyched I'm going to have Dr. Hersberger again and that her course is mostly online (yippee!). I've liked all my core classes so far, too and collection management fascinates me. How does one decide what books, periodicals, reference matl's, etc. to choose!?!?!

As for orientation...well, I hope we do fun things since it's all day on a Saturday. I'm sure we'll be introduced to the faculty and other "new" students - like meeting new people, but...I'm not big on icebreaker stuff (but who really is!??!)

Secretly, the geek in me is hoping we get a tour of Jackson Library. I've been there and used what I need to use, but it would be nice to get the "behind-the-scenes" view. Besides, it would just be great to know a little more about what's there.

So...I'm limbering up my fingers so I can start writing about my journey again. It's been a little slow this summer but that's all going to change in 5 short weeks.

Cheers,

A