tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734759625861144582024-03-05T14:30:41.792-08:00Klub KatalogThe greatest blog about libraries you will ever read.Klub Kataloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04434073590077544382noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-39606599366995701162012-05-25T06:47:00.001-07:002012-05-25T06:48:02.909-07:00Google "Research" ToolFirst off, let me have a slight panic moment: why is Google trying to make librarians obsolete? Since they don't necessarily even understand what we do?<br />
<br />
Having said that, let me tell you a little bit about a new "research" tool on Google. I read an interesting (depressing) review on the <i>Chronicle's</i> <a href="https://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/google-docs-research-tool-a-review/40119" target="_blank">ProfHacker</a> blog about Google docs' addition of a Research Tool (official language). Basically, users can highlight select portions of text in a Google doc, click on the Tools menu, and have Google try to find a matching citation on the web. Recent changes to the feature allow users to limit to Google Scholar and make citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago. I will also state that at least two people in the comment fields had written reviews earlier in the week only to have Google update the Research Tool, thus rendering their reviews obsolete. So as you read this post, keep in mind some of the features may have changed.<br />
<br />
The research tool has pros and cons.<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Pro</td><td>Con</td></tr>
<tr><td>Students really struggle with citation.<br />
Having a tool to show them how to do it will help</td>
<td>Will students actually learn the citation style for their discipline?<br />
And how important is that?</td></tr>
<tr><td>Students will have help doing research with tools that are familiar to them.</td><td>Information literacy is an important component of an academic library.<br />
Using this tool is no proof that students actually understand the concepts of information literacy.</td></tr>
<tr><td>Students can limit their search to academic resources.</td><td>What guarantee is there that the students will read more than the abstract if they can't access the article?</td></tr>
<tr><td>Might help cut down on plagiarism</td><td>But will students do the research themselves and then write the paper?<br />
Or will they write the paper and then try to find sources that fit what they wrote?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'm sure there are more pros and cons than what I listed.<br />
<br />
What I found most shocking were the comments from the faculty members at the bottom of the page. I felt as though none of them addressed the possible pitfalls of the tool. Granted none of them were librarians, and perhaps I am being reactionary.<br />
<br />
Thoughts?Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820468105157093452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-36547755311227086832012-05-21T19:14:00.000-07:002012-05-21T19:15:36.380-07:00College Librarians and Media Specialists of Washington State Spring Conference<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last week I attended the CLAMS conference at South Seattle Community College in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle. It was a two day conference entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Library Advocacy Success Stories</i>. I couldn’t attend all sessions because of my work schedule, but I had a few nuggets I thought I’d share. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first day featured a “library success” presentation by Pierce College, mostly about their recent remodel of the library space. It really turned out beautifully. They focused on creating clearly defined spaces for different types of learning – collaborative, individual, multi-media, instruction – and different “vibes” – absolute silence, coffee-shop, whisper-level, interactive etc. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbKge7AN7GaXnz8SWL5sPH3yDJu0nngl6OzkY0kM3Y7V3cvc3AXwgvc9UT0EluMSlsWR39Or5X6EIxwMRqYrsH-ftsiusNP4BgW8i_b5EJ60qe6XiaL0w42jYKOx5YgHuE-0CT0FxwURk/s1600/piercephoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbKge7AN7GaXnz8SWL5sPH3yDJu0nngl6OzkY0kM3Y7V3cvc3AXwgvc9UT0EluMSlsWR39Or5X6EIxwMRqYrsH-ftsiusNP4BgW8i_b5EJ60qe6XiaL0w42jYKOx5YgHuE-0CT0FxwURk/s320/piercephoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This photo from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Library Journal</i> terms it as “zoned” for different types of interaction. The signage is all one-word. The reference desk just says ASK and the circ desk says BORROW. You can kind of see them in this photo:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg40F4BB_5GGa9LcIcebkBUdTMudfLgOW05aYfQkag3Ld8KJ9_GZc0qNUnEo241wxwBmsIYBOKcD7HSUGJPbVQ0lxQmLgSTJwOZi1V2uTkaNexSEzaPiCLFm-Mlz27-eYdOEDkFkkOy6x/s1600/piercephoto2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="70" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg40F4BB_5GGa9LcIcebkBUdTMudfLgOW05aYfQkag3Ld8KJ9_GZc0qNUnEo241wxwBmsIYBOKcD7HSUGJPbVQ0lxQmLgSTJwOZi1V2uTkaNexSEzaPiCLFm-Mlz27-eYdOEDkFkkOy6x/s320/piercephoto2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not sure if I’m 100% sold on those terms, but the effect is striking and definitely closer to meaning something to a student than REFERENCE and CIRCULATION. (As I just read somewhere the latter terms are what WE do and the others are what the STUDENTS do – shouldn’t we be using signage that speaks to the user not us?)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the key phrases I took away from the presentation was the idea of “facilities as pedagogy.” We are having an impact on learning through our layout, facilities, signage, and yes, even furniture, and we should remember that if we’re ever lucky enough to have money to remodel </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another important piece of their presentation was that the way they were able to get the money to remodel was by “proving their worth” in our favorite way… assessment. Oh, Pine Tree will never leave us. They were able, through surveys and analysis, to positively correlate interactions with a librarian with a higher student GPA at Pierce College. This really hit me – this is probably true at all of our institutions, but we have to create the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">data</i> for anyone to know or care. No one is going to come along and create this data for us; we have to take the initiative. But when we do, our reward will be the irrefutable evidence that we matter to student success and (hopefully) the guarantee that our positions will exist in perpetuity. They left us with: “assess what you value, don’t value that which you can assess.” This is easier said than done, but something to think about.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Day two featured a series of shorter presentations on a variety of topics. I’m running out of steam so I will make them another post. Hope to see you all at ALA2012!</span>Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00919834617274309290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-58638839107638450342012-05-08T11:20:00.002-07:002012-05-08T11:20:49.411-07:00Preservation TidbitI am currently taking an online course in textile preservation through the Northern States Conservation Center. A little tidbit from my readings, related to the importance of environmental monitoring in museum and library areas with exhibits:<br />
<br />
<b>"One person can release approximately the same heat as a 60 watt light bulb and approximately a wineglass-full of water per hour." </b>(Standards in the Museum Care of Costume and Textile Collections, 1998).<br />
<br />
Which can, really, have a large impact on your collection if you have lot of people coming to an exhibit! Yikes!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12488788024882553588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-69970259076622959502012-05-07T18:15:00.001-07:002012-05-07T18:15:37.407-07:00What would Alanis Morissette say?A few weeks ago I was helping a student with her research paper for Freshman Composition. In her paper, she wanted to argue that pit bulls have gotten an unfair reputation as a breed, and that they really make excellent pets. As we talked about her research and why she chose this topic, she told me over and over again about her own dogs, and how her pit bulls are incredibly sweet and well-behaved. Since she couldn't build an entire research paper around describing her pets' behavior, she thought she might look for some sources about dog behavior and training in general, to make the argument that training has a major influence over inherent breed characteristics. <br />
<br />
All right, great. Our college has a strong veterinary science program, so there were a number of dog behavior books for her to choose from. One of the ones she checked out was "Cesar's Way," by the Dog Whisperer himself, Cesar Millan. The book came back from its trip to her home (with her sweet, well-behaved pit bulls) looking like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoQakaEBjHDJVoYnHMuIrni20EqzW38ynooSd0pnQxo1-cCsLITn4f7BPno5OKOwmicWuniaHFOOgOG8wEOrsKKUSTvHZWK9wrBt4_DvYj6mTY1YJYqInXS_JnTz-unONPZlVW9xhvxI/s1600/DSCN1920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoQakaEBjHDJVoYnHMuIrni20EqzW38ynooSd0pnQxo1-cCsLITn4f7BPno5OKOwmicWuniaHFOOgOG8wEOrsKKUSTvHZWK9wrBt4_DvYj6mTY1YJYqInXS_JnTz-unONPZlVW9xhvxI/s320/DSCN1920.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFitt45LUjKDW8HDuwEJwnQKL0iIqC_ZoV4GdbIcXLXELa2_jhGL_H_lNIFb4388MOhSOAELR1ogIfzWtyJ0EvnbhGJOKWQba-nP66VR-58oU90sWwGUI0xjl7sEQgh-pLrLvL_GIGCNo/s1600/DSCN1921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFitt45LUjKDW8HDuwEJwnQKL0iIqC_ZoV4GdbIcXLXELa2_jhGL_H_lNIFb4388MOhSOAELR1ogIfzWtyJ0EvnbhGJOKWQba-nP66VR-58oU90sWwGUI0xjl7sEQgh-pLrLvL_GIGCNo/s320/DSCN1921.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BVNxptjCZ4-byomoec6vNi1ypbhbLoV50UywEvI_adM9NeTzt5z89So4P7wAz8RmCNmU6Y82h6vSkm7sP6p6TFW3czIrTP3_RBKkehySxUpnwkFR4oYmfc1Rje91ZmFbVvfFfCEkGe4/s1600/DSCN1923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BVNxptjCZ4-byomoec6vNi1ypbhbLoV50UywEvI_adM9NeTzt5z89So4P7wAz8RmCNmU6Y82h6vSkm7sP6p6TFW3czIrTP3_RBKkehySxUpnwkFR4oYmfc1Rje91ZmFbVvfFfCEkGe4/s320/DSCN1923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Of course I realize that one mutilated book doesn't exactly invalidate her argument, nor does it necessarily indicate that her dogs are out of control. But since I know what her research was about, I just find it so deliciously... what's the word? Does it start with an "I"?Amanda and Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14127289031142629288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-30484957262815633142012-03-28T13:55:00.002-07:002012-03-28T13:58:47.151-07:00Computers in Libraries: March 23Conference: last day<div style="font-style: normal; ">I could only attend one session on Friday, but it was so well worth it! The presenters are doing some pretty cool stuff! It also doesn't hurt that I don't really like reference shifts....</div><div><div style="font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div><i>Redesigning Reference Models</i></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">This was one of my favorite sessions! The tag for the session was #undesk. The Millersville University librarians who presented this session had to find new ways to reach students. Their library building is undergoing renovations, and the new, smaller space the library was moved to does not have offices or room for a reference desk. There solutions were innovative. Most of the librarians are now physically embedded in their academic subject building, and they hold office hours. They make use of chat, phone/SMS (Google Voice), Jing (screen captures answer reference questions), digital signs, iPads, and being a visible presence at campus events and organization meetings. The librarians realized that forming relationships with faculty and students inside and outside the library is essential. Questions they feel they’ve had to address:</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><ul><li><span style="font-size: 100%; ">How do we connect with students? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 100%; ">How do we encourage and support experimentation? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 100%; ">What does it mean to be a librarian?</span></li></ul></div><div style="font-style: normal; ">They’ve had to really rethink their definition of librarians though, and I liked their summation: “We provide the building, but the building does not provide us.”</div><div style="font-style: normal; "><ul><li><span style="font-size: 100%; "><a href="http://bit.ly/undesk">http://bit.ly/undesk</a></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 100%; "><a href="http://youtu.be/Au4SZa1t5vI">http://youtu.be/Au4SZa1t5vI</a></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 100%; "><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/libscenester/redesigning-reference-models">http://www.slideshare.net/libscenester/redesigning-reference-models</a></span></li></ul></div></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><br /></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820468105157093452noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-23025938272159510082012-03-28T13:51:00.001-07:002012-03-28T13:54:30.596-07:00Computers in Libraries: March 22<span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Conference: Second Day</span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div><div><span ><i>Ebook Publishers and Libraries: Win-Win Solutions</i></span></div><div><span >Led by Canadian librarians, this session was informative but not particularly applicable to me. Canadian libraries have been able to personalize license agreements with ebook publishers due to the Canadian book market, Canadian laws governing book purchasing rules, and the unity of the Canadian libraries. I didn’t get as much from this session because I don’t think American libraries have the unity needed to demand the same terms as the Canadian libraries.</span></div><div><span >They are doing some really neat stuff up north with ebooks, and I wish American libraries could copy some of their model.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span ><i>Tinkerers: Maker Culture and Libraries</i></span></div><div><span >Maker culture was something that I have never heard of before this conference, so it was particularly interesting. Maker culture is essentially hacker culture: taking existing devices and software and re-appropriating them to meet a specific need. Most of maker culture happens in hacker spaces; maker culture can also be seen as a way to informally learn about technology. The speaker stated that although maker culture started as activists and continues to believe they work against “the man,” many of the hackers are white males, between the ages of 20-40 who make over $100,000 a year. Many of the products that they make can’t be used by the general public and actually have no economic value for their communities. The speaker argued that if libraries got involved, makers/hackers from different communities would be able to work together in their communities in a free access space. By bringing in librarians and libraries, the end products would be better tied to the local communities because it would be the local community members who made them. This talk was so insightful. I’m not sure that it would be something that worked at King, especially due to limitations from other departments, the administration, and space considerations, but it would be cool if it could!</span></div><div><span >Examples: FabLab (Fayetteville Free Library, MIT), HackDC</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span ><i>Open Source Trends & Migration</i></span></div><div><span >I had certain expectations about the session because my library will be migrating to an open source ILS is the next year or two. The first presenter simply read the results of his survey about what library perceptions of open source are. I would have been more interested if he discussed why libraries make the decision to move to open source or stay with a proprietary ILS, but he didn’t cover those topics. One interesting fact that he did share was the number of libraries adopting cloud-based ILSs, like Sierra. I wasn’t aware that this was a trend, or that libraries were considering it.</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span ><i>Integrating Tablets and Apps Into the Library</i></span></div><div><span >Hosted by two public children’s librarians and two academic librarians, this session gave me more insight into integrating tablets. At my library, we are interested in purchasing tablets for reference and instruction. Most of the information provided by the public librarians wasn’t especially relevant; they did mention considerations that had not even occurred to me: data privacy and restricting access to features. The academic librarians talked about their decision to get a droid based tablet v. iPads, using the tablets in instruction, and student reactions to the tablets in instruction. Droid was cheaper and open source. The student reaction was actually not overwhelmingly positive; the students were frustrated by the technology and having to learn a new technology on top of learning research skills, and they worried about damaging the tablet. The librarians ran into their own problems: compatibility of browsers, weak wifi, printing considerations, and wiping devices of data. Another big consideration is the importance of staff training on the devices so that they can assist students and other users.</span></div></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820468105157093452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-88446649644520160622012-03-28T13:45:00.003-07:002012-03-28T13:54:59.177-07:00Computers in Libraries: March 21<span><span style="font-size: 100%;">In the following three posts, I will provide a brief synopsis of sessions I attended at the Computers in Libraries Conference in Washington, D.C. this past week. It was a pretty awesome conference, and I would recommend any e-resources or web librarians attend. I also enjoyed that it was a conference full of technology librarians, so none of us really wanted to meet new people.</span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">I went to 4 sessions the first day.</span></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><i>Strategic Approaches to Mobile:</i></span></div><div><span>Presented by a reference librarian, a systems librarian, and a vendor, this session focused on doing environment scans of existing mobile interfaces, library user analysis for smartphones / tablets, what libraries can learn from business created mobile interfaces, and three ways to make a mobile site (stylesheet, mobile website, and native app). I learned so much in this session. I think mobile website development is key. I hope to use what I learned here to create a mobile website or stylesheet redirect for my library website this summer.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><i>Getting Ready for the Semantic Web</i></span></div><div><span>This session taught listeners about the basic differences between the existing web and the semantic web, how RDA as a standard would enable library information to work on the semantic web, and current projects in libraries to work with the semantic web. I knew the least about semantic web and programming, so I learned the most at this session. I enjoyed learning about the cataloging standards, and how the semantic web will change searching.</span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">RDA: uses FRBR and FRAD standards</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Open Metadata Project (OMR): RDA vocab is published on the OMR<br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">http://rdvocab.info/</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">MulDiCat: Authoritative IFLA standards translated into different languages<br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">http://iflastandards.info/</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">OCLC’s Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST)<br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/fast/default.htm</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">OCLC’s Virtual International Authority File (VIAF)<br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">www.oclc.org/research/activities/viaf/</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><i>Getting to Know HTML5 and CSS3</i></span></div><div><span>An introduction to changes in markup languages hosted by a head of technical services at a Montana university. This session covered changes in tags, how HTML5 will work with the semantic web, HTML5 and microdata, HTML5 and media formats, Javascript API (application programming interface) compatibility, CSS3 response to web design trend changes, and tools to play with the changes. This session as really interesting, and it answered many of my questions about HTML5. I don’t do much of the website backend programming at my library, but it will help me understand what our IT staff does. I belive it will also enable to me code my own mobile website or mobile redirect stylesheet, which is something I hope to implement soon.</span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">http://pinboard.in/u:jasonclark/t:cil-html5/</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Marcotte, E. (2010, May 25). Responsive web design. A List Apart, 306. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from http://www.alistapart.com/articles/responsive-web-design/</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Ronallo, J. (2012, February 2). HTML5 microdata and schema.org. code4lib. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/6400</span></li></ul></div><div><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Quick Quantifiable QR Codes</i></div><div><span>This session had too many presenters, in my opinion. The presenters (all academic librarians) discussed how to make QR codes, the importance of shortening the URL, using Google URL shortener to track analytics, and ways to use the QR code. Some of the ideas I liked were a QR code in the stacks that leads to LibGuides to help the student research, a QR code in the stacks that leads to a list of comparable ebooks (merging print and electronic), and using QR codes in place of print maps.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>I do have more detailed notes, if anyone is interested!</span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820468105157093452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-71549307074173062312012-03-07T07:41:00.001-08:002012-03-07T07:55:14.502-08:00investing in ourselvesA story from the iSchool flickered into my Twitter feed today: <a href="http://infospace.ischool.syr.edu/2012/03/07/is-a-masters-degree-in-library-science-a-poor-investment-a-counter-perspective-to-forbes-magazine/">Is a Master's Degree in Library Science a Poor Investment? A Counter Perspective to Forbes Magazine.</a><br />
<br />
(The <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2011/06/06/the-best-and-worst-masters-degrees-for-jobs/">Forbes story </a>in question was pretty ignorable; coming from Forbes, of course it's going to focus on the financial benefits of your master's, and of course our degrees aren't going to make us rich. We knew this wasn't a good investment in the traditional meaning of the word "investment," so blah blah whatever, Forbes.)<br />
<br />
But then the iSchool student winds up making the <i>exact same point</i> as the Forbes story.<br />
<br />
Forbes: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"[I]f your desired profession requires a master’s degree, that’s a good reason to pursue it.”</blockquote>
iSchool:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"An MLIS is often required when applying for professional librarian jobs,
especially in regards to the more advanced positions such as director
or manager. This is why I am pursuing my Master’s degree: In looking
at job postings and talking with people in the field, I quickly
discovered that a lack of educational credentials would quickly
eliminate me for consideration for the director or manager positions I
was seeking."</blockquote>
Dur.<br />
<br />
That's not a real reason.<br />
<br />
It's a valid short-term explanation, but it's not a reason. "Because they said so" isn't good enough for toddlers and teenagers, and it shouldn't be good enough for our profession, either.<br />
<br />
Why are we all so afraid to ask the real question: <b>What, exactly, do we learn in library school, and do we need it to be librarians? </b><br />
<br />
I've questioned my Syracuse degree -- and its $40K price tag -- loudly and often, but the further out I get from library school, the more certain I am that I did, in fact, need to go to library school. It wasn't because of anything I learned in classes or from readings or from professors; some of that was helpful and important, and some of it wasn't.<br />
<br />
<b>The reason I needed to go to library school was that I needed to meet other people in the same stage of their careers as I am. </b><br />
<br />
I needed to have daily contact with people who were navigating the same things, figuring out where and how to work in this field -- and, now, having jobs that are similar to what I'm doing or am going to do or might want to do someday. Just in Klub Kat, we have public librarians; academic librarians at schools of all sizes and stripes; archivists; early-career administrators; people working at vendors; people working at "special" libraries; people working in non-MLS staff positions.<br />
<br />
All of you push me to think about things way outside my comfort zone (proper spit-cup signage, say, and bugs and rodents in public spaces) and how we're shaping this profession. Our generation isn't shaping it enough yet, but we have to start somewhere. And we're doing things together, too -- brainstorming, venting, helping each other find job posting, presenting together, co-authoring academic papers.<br />
<br />
<i>That</i> is what I needed, what I couldn't get on my own. Were there other ways to find these people, ways that didn't take two years and cost every cent that some people make in an entire year? Maybe, but I don't know them, and the more graduation recedes in the distance, the more I value what I did get out of library school: you guys.<br />
<br />
P.S. That said, people shaping MLIS curricula? Please keep asking that Big Scary Question: What, exactly do we learn in library school, and do we need it to be librarians? If the answer is no -- and it is, too often -- get rid of it, please, for the sake of our future and our sanity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-56037815509993272172012-02-28T16:34:00.000-08:002012-02-28T16:34:02.481-08:00Interesting Post from Will Manley's BlogPlease take time to read all the comments. They provide some interesting food-for-thought, particularly for us as we are at the beginnings of our careers... <br />
<br />
From <a href="http://willmanley.com/"><i>Will Unwound</i></a><br />
February 16, 2012<br />
<i> </i><br />
<i> </i><a href="http://willmanley.com/2012/02/16/will-unwound-684-from-the-tavern-mailbox-goodbye-to-librarianship/">WILL UNWOUND #684: “From the Tavern Mailbox: Goodbye to Librarianship”</a><br />
<br />
Note from Will: On a regular basis I get emails from librarians who want to drink deeply of the collective wisdom found in our Unwinders Tavern. If you have an issue that is bugging you feel free to send me an email at wmanley7@att.net and I will run it in this blog so that our Unwinders can comment on it. Feel free to change identifiable details so as to protect your identity. I received this email last month. Please give your best advice to anonymous.<br />
<br />
Hi Will,<br />
<br />
Just writing to thank you for your last Manley Arts piece about meeting librarians’ needs. Particularly the part about librarians not having taken a vow of poverty. I wasn’t going to rant but you did say you have a lot of free time… I am about to leave the field because the pay is so much lower than the modest ALA-recommended minimum my alma mater touted as de rigeur when I was looking into grad school. The professional satisfaction promised as a trade-off is not happening, either.<br />
<br />
The other payoff missing from public librarians’ lives is the professional dignity I was expecting when I became a librarian several years ago. I thought being a librarian would be great, given my aptitude for technology and the written word combined with my social altruism. Whoops. Most of the young librarians I know regret their choice. The most ambitious of us are the most miserable because we know that we could, as they say in the dating game, “do better.” I can make databases, but here I am un-jamming the photocopier and repeating program dates and times for callers who don’t have a pen handy. (It’s not that I need to pay my dues and work up the ladder: this is the highest position under Director.) Patrons are disrespectful, clerks talk to us like we’re pages, and managers struggle to keep a straight face when we suggest salaries should reflect value delivered rather than time served. There is a stark difference in the types of personalities and demographics the field attracts today vs. the era of my coworkers’ entrance to the field. Our colleagues make us pariahs for so rudely writing them an e-mail when they are in the building. They have worked here forever and half of them can barely use computers, forget that PCs have been widely accessible for over fifteen years. We are smart, enterprising, eager professionals. Projects fail miserably because none of my dear elders know how to conduct a productive meeting or start and complete a project. Our ideas are met with “that’s very neat but this is how we’ve always done it” and our attempts at competitive salaries are met with “well you knew going into this you wouldn’t be making a fortune.”<br />
<br />
What’s broken? Is it a clash of power structures? I theorize that in a women-run organization like a “traditional public library” the structure is like a family, where authority comes from physical age instead of from your job title which you earned with your ability, like how us Gen X-ers came up. Is it that the civil service system has ruined the money-for-work model, leaving us hard workers feeling cheated? I felt a moment of clarity the day I realized “this doesn’t have to be my problem.” Much as I love social programs, I am industrious and don’t need the system to provide for me.<br />
<br />
As you say, basic needs must be met. After looking these last four years for one of these elusive “real-pay” jobs I have given up on librarianship as a career and switched directions to focus on a consulting business centered around journalism and web design. Sometime before my biological clock stops ticking I will type up that resignation letter and say: I cannot raise a family and pay my student loans for $15 an hour. You will have to find another “professional” librarian.<br />
<br />
For a long time I was worried it was me: I interview poorly? I don’t know the right people? Wouldn’t you know, less than a year into Project: New Career and I already have a couple freelance clients. Stranger still, none of them have balked over money or yelled at me because they don’t know how to make a photocopy. Perhaps the libraries here will miss my abilities, but life is too short to stay on this train.<br />
<br />
I imagine you field lots of letters like this so I won’t ramble any more. I’ll just say thank you again and maybe at least the donut thing will catch on.<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<br />
AnonymousUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-60288699284720078152012-02-13T12:38:00.000-08:002012-02-13T13:00:22.666-08:00Information Literacy and Safe SexI've been working on a new in-class activity to teach MLA citation. My latest idea involves having students construct citations using our MLA Format handout and withdrawn books and periodicals in which I've marked the information necessary for the citation (author's name, page numbers, volume number, etc.) in colored highlighter. I don't know how it's going to go over; my class is tomorrow, but as I prepared this exercise, I debated about whether or not to include websites. I printed out screenshots so that I could highlight the title, sponsor, and so on as I had with the books and articles, but I really want to discourage them from just going to Google for their research.<br /><br />As I mulled it over, I realized that my attitude toward teaching proper website citation was exactly like the logic behind handing out condoms in schools. Most arguments I've heard for teaching safe sex go something like this:<br /><br />We really don't want to encourage teens to become sexually active, but we know that we can't do anything to stop them. If they're going to do it anyway, we may as well educate them so they can do so safely.<br /><br />Here's how I feel about teaching my students to cite websites:<br /><ul><li>Using websites for research can be helpful and legitimate.</li></ul><ul><li>I don't trust that most college students can make good choices about what constitutes a reliable source of information on the Web, but I know they're going to go to Google anyway, no matter how many library databases I show them.<br /></li><li>Since they're going to use websites as sources for their research papers, they should at least be taught how to cite them properly.<br /></li></ul><p>I realize that in this analogy, I've equated plagiarism with STDs and/or unwanted pregnancy, and this might seem a little extreme. But hey, both can have serious consequences for your academic career.<br /></p>Amanda and Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14127289031142629288noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-69325126890041738842011-09-11T09:58:00.000-07:002011-09-11T10:02:56.088-07:00Job Satisfaction + New JobI think it's a safe assumption to make on this blog that we all got into librarianship out of a love for the work, and not out of a love of money or fame or something. Unless some of you are rich and famous librarians and are holding out on me. Either way, I went to library school because I like libraries and wanted to work in one. Or, at least, I wanted to do something librarianship-related, in a library or outside of one. I never went in thinking "I will only work in a traditional library!"<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, a combination of the bad economy, my self/relationship-imposed geographic limitations, and my relative inexperience as a librarian made it incredibly difficult to find any sort of meaningful work. As you know, I ended up working in customer service at a company that sells library supplies. As many of you also know, I have not enjoyed my time in customer service, for a number of reasons. The work is frequently dull, repetitive, frustrating, and unrewarding, and although our customers are librarians and therefore usually great, I frequently deal with them when they are frustrated or angry. It's the first time in my life I have ever been really dissatisfied with the work I was doing, and it has been hard on me.<br />
<br />
The last few weeks I have been helping our international sales department, because I speak Spanish (not fluently) and the native-speaker who is a pillar of the department was out of the office. I was essentially doing a chunk of her job on top of mine, which was overwhelming (and probably how it feels for a lot of librarians who are dealing with layoffs of coworkers) but much more rewarding. The work was more interesting, and I was dealing with customers all over the world. I also got to use my Spanish several times a day. I'm back to doing my regular work for a little while now, but I realized how much I miss Spanish and will be making sure to stay in practice, since it apparently can come in handy. <br />
<br />
But the best and biggest change is that I will finally be moving to a new department! I applied and interviewed for another position when it was posted, and I accepted it on Friday. Starting soon, I will be an Associate Product Manger for archival products. My new position will involve a lot of marketing, which I have less experience with, but I think it will be a good thing to learn. There are definitely some drawbacks to getting this job as opposed to some of the others I have tried for outside of the company, but there are a heck of a lot of positives. I am hoping that the biggest positive will be a dramatic increase in my job satisfaction, since I had strongly felt the lack of that in my life. I will be working with a team of people who seem absolutely amazing, and I will be doing more direct work with archival materials than before, which I think will be interesting and will serve me well in my career.<br />
<br />
I am still interested in finding a place where I can have my relationship, meaningful work, and more sunshine than I get now, but for the meantime, this change seems good and much-needed. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12488788024882553588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-57631884772472188482011-09-07T14:22:00.000-07:002011-09-07T15:08:26.458-07:00Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Love, Kids, and Life in a Half-Changed World<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRFmANYp0H1qA7-ngK1ZGBYGMOQ2tQ0DDFvxCyaGHZQiJKv33pgt9tRscCSE1svBklrh1K4zyLxKokE2LH9JttztpewCvy-iwqyBe_uQe0BmSM2CAfIAaYppFUtDMLpQFEaVZ68f7Zu0d/s1600/flux.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 166px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRFmANYp0H1qA7-ngK1ZGBYGMOQ2tQ0DDFvxCyaGHZQiJKv33pgt9tRscCSE1svBklrh1K4zyLxKokE2LH9JttztpewCvy-iwqyBe_uQe0BmSM2CAfIAaYppFUtDMLpQFEaVZ68f7Zu0d/s320/flux.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649732083279722546" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Inspired by Amanda’s booktalk on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Cinderella Ate My Daughter</i> (and the long wait to get it from my public library) I placed a hold on an earlier Peggy Orenstein book – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Love, Kids, and Life in a Half-Changed World.</i> [Feminist side note: There is relatively little about sex in this book, certainly much less than the other topics in the subtitle, and yet it gets top billing. Marketing? I highly doubt Ms. Orenstein chose that...] I have had such a reaction to this book that I thought it merited more than a booktalk. I feel like I’ve been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">living</i> a booktalk of it since I started it, because it’s all I want to talk about. Orenstein released her breakout bestseller <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap</i> (which SPL doesn’t own a copy of?!) in 1994 and followed with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Flux</i> in 2000. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is divided into sections that loosely follow the chronology of women’s lives: The Promise (twenties), The Crunch (thirties), and Reconsiderations (forties and beyond). Throughout each section the author recounts her interviews with hundreds of women at various points of life on their differing decisions about career, marriage, childbearing and childrearing. She mostly interviews them in small groups of friends, which leads to interesting revelations about what they regularly share with one another and what they don’t. She also chooses “representative” individuals for more in depth study and follows them for extended periods of time. The crux of what Orenstein is exploring is the “you can do anything you want” mantra that girls of our generation of were fed, seemingly from birth – I know I heard it constantly and I know I believed it, or at least I thought I did. She explores the degree to which women were sold a bill of goods by this – citing the income gap, the glass ceiling, the stigma of being a working mother, and especially the guilt felt by women who try to “have it all.” Reading women’s feelings, in their own words, as they moved through the stage of life I’m in and into the next ones has truly given me a host of reactions and emotions. I saw women like me, struggling with the same questions and worries and also women in lives I would never choose. While she explores the issues I noted above, this book is not a complaint or a list of reasons being a woman is unfair – she places the women in the context of their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">choices,</i> not their circumstances (for the most part) and allows them to talk freely about the things they can control and the things they can’t.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The women who most interested me were women in the “Promise” years who had chosen to put careers first, a group I would consider myself in, at least marginally, but they made it clear that they would NOT consider us peers at all. These corporate women would consider all of us librarians “first grade teachers,” a catch-all for women in careers that were more about contributing to the “greater good” than making money. The implication for these women was that these jobs could be done part-time after kids and were a place-filler, rather than a career. I don’t feel like that about my job at all, but I had to acknowledge that I made the decision to become a librarian because I loved it, not because it would be lucrative. I never imagined that I would have to be the sole breadwinner for a family and so in that way my choice was a gendered one. I didn’t like being lumped in with a group that wasn’t career-driven, but this was just one of the many voices in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Flux</i> that made me really question my choices and my assumptions. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I’m not sure if this is just hitting me at the right time or if this book is really full of the wisdom of the ages, but I highly recommend that you all read it and tell me. It has really been a spring board for my own thoughts about what I’ve done so far and what I truly want. I know that it will stick with me as I move forward and it has given me a little more freedom about what might constitute a successful life. </p>Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00919834617274309290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-35922405576656831922011-08-31T07:59:00.001-07:002011-08-31T08:26:50.307-07:00How Reading HelpsTwo weeks ago I recognized one of the university's student tour guides standing at our Information Desk while I was walking out of the building. I stopped by to say 'hi' and she told me she was working on a research paper for her History of Photography class. Right away I thought "that is super cool" and I asked her what she was writing about.<div>
<br /></div><div>"Well, this guy named Robert Mapplethorpe? I don't know anything about him and I need one more source and then I'll start writing."</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Wow-za. Perfect! I read <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/341879.Just_Kids">Just Kids</a></i> awhile ago and loved it. I asked her if she had heard of the book, to which she replied no. In a very serendipitous moment, the book was on display on a nearby shelf. I handed it to her and told her about his time as an artist in NYC, his relationship with Patti as his muse, his yearning to be in Andy Warhol's inner circle, and about how he died. I told her to look through the book to get an idea of who he was as a person and how that shaped his life as an artist. I may or may not have gotten overly excited but maybe I inspired her to look forward to writing about such a fascinating artist. She checked out the book (and some others) and was on her way.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrJRehIb6MSQO2tVQ-RGL2G3qUzzWOQNl9AfNBTkSZpkjVSfjZa3yRlqp0a-vOgbrCeuJmfoPSybH2hiiLqEOe1y54m0QKpICthSddpv082pBt2pSOaGWQ4mmLh4HIEz_4mHNSSMYljQt/s1600/Patti+3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrJRehIb6MSQO2tVQ-RGL2G3qUzzWOQNl9AfNBTkSZpkjVSfjZa3yRlqp0a-vOgbrCeuJmfoPSybH2hiiLqEOe1y54m0QKpICthSddpv082pBt2pSOaGWQ4mmLh4HIEz_4mHNSSMYljQt/s320/Patti+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647040386398588450" /></a><div>
<br /></div><div>Fast-forward to today. During a fire drill I saw her and asked her how her paper went. She said it was hard to write (it was due at midnight that same day) but her professor gave her kudos for including the aspects of his life that I told her would be in <i>Just Kids</i>. She got a 98%! I felt so good that I could be Ms. Eager Librarian to help a student. I wouldn't have known anything about Robert Mapplethorpe without reading the book either, which tells me it's a good idea to have a steady reading habit as a librarian. I still cannot believe that the stars aligned that day and I was able to use my knowledge to help someone. Don't we all kind of want to be walking encyclopedias? Or is that just me? </div>Katy Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00885912211602817123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-61066768734148917432011-07-19T11:55:00.001-07:002011-07-19T12:36:16.020-07:00Book Talk: Cinderella Ate My Daughter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOQPycO-FNkhlU-m5iY9vHsgnu8EJYXdom3T6tD-2D8b51JnEHnMwkSlYy2BPv8v2fhL1UoJKP-GnrlFfx1TQBVKUmVBDNqFr08gxo0G_DqFHTrVQkE0PeHlY9IPojQr7ezR9wb9klmE/s1600/Cinderella.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOQPycO-FNkhlU-m5iY9vHsgnu8EJYXdom3T6tD-2D8b51JnEHnMwkSlYy2BPv8v2fhL1UoJKP-GnrlFfx1TQBVKUmVBDNqFr08gxo0G_DqFHTrVQkE0PeHlY9IPojQr7ezR9wb9klmE/s320/Cinderella.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631140337711448082" border="0" /></a>At some point during grad school, my nascent feminist tendencies took off and bloomed. Since I hadn't really read anything about gender issues or feminism before, I have really been enjoying reading some books in a totally new topic area.<br /><br />I first noticed Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein at a Barnes & Noble but, since I have I-Spend-Too-Much-On-Books-Already-itis, I didn't pick it up. I requested it from the library instead! And I waited forever - apparently it is a hot read.<br /><br />Cinderella Ate My Daughter is basically a crash course in, as the cover says, "girly-girl culture" and how it's affecting both girls and boys even into adulthood. It is definitely an overview book as opposed to a deep, academic study of a particular aspect of gender, but that is really ok. Some of it was really instructional, some of it I already knew, and some of it scared the ever living heck out of me. I particularly liked that Orenstein gave us anecdotes about her own experiences raising a daughter, because the book is they type of book that can benefit from anecdotal evidence without losing credibility. Peggy Orenstein writes mostly about girls and their development, but I haven't read anything else by her. What this book really prompted me to do was request the entire sources list from the library system (library plug - we have nearly all of them!)<br /><br />I strongly recommend this for someone who is interested in gender roles, or anyone who plans on having children and isn't really satisfied with the options for girls. It's an easy read but very good.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12488788024882553588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-58643969971905784222011-07-14T07:23:00.000-07:002011-07-14T07:30:42.645-07:00Group Work is Rewarding?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79_Tq-J1by2Tx-rKzDD7k_3mPOwElLA-GoHgv1JDRCpktr4k0n9OswfGTpO4T6d7bxwHJi4kkRPiLcYpJ0vCdw843kdnxoNg20N1hn0QnsUwam0Mjctf0lAeRXUzd5Xx9vxofpdXArSRA/s1600/weeding.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79_Tq-J1by2Tx-rKzDD7k_3mPOwElLA-GoHgv1JDRCpktr4k0n9OswfGTpO4T6d7bxwHJi4kkRPiLcYpJ0vCdw843kdnxoNg20N1hn0QnsUwam0Mjctf0lAeRXUzd5Xx9vxofpdXArSRA/s320/weeding.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629215308767397618" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >In library school they always made us do a ton of group work in a slightly desperate attempt to teach us how to collaborate. This will mimic the real world, they said. Once you get your job, you’ll have to collaborate with your co-workers on projects. Why not start that now?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Well, for the most part, they were right, but for some reason “group work” seems even worse in the workforce than it did in grad school. I think that group work in grad school is tolerable because there is a pretty good chance you’ll get at least one team member who is on the ball. Also, the group work suffering ends at an appointed time (i.e. the end of the semester), so the diligent students feel free to work harder on their projects because there is an end in sight.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Reasons I am thinking about this: my library is currently in the middle of a massive shifting project. (At least it feels massive. There are only 2 floors to my library, so it’s not as bad as it could be.) In the midst of this project, the rest of the librarians realize that the library has NEVER been weeded. Ever. Since its inception. Cue massive weeding project. And now we arrive at my group work frustration.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Once everyone realized that project (i.e. the cataloger) participants were not pleased with the direction of the project, we had a big brainstorm group meeting to communicate our goals and plans accurately to each other (which should have happened in the beginning). Communication is not a strong point of my library, primarily because most of the employees have been there a while and understand how operations are supposed to work. We all collectively decided in this meeting that we would weed certain areas per our subject “specialties”, write the faculty for approval, and then remove the books. Weeding is a collaborative process: librarians, the cataloger, and faculty are all involved. Our workflow is </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Librarian analyzes / weeds books >> Faculty approve or disapprove selections >> Books go to the cataloger for removal and disposal</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >The workflow works pretty well, except for the fact that it is a funnel: there are multiple librarians and faculty and one cataloger (who refuses to ask for help). Furthermore, the cataloger feels that it is her job to re-evaluate our weeds. I can’t quite figure out what bothers me about this. Is it because my authority and experience is questioned? Is it because this slows the process down immensely as our cataloger spends 5 minutes on every book? Is it because I feel that she is an interfering busybody? Is it her tone when she questions my weeds? I don’t know. I also realize that her input is important because she has been at the library so long, and she knows the collection really well. She doesn’t really have a firm grasp on how students use our resources, but she knows what books we have, why we have them, where they came from, what courses they support, and so on.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >My boss has stressed over and over how weeding is a collaborative process. My boss doesn’t want to get involved in what I am sure she views as territorial scuffles. Meanwhile, the other librarians and I are getting very frustrated. In group work, everyone has a part of the project to complete. If someone doesn’t do their part, the other group members pick up the slack. Currently, we are all doing our work, so there is no need for others to pick up the slack. There is also a person at the end of the project who makes sure that everything is cohesive. It just burns my biscuit that the cataloger is that end of project person, and she doesn’t seem to share the same vision of an academic library as the librarians.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820468105157093452noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-16038294482974560162011-07-10T15:12:00.000-07:002011-07-10T15:12:38.303-07:00Game FaceOne of the great challenges of life is maturing enough to be able to recognize that sometimes life requires us to remain calm and fully utilize our poker faces. Probably the greatest skill I've gained as a working adult is the ability to detach my emotions from the tasks I must complete as an employee and supervisor. Though I am passionate about many things in my personal life, I've had to realize that being ruled by passion at work almost never ends well.<br />
<br />
Think about people you work with: consider the person who cries a lot or is angry a lot or is so mercurial they are difficult to interact with. Now consider the person who is able to talk reasonably about problems or calmly troubleshoot an emergency. I strive to be someone who is excited about making things better but able to temper that excitement with rationality and flexibility.<br />
<br />
But I still want to tell the patron who told me to "go back to Hong Kong" to go fuck herself.<br />
<br />
Not only am I a branch manager, but today I am the "librarian in charge." The LIC is the highest ranking staff member on duty on Sundays when most of our working staff is part-time. My staff can and should notify me about problems as they arise, especially when I am on-duty with them.<br />
<br />
Today we had a female loudly complaining about asthma being contagious and asking that the man on the computer across from her be removed from the library because he was using an inhaler. Her computer session expired and she refused to relinquish her machine to the next customer. I overheard her call one of my librarians a bitch and walked over with the security officer as she continued to argue with another librarian. I introduced myself and asked if there was a problem; she asked me if I was "in her country" and continued to argue. As I more firmly tried to stop her tirade she finally told me to "go back to Hong Kong," at which point I advised her that the library would not tolerate disparaging racial comments or name-calling and that it was time for her to leave. She was escorted out by our security officer, promising that we would all be in trouble for her treatment. "What is your name again?" she asked. I repeated my name and position as branch manager, to which she replied "not for long."<br />
<br />
All this to say, while on the inside I wanted to physically and verbally unleash the fury on this woman, common sense and my position held me back. This may be the hardest part of working with the public: the situations where people are entirely rude, ignorant, hateful and, oftentimes, smelly. I hate to admit that people are sometimes willfully ignorant, incredibly spiteful or mentally unstable - sometimes all three - and that no amount of calm lecturing or kind accommodation will change them. <br />
<br />
I can see that it's taken me this long to become a person who can handle these situations in a way that won't get my contract terminated. My younger self would've engaged in an argument or reacted in kind when put in this situation. I'm not sure there are any books or workshops to aid in this; my education has certainly been trial and error to create the "game face" I'm able to put on now.<br />
<br />
But just for the record, I'm Korean NOT CHINESE!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-44459992195001166332011-07-09T16:42:00.000-07:002011-07-09T16:42:35.634-07:00When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjmzZibaz0EW5NO9CNlirzBmDlEl2nk7ziZppmcQfEmHutsL8oZycRLm_QqufxXgGgjI1BlISE76rValiamPqbxU4XxOcqDr334pWYwBaaA_720mR9H1gvasEZozh5-E8oyxgoLrpE_M/s1600/emergency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjmzZibaz0EW5NO9CNlirzBmDlEl2nk7ziZppmcQfEmHutsL8oZycRLm_QqufxXgGgjI1BlISE76rValiamPqbxU4XxOcqDr334pWYwBaaA_720mR9H1gvasEZozh5-E8oyxgoLrpE_M/s200/emergency.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>It's been a while since I've posted to this blog with anything even remotely interesting. For that, I apologize. I hope you've at least enjoyed my bizarre non-fiction book talks.<br />
<br />
I've recently started a new position as branch manager of a medium/large city library. My thinking is that this experience, which I'm loving so far, will provide a lot of fodder for posts.<br />
<br />
For right now, I'd like to talk about something they definitely don't teach you in library school: the practical realities of library facilities maintenance. This topic includes things like "negotiating maintenance contracts for your library" and "what to do when your governing body doesn't pay for pest control." I'd like to talk briefly about something that is beginning to impact every other day of my life: library fire and burglar alarms.<br />
<br />
My library system operates buildings that are hybrids of municipal space and system function. The buildings we have are owned and maintained by the city of location and then the library provides the people and collection; they provide the building and we make it a library. There is a lot of what I consider hair-splitting, which forces us to differentiate between what is furniture and what is equipment - the city is supposed to purchase furniture and we can provide equipment as needed. I'm sure I'll talk more about this later.<br />
<br />
All that being said, my building houses not only our city library, but also the library system's headquarters. In the day-to-day shakedown, most of the building maintenance facilitation falls on the side of the branch and not the administration. We are large enough to have a burglar alarm and of course we're required to have a fire alarm system. During my first couple of days I was given the appropriate keys and codes and shown where all the alarm panels are located throughout the building. I also had to contact the alarm company and make sure the contact lists were updated and in the appropriate order: 1) city maintenance, 2) branch manager and 3) a dept head. It's a good thing I did that pretty quickly because it seems like we've had issues every week.<br />
<br />
The fire panel buzzes on occasion, indicating everything from low batteries to test failures through a variety of high-pitched and annoying noises in several different syncopations. My first week it was a low battery, indicated by a sustained, steady beeping. Yesterday it was a different part of the panel, indicated by a high pitched whine throughout the ENTIRE DAY. We also think we've had some homeless people hiding in the building to sleep in the air conditioning and then leaving and triggering the alarm as they go.<br />
<br />
Most of the time, the company calls me first and then I have to decide whether or not to dispatch the police. It's a challenge to find that balance between making sure everything is secured and not annoying the police by dispatching them every night. Over the fourth of July weekend I got about six calls, which is what tipped us off about the homeless situation (which has apparently happened before).<br />
<br />
All this to say, it's a lot of responsibility and another way that salaried library staff - especially those higher up the ladder - are always on call. I'm not complaining; I don't live too far away and if I respond I know it will be done correctly. However, it is something I hadn't really thought about that much. Here is some advice:<br />
<ol><li>When you start a new job, take the time right off the bat to enter your library's contact numbers and phone tree into your cell phone. This should include your immediate supervisor(s) and any staff that you directly supervise.</li>
<li>Enter the contact number for your alarm company into your cell phone. I have mine entered as ALARM CO and include all of my passwords. I've also assigned them a really loud (annoying) ringtone so I'm less likely to miss their call. </li>
<li>There are probably call sheets and specific instructions for emergency situations. Print off several copies and put them where they can be found in your office and at home. These will help in case you forget to enter someone's number in your phone or if you forget who you are responsible for calling. If your organization doesn't have something like this, take the initiative to suggest/create one. They are great for emergency closings, bad weather and a myriad of other things that can come up.</li>
<li>Make sure your alarm company has updated information for your building/organization. Turnover can often leave former employees on contact lists long after they are gone. Some of the files I just updated still had information from three branch managers ago!</li>
<li>Make it a point to review contact information for staff and alarm systems on a regular basis. Staff should probably be done every six months and alarm stuff will probably be OK if checked annually.</li>
</ol>I haven't had any calls today and I'm considering that a win!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-1215096039888937022011-07-09T16:08:00.000-07:002011-07-09T16:10:08.224-07:00Book Talk: The Emperor of All Maladies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-8RSQUgOSgu76sxGexS8SxnNTo3k5korHdiJ8aLEBCNzSgMe-1NhzmecFp5pTi_VMAH0yQvuEw3Ff_efDFv3Zh6LskEtchAOjHVOkX0WTx5IiQI1Q9XFGBzqGIAKZQRF0u3kcnWnXkM/s1600/Emperor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-8RSQUgOSgu76sxGexS8SxnNTo3k5korHdiJ8aLEBCNzSgMe-1NhzmecFp5pTi_VMAH0yQvuEw3Ff_efDFv3Zh6LskEtchAOjHVOkX0WTx5IiQI1Q9XFGBzqGIAKZQRF0u3kcnWnXkM/s320/Emperor.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><i>The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer </i>is an engrossing profile of one of humanity's greatest and most indefatigable killers. The idea is that profiling cancer is much like profiling a person because of its mercurial and elusive nature; it has evolved and entrenched itself into the international medical psyche and spilled over into the everyday lives of people. Siddhartha Mukherjee's work is personal, passionate and accessible to all readers. In my humble opinion it should be required reading for every person in the medical field and perhaps every person period. Don't worry if you are intimidated or even uninterested in this type of book - I guarantee it will capture your attention and not let go.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-74202906988629848602011-06-17T13:16:00.000-07:002011-06-17T13:33:58.599-07:00book talk: Little Princes<a href="http://blog.uncommongoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/20287_littlePrinces1-300x375.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 375px;" src="http://blog.uncommongoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/20287_littlePrinces1-300x375.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><i>Little Princes</i> by Conor Grennan is a memoir about volunteering at an orphanage in Nepal. Having a desire to travel the world, Grennan set off for Nepal not knowing what to expect. Right off the bat his honesty about his lack of knowledge about Nepal and being around children sets the reader up to learn along with him. This memoir has it all: adventure, suspense, humor (sarcasm, slapstick, etc.) and even some looove. I learned about Nepal's history, culture, and society as Grennan went above and beyond my expectations. Every single page was a delight - and I turned those pages fast! Grennan founded <a href="http://www.nextgenerationnepal.org/">Next Generation Nepal</a> which focuses on reconnecting victims of child trafficking to their families.Katy Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00885912211602817123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-86869454446104817192011-06-14T08:21:00.000-07:002011-06-14T08:31:13.841-07:00book talk: The Paris Wife<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1280521245l/8683812.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 397px;" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1280521245l/8683812.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This book traces Ernest Hemingway's first marriage from the perspective of his wife, Hadley, when they live together in Paris. As "the Paris wife," Hadley is swept up Ernest's early literary successes and failures, and the Hemingways cross paths with prominent expats in Paris like Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound.<br /><br />The beautifully written story really brings these historical figures to life and it would be a great book suggestion for someone who loves Hemingway's work or the Paris salon scene, as well as non-fiction readers who are curious about a fictionalized account of post-WWI culture in Europe, bullfighting, or misogynistic but sympathetic literary giants.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-21498443883136571622011-06-12T14:11:00.000-07:002011-06-12T14:17:51.431-07:00MedlineMinus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xjumj0d0YbehUDmzJjdbfKVIozmExFVNZM2athcvn7s5VX-2DW4wsvEz7_kVpg3Nkgfv5zotIJSaztX4wqkP23FxdaNarvivTTNeXAcHLBAl_pCsy4e-VyGFAoX8t7I2Yvpfhc8VxDhI/s1600/Medline_Image.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617444459057612626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 283px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xjumj0d0YbehUDmzJjdbfKVIozmExFVNZM2athcvn7s5VX-2DW4wsvEz7_kVpg3Nkgfv5zotIJSaztX4wqkP23FxdaNarvivTTNeXAcHLBAl_pCsy4e-VyGFAoX8t7I2Yvpfhc8VxDhI/s320/Medline_Image.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>I was checking the links on my libguides when I came across the front page for MedlinePlus, a "Service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine." I was more than a little disturbed by the decision to list "Pregnancy and Reproduction" as one of their "Disorders and Conditions" - right between "Poisoning" and "Substance Abuse." Now, I'm not a huge fan of the idea of giving birth, but I think that this grouping is problematic. Wouldn't it make more sense to "catalog" pregnancy with "Health and Wellness" or even as a subcategory under "Women"? I'm not sure if an actual librarian had anything to do with this, but I hope not.<br /></div><br /><div></div>Haleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00919834617274309290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-74085958387734179742011-05-31T09:34:00.000-07:002011-05-31T09:34:55.613-07:00Book Talk: Decision Points<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPL2qLR9WnBc9TZ53LP5yN18-az_Ubk9K_3uR-q1dQvbFqI5awjMDWJ_r5WSZkl-F7NQXuciyXCj4NKBMp8zGaxOY_NLkSN1Xn0f4IJDlWI16iIRlJ4dHYrqAF0nPVuMj_motC2zWUOs/s1600/DecisionPoints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPL2qLR9WnBc9TZ53LP5yN18-az_Ubk9K_3uR-q1dQvbFqI5awjMDWJ_r5WSZkl-F7NQXuciyXCj4NKBMp8zGaxOY_NLkSN1Xn0f4IJDlWI16iIRlJ4dHYrqAF0nPVuMj_motC2zWUOs/s320/DecisionPoints.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>Decision Points </i>is the autobiography of George W. Bush's two terms. He highlights major decisions he had to make and tackles them categorically, not necessarily chronologically. It's an interesting read for anyone, no matter your political leanings. I found his references to books and films throughout the book really interesting - he read a lot of presidential biographies that I've been wanting to read, including <i>Theodore Rex</i> and several works by David McCullough.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-74386724881138529792011-05-30T19:42:00.000-07:002011-05-30T19:47:48.651-07:00Shameless Self-Promotion Unrelated to LibrarianshipThose readers who have talked to me in person might know I have a younger sister who I think is pretty much the best thing ever. As it turns out, we have both been doing a lot of baking lately, since we both love us some desserts. We were discussing the need to share recipes, and we abandoned a Google document in favor of a blog. Currently there are literally only two followers - the two of us - but we expect it to become the Next Big Thing. Or not. Either way, we would love to have an audience besides just us, so if you want to see what we're up to, visit <a href="http://thesistersbaker.blogspot.com/">The Sisters Baker</a>. Thanks!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12488788024882553588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-84423062142735143782011-05-16T10:53:00.000-07:002011-05-16T10:53:57.234-07:00Renovation WoesNot as cool as envelopes full of odd substances, but I also actually have a story to tell about my library! <br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 5.25pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Recently, my library underwent a large renovation (thank you, state grants!).<span> </span>The results were stunning.<span> </span>We now have a beautiful, bright blue carpet and shiny new desk in the children’s room, a fresh coat of paint in all the rooms, a large new adult/YA reference desk, and catalog stations that don’t jut into the aisles.<span> </span>The library no longer looks like a tribute to the early seventies, which is wonderful.<span> </span>Once the shelves and furniture come in, we will have a YA section where they can congregate (and all their books will be on shelves rather than stacks on the floor.<span> </span>I’m sure they will appreciate that), along with a whole new reference section.<span> </span>Unfortunately, the actual renovation was made to be much more annoying and frustrating than it needed to be.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 5.25pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Among other things, the entire library was re-carpeted and repainted, which meant that a good quarter of the collection had to be moved multiple times throughout the renovation.<span> </span>Why multiple?<span> </span>We have limited space to put things and no off-site storage areas where we could put things for the week of carpeting/painting.<span> </span>So, we moved them to the un-carpeted foyer and meeting room until we ran out of room, then we had to put materials on the carpeted areas, only to have to move them again at a later point, when a different area had been carpeted.<span> </span>Yep.<span> </span>We did move some books more than five times before they were put back on the shelves.<span> </span>Our entire dvd and cd collections were moved about four times each, although, thankfully, those could be moved on the shelves.<span> </span>Needless to say, this alone was a complicated issue.<span> </span>Only books on bottom shelves and the shelves attached to the wall (or with fixtures attached to the wall) had to be moved—the rest were covered in plastic in a sad attempt to keep dust out.<span> </span>This meant that in the children’s room alone, we would have items like Bar-Bas next to Ben-Bep on the floor.<span> </span>In theory, anyway.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition, we allowed people to take out double the materials in the week before the library closed for renovation.<span> </span>While this did mean that we had to move a lot less, we also had little idea how much space to leave for those missing books when placing items back on the shelves.<span> </span>As a result, we spent a good deal of time shifting materials to ensure they all fit or to make up for large gaps for weeks afterwards.<span> </span>In fact, there are some areas where this is still occurring, two months after the library’s reopening. <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We did many things right, and many things could not be made simpler due to the time constraints (Two weeks to move an entire collection multiple times while working around several work crews?<span> </span>Ew).<span> </span>We also did many things wrong or in ways that could have been easily simplified or streamlined. <span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mostly, our problem is that we did not plan ahead enough.<span> </span>Oh sure, we knew what color the walls were to be and when the painters were coming several weeks in advance.<span> </span>We, however, did not know where we would place the new reference desks (or what colors/styles we wanted them), where we wanted the dvd collection to permanently go, what books we were going to move where during the renovation, or even what parts of the collection we had to move in the first place.<span> </span>The results of this?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We didn’t plan for our staff needs.<span> </span>No one thought about the fact that over half our staff is over the age of 50 and that they cannot move all that much and certainly not for hours at a time or that they would simply refuse to move anything on the unfair theory that that is what pages are for.<span> </span>It also never occurred to many that the younger staff and part-time pages couldn’t be counted on to pick up all the slack-they also cannot move books for eight hours a day no matter what anyone says about their young bones.<span> </span>At the same time, actual skills were overlooked.<span> </span>Someone has experience moving large objects with a dolly?<span> </span>She can’t do that here!<span> </span>She’s five feet tall; she’ll clearly die in the process!<span> </span>What do you mean, the reference librarian knows how to do wiring?<span> </span>She can’t place the internet router; that’s what the overworked, frazzled maintenance guy is for.<span> </span>We now just have to wait three hours while he finishes those other twelve things.<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Our single male page and the maintenance guy were seriously overworked since they often ended up being the only ones tall/strong enough to reach certain items.<span> </span>Ladders.<span> </span>Ladders would have been good. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We haphazardly moved our collection.<span> </span>While <span> </span>Juv. Fiction Bar-Bas should have gone next to Ben-Bep, it often went next to adult mysteries A-B or the 300s of the reference collection.<span> </span>This was horrendously confusing when replacing the collection and there were several times we thought we had lost entire shelves of books.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We wasted a lot of time arguing over mundane things, like desk colors, when we should have been moving things so the workers could paint the walls or deciding what to do about the fact that we had literally run out of space to put things. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We moved the dvd and cd collections multiple times before deciding where to keep them.<span> </span>Those shelves are heavy, just so you know. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-There was no main supervision for any given section, creating confusion and often frustration as YA librarians and pages tried to, for example, guess how many shelves adult audio book collection once took up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We did not ask for physical samples of the carpet and desk materials ahead of time despite the emphasis given to the coloring palette.<span> </span>We now have an adult carpet that looks grey rather than the color we thought we were getting, and we ultimately changed the panels behind the reference desk after it was decided that they looked depressing (they did, but that’s beside the point).<span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We did not think about how we were going to have to take the books off of the many tables and long rows on the floor we placed them on.<span> </span>So, we put them on backwards, essentially.<span> </span>Instead of making it so that we could take off the closest things to us first, we did the opposite.<span> </span>As such, we had to reach all the way to the back of tables, or 3 feet deep in the foyer, to get the first books we needed to put back on the shelves.<span> </span>I cannot tell you how fun it was to stand in a four-inch gap, contort myself under a table, and pass a two-foot stack of reference books over to someone who was standing several feet away.<span> </span>I’m surprised there were no major injuries. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-There was no time management.<span> </span>We barely finished in time to open the doors.<span> </span>The YA and reference collections lived in the meeting room for a week after we opened; we didn’t have internet for a day (Want to anger patrons?<span> </span>Don’t have internet when you reopen from a major renovation.<span> </span>Then, tell them that the book they want is still in the meeting room and you’ll have to go get it for them).<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We failed to label many things, or anything.<span> </span>Sure, this can count under the planning heading, but it was enough of an issue in this case to get its own category.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We did not label the books uniformly as we moved them.<span> </span>Everyone had their own system, and if someone wasn’t there to tell what ‘3<sup>rd</sup> shelf over, children’s room R-Re’ meant, it became a guessing game that no one ever won.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We also did not label the shelving units as we took them down and, rather than placing them in neat piles according to where they came from, we put them wherever we could find room.<span> </span>I’m sure you can see the problems here.<span> </span>Some of the shelves were slightly different sizes and there were two incompatible shelving unit types painted the same color.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">-We also did not teach everyone how to put the shelves in properly, or that there were different types.<span> </span>A lot of time was wasted trying to bang in shelves that wouldn’t fit and even more trying to teach each person how to put them together as they wandered over.<span> </span>Had they been labeled, we wouldn’t have had to explain so many little things, like that the number of holes makes a big difference, or that no, that shelf, will actually not go with those shelf-hangers.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So, what should you do if your library needs to be renovated?<span> </span>Plan ahead and label everything.<span> </span>Everything.<span> </span>The shelves, the screws, the books, the book carts (this will deter fighting later, trust me on this), the cleaning supplies, the pages.<span> </span>Don’t do it in the middle of winter if you live somewhere with snow—the ability to temporarily put things outside or to wash the shelves with a garden hose would have been wonderful.<span> </span>Really don’t do this right before tax season; people will try to get in the library ‘just for one form’ no matter how big you make the ‘SORRY-WE ARE CLOSED FOR RENOVATION’ signs.<span> </span>In retrospect, it is all obvious, but, of course, it always is. <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></div>Tokinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796578407241945581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273475962586114458.post-56778593703865072132011-05-09T10:06:00.000-07:002011-05-09T10:16:51.002-07:00Drama at the VendorSometimes, I feel a little jealous of all the blogging librarians in these parts who have library things to blog about. Today though, I have some drama to share!<br /><br />A few hours ago my supervisor came around, urgently informing us all to log off our phones and go downstairs. I thought it was another corporate announcement (oh please don't be laying us off!) but grabbed my purse just in case.<br /><br />If only I had grabbed my lunch too. Turns out, there was a suspicious envelope! With a suspicious substance! As the customer service department sat in the cafeteria and speculated, the cops showed up, and then the fire department, and as we were informed, the postal inspector and the FBI too. Mostly, we just sat there and waited (and ate things from the vending machines, my poor diet) until we were eventually allowed back upstairs. It would have been a better break if I hadn't carpooled to work with the guy friend, because he had the car - I was stuck! They weren't even letting people down the road by us...in case it was terribly toxic, I guess? It it were so toxic that the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">hotdog</span> truck couldn't drive past us (there is a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">hotdog</span> warehouse by us!) we were all toast.<br /><br />Luckily, and unsurprisingly, it turned out to not be anthrax or anything more dangerous than a non-toxic cleaning substance. It was accompanied by a "threatening note." I'm surprised (but not really) that someone would want to send fake-anthrax and a threat to a library supply vendor. I think the worst thing we could have done to someone is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">backorder</span> their archival boxes. So we are all safe and sound, if a little full of vending machine food and behind on our work.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12488788024882553588noreply@blogger.com0