I have just a bit more on the topic of library integrity. I think integrity in the library is best outlined with the Library Bill of Rights (originally found here):
I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
VI. Libraries that make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
This Bill of Rights was adopted in its first form on June 19, 1939. Several amendments have been made since then. I think that it outlines quite well what responsibility and duty the library has to the community, and the standards by which that responsibility and duty is upheld.
I'll move right along to this week's recipe. I didn't do any cooking this weekend. Scooter and I went out of town to celebrate his birthday (which was on Saturday). We had an amazing time, and I will be posting the story of our trip (and maybe a picture) possibly tomorrow or Thursday. This week's recipe is one that I found on the back of a package of manicotti pasta and have made several times since: spinach and mushroom manicotti.
What you'll need:
1 box (8 oz.) manicotti
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
6 oz. mushrooms, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 bag (6 oz.) fresh spinach, chopped
2 eggs
1 15oz. container ricotta cheese
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 jar pasta sauce (I prefer a blush sauce)
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
What you'll need to do:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook the manicotti for 7 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse in cool water, then set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spinach and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Set pan aside to cool.
3. Beat the eggs lightly in a medium bowl. Stir in the ricotta cheese, basil, and salt. Stir in the spinach and mushroom mixture.
4. Spread about 3/4 c. of the pasta sauce over the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Fill the manicotti with the spinach and mushroom mixture and place in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the filled shells. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top.
5. Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Integrity
This week, the entire staff of the campus I work at (minus the instructors who had to remain on site to continue classes as normal) went to an off-site "Integrity Training." Let me give you a little recent history that will help to explain why.
I work for a trade school, more specifically, a for-profit school. Most (if not all) for-profit schools have programs for things like trades, medical assistants, criminal justice, etc (career programs). The programs are accelerated, fast-paced programs designed to get the students through school in much less time than a program in a more traditional school. This gets the student into their career in 2 years or less, rather than 4 years or more. One thing in particular to note about for-profit schools (at least the one I work for), they allow minority and low-income students who might not be able to attend a traditional school to educate themselves and give themselves an opportunity for a good job that they probably wouldn't have had otherwise. This mission is something that I can stand behind, and I think it's a wonderful thing to be able to give someone the chance they never had until now.
That being said, a video was recently released about what some for-profit schools are doing. Two men (news reporters, I think) went undercover and mystery-shopped several for-profit campuses across the state, meaning that they pretended to be real students looking to enroll at these schools. Their interactions with Admissions and Financial Aid representatives at these campuses were secretly video taped--and the results were shocking. The campus representatives were engaging in very illegal activity, including one case where the mystery shopper was told by a Financial Aid representative to omit on his FAFSA that he had $250,000 in his bank account to give him a better chance to get funding. Another two cases had an Admissions representative denying the mystery shopper the ability to talk to Financial Aid to see how much assistance he would get before he signed an enrollment agreement.
None of the schools owned by the corporation that owns the school I work for were involved in anything shown on the video (thankfully). Yet the damage is still done. For-profit schools now have a bad name because of what a handful of schools were doing (two of them closed because of content of the video). And now Congress is stepping in. Congress is trying to pass legislation (called the "Gainful Employment Rule") that would put harsher restrictions on these schools--and some programs at community colleges--leading to negative impact on the students and their ability to get funding for financial aid. No financial aid means the students wouldn't be able to afford the programs on their own. You can visit MyCareerCounts.org for more information on the topic (and to help support the opposition to this rule if you would like).
In response to this, the mother corporation of my school did a nation-wise training day to re-establish our policies that we have in place and really examine why we have them and how they are implemented. My school especially prides itself on doing things the right (ethical) way, and our internal and accreditation audits have consistently shown our ability to carry out all policies well.
One thing to come out of this was my personal reflection on integrity in general and library integrity specifically. In what ways must I exhibit integrity in the library? What problems could occur that would question my integrity? What about in other libraries? What does integrity in a library mean? I'm going to take this weekend to reflect on these and other questions that I have. Maybe I'll post my conclusions on Monday. I won't have much time to do any cooking this weekend, so I'll also post a recipe that I've made in the past and liked as well.
I work for a trade school, more specifically, a for-profit school. Most (if not all) for-profit schools have programs for things like trades, medical assistants, criminal justice, etc (career programs). The programs are accelerated, fast-paced programs designed to get the students through school in much less time than a program in a more traditional school. This gets the student into their career in 2 years or less, rather than 4 years or more. One thing in particular to note about for-profit schools (at least the one I work for), they allow minority and low-income students who might not be able to attend a traditional school to educate themselves and give themselves an opportunity for a good job that they probably wouldn't have had otherwise. This mission is something that I can stand behind, and I think it's a wonderful thing to be able to give someone the chance they never had until now.
That being said, a video was recently released about what some for-profit schools are doing. Two men (news reporters, I think) went undercover and mystery-shopped several for-profit campuses across the state, meaning that they pretended to be real students looking to enroll at these schools. Their interactions with Admissions and Financial Aid representatives at these campuses were secretly video taped--and the results were shocking. The campus representatives were engaging in very illegal activity, including one case where the mystery shopper was told by a Financial Aid representative to omit on his FAFSA that he had $250,000 in his bank account to give him a better chance to get funding. Another two cases had an Admissions representative denying the mystery shopper the ability to talk to Financial Aid to see how much assistance he would get before he signed an enrollment agreement.
None of the schools owned by the corporation that owns the school I work for were involved in anything shown on the video (thankfully). Yet the damage is still done. For-profit schools now have a bad name because of what a handful of schools were doing (two of them closed because of content of the video). And now Congress is stepping in. Congress is trying to pass legislation (called the "Gainful Employment Rule") that would put harsher restrictions on these schools--and some programs at community colleges--leading to negative impact on the students and their ability to get funding for financial aid. No financial aid means the students wouldn't be able to afford the programs on their own. You can visit MyCareerCounts.org for more information on the topic (and to help support the opposition to this rule if you would like).
In response to this, the mother corporation of my school did a nation-wise training day to re-establish our policies that we have in place and really examine why we have them and how they are implemented. My school especially prides itself on doing things the right (ethical) way, and our internal and accreditation audits have consistently shown our ability to carry out all policies well.
One thing to come out of this was my personal reflection on integrity in general and library integrity specifically. In what ways must I exhibit integrity in the library? What problems could occur that would question my integrity? What about in other libraries? What does integrity in a library mean? I'm going to take this weekend to reflect on these and other questions that I have. Maybe I'll post my conclusions on Monday. I won't have much time to do any cooking this weekend, so I'll also post a recipe that I've made in the past and liked as well.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Okonomi...what?
I've developed a "study climate" when I'm working on any kind of schoolwork, whether it be writing a paper, reading assigned text, or attending one of my weekly online class meetings. I wish I had done this long ago back when I was working on my undergraduate degree.
What is my study climate? Well, it starts with a little routine. I water all of my plants. I have five pots now, three outside my front door and two inside my apartment. Two of the outside pots hold impatiens, and the third is growing some pansies from seed (they sprouted last week!). I have a lucky bamboo in a small pot on my desk and a small pot of African violets in my bedroom on one of my bookcases. Something so simple as watering is a connection to the gardening that I love to do when I get the chance.
After the plants are watered, I turn on the lamps for softer lighting than the overhead light and my desk lamp so I can easily see what I'm working on. I light a number of candles around my front room and on my desk, and I turn on my TV to a local classical radio station I get through Comcast. All of this helps me to relax and let go of my worries, which in turn allows me to concentrate on studying. It's a wonderful climate to sit and study in. I just wish that I had started this back in my first years in college.
And now for this week's recipe: okonomiyaki. This is a Japanese dish also known as Japanese pizza (although there isn't that many similarities between pizza and this). I learned how to make this years ago, back when my high school friends and I were fascinated with Japanese anime and the Japanese culture. My interest in anime has since faded, but I still highly respect the culture. This recipe has ingredients that may be hard to find; anything not available at your local supermarket (including the special mayonnaise and the Okonomi sauce) should be available at an Asian supermarket. The original recipe comes from the back of the Okonomi sauce bottle.
What you'll need:
1 c. flour
3/4 c. water
4 eggs
8 oz. of meat or shrimp (or a combination if you like)
10 large cabbage leaves
1/4 c. shredded pickled ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
Kewpie mayonnaise
Otafuku Okonomi sauce
What you'll need to do:
1. Thinly slice your meat of choice. If you're using shrimp, cut it into bite-size pieces (I tend to use baby shrimp--these don't need to be cut up).
2. Rinse the cabbage leaves and thinly slice them.
3. In a large bowl, add the flour and water and mix together. Whisk in the eggs to make a batter. Add the cabbage, shredded ginger, and meat/shrimp. Mix everything together until the cabbage and meat are thoroughly coated with the batter.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour in enough of the batter mixture to make a 6-inch griddle cake. Cook until nice and golden brown on both sides.
5. Remove from frying pan and put onto a plate. Top with the Kewpie mayonnaise and the Otafuku Okonomi sauce and serve hot.
Finish with a Japanese sweet like mochi (a recipe I'll try to post another time). Scooter seems to like this a lot, so I've made it more than once including last Saturday night. Enjoy!
What is my study climate? Well, it starts with a little routine. I water all of my plants. I have five pots now, three outside my front door and two inside my apartment. Two of the outside pots hold impatiens, and the third is growing some pansies from seed (they sprouted last week!). I have a lucky bamboo in a small pot on my desk and a small pot of African violets in my bedroom on one of my bookcases. Something so simple as watering is a connection to the gardening that I love to do when I get the chance.
After the plants are watered, I turn on the lamps for softer lighting than the overhead light and my desk lamp so I can easily see what I'm working on. I light a number of candles around my front room and on my desk, and I turn on my TV to a local classical radio station I get through Comcast. All of this helps me to relax and let go of my worries, which in turn allows me to concentrate on studying. It's a wonderful climate to sit and study in. I just wish that I had started this back in my first years in college.
And now for this week's recipe: okonomiyaki. This is a Japanese dish also known as Japanese pizza (although there isn't that many similarities between pizza and this). I learned how to make this years ago, back when my high school friends and I were fascinated with Japanese anime and the Japanese culture. My interest in anime has since faded, but I still highly respect the culture. This recipe has ingredients that may be hard to find; anything not available at your local supermarket (including the special mayonnaise and the Okonomi sauce) should be available at an Asian supermarket. The original recipe comes from the back of the Okonomi sauce bottle.
What you'll need:
1 c. flour
3/4 c. water
4 eggs
8 oz. of meat or shrimp (or a combination if you like)
10 large cabbage leaves
1/4 c. shredded pickled ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
Kewpie mayonnaise
Otafuku Okonomi sauce
What you'll need to do:
1. Thinly slice your meat of choice. If you're using shrimp, cut it into bite-size pieces (I tend to use baby shrimp--these don't need to be cut up).
2. Rinse the cabbage leaves and thinly slice them.
3. In a large bowl, add the flour and water and mix together. Whisk in the eggs to make a batter. Add the cabbage, shredded ginger, and meat/shrimp. Mix everything together until the cabbage and meat are thoroughly coated with the batter.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour in enough of the batter mixture to make a 6-inch griddle cake. Cook until nice and golden brown on both sides.
5. Remove from frying pan and put onto a plate. Top with the Kewpie mayonnaise and the Otafuku Okonomi sauce and serve hot.
Finish with a Japanese sweet like mochi (a recipe I'll try to post another time). Scooter seems to like this a lot, so I've made it more than once including last Saturday night. Enjoy!
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Future of the Library
I've been learning a lot in my class. So many greats in the library field that I never knew about before are speaking their wisdom to me from the pages of their writing. There's a lot about the profession and about libraries that deserves respect and admiration. Those that worry about libraries because they think books are slowly disappearing would be surprised by all the evidence to the contrary. Libraries fulfill so many roles now, and they're redefining their purpose. The only threat to libraries currently is funding, which in many cases has led to cuts on staff and/or hours, and in some cases has caused libraries to close altogether. Despite this, there have been many communities that have rallied together to save their libraries, and there are libraries that continue to do well despite the recession and funding problems.
I took some time to reflect and think about what I would like to see more of in libraries. I think that their biggest roles in the future will be community-wise and civic-wise. I also think that libraries should fully embrace the trends of technology and find ways to get it to work for them, not against them. Here are 10 things I came up with that I would like to see more in our libraries.
1. Libraries building relationships with e-reader device companies Amazon and Barnes & Noble for program development that would allow patrons to borrow books from their Kindle or Nook. Ideally, libraries with this capability would also have the appropriate devices that patrons could borrow as well. The lending program would have the following features:
a. Users would be able to browse through their local library’s digital collection and take out or renew items, or even put items on hold. I would see libraries as being allowed to release up to 5 digital copies of a title at once.
b. A built-in customizable alert that would let the user know when he/she has 0-2 days left on an item.
c. Customizable views of the digital item, including larger font for those who have trouble reading small type.
d. Minimal or no advertisements. Links for buying the product would be discretely placed (Nooks would link to the product on Barnes & Noble's site, Kindles would have likewise for the Amazon site).
e. Once the loan time is up, the item would be automatically “returned” and the digital copy removed from the patron’s device. It would no longer be available to the patron unless he/she checked the item out again.
2. Libraries hosting school-like events, including spelling bees and science fairs. This would allow home-schooled children to participate alongside their publicly- or privately-schooled peers.
3. iPhone, iPad, cellphone, and computer desktop aps/widgets that allow patrons to chat with local librarians during business hours using real-time messaging.
4. Libraries hosting other events, like art shows featuring artwork inspired by books and cover artists, and International Food Day festivals to celebrate community diversity.
5. Themed book fairs with guest authors, with themes along the lines of "It's Great to Be a Kid!" and "Teen Reader."
6. Raffles or silent auctions with interesting and unique prizes, with all proceeds going to help fund expanding collections or upgrading equipment (things that would be very hard to do with reduced funding).
7. Libraries authoring RSS feeds with the latest news about their library, with possible incentives for those who subscribe (including things like money off of community event tickets, etc.).
8. Libraries acting as a venue for locals to bring their community-based problems (maybe providing online forums for locals to speak with their mayors, community boards, etc.?), and a growing partnership between the library and city government.
9. More technology workshops that not only deal with computers, but that also address iPhones, iPads, smart phones, hand-held game devices, digital cameras, and all other technologies that patrons express a desire to learn more about (probably directed towards the older audience).
10. Classes that teach parents about the latest technology trends for children and teens and how to make sure their kids are safe while using them. One thing addressed should be teaching parents how to talk to their kids about this.
A lot of libraries around the country have already become a center for their community and may already be doing some or most of these things. I would just like to see these kinds of things be more wide-spread. Maybe my outlook is a little jaded because of the type of library that I work in (it would be considered a specialized library). I plan to complete an internship at a public library at some point during my Master's, since I seem to be leaning towards a possible future career in a public library. I'm hoping that I may be able to implement some of these things at whatever public library I end up working in 5-10 years from now.
I still have a lot to learn before I get there.
I took some time to reflect and think about what I would like to see more of in libraries. I think that their biggest roles in the future will be community-wise and civic-wise. I also think that libraries should fully embrace the trends of technology and find ways to get it to work for them, not against them. Here are 10 things I came up with that I would like to see more in our libraries.
1. Libraries building relationships with e-reader device companies Amazon and Barnes & Noble for program development that would allow patrons to borrow books from their Kindle or Nook. Ideally, libraries with this capability would also have the appropriate devices that patrons could borrow as well. The lending program would have the following features:
a. Users would be able to browse through their local library’s digital collection and take out or renew items, or even put items on hold. I would see libraries as being allowed to release up to 5 digital copies of a title at once.
b. A built-in customizable alert that would let the user know when he/she has 0-2 days left on an item.
c. Customizable views of the digital item, including larger font for those who have trouble reading small type.
d. Minimal or no advertisements. Links for buying the product would be discretely placed (Nooks would link to the product on Barnes & Noble's site, Kindles would have likewise for the Amazon site).
e. Once the loan time is up, the item would be automatically “returned” and the digital copy removed from the patron’s device. It would no longer be available to the patron unless he/she checked the item out again.
2. Libraries hosting school-like events, including spelling bees and science fairs. This would allow home-schooled children to participate alongside their publicly- or privately-schooled peers.
3. iPhone, iPad, cellphone, and computer desktop aps/widgets that allow patrons to chat with local librarians during business hours using real-time messaging.
4. Libraries hosting other events, like art shows featuring artwork inspired by books and cover artists, and International Food Day festivals to celebrate community diversity.
5. Themed book fairs with guest authors, with themes along the lines of "It's Great to Be a Kid!" and "Teen Reader."
6. Raffles or silent auctions with interesting and unique prizes, with all proceeds going to help fund expanding collections or upgrading equipment (things that would be very hard to do with reduced funding).
7. Libraries authoring RSS feeds with the latest news about their library, with possible incentives for those who subscribe (including things like money off of community event tickets, etc.).
8. Libraries acting as a venue for locals to bring their community-based problems (maybe providing online forums for locals to speak with their mayors, community boards, etc.?), and a growing partnership between the library and city government.
9. More technology workshops that not only deal with computers, but that also address iPhones, iPads, smart phones, hand-held game devices, digital cameras, and all other technologies that patrons express a desire to learn more about (probably directed towards the older audience).
10. Classes that teach parents about the latest technology trends for children and teens and how to make sure their kids are safe while using them. One thing addressed should be teaching parents how to talk to their kids about this.
A lot of libraries around the country have already become a center for their community and may already be doing some or most of these things. I would just like to see these kinds of things be more wide-spread. Maybe my outlook is a little jaded because of the type of library that I work in (it would be considered a specialized library). I plan to complete an internship at a public library at some point during my Master's, since I seem to be leaning towards a possible future career in a public library. I'm hoping that I may be able to implement some of these things at whatever public library I end up working in 5-10 years from now.
I still have a lot to learn before I get there.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Rum + Pineapple = A Really Good Cake!
I turned in my first grad paper this last weekend. The assignment was to review any peer-reviewed journal related to librarianship or information science. There were a number of things that we (the students in my class) were suggested to consider, including things like the journal's peer reviewers and their credentials, the types of articles included in each issue/volume, and basic "stats" like frequency of issues and where the journal is indexed.
Previous to last week's class meeting, I started looking into a journal that I would want to use for the assignment. I found one on a list of journal that were related to the subject of LIS (Library and Information Science). There were a few listed there that looked moderately interesting, but one in particular caught my eye: Progressive Librarian. Here is the abstract from my paper that I posted on my class's online forum:
"Progressive Librarian is a peer-review journal that is published by the Progressive Librarians Guild twice a year. The journal addresses the political, cultural, social, and economic trends that the PLG and others have noticed regarding the profession and library institutions. The articles, book reviews, bibliographies, reports, and other documents published in each issue focus on advancing librarianship through progressive thought and critical review of the system. The Editorial Board for the journal includes individuals who have experience with human rights and social change related to librarianship. Those who would like to submit works for publication may do so either digitally or physically. Articles from the issues can be found in several databases, including the Alt-PressWatch database."
I found out during my research into the journal that my instructor for the class is actually on the Editorial Board for this journal. Out of all the journals that exist that are related to LIS, I had to choose this one. Talk about a small world.
Now for this week's recipe. It's another dessert recipe, but this one (if made according to the recipe) is an adults-only dessert. There is a bit of alcohol that's not cooked off in it, but it's easy enough to omit this part of the recipe if you want to make it more child-friendly. So today, for your eating pleasure, I am posting the Rum Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. This recipe will take a little planning, as part of it is done the day before you put it in the oven. A quick note about pineapple before the recipe: this recipe calls for fresh pineapple rather than canned. If you're not sure how to pick out a fresh pineapple, you do it mostly by smell. The skin should have yellow and orange in it (not mostly green), and it should have that wonderful sweet smell of fresh cut pineapple. If it doesn't have the smell, choose another pineapple. Ok, on with the recipe!
What you'll need:
1 12-oz. package of frozen pitted cherries, thawed OR 1 14.5-oz can of tart cherries in water
3/4 cup spiced rum
1/2 a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, quartered, and cut into 1/4-in. thick pieces
3/4 cup spiced rum
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 pint creme fraiche OR 1 pint of whipping cream, lightly whipped
What you'll need to do:
1. The night before you plan to bake the cake, put the thawed cherries and 3/4 c. spiced rum together in a bowl. If you used canned cherries, drain them before adding the spiced rum. In another bowl, add the pineapple and the other 3/4 c. spiced rum. Cover both bowls and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large bowl, add all but 2 Tbs. of the softened butter. Set the last 2 Tbs. aside for later. Add in the sugar and mixing together with an electric mixer until creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time and continue mixing. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until all ingredients are completely assimilated.
4. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients slowly into the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth batter forms.
5. Heat up a 10-in cast iron skillet over medium heat, then add the last 2 Tbs. of butter you set aside. After the butter has just melted, add the brown sugar and mix together. Using a slotted spoon, add in the pineapple. Reserve the rum and set aside. Saute the pineapple pieces until they begin to carmelize and turn a nice golden brown. Add the cherries and the rum they soaked in. Remove the skillet from the heat and light the rum with a long kitchen match or a long lighter. When the flames disappear, return the pan to the heat and cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it sit to cool between 6 and 10 minutes. Remove half the fruit (I suggest mostly cherries) and put it in the reserved rum for garnishing. If you want to make child-friendly cake, just set the fruit aside without adding it the reserved rum.
7. Add the batter to the skillet and put it in the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick into the center comes out clean.
8. When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes before getting it out of the skillet. After 5 minutes, run a knife around the edge to loosen it, then cover the skillet with a large plate. Gently flip the skillet over so the cake unmolds onto the plate.
9. Cut into slices and serve with creme fraiche (or lightly whipped cream), and the reserved fruit.
This recipe was originally found on Food Network's website. Scooter was watching tv, saw this being made, and found the recipe to try. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Previous to last week's class meeting, I started looking into a journal that I would want to use for the assignment. I found one on a list of journal that were related to the subject of LIS (Library and Information Science). There were a few listed there that looked moderately interesting, but one in particular caught my eye: Progressive Librarian. Here is the abstract from my paper that I posted on my class's online forum:
"Progressive Librarian is a peer-review journal that is published by the Progressive Librarians Guild twice a year. The journal addresses the political, cultural, social, and economic trends that the PLG and others have noticed regarding the profession and library institutions. The articles, book reviews, bibliographies, reports, and other documents published in each issue focus on advancing librarianship through progressive thought and critical review of the system. The Editorial Board for the journal includes individuals who have experience with human rights and social change related to librarianship. Those who would like to submit works for publication may do so either digitally or physically. Articles from the issues can be found in several databases, including the Alt-PressWatch database."
I found out during my research into the journal that my instructor for the class is actually on the Editorial Board for this journal. Out of all the journals that exist that are related to LIS, I had to choose this one. Talk about a small world.
Now for this week's recipe. It's another dessert recipe, but this one (if made according to the recipe) is an adults-only dessert. There is a bit of alcohol that's not cooked off in it, but it's easy enough to omit this part of the recipe if you want to make it more child-friendly. So today, for your eating pleasure, I am posting the Rum Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. This recipe will take a little planning, as part of it is done the day before you put it in the oven. A quick note about pineapple before the recipe: this recipe calls for fresh pineapple rather than canned. If you're not sure how to pick out a fresh pineapple, you do it mostly by smell. The skin should have yellow and orange in it (not mostly green), and it should have that wonderful sweet smell of fresh cut pineapple. If it doesn't have the smell, choose another pineapple. Ok, on with the recipe!
What you'll need:
1 12-oz. package of frozen pitted cherries, thawed OR 1 14.5-oz can of tart cherries in water
3/4 cup spiced rum
1/2 a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, quartered, and cut into 1/4-in. thick pieces
3/4 cup spiced rum
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 pint creme fraiche OR 1 pint of whipping cream, lightly whipped
What you'll need to do:
1. The night before you plan to bake the cake, put the thawed cherries and 3/4 c. spiced rum together in a bowl. If you used canned cherries, drain them before adding the spiced rum. In another bowl, add the pineapple and the other 3/4 c. spiced rum. Cover both bowls and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large bowl, add all but 2 Tbs. of the softened butter. Set the last 2 Tbs. aside for later. Add in the sugar and mixing together with an electric mixer until creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time and continue mixing. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until all ingredients are completely assimilated.
4. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients slowly into the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth batter forms.
5. Heat up a 10-in cast iron skillet over medium heat, then add the last 2 Tbs. of butter you set aside. After the butter has just melted, add the brown sugar and mix together. Using a slotted spoon, add in the pineapple. Reserve the rum and set aside. Saute the pineapple pieces until they begin to carmelize and turn a nice golden brown. Add the cherries and the rum they soaked in. Remove the skillet from the heat and light the rum with a long kitchen match or a long lighter. When the flames disappear, return the pan to the heat and cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it sit to cool between 6 and 10 minutes. Remove half the fruit (I suggest mostly cherries) and put it in the reserved rum for garnishing. If you want to make child-friendly cake, just set the fruit aside without adding it the reserved rum.
7. Add the batter to the skillet and put it in the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick into the center comes out clean.
8. When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes before getting it out of the skillet. After 5 minutes, run a knife around the edge to loosen it, then cover the skillet with a large plate. Gently flip the skillet over so the cake unmolds onto the plate.
9. Cut into slices and serve with creme fraiche (or lightly whipped cream), and the reserved fruit.
This recipe was originally found on Food Network's website. Scooter was watching tv, saw this being made, and found the recipe to try. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Friday, September 10, 2010
What's an expert?
I have to say that I really enjoy the discussion forums for my class. Being able to get another's perspective on something I have read is what makes it more real for me. Seeing what others have to say open up new doors of meaning that allow me to understand some of the nuances I hadn't picked up the first time I went through a piece.
During a discussion about a parallel I saw between a computer program that's currently available and a type of library that has existed in America's past, one of my classmates posed a question: "when do we require an authoritative figure to act as our teacher and when is it acceptable to learn from someone in our community who is willing to share what they own, their knowledge, with others?" She also posed a question about the distinction of an expert vs. a non-expert, which got me thinking: how can you distinguish between an expert and a non-expert, and when can that distinction be made?
Here is how I responded on the forum:
"The expert vs. non-expert question you posed got me thinking. I don't know if there really is an all-inclusive standard that we can use to make this distinction. Education can be considered a foundation that paves the way to someone becoming an 'expert' in a topic, but sometimes no formal education (meaning education in a classroom) has taken place. Experience I think is what distinguishes between expert and non-expert, but even then it's such a gray area. How much experience is needed? Wouldn't it depend on the subject or topic in question? The experience to be an 'expert' in arithmetic would be considerably less than that required to be an expert in automotive mechanics. Dictionary.com defines an expert as 'a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; specialist; authority.' Even that description is rather vague. Who determines that you have become an expert? Maybe it also depends on how often other colleagues in your field seek you out for information. If other librarians are coming to you with questions about librarianship and libraries, does that make you an expert? I have to say [name omitted] that you really got me thinking about this!
Since ideas, methods, and information constantly change, it could make staying an expert a very difficult thing. Much of one's time (depending on the subject of expertise) could be taken up with researching the latest ideas, methods, and information on one's chosen subject. (This is where we would come in as librarians!)"
In response to my comments, she brought up the idea of confidence and how that relates to the role of expert, specifically how much experience/knowledge it would take to get such confidence. She also wondered if it (an expert's confidence) would be seen as the same as self-promotion or narcissism on an online site like Facebook.
My thoughts:
"In response to your comments about confidence, I would agree that it would play a part in the role of being an expert. I don't have an answer as to the level of knowledge and experience that would lead to the confidence factor. However, I think that it would have something to do with one's comfort level. If you have enough knowledge and experience to be comfortable with a particular subject area, one could reason that you will also be gaining the confidence that would lead to a role as an expert. Unfortunately, "comfort" is so subjective and it would be different for each person. Also, I think that there is a distinction between confidence and self-promotion or narcissism. Your confidence with a particular subject wouldn't necessarily preclude you from being willing to listen to or taking an interest in other points of view. A self-promoter or narcissist by definition would probably find it very hard to even consider other viewpoints on a topic, as they would want to make others believe that their point of view is the (only) correct one."
And the debate continues...
If you want to jump in with your own ideas or perspective, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. :)
During a discussion about a parallel I saw between a computer program that's currently available and a type of library that has existed in America's past, one of my classmates posed a question: "when do we require an authoritative figure to act as our teacher and when is it acceptable to learn from someone in our community who is willing to share what they own, their knowledge, with others?" She also posed a question about the distinction of an expert vs. a non-expert, which got me thinking: how can you distinguish between an expert and a non-expert, and when can that distinction be made?
Here is how I responded on the forum:
"The expert vs. non-expert question you posed got me thinking. I don't know if there really is an all-inclusive standard that we can use to make this distinction. Education can be considered a foundation that paves the way to someone becoming an 'expert' in a topic, but sometimes no formal education (meaning education in a classroom) has taken place. Experience I think is what distinguishes between expert and non-expert, but even then it's such a gray area. How much experience is needed? Wouldn't it depend on the subject or topic in question? The experience to be an 'expert' in arithmetic would be considerably less than that required to be an expert in automotive mechanics. Dictionary.com defines an expert as 'a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; specialist; authority.' Even that description is rather vague. Who determines that you have become an expert? Maybe it also depends on how often other colleagues in your field seek you out for information. If other librarians are coming to you with questions about librarianship and libraries, does that make you an expert? I have to say [name omitted] that you really got me thinking about this!
Since ideas, methods, and information constantly change, it could make staying an expert a very difficult thing. Much of one's time (depending on the subject of expertise) could be taken up with researching the latest ideas, methods, and information on one's chosen subject. (This is where we would come in as librarians!)"
In response to my comments, she brought up the idea of confidence and how that relates to the role of expert, specifically how much experience/knowledge it would take to get such confidence. She also wondered if it (an expert's confidence) would be seen as the same as self-promotion or narcissism on an online site like Facebook.
My thoughts:
"In response to your comments about confidence, I would agree that it would play a part in the role of being an expert. I don't have an answer as to the level of knowledge and experience that would lead to the confidence factor. However, I think that it would have something to do with one's comfort level. If you have enough knowledge and experience to be comfortable with a particular subject area, one could reason that you will also be gaining the confidence that would lead to a role as an expert. Unfortunately, "comfort" is so subjective and it would be different for each person. Also, I think that there is a distinction between confidence and self-promotion or narcissism. Your confidence with a particular subject wouldn't necessarily preclude you from being willing to listen to or taking an interest in other points of view. A self-promoter or narcissist by definition would probably find it very hard to even consider other viewpoints on a topic, as they would want to make others believe that their point of view is the (only) correct one."
And the debate continues...
If you want to jump in with your own ideas or perspective, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. :)
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Spring (Fall) cleaning
I love being able to "redecorate" my living space, even if it's just moving a piece of furniture to face a different way. You give the living area new energy, new focus, and (sometimes) a new purpose. Cleaning out the old and bringing in the new is invigorating, and shouldn't necessarily take place only in the spring, as the well-known phrase implies. It can be done year-round with just as much of a positive impact. Such was my holiday weekend.
I had been looking at my couch these past few months and wanted to move it out of the apartment. It's a bulky piece of furniture that's too big for my small place, and we (Scooter and I) never used it. The cats got 100 times more use out of it than we did, and even they were not on it often. It needed to go. So Saturday, we borrowed my parents' car, loaded up the couch and took it down to storage. When we came back to the apartment, I was amazed; there was so much more space with it gone. The room had the potential to be a room that I liked and wanted to use regularly. And so, when Scooter was napping in the next room, I decided to start moving the other furniture around.
It wasn't easy. There are a lot of electronics in the front room that need to stay there (TV, cable, Internet modem, router, printer, DVD player, etc., etc.). That meant a lot of wires to untangle before things could even be moved. Then, bit by bit, I worked my way around the room, moving furniture a piece at a time to see how it would look. Finally I had things the way I would like, and stepped back to take it all in. What a difference! The room looks larger, and there's more room to walk around. It looks, dare I say, inviting. It even seems like it's brighter, as if the clutter were sucking the very light away. Between that and my dining table that's become my de facto office, the apartment looks...perfect. Well, perfect for me anyway. Even Scooter was amazed by the change. He loves the front room now and hasn't complained about having to watch TV out there (before he didn't want to go out there much at all).
And so, to celebrate a job well done, I once again experimented for dinner. I made something that my mom calls porpetta (Mom, if you're reading this, you'll have to let me know if the spelling is off). It's another Italian food, one that my mom would make using left over ravioli filling. It's basically a fried meat patty, but it has Italian herbs in it that make it taste oh so good. Since I didn't have everything that went into ravioli filling, I experimented a bit with what I did have, and came up with this recipe.
What you'll need:
1 lb. ground meat
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
1 small onion
5 cloves garlic
3 4-6 inch springs of rosemary
3 sprigs of oregano
2 sprigs of thyme
3 sage leaves
salt and pepper to taste
What you'll need to do:
1. In a food processor, chop the onion and garlic until the pieces are very fine. Remove them from the food processor and set aside. Remove herb leaves from the stems and place the leaves in a wooden chopping bowl (or in a food processor if you don't have one). Chop the herbs until you get very fine pieces.
2. In a large mixing bowl, put in the ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, onion and garlic pieces, and the herbs. Using your hands, mix the contents together. Add salt and pepper (if desired) and continue mixing until all ingredients are fully assimilated.
3. Use your hands to shape the meat mixture into 6-7 palm-sized patties.
4. In a large frying pan, fry the patties over medium heat until well browned on both sides and fully cooked in the middle (12-15 minutes). Don't use oil in the frying pan, as the patties will come out too greasy. Also, don't cook more than 4 patties at a time in the pan.
Again, this recipe isn't too hard. You can cut back a little on the onion, but I would keep everything else just because the flavor is so good. Serve this with zucchini or your favorite vegetable on the side. I had porpetta and zucchini with peach crisp for dessert. Enjoy!
I had been looking at my couch these past few months and wanted to move it out of the apartment. It's a bulky piece of furniture that's too big for my small place, and we (Scooter and I) never used it. The cats got 100 times more use out of it than we did, and even they were not on it often. It needed to go. So Saturday, we borrowed my parents' car, loaded up the couch and took it down to storage. When we came back to the apartment, I was amazed; there was so much more space with it gone. The room had the potential to be a room that I liked and wanted to use regularly. And so, when Scooter was napping in the next room, I decided to start moving the other furniture around.
It wasn't easy. There are a lot of electronics in the front room that need to stay there (TV, cable, Internet modem, router, printer, DVD player, etc., etc.). That meant a lot of wires to untangle before things could even be moved. Then, bit by bit, I worked my way around the room, moving furniture a piece at a time to see how it would look. Finally I had things the way I would like, and stepped back to take it all in. What a difference! The room looks larger, and there's more room to walk around. It looks, dare I say, inviting. It even seems like it's brighter, as if the clutter were sucking the very light away. Between that and my dining table that's become my de facto office, the apartment looks...perfect. Well, perfect for me anyway. Even Scooter was amazed by the change. He loves the front room now and hasn't complained about having to watch TV out there (before he didn't want to go out there much at all).
And so, to celebrate a job well done, I once again experimented for dinner. I made something that my mom calls porpetta (Mom, if you're reading this, you'll have to let me know if the spelling is off). It's another Italian food, one that my mom would make using left over ravioli filling. It's basically a fried meat patty, but it has Italian herbs in it that make it taste oh so good. Since I didn't have everything that went into ravioli filling, I experimented a bit with what I did have, and came up with this recipe.
What you'll need:
1 lb. ground meat
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
1 small onion
5 cloves garlic
3 4-6 inch springs of rosemary
3 sprigs of oregano
2 sprigs of thyme
3 sage leaves
salt and pepper to taste
What you'll need to do:
1. In a food processor, chop the onion and garlic until the pieces are very fine. Remove them from the food processor and set aside. Remove herb leaves from the stems and place the leaves in a wooden chopping bowl (or in a food processor if you don't have one). Chop the herbs until you get very fine pieces.
2. In a large mixing bowl, put in the ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, onion and garlic pieces, and the herbs. Using your hands, mix the contents together. Add salt and pepper (if desired) and continue mixing until all ingredients are fully assimilated.
3. Use your hands to shape the meat mixture into 6-7 palm-sized patties.
4. In a large frying pan, fry the patties over medium heat until well browned on both sides and fully cooked in the middle (12-15 minutes). Don't use oil in the frying pan, as the patties will come out too greasy. Also, don't cook more than 4 patties at a time in the pan.
Again, this recipe isn't too hard. You can cut back a little on the onion, but I would keep everything else just because the flavor is so good. Serve this with zucchini or your favorite vegetable on the side. I had porpetta and zucchini with peach crisp for dessert. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Life doesn't stop for school
Earlier this week, I was alerted by one of my siblings that my mother had had a little accident. She hurt her ankle and had to go to the emergency room to get it checked. The doctors determined that she had torn the ligaments in her left ankle and would need to be off it and using crutches for 5-7 days. She's currently doing fine, which is a relief (I don't like for loved ones to be hurt and in pain). Her ankle is still very obviously swollen, but she's been icing it to help with that and she's told me that she's able to put a little more weight on it every day. Overall, she's in good spirits but she's frustrated because of how limited she is with her ability to move around (which is completely understandable).
I was over to help her out on Tuesday, and I will be going over again today. This is the first of many examples I'm sure I will have over the next few years that there is no pause button for life while in school. Anything could happen at any time: illness, accidents, situations at work that require immediate attention. Any or all of these could take my attention away from school. My determination will be tested, and I hope that I can prove myself to be able to handle almost anything that comes along.
I've had many strong women in my family to light the way and be my role models. First and foremost is, of course, my mother. Her strength of character and caring heart are truly to be admired. She managed to be a full-time mom, run a household, and be a full-time student (I can't imagine how she did it). However, Mom if you're reading this, you can't be Super Woman! Let others take care of you for now until you get back on your feet! And for the twentieth time (and I say this most lovingly), you're not a burden. I'm more than happy to help you.
I guess the lesson to learn is that even though life doesn't stop for school, that's only to be expected. I'll just take each day as it comes. It will be even more important for me not to procrastinate those big assignments that do require planning and research to successfully execute. It all goes back to those time management and organization skills that I have been lectured on and wrote about. I think it will also require communication with my professors; if I let them know from the onset that something is going on, they may be more willing to work with me and allow for some flexibility with assignment deadlines. At least this time, my school work is not really disrupted at all; however, it's always good to be prepared for the future.
Life goes on, and I can only follow. Next week's recipe will be posted on Monday as usual.
I was over to help her out on Tuesday, and I will be going over again today. This is the first of many examples I'm sure I will have over the next few years that there is no pause button for life while in school. Anything could happen at any time: illness, accidents, situations at work that require immediate attention. Any or all of these could take my attention away from school. My determination will be tested, and I hope that I can prove myself to be able to handle almost anything that comes along.
I've had many strong women in my family to light the way and be my role models. First and foremost is, of course, my mother. Her strength of character and caring heart are truly to be admired. She managed to be a full-time mom, run a household, and be a full-time student (I can't imagine how she did it). However, Mom if you're reading this, you can't be Super Woman! Let others take care of you for now until you get back on your feet! And for the twentieth time (and I say this most lovingly), you're not a burden. I'm more than happy to help you.
I guess the lesson to learn is that even though life doesn't stop for school, that's only to be expected. I'll just take each day as it comes. It will be even more important for me not to procrastinate those big assignments that do require planning and research to successfully execute. It all goes back to those time management and organization skills that I have been lectured on and wrote about. I think it will also require communication with my professors; if I let them know from the onset that something is going on, they may be more willing to work with me and allow for some flexibility with assignment deadlines. At least this time, my school work is not really disrupted at all; however, it's always good to be prepared for the future.
Life goes on, and I can only follow. Next week's recipe will be posted on Monday as usual.
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