Well, I know that I was AWOL on here for awhile, but I did it. I finished my e-portfolio, and before my personal deadline of April 1. It has been accepted by my department, so I am officially done with all of my Master's work. No more classes, no more discussions, and best of all no more writing. My mom suggested that I print everything in my e-portfolio out and have it bound, and I'm considering the idea. Here's what the final numbers look like:
Competencies completed: 15
Competencies graded satisfactory: 15
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 0
Revisions required: 2
Pages written: 86
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 10 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 24 days
It's a bit surreal. I feel myself waiting for the next assignment to emerge and I have to keep reminding myself that I'm done. My graduation ceremony is still over a month and half away, and I don't think I'll really feel like I'm done until I get to be hooded. Even when I go to the campus bookstore next week to order my graduation gear.
Two things that I needed to talk about in the "extra" parts of my e-portfolio were my professional goals and my professional growth plan. My goals are "to (1) work in an environment where I interact with and assist patrons
on a daily basis both at the reference desk and in other capacities
within and outside of the library; (2) focus on providing reference
assistance and supporting and expanding the library’s online services;
(3) develop and present library instruction workshops; and (4) work in
either a public or academic library" (taken directly from my e-portfolio). Part of my professional growth plan is to keep learning. One thing that I've come to understand is that there is so much that we can learn from each other. Librarians are often a gregarious bunch (you should see us at our conferences) and are very willing to share their experiences and knowledge on pretty much every topic one could imagine has anything to do with libraries. And some topics that have nothing to do with libraries. Many librarians write on blogs in order to share this experience and insight with a larger crowd. I'm listing here a few blogs that I follow (some more loosely than others) so that I can share some of those I turn to for information and inspiration.
Librarian in Black: This librarian shares a lot of my views, and I appreciate her willingness to be very vocal about them (as sometimes I find myself unable to do the same). The author helps me to stay up-to-date with issues in the profession since she tends to be really on top of them. She's actually in the same region where I am, so it's nice to read about a "local" librarian's experiences.
In the Library with the Lead Pipe: What initially drew me to this blog was the name (used to play Clue a lot when I was young). What kept me returning back to the blog were the articles. It's a great blog which posts on a wide variety of topics. It's actually won some awards and is indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals and EBSCO (where it's noted as peer-reviewed). I guess really it should be termed an online journal.
Librarian by Day: This is another great blog with topics that span nearly every library-related subject. I like Bobbi Newman's posts because they goes beyond the surface of a topic and dig a little. I appreciate her insight and experience.
The Library Loon: This is a rather witty blog and one that almost always gets a chuckle out of me. The authoress, whoever she is, tackles issues and shares her experiences with her audience by writing in a manner that Emily Post would most heartily applaud. And yet, she manages to inject much humor among the quite proper language. Perhaps this blog isn't for everyone, but I do enjoy it.
YALSA's The Hub: This is a must-read for anyone in YA services (and those folks probably are already reading it), but it's also a fun read for any librarians or even (YA) book enthusiasts. There is a LOT of discussion about up-and-coming and popular YA books and many book lists. With my growing interest in books for the YA audience, I am often browsing posts looking for potential titles to read. It's been a great help to figure out what I want to read next!
Librarian Problems: This one is purely for fun. Check it out, laugh, enjoy. No further explanation is needed.
So that's my short list. There are a few other blogs that I have bookmarked and go back to every so often, but these ones I follow more regularly and really enjoy. Feel free to note any other library blogs you enjoy in the comments section.
I hope to post a new recipe next week.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Friday, March 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
E-Portfolio Update
Just a quick update on where I am in my e-portfolio.
Competencies completed: 5
Competencies graded satisfactory: 4
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 10
Revisions required: 1
Pages written: 29
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 54 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 68 days
With my birthday this week, I've given myself a little bit of a break and allowed myself to only submit one competency this week (which I just turned in today, so Happy Birthday to me!). With five competencies complete--and barring any revisions I have to do for the latest one submitted--I'm now a third of the way through. I cannot WAIT to get through the other two-thirds. I've been jumping all over the list and have been working on competencies out of order. I did do the first one first, but have not followed any rhyme or reason for the rest of the ones I've chosen to address. Perhaps the only common denominator between all of them is that I've already thought about what I want to include as evidence and what points I want to hit in my statement of competency. Slowly my grade list is filling up with 1's (the passing grade).
In the middle of work, school, and life stress I've also managed to lose five pounds, another small victory. Scooter has been helpful by cutting back on snacks he brings into the house. And he made this great marinade that he let the meat sit in for 3 days. I don't know if anyone else has let meat marinade that long, but we've done it twice now and the 3-day marinade makes the meat sooooooo good. I'll ask for the marinade recipe tonight and post tomorrow.
Until then, I can give my fingers a rest from typing...
Competencies completed: 5
Competencies graded satisfactory: 4
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 10
Revisions required: 1
Pages written: 29
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 54 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 68 days
With my birthday this week, I've given myself a little bit of a break and allowed myself to only submit one competency this week (which I just turned in today, so Happy Birthday to me!). With five competencies complete--and barring any revisions I have to do for the latest one submitted--I'm now a third of the way through. I cannot WAIT to get through the other two-thirds. I've been jumping all over the list and have been working on competencies out of order. I did do the first one first, but have not followed any rhyme or reason for the rest of the ones I've chosen to address. Perhaps the only common denominator between all of them is that I've already thought about what I want to include as evidence and what points I want to hit in my statement of competency. Slowly my grade list is filling up with 1's (the passing grade).
In the middle of work, school, and life stress I've also managed to lose five pounds, another small victory. Scooter has been helpful by cutting back on snacks he brings into the house. And he made this great marinade that he let the meat sit in for 3 days. I don't know if anyone else has let meat marinade that long, but we've done it twice now and the 3-day marinade makes the meat sooooooo good. I'll ask for the marinade recipe tonight and post tomorrow.
Until then, I can give my fingers a rest from typing...
Friday, February 7, 2014
And the work goes on and on...
I didn't think I could write so much in such a short amount of time. I have a fire under me to finish this final big project in record time. It would be so nice to have it all done by April. Not sure that will actually happen, but it's nice to dream and it keeps me motivated to get through all the work. Here's another e-portfolio update:
Competencies completed: 4
Competencies graded satisfactory: 3
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 11
Revisions required: 1
Pages written: 23
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 59 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 73 days
I literally just submitted my fourth competency before writing this post, so of course I don't know what grade I have for it yet. I'm pushing to get a competency done every 2-3 days with 1-2 days break after a couple of them. The timing comes out to about 2 competencies per week with time off for good behavior. No wait, I mean downtime to relax. And perhaps continue making my slow way through the Terry Pratchett book I'm currently (trying) to read. I have a whole list of favorites I want to reread during the free time I'll get when this is over.
One of the perks of doing this project, if one wants to find the silver lining, is that I get to rediscover a lot of the work I've done and have forgotten about. I did spend 4 school years in the program (can it really have been that long?), so some of my earliest work has been buried under the later piles of articles I've read and papers I've written. I again thank the fates that I have multiple digital copies of EVERYTHING so even if I can't find all my printed articles and work for every class, I can at least locate the digital copy. If any fellow MLIS students are reading this, do yourself a favor and back up your work. Heed the warnings. Don't be the one that has to contact past instructors to track down papers (yes, that does happen).
I don't have much else to post. I think the 23 pages of (single-spaced) writing I've done so far has sucked all the writing mojo right out of me. I will try, try, try to post a recipe next week. Scooter is making soup this weekend which will taste so good in the rainy weather we are having. Perhaps I'll watch what he does and write down the recipe to share. Or maybe I'll make something sweet to eat with him and share with you...
Competencies completed: 4
Competencies graded satisfactory: 3
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 11
Revisions required: 1
Pages written: 23
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 59 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 73 days
I literally just submitted my fourth competency before writing this post, so of course I don't know what grade I have for it yet. I'm pushing to get a competency done every 2-3 days with 1-2 days break after a couple of them. The timing comes out to about 2 competencies per week with time off for good behavior. No wait, I mean downtime to relax. And perhaps continue making my slow way through the Terry Pratchett book I'm currently (trying) to read. I have a whole list of favorites I want to reread during the free time I'll get when this is over.
One of the perks of doing this project, if one wants to find the silver lining, is that I get to rediscover a lot of the work I've done and have forgotten about. I did spend 4 school years in the program (can it really have been that long?), so some of my earliest work has been buried under the later piles of articles I've read and papers I've written. I again thank the fates that I have multiple digital copies of EVERYTHING so even if I can't find all my printed articles and work for every class, I can at least locate the digital copy. If any fellow MLIS students are reading this, do yourself a favor and back up your work. Heed the warnings. Don't be the one that has to contact past instructors to track down papers (yes, that does happen).
I don't have much else to post. I think the 23 pages of (single-spaced) writing I've done so far has sucked all the writing mojo right out of me. I will try, try, try to post a recipe next week. Scooter is making soup this weekend which will taste so good in the rainy weather we are having. Perhaps I'll watch what he does and write down the recipe to share. Or maybe I'll make something sweet to eat with him and share with you...
Thursday, January 30, 2014
More Pork Chops
My last semester may be in full swing, but the cooking doesn't stop. After all, Scooter and I need to eat, and we much prefer food we can enjoy. Just a quick e-portfolio update before this week's recipe.
Competencies completed: 2
Competencies graded satisfactory: 1
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 13
Revisions required: 0
Pages written: 11
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 67 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 81 days
I'm still waiting to get feedback on the competency I submitted this morning. I've also gone through and created some notes for each competency to get me started with writing. There are a few I know I will struggle with.
Now to food. I've been on a pork kick recently. Scooter and I made pork chops together two nights ago using a recipe from my Italian cookbook. So this week's recipe is pork chops with tomatoes, cream, and wild mushrooms.
What you'll need:
1/4 c. olive oil, divided
2 lbs. boneless pork loin chops, about 3/4 inches thick
1/2 c. white wine*
1/2 c. canned whole tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 1-oz. package of dried wild mushrooms (can use dried procini mushrooms too)
1/2 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, sliced thin
What you'll need to do:
1. Put the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and add just enough water to cover them. Let sit and soak to reconstitute. Once they have, cut them into small pieces. Reserve the water.
2. In a large saute pan that can accommodate all the pork chops with no overlap, add 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and heat on medium high. When the oil is hot, add the pork. Brown pork well on both sides.
3. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Let it simmer for about 20 seconds to burn off the alcohol and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper, and reconstituted mushrooms. Lower heat until the pan is gently simmering and cover. Let chops cook for 40-45 minutes until tender.
5. Put the water from the reconstituted mushrooms into a small pot and boil down to about 1/3 c.
6. In another saute pan, add the remaining olive oil over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the white mushrooms. Saute until all liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the water from the small pot and cook, stirring frequently.
7. When all water has disappeared, turn off heat. Add the white mushrooms to the pork when it has become tender. Turn chops and stir the contents of the large saute pan to blend everything together. Cook over medium heat for another 5-8 minutes.
8. Serve hot over rice.
*As always, choose something you would drink--and enjoy a glass of the same wine with dinner!
I substituted half and half for the heavy cream when we made this to lower the fat content a bit. It still tasted really good, and for those of you that are concerned about fat/calories it's a good substitution. Lean cuts of pork or trimming the fat you see on the meat can help as well.
Competencies completed: 2
Competencies graded satisfactory: 1
Competencies in progress: 0
Competencies yet to address: 13
Revisions required: 0
Pages written: 11
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 67 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 81 days
I'm still waiting to get feedback on the competency I submitted this morning. I've also gone through and created some notes for each competency to get me started with writing. There are a few I know I will struggle with.
Now to food. I've been on a pork kick recently. Scooter and I made pork chops together two nights ago using a recipe from my Italian cookbook. So this week's recipe is pork chops with tomatoes, cream, and wild mushrooms.
What you'll need:
1/4 c. olive oil, divided
2 lbs. boneless pork loin chops, about 3/4 inches thick
1/2 c. white wine*
1/2 c. canned whole tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 1-oz. package of dried wild mushrooms (can use dried procini mushrooms too)
1/2 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, sliced thin
What you'll need to do:
1. Put the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and add just enough water to cover them. Let sit and soak to reconstitute. Once they have, cut them into small pieces. Reserve the water.
2. In a large saute pan that can accommodate all the pork chops with no overlap, add 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and heat on medium high. When the oil is hot, add the pork. Brown pork well on both sides.
3. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Let it simmer for about 20 seconds to burn off the alcohol and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper, and reconstituted mushrooms. Lower heat until the pan is gently simmering and cover. Let chops cook for 40-45 minutes until tender.
5. Put the water from the reconstituted mushrooms into a small pot and boil down to about 1/3 c.
6. In another saute pan, add the remaining olive oil over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the white mushrooms. Saute until all liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the water from the small pot and cook, stirring frequently.
7. When all water has disappeared, turn off heat. Add the white mushrooms to the pork when it has become tender. Turn chops and stir the contents of the large saute pan to blend everything together. Cook over medium heat for another 5-8 minutes.
8. Serve hot over rice.
*As always, choose something you would drink--and enjoy a glass of the same wine with dinner!
I substituted half and half for the heavy cream when we made this to lower the fat content a bit. It still tasted really good, and for those of you that are concerned about fat/calories it's a good substitution. Lean cuts of pork or trimming the fat you see on the meat can help as well.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Counting Down to April
The countdown has begun in earnest. As of last Thursday, I am now officially working on my last class, my last project for my MLIS. The official deadline for this work (the one set by the department) is April 21. However, my e-portfolio advisor--the faculty member in charge of reviewing my e-portfolio, providing feedback, and giving me my grade--has a deadline of April 7 for all 15 competencies.
It has been a head-on rush since last Thursday. With so much going on outside of school (I'm still working full-time, volunteering for two organizations, and oh yeah planning a wedding), I'm trying to do as much as I can as early as I can to give myself some breathing room when all hell breaks loose later (an eventuality I'm hoping won't come to pass but one I'm planning for nonetheless). I have 15 competencies to address, an introduction, a personal philosophy, and a conclusion to write. All but one competency require 4-6 single-space pages of writing to adequately address them and present my evidence of proficiency. That brings my total to anywhere from 56 to 84 pages of single-spaced writing for the first 14 competencies. I tend to write more than less, so I anticipate I'll be much closer to the upper end of that range, say about 80 pages. The other sections will add probably another 7 or so pages, bringing my estimated total to close to 90 pages. That's a lot of writing--about four times what my longest solo paper written in the program would equate to (it was 50 pages double-spaced). Each part of the entire work is given a grade of 1 for satisfactory or a 0 for unsatisfactory; to have a complete and acceptable e-portfolio, each section must be present and have a grade of 1. I'm pushing to try and get 2 competencies written a week to allow plenty of time for revisions.
So what are my stats so far? Here's an overview:
Competencies completed: 1
Competencies graded satisfactory: 1
Competencies in progress: 1
Competencies yet to address: 13
Revisions required: 0
Pages written: 8
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 68 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 82 days
There are a few things that I am thankful for, the first being that I hoarded everything from every class: every article, every discussion post, every assignment, every book, every one of my instructors' lecture notes. It means that I have plenty to use, but it also means that I have a lot to comb through. I am also thankful that I starting thinking about this project before last week. I made a lot of mental and physical notes that really helped to organize my thoughts and give me somewhere to start when I officially began to put it all together. I'm especially thankful that I backed up all of my work; I would hate to think where I would be right now mentally if anything I had done had gotten lost in the void.
For the next 2-3 months, I will need help with the stuff that's not school. School is the priority, so some of the other stuff is bound to fall through the cracks. Scooter and I already talked about this and he offered to help cook dinners during the week (yay!!!), among other things, so my at-home to-do list will shrink significantly. I just have to take things one day at a time.
Oh, and I know I promised an article on library cats. Here's the article. I think more libraries should have resident animals; if they're sociable, they can help libraries connect with patrons. If you're interested, you can also check out this library cats map that shows information on library cats around the world.
It has been a head-on rush since last Thursday. With so much going on outside of school (I'm still working full-time, volunteering for two organizations, and oh yeah planning a wedding), I'm trying to do as much as I can as early as I can to give myself some breathing room when all hell breaks loose later (an eventuality I'm hoping won't come to pass but one I'm planning for nonetheless). I have 15 competencies to address, an introduction, a personal philosophy, and a conclusion to write. All but one competency require 4-6 single-space pages of writing to adequately address them and present my evidence of proficiency. That brings my total to anywhere from 56 to 84 pages of single-spaced writing for the first 14 competencies. I tend to write more than less, so I anticipate I'll be much closer to the upper end of that range, say about 80 pages. The other sections will add probably another 7 or so pages, bringing my estimated total to close to 90 pages. That's a lot of writing--about four times what my longest solo paper written in the program would equate to (it was 50 pages double-spaced). Each part of the entire work is given a grade of 1 for satisfactory or a 0 for unsatisfactory; to have a complete and acceptable e-portfolio, each section must be present and have a grade of 1. I'm pushing to try and get 2 competencies written a week to allow plenty of time for revisions.
So what are my stats so far? Here's an overview:
Competencies completed: 1
Competencies graded satisfactory: 1
Competencies in progress: 1
Competencies yet to address: 13
Revisions required: 0
Pages written: 8
Days remaining until advisor's deadline: 68 days
Days remaining until department's deadline: 82 days
There are a few things that I am thankful for, the first being that I hoarded everything from every class: every article, every discussion post, every assignment, every book, every one of my instructors' lecture notes. It means that I have plenty to use, but it also means that I have a lot to comb through. I am also thankful that I starting thinking about this project before last week. I made a lot of mental and physical notes that really helped to organize my thoughts and give me somewhere to start when I officially began to put it all together. I'm especially thankful that I backed up all of my work; I would hate to think where I would be right now mentally if anything I had done had gotten lost in the void.
For the next 2-3 months, I will need help with the stuff that's not school. School is the priority, so some of the other stuff is bound to fall through the cracks. Scooter and I already talked about this and he offered to help cook dinners during the week (yay!!!), among other things, so my at-home to-do list will shrink significantly. I just have to take things one day at a time.
Oh, and I know I promised an article on library cats. Here's the article. I think more libraries should have resident animals; if they're sociable, they can help libraries connect with patrons. If you're interested, you can also check out this library cats map that shows information on library cats around the world.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Whoops!
I think I just went through a time warp. I blinked and already we're in mid-January. The almost two months since my last post have flown by, and I'm trying to catch my breath. There's been two holidays, a wedding proposal, a graduation, and preparation for my last semester. My weekends through at least the end of February are already booked with plans. Needless to say, life just suddenly went into overdrive.
This is going to be a big year for me. For those of you that have been following my blog, you probably know that I'm graduating from my Master's program in May. My last semester starts next week. The beginning of the end, you might say. My academics will be concentrated on putting together my e-portfolio (something I've posted about before), a large project that degree candidates can choose instead of a thesis. And no, it's not the easy way out. Yes, there's no additional research involved unless I feel I need to research for one of the core competencies I have to address. But there is a lot of review, analysis, evaluation, and presentation of my work and professional concepts from my entire program which I use to argue my case that my work has met the core competencies. There's a ton of writing involved and I have to look at all my work, what I've learned, and what I'm taking away very critically. No loosey-goosey work will be accepted. I'm glad to finally be at this last stage, but I'm nervous as to how well my e-portfolio advisor and I will work together.
The other major event happening this year is my wedding. Scooter proposed to me on Christmas Day and in December of this year, I will officially become Mrs. Scooter. I won't be talking about any wedding-related plans here; this is not the venue for that. I hope to keep even mention of the wedding to a minimum. Between my last semester and the inevitable wedding tasks to complete, I may again lose track of time and forget to post. I apologize in advance.
I'm also considering the future of this blog. Originally, this blog was created to chronicle my academic journey over the course of my Master's program. Well, my program will be done in May. I have to decide if I want to continue maintaining this blog and allow it to evolve after my program is complete. Any input from you, the readers, on this would be helpful.
I should have more to post next week, including a fun article that talks about six famous library cats. I will also post a recipe for pork medallions.
This is going to be a big year for me. For those of you that have been following my blog, you probably know that I'm graduating from my Master's program in May. My last semester starts next week. The beginning of the end, you might say. My academics will be concentrated on putting together my e-portfolio (something I've posted about before), a large project that degree candidates can choose instead of a thesis. And no, it's not the easy way out. Yes, there's no additional research involved unless I feel I need to research for one of the core competencies I have to address. But there is a lot of review, analysis, evaluation, and presentation of my work and professional concepts from my entire program which I use to argue my case that my work has met the core competencies. There's a ton of writing involved and I have to look at all my work, what I've learned, and what I'm taking away very critically. No loosey-goosey work will be accepted. I'm glad to finally be at this last stage, but I'm nervous as to how well my e-portfolio advisor and I will work together.
The other major event happening this year is my wedding. Scooter proposed to me on Christmas Day and in December of this year, I will officially become Mrs. Scooter. I won't be talking about any wedding-related plans here; this is not the venue for that. I hope to keep even mention of the wedding to a minimum. Between my last semester and the inevitable wedding tasks to complete, I may again lose track of time and forget to post. I apologize in advance.
I'm also considering the future of this blog. Originally, this blog was created to chronicle my academic journey over the course of my Master's program. Well, my program will be done in May. I have to decide if I want to continue maintaining this blog and allow it to evolve after my program is complete. Any input from you, the readers, on this would be helpful.
I should have more to post next week, including a fun article that talks about six famous library cats. I will also post a recipe for pork medallions.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Controversy of RA
In my last post, I talked about RA and mentioned discussing more the controversy in RA. But first, I want to briefly explore an idea that has percolated to the surface of my mind since yesterday.
RA (Reader's Advisory for those unfamiliar with the acronym) is a type of service that connects readers with books they would enjoy. Active RA (see my previous post) falls in with more general reference services and librarians use similar tactics in an RA interview as they would in other reference interviews. In addition, there are tools for RA--just as there are for other types of reference work--to assist librarians with connecting their patrons with another book (or DVD, magazine, etc.) that they will like. The idea of RA made me think of Ranganathan's 5 Laws (a very good discussion of them can be found here), and the second law in particular, "Every reader his or her book." During my class in which RA was the topic last week, I came to understand more about RA and the importance it plays in the service libraries provide to their patrons. However, this morning I realized that it is necessary to provide RA in the context of Ranganathan's second law. The second law justifies reference services in general and RA services in particular because it defines the purpose of connecting patrons to the items or information they desire. This is what a library does; how it happens may manifest differently in different libraries, but at the heart of every library's operation is the help library staff give patrons to find what they're looking for. General reference works to connect patrons with information or items they know they want. What is RA but helping patrons find a book they don't yet know they want? General reference and RA are two sides of the same coin (aka the second law).
Now so far, RA sounds like a pretty awesome and important service, right? So how can there be any controversy about helping people find a book? Well to start, not everyone--even within the profession--see RA as a necessary service to provide. Controversy can build when a few librarians are fighting to keep their RA resource subscriptions going at a time when libraries are having to slash budgets and work with less funding. A lot of librarians don't understand or are apprehensive about RA. Feelings can include "I don't read a lot of genre X, so how can I do RA?", "I don't like genre X, so how can I do RA?", "There's no real answer to RA questions, so how can I provide an accurate response?", or even "I don't know how to talk books" (Trott, p. 63). It's hard to get support for a service (even an important one) if the voices of dissension are loud.
In addition to controversy and conflict on the part of librarians, there is also controversy and conflict on the part of patrons and others outside the library. Why? Because of the types of materials patrons are looking for and are connected with. One of my classmates proposed a very thought-provoking hypothetical example. In it, a teenaged boy was looking for a hypothetical movie with lots of nudity and violence for a "guy's night." The library didn't have the exact item he wanted, so the librarian fielding the boy's question recommended another movie about a classic character in horror stories (Dracula) that was rated R for nudity and violence. This kind of situation of course would raise concerns with parents who would be worried about the fact that the librarian recommended an item with mature content to a teenager. However, our professional ethics dictate that we connect patrons with the materials (or types of materials) and information they want, as long as the materials or information can exist within current US law; if you want to see one of our most core tenets, check out the ALA Bill of Rights (particularly articles III and V). Also, as much as parents and guardians would like surrogate parents in librarians for their children, the responsibility of assuring children and teens don't borrow materials their parents would object to ultimately falls on the parents. Many libraries have policies that state they do not censor materials or refuse to check out items based on a patron's age. To see how this might look, here is the Access to Materials Policy of my local library:
"All staff members will respect every patron's right to choose his/her own library materials.
As part of the Reference interview, in recommending material to any patron, reference staff will consider the patron's reading capabilities, reading comprehension, and the specific question or interest at hand.
When material is not available at a branch library, reference staff will explain and encourage the use of Interlibrary Loan by both adults and children when it is appropriate.
It is not the responsibility of the circulation desk staff to question patrons about the materials being checked out of the library.
This policy applies to all formats of materials in the Library's collection and to patrons of all ages."
Before last week, I didn't realize how closely connected RA and larger issues like censorship and freedom to information are. I see RA in a much different light now. It is a vital service to patrons, but one that sees its fair share of objection from patrons and a lack of support from librarians. I feel like I have a better grasp of what it is and how it fits in both within a library and within our profession.
Trott, B. (2012). Reference, readers' advisory, and relevance. The Reference Librarian, 53(1), 60-66. doi: 10.1080/02763877.2011.596367
RA (Reader's Advisory for those unfamiliar with the acronym) is a type of service that connects readers with books they would enjoy. Active RA (see my previous post) falls in with more general reference services and librarians use similar tactics in an RA interview as they would in other reference interviews. In addition, there are tools for RA--just as there are for other types of reference work--to assist librarians with connecting their patrons with another book (or DVD, magazine, etc.) that they will like. The idea of RA made me think of Ranganathan's 5 Laws (a very good discussion of them can be found here), and the second law in particular, "Every reader his or her book." During my class in which RA was the topic last week, I came to understand more about RA and the importance it plays in the service libraries provide to their patrons. However, this morning I realized that it is necessary to provide RA in the context of Ranganathan's second law. The second law justifies reference services in general and RA services in particular because it defines the purpose of connecting patrons to the items or information they desire. This is what a library does; how it happens may manifest differently in different libraries, but at the heart of every library's operation is the help library staff give patrons to find what they're looking for. General reference works to connect patrons with information or items they know they want. What is RA but helping patrons find a book they don't yet know they want? General reference and RA are two sides of the same coin (aka the second law).
Now so far, RA sounds like a pretty awesome and important service, right? So how can there be any controversy about helping people find a book? Well to start, not everyone--even within the profession--see RA as a necessary service to provide. Controversy can build when a few librarians are fighting to keep their RA resource subscriptions going at a time when libraries are having to slash budgets and work with less funding. A lot of librarians don't understand or are apprehensive about RA. Feelings can include "I don't read a lot of genre X, so how can I do RA?", "I don't like genre X, so how can I do RA?", "There's no real answer to RA questions, so how can I provide an accurate response?", or even "I don't know how to talk books" (Trott, p. 63). It's hard to get support for a service (even an important one) if the voices of dissension are loud.
In addition to controversy and conflict on the part of librarians, there is also controversy and conflict on the part of patrons and others outside the library. Why? Because of the types of materials patrons are looking for and are connected with. One of my classmates proposed a very thought-provoking hypothetical example. In it, a teenaged boy was looking for a hypothetical movie with lots of nudity and violence for a "guy's night." The library didn't have the exact item he wanted, so the librarian fielding the boy's question recommended another movie about a classic character in horror stories (Dracula) that was rated R for nudity and violence. This kind of situation of course would raise concerns with parents who would be worried about the fact that the librarian recommended an item with mature content to a teenager. However, our professional ethics dictate that we connect patrons with the materials (or types of materials) and information they want, as long as the materials or information can exist within current US law; if you want to see one of our most core tenets, check out the ALA Bill of Rights (particularly articles III and V). Also, as much as parents and guardians would like surrogate parents in librarians for their children, the responsibility of assuring children and teens don't borrow materials their parents would object to ultimately falls on the parents. Many libraries have policies that state they do not censor materials or refuse to check out items based on a patron's age. To see how this might look, here is the Access to Materials Policy of my local library:
"All staff members will respect every patron's right to choose his/her own library materials.
As part of the Reference interview, in recommending material to any patron, reference staff will consider the patron's reading capabilities, reading comprehension, and the specific question or interest at hand.
When material is not available at a branch library, reference staff will explain and encourage the use of Interlibrary Loan by both adults and children when it is appropriate.
It is not the responsibility of the circulation desk staff to question patrons about the materials being checked out of the library.
This policy applies to all formats of materials in the Library's collection and to patrons of all ages."
Before last week, I didn't realize how closely connected RA and larger issues like censorship and freedom to information are. I see RA in a much different light now. It is a vital service to patrons, but one that sees its fair share of objection from patrons and a lack of support from librarians. I feel like I have a better grasp of what it is and how it fits in both within a library and within our profession.
Trott, B. (2012). Reference, readers' advisory, and relevance. The Reference Librarian, 53(1), 60-66. doi: 10.1080/02763877.2011.596367
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
RA and Beef Parmigiana
In my advanced reference class, the topic last week was RA, better known as Reader's Advisory. Until now, this is not something that I've had much experience in, at least I didn't think so. However my instructor included information about both passive and active RA. Many library users and librarians have experience with active RA. This is when a patron walks up to a librarian and says something like, "Hey, I need another book to read, but I'm not sure what to choose. Can you recommend something?" What follows is a conversation (reference interview) resulting with a patron walking off with a new book to read and (hopefully) enjoy.
Passive RA is something that I see as a collective effort among library staff, and doesn't fall on one person's/librarian's shoulders--unless of course the library staff consists of one. Passive RA includes things like book displays, staff picks, featured items on the library's website, and even something as simple as shelving items by genre so browsers can find similar items. I took this one step further and noted that cataloging could then be considered a kind of passive RA because assigning call numbers then determines where on the shelves they go. Similar subjects/topics in non-fiction are grouped together and similar genres in fiction are shelved together because of that little number and effort to make things easy to find. So if cataloging can also be seen as a type of passive RA, then RA happens in every library that catalogs its materials even if there are no book displays or nice librarians that can offer recommendations. In a way, RA happens every day in just about every library, and I was a part of that and didn't know it until now. Perhaps a silly revelation, but one that's important to me because I had been feeling very apprehensive and unprepared for RA. Not so much now.
Perhaps I can post another discussion about RA--particularly the controversy that surrounds it--but for right now, I wanted to include another recipe: beef parmigiana. Brother Dear bought me a couple of Italian cookbooks for my birthday, and the original recipe (veal cutlets parmigiana) comes from one of them. I cooked this last night and it went over quite well.
What you'll need:
1 1/2 lbs. beef cutlets sliced about 1/4 inch thick*
2 eggs
3 Tbs. milk
3 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 c. olive oil
1 jar red pasta sauce
6-8 oz. shredded mozzarella
What you'll need to do:
1. In a shallow dish or bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Set aside.
2. In another shallow dish or bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper.
3. Dredge each piece of meat in the egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. Press down slightly on the bread crumbs to make sure they stick on both sides. Place each cutlet on wax paper to set.
4. Heat the olive oil in a medium or large skillet over medium-high heat. Oil should be shimmering before adding meat. Add cutlets a few at a time and cook 1-2 minutes on each side. Cutlets should be golden brown.
5. Remove cutlets and drain on paper towels.
6. Preheat oven to 375. Place cutlets in a baking dish and cover with pasta sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella over each cutlet and cook for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling along the edges.
7. Serve over pasta of your choice.
*If you can't get the meat sliced thinly enough, you can cover them with wax paper and use a rolling pin or mallet to pound them to the desired thickness.
Passive RA is something that I see as a collective effort among library staff, and doesn't fall on one person's/librarian's shoulders--unless of course the library staff consists of one. Passive RA includes things like book displays, staff picks, featured items on the library's website, and even something as simple as shelving items by genre so browsers can find similar items. I took this one step further and noted that cataloging could then be considered a kind of passive RA because assigning call numbers then determines where on the shelves they go. Similar subjects/topics in non-fiction are grouped together and similar genres in fiction are shelved together because of that little number and effort to make things easy to find. So if cataloging can also be seen as a type of passive RA, then RA happens in every library that catalogs its materials even if there are no book displays or nice librarians that can offer recommendations. In a way, RA happens every day in just about every library, and I was a part of that and didn't know it until now. Perhaps a silly revelation, but one that's important to me because I had been feeling very apprehensive and unprepared for RA. Not so much now.
Perhaps I can post another discussion about RA--particularly the controversy that surrounds it--but for right now, I wanted to include another recipe: beef parmigiana. Brother Dear bought me a couple of Italian cookbooks for my birthday, and the original recipe (veal cutlets parmigiana) comes from one of them. I cooked this last night and it went over quite well.
What you'll need:
1 1/2 lbs. beef cutlets sliced about 1/4 inch thick*
2 eggs
3 Tbs. milk
3 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 c. olive oil
1 jar red pasta sauce
6-8 oz. shredded mozzarella
What you'll need to do:
1. In a shallow dish or bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Set aside.
2. In another shallow dish or bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper.
3. Dredge each piece of meat in the egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. Press down slightly on the bread crumbs to make sure they stick on both sides. Place each cutlet on wax paper to set.
4. Heat the olive oil in a medium or large skillet over medium-high heat. Oil should be shimmering before adding meat. Add cutlets a few at a time and cook 1-2 minutes on each side. Cutlets should be golden brown.
5. Remove cutlets and drain on paper towels.
6. Preheat oven to 375. Place cutlets in a baking dish and cover with pasta sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella over each cutlet and cook for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling along the edges.
7. Serve over pasta of your choice.
*If you can't get the meat sliced thinly enough, you can cover them with wax paper and use a rolling pin or mallet to pound them to the desired thickness.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Peer Mentor: A Final Reflection
My time as a Peer Mentor is now over. The final deadline for all coursework was last week, so all grading is done. No more weekly emails out to my students, no more responding to questions about the assignments, no more contacting students with work still left to do, no more leaving encouraging feedback on submissions. There was a lot of work involved--3 units' worth in a mere two months. And I'm sorry to see it end.
It was a packed seven weeks. In addition to helping run the course site and dealing with day-to-day grading and issues, I also hosted a webinar that discussed school and non-school resources SLIS students may find helpful and interesting and put together a screencast about the basics of Skype. I got very comfortable with different types of presentation and collaboration technologies, both of which will help in any position I go into (especially since I would love to get involved with any library-offered instruction programs).
All of the Peer Mentors were asked to write a reflection about the experience. Here is a brief excerpt from mine:
It’s hard to pinpoint one thing I’m proudest of. I think I was able to accomplish a lot, and I’m proud of it all. I think my greatest accomplishment was not something I created, but something I did: giving the new students a positive first SLIS experience. I’ve enjoyed my program so much and have gotten so much out of it that I wanted to help them get the same experience. To me, making their first impression of SLIS and the program a good one was the best reward and biggest accomplishment.
I also was able to create a list of what I've done as a Peer Mentor that supports some of the competencies for program completion. It seems that I have three competencies well in hand, which I didn't realize until I wrote the reflection. For those of you that may be in the same program, I would recommend doing a reflection after each class that lists the competencies of that class and the work you did to support those competencies. I would have most of my e-portfolio work done already if I had been doing that with each class. I'm not sure if any of my 203 students are reading this, but if so I recommend that you start doing this now! Especially you M, since you asked the question about e-Portfolios.
I also discovered a desire within myself to continue helping SLIS students, even after I graduate. Being a Peer Mentor has made me feel more connected to my fellow students and the program at large than anything else I have done, and I want to continue giving back to the department and the students. I'm hoping that there are opportunities for me to stay involved. I would recommend the Peer Mentor program to anyone who wants to take something other than regular classes. I learned a lot about myself and what I can do (and what I like to do), and I had a lot of fun doing it.
This post ends the focus on topics new students may find useful. With the end of my time as a Peer Mentor, my blog can return to other topics, recipes, and what I get into in my spare time.
It was a packed seven weeks. In addition to helping run the course site and dealing with day-to-day grading and issues, I also hosted a webinar that discussed school and non-school resources SLIS students may find helpful and interesting and put together a screencast about the basics of Skype. I got very comfortable with different types of presentation and collaboration technologies, both of which will help in any position I go into (especially since I would love to get involved with any library-offered instruction programs).
All of the Peer Mentors were asked to write a reflection about the experience. Here is a brief excerpt from mine:
It’s hard to pinpoint one thing I’m proudest of. I think I was able to accomplish a lot, and I’m proud of it all. I think my greatest accomplishment was not something I created, but something I did: giving the new students a positive first SLIS experience. I’ve enjoyed my program so much and have gotten so much out of it that I wanted to help them get the same experience. To me, making their first impression of SLIS and the program a good one was the best reward and biggest accomplishment.
I also was able to create a list of what I've done as a Peer Mentor that supports some of the competencies for program completion. It seems that I have three competencies well in hand, which I didn't realize until I wrote the reflection. For those of you that may be in the same program, I would recommend doing a reflection after each class that lists the competencies of that class and the work you did to support those competencies. I would have most of my e-portfolio work done already if I had been doing that with each class. I'm not sure if any of my 203 students are reading this, but if so I recommend that you start doing this now! Especially you M, since you asked the question about e-Portfolios.
I also discovered a desire within myself to continue helping SLIS students, even after I graduate. Being a Peer Mentor has made me feel more connected to my fellow students and the program at large than anything else I have done, and I want to continue giving back to the department and the students. I'm hoping that there are opportunities for me to stay involved. I would recommend the Peer Mentor program to anyone who wants to take something other than regular classes. I learned a lot about myself and what I can do (and what I like to do), and I had a lot of fun doing it.
This post ends the focus on topics new students may find useful. With the end of my time as a Peer Mentor, my blog can return to other topics, recipes, and what I get into in my spare time.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
King Library
Because I am in a distance program (everything is online), us students learn to rely on the online resources (databases, tutorials, etc.) and sources (articles, e-books, etc.) that our campus library offers for information and research. There is a lot available, and so far I haven't found myself struggling to find information in order to complete the papers, projects, and other assignments required in my courses. Anything that I needed to use physical resources for was accomplished by visiting my local public library branch. This is certainly a good thing, and has saved me from much hair-tearing.
But this really is no surprise. In order for any program (or any school) to be accredited, there need to be adequate resources available for students to perform the work required by the program (or school) for successful completion. I know, because I have looked over the accreditation criteria when I was working as part of a departmental committee on the program's self-assessment in preparation for SLIS's ALA re-accreditation next year. ACCSC, the organization that oversees the accreditation for the trade school where I work requires the same thing (funny enough, we're also preparing for a re-accreditation scheduled for next year). And the idea is logical; you can't require students to do things for a given program if you don't provide them with the (re)sources that will allow them to accomplish the assigned work.
So where am I going with this? Well, in my advanced reference class our first assignment was to answer a question made up by a classmate and provide them with both sources (print and other types) that would help them get the information they need to answer the question and some ideas on where to go to find more information. My question was from a classmate posing as a freshman college student looking to find information on Pompeii and Herculaneum. My professor told us that we could recommend print sources based on the available online information about them (such as in a catalog entry). Since the question I chose to work on was supposed to be from a college freshman (no college/university specified), I decided to use the academic library that I have access to--King Library. And because I could conceivably visit the library to look at print sources since I live within driving distance (rather than relying on the online catalog information which can be spotty), I did. This prompted my first ever on-site visit to my campus library.
Yes, I know. I'm able to travel to campus, and yet it took over three years before stepping foot in the library I know so well virtually. After visiting, I'm sorry that it took so long for me to go there. It's well worth going just to see it (if you're in to "library sightseeing"--yes, I am a library nerd). To give you a little background, King Library is not only the academic library for SJSU, it's also a branch of the San Jose Public Library system. So residents that go to SJPL can also get access to all that King Library has to offer. Lucky them! The building is a newer modern-looking building housing seven floors of resources for patrons (my undergrad campus library that I worked in was only a mere four floors and a basement). Escalators can take patrons beween the first four floors. There is one entire floor dedicated to reference sources. The first-floor circulation desk had a large counter on the wall above it; I couldn't figure out what the number stood for and there was no notation as to what it could be, but it was steadily climbing. The children's and teen areas looked interesting and I wanted to explore a bit; sadly, I was a woman with a mission on my visit so I couldn't linger and look around as much as I wanted to.
One thing that threw me off as I was looking for sources was that some of the collection is classified under the Dewey Decimal Classification system and the other part of the collection is classified under the Library of Congress Classification system. It took a minute to realize that the former is part of San Jose Public Library's collection, and the latter is the collection owned by SJSU. They must be able to keep it all straight, but I would find such a situation confusing. I can only imagine how much of a nightmare it would be to keep the different budgets straight.
To all SLIS students: if you're ever in the area and can visit King Library, take the opportunity to do so. It's fun being able to see the place from whence all our resources come, and I enjoyed seeing what a combination public/academic library looks like.
But this really is no surprise. In order for any program (or any school) to be accredited, there need to be adequate resources available for students to perform the work required by the program (or school) for successful completion. I know, because I have looked over the accreditation criteria when I was working as part of a departmental committee on the program's self-assessment in preparation for SLIS's ALA re-accreditation next year. ACCSC, the organization that oversees the accreditation for the trade school where I work requires the same thing (funny enough, we're also preparing for a re-accreditation scheduled for next year). And the idea is logical; you can't require students to do things for a given program if you don't provide them with the (re)sources that will allow them to accomplish the assigned work.
So where am I going with this? Well, in my advanced reference class our first assignment was to answer a question made up by a classmate and provide them with both sources (print and other types) that would help them get the information they need to answer the question and some ideas on where to go to find more information. My question was from a classmate posing as a freshman college student looking to find information on Pompeii and Herculaneum. My professor told us that we could recommend print sources based on the available online information about them (such as in a catalog entry). Since the question I chose to work on was supposed to be from a college freshman (no college/university specified), I decided to use the academic library that I have access to--King Library. And because I could conceivably visit the library to look at print sources since I live within driving distance (rather than relying on the online catalog information which can be spotty), I did. This prompted my first ever on-site visit to my campus library.
Yes, I know. I'm able to travel to campus, and yet it took over three years before stepping foot in the library I know so well virtually. After visiting, I'm sorry that it took so long for me to go there. It's well worth going just to see it (if you're in to "library sightseeing"--yes, I am a library nerd). To give you a little background, King Library is not only the academic library for SJSU, it's also a branch of the San Jose Public Library system. So residents that go to SJPL can also get access to all that King Library has to offer. Lucky them! The building is a newer modern-looking building housing seven floors of resources for patrons (my undergrad campus library that I worked in was only a mere four floors and a basement). Escalators can take patrons beween the first four floors. There is one entire floor dedicated to reference sources. The first-floor circulation desk had a large counter on the wall above it; I couldn't figure out what the number stood for and there was no notation as to what it could be, but it was steadily climbing. The children's and teen areas looked interesting and I wanted to explore a bit; sadly, I was a woman with a mission on my visit so I couldn't linger and look around as much as I wanted to.
One thing that threw me off as I was looking for sources was that some of the collection is classified under the Dewey Decimal Classification system and the other part of the collection is classified under the Library of Congress Classification system. It took a minute to realize that the former is part of San Jose Public Library's collection, and the latter is the collection owned by SJSU. They must be able to keep it all straight, but I would find such a situation confusing. I can only imagine how much of a nightmare it would be to keep the different budgets straight.
To all SLIS students: if you're ever in the area and can visit King Library, take the opportunity to do so. It's fun being able to see the place from whence all our resources come, and I enjoyed seeing what a combination public/academic library looks like.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Is it too early to think about my E-Portfolio?
One of my students asked if I could talk about the e-portfolio. It is one of the two options students can choose as their culminating work to satisfy our MLIS requirements. I'm actually impressed that she's starting to think about it now, and I think it's a great question. So even though I did already respond in private email, I want to share what I discussed here as well for other students. So the answer to the title of this post is a definite no! Starting to plan now means you will be prepared when your time to work on your e-portfolio comes around.
First off, the e-portfolio must satisfy all the Core Competencies for the program; there are currently 15, A-O. One thing students can do to plan for meeting all the competencies is to check out which offered classes meet each of the competencies. You can do that here. Each student's academic advisor can also help plan out classes to take if a student isn't sure which electives to enroll for. Just a side note that students may be able to use additional experience outside their MLIS course to help satisfy the Core Competencies.
SLIS also provides an extensive e-portfolio handbook that has detailed information about the e-portfolio requirements and how to meet them. I encourage anyone thinking about the e-portfolio (no matter where in the program you are) to check it out since this will give you a really good idea of what to expect. Each student will be assigned an e-portfolio advisor when they enroll in LIBR 289 in MySJSU in their last semester; this person will not necessarily be the same as their academic advisor and in fact will likely be someone different. This person will guide students through the e-portfolio process, review their work, and give advice on what to improve as they work through supporting each competency with their work.
Students can complete their e-portfolio through the D2L e-portfolio platform or through another platform that they and their e-portfolio advisor agree on. I have heard of e-portfolios completed on a student-made website, for example. Students can enroll in the D2L e-portfolio site by following the instructions in this guide; they don't need to be taking LIBR 289 to do so. This gives students a way to check out the e-portfolio interface provided by SLIS, and they can start uploading their work as they go.
So now that all this information has been thrown at you, what should you do now? My recommendations--aside from reviewing any e-portfolio information you can--would be to make sure and collect your work as you progress through your program and assign it to a competency. I've kept final drafts for all of my work over the course of my program, and I have copies on my laptop, my thumb drive, and in my D2L e-portfolio platform (that's another thing--back up your work!!!!). I also created a folder for LIBR 289 and created subfolders for each competency (A-O). I've put copies of my final drafts into the competency's folder that I feel each one satisfies. To help figure this out, each class (and sometimes each assignment) lists the competency that it satisfies on its greensheet. I've also gone so far as to create a document that lists each competency and notes each of the classes I've taken that fulfill it underneath. This gives me a great visual to see which competencies I have securely under my belt. Doing so actually helped me to plan which two classes I would take this semester (I was in need of some competency K work).
The e-portfolio is a big project, and one that ideally you want to plan for during your whole program. Organizing as you go will mean that your work is easily accessible and less chaotic when it comes time to put it all together!
First off, the e-portfolio must satisfy all the Core Competencies for the program; there are currently 15, A-O. One thing students can do to plan for meeting all the competencies is to check out which offered classes meet each of the competencies. You can do that here. Each student's academic advisor can also help plan out classes to take if a student isn't sure which electives to enroll for. Just a side note that students may be able to use additional experience outside their MLIS course to help satisfy the Core Competencies.
SLIS also provides an extensive e-portfolio handbook that has detailed information about the e-portfolio requirements and how to meet them. I encourage anyone thinking about the e-portfolio (no matter where in the program you are) to check it out since this will give you a really good idea of what to expect. Each student will be assigned an e-portfolio advisor when they enroll in LIBR 289 in MySJSU in their last semester; this person will not necessarily be the same as their academic advisor and in fact will likely be someone different. This person will guide students through the e-portfolio process, review their work, and give advice on what to improve as they work through supporting each competency with their work.
Students can complete their e-portfolio through the D2L e-portfolio platform or through another platform that they and their e-portfolio advisor agree on. I have heard of e-portfolios completed on a student-made website, for example. Students can enroll in the D2L e-portfolio site by following the instructions in this guide; they don't need to be taking LIBR 289 to do so. This gives students a way to check out the e-portfolio interface provided by SLIS, and they can start uploading their work as they go.
So now that all this information has been thrown at you, what should you do now? My recommendations--aside from reviewing any e-portfolio information you can--would be to make sure and collect your work as you progress through your program and assign it to a competency. I've kept final drafts for all of my work over the course of my program, and I have copies on my laptop, my thumb drive, and in my D2L e-portfolio platform (that's another thing--back up your work!!!!). I also created a folder for LIBR 289 and created subfolders for each competency (A-O). I've put copies of my final drafts into the competency's folder that I feel each one satisfies. To help figure this out, each class (and sometimes each assignment) lists the competency that it satisfies on its greensheet. I've also gone so far as to create a document that lists each competency and notes each of the classes I've taken that fulfill it underneath. This gives me a great visual to see which competencies I have securely under my belt. Doing so actually helped me to plan which two classes I would take this semester (I was in need of some competency K work).
The e-portfolio is a big project, and one that ideally you want to plan for during your whole program. Organizing as you go will mean that your work is easily accessible and less chaotic when it comes time to put it all together!
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Oh no! I have graphophobia!
The title doesn't refer to me, but some of the new students that may be coming into the MLIS program. Graphophobia is the fear of writing, and while many students may not be literally scared of writing, many still don't like it. The dislike can come from a number of reasons including:
Some students may think you have to be born a good writer, but good writing is not really an inborn talent. You have to learn how to write, and then you have to practice. I was lucky enough to have a great high school English teacher that understood the writing process and how to help her students develop writing skills. You don't have to start big; in fact, you want to start small. In English class, we started with paragraphs before we moved on to whole essays. In our MLIS program, there are two classes that will help you build both research and writing skills. You won't be starting as small as a paragraph, but you will be starting with smaller assignments that will build on each other before you create the final project.
In LIBR 200, which many of my students will probably be starting tomorrow, students will learn about and create various types of writing assignments; while many of the assignments vary by instructor, each section does seem to require a final/major paper. These assignments all teach an aspect of research and how to write a particular type of work; even though each assignment requires writing, each one is approached differently based on the type of piece required. In LIBR 285, students explore the formal research paper writing process step-by-step over the course of the semester. The assignments build on each other and while the student produces a research proposal (rather than a publication-ready paper), the class supports building writing skills along with research skills.
By now, my students may be asking themselves "Oh no! How much writing will I have to do then?" Other than what's required by the core classes, it really depends. The core classes are fairly consistent in the level of writing required between sections, but when you get to the electives it's completely dependent upon the course content and how the instructor chooses to present/teach that content. There will be other classes that require writing assignments, but the assignments would be in line with the content of the course and the SLOs (Student Learning Outcomes). What this means is that a writing assignment may demand something much more informal than a research paper. I would like to point out that not taking a class you want to just because it may require a lot of writing is folly; one of the best ways to overcome a dislike of writing is to write about something you like or love. If the class interests you and it will support your librarian/information professional career goals, take it; you want to get the most out of your program, and you only have 43 units to do so.
"So what do I do if I can't write well?" I hear you asking. Well, there are writing resources provided by SLIS that I strongly recommend you to check out. First, check the Writing Resources for Students page. You'll find a lot of sources there to help guide you through every aspect of the writing process. And for those students that need additional support, online tutoring is available. SLIS provides tutoring services so SLIS students can get help from tutors that are also SLIS students. So struggling students can work with those that understand from first-hand experience the types of assignments and writing demands they face. And to round out the writing resources SLIS students have at their fingertips, there are recordings of past writing workshops that students can watch to help build better writing skills. So fellow students, if you are timid when it comes to penning your work, fear not! Take advantage of the help available to you and you too could be writing better and more confidently.
Not being able to write (or disliking writing) is not the end of the world. With a little practice and support, you may find that you actually enjoy it.
- I have nothing to write about
- No one wants to see my work
- I'm not any good
- I don't know where to start
- I can't take the criticism
- I prefer to say what I want, not write it
Some students may think you have to be born a good writer, but good writing is not really an inborn talent. You have to learn how to write, and then you have to practice. I was lucky enough to have a great high school English teacher that understood the writing process and how to help her students develop writing skills. You don't have to start big; in fact, you want to start small. In English class, we started with paragraphs before we moved on to whole essays. In our MLIS program, there are two classes that will help you build both research and writing skills. You won't be starting as small as a paragraph, but you will be starting with smaller assignments that will build on each other before you create the final project.
In LIBR 200, which many of my students will probably be starting tomorrow, students will learn about and create various types of writing assignments; while many of the assignments vary by instructor, each section does seem to require a final/major paper. These assignments all teach an aspect of research and how to write a particular type of work; even though each assignment requires writing, each one is approached differently based on the type of piece required. In LIBR 285, students explore the formal research paper writing process step-by-step over the course of the semester. The assignments build on each other and while the student produces a research proposal (rather than a publication-ready paper), the class supports building writing skills along with research skills.
By now, my students may be asking themselves "Oh no! How much writing will I have to do then?" Other than what's required by the core classes, it really depends. The core classes are fairly consistent in the level of writing required between sections, but when you get to the electives it's completely dependent upon the course content and how the instructor chooses to present/teach that content. There will be other classes that require writing assignments, but the assignments would be in line with the content of the course and the SLOs (Student Learning Outcomes). What this means is that a writing assignment may demand something much more informal than a research paper. I would like to point out that not taking a class you want to just because it may require a lot of writing is folly; one of the best ways to overcome a dislike of writing is to write about something you like or love. If the class interests you and it will support your librarian/information professional career goals, take it; you want to get the most out of your program, and you only have 43 units to do so.
"So what do I do if I can't write well?" I hear you asking. Well, there are writing resources provided by SLIS that I strongly recommend you to check out. First, check the Writing Resources for Students page. You'll find a lot of sources there to help guide you through every aspect of the writing process. And for those students that need additional support, online tutoring is available. SLIS provides tutoring services so SLIS students can get help from tutors that are also SLIS students. So struggling students can work with those that understand from first-hand experience the types of assignments and writing demands they face. And to round out the writing resources SLIS students have at their fingertips, there are recordings of past writing workshops that students can watch to help build better writing skills. So fellow students, if you are timid when it comes to penning your work, fear not! Take advantage of the help available to you and you too could be writing better and more confidently.
Not being able to write (or disliking writing) is not the end of the world. With a little practice and support, you may find that you actually enjoy it.
Friday, August 16, 2013
Class Information
One of my students asked me a question about the core classes. And while it's not absolutely vital information, I think it's a great thing to discuss and expand on, and make sure other new students are aware of it. Depending on what classes you've signed up for in the coming semester, you may or may not be taking LIBR 202. This class will require you to create a database, and you will be doing so as part of a group. Don't panic! Read through this post and check through the pages I mention if you wish to get more information.
Back when I took 202, the database program we used was called DBTextWorks, and it was one that we had to install on our computer. Since then, it seems that the program has switched to WebData Pro, a web-based system. So, fellow students, you won't need to worry about installing a new program on your computer for class. If you want to get a head start and find out more about WebData Pro, you can start with the tutorials provided on the department website: http://slisapps.sjsu.edu/libr202/webdatapro/tutorial.html. This is also the page you'll need to go to in order to get technical support for any issues with WebData Pro (the technical support form is at the bottom of the list), so I recommend bookmarking the page just in case.
The student also asked about system requirements. You can check the requirements outlined by the school here. My student asked if all of the requirements on the page are actually necessary. Well, yes and no. The official policy is that yes, students do need to have a computer that fulfills all the requirements listed on this page. In my experience, some of the items can be fudged a little. For example, I have yet to come across a class where a CD/DVD drive was needed (although that's not to say they don't exist). And I don't know that you'll need the RAM noted on the page (slightly lower would still work). Things that you will for sure need: an Internet connection, speakers and a microphone for Collaborate sessions, a printer (if you're like me and like to print out articles to review or papers to edit and revise), and storage and back-up storage for all your course files. Most computers that you would buy now have everything and more than is listed on the system requirements. But don't feel like you have to go out and buy a new computer if you have one that's two years old or less. To give you some perspective, my three-year-old laptop can still handle everything flawlessly. So the requirements are not unreasonable.
I would also like to point out briefly the software requirements as well. Yes, Microsoft Office is a requirement. Yes, instructors will require submissions to be specific file types, so Microsoft Works will not--ahem--work. I know, it does mean more money that you have to spend on school costs; but you can use student loans to help since it is required for your academic program, and discounted pricing is available for students (see the Microsoft Office and Pricing page for more information).
And if you're wondering what kind of group work you'll have to do and what your weekly assignments might be, check the course syllabus. There are two things you'll want to keep in mind with syllabi: 1) Be sure you're looking at the syllabus for the section you have registered for because different sections can have different syllabi and 2) Keep in mind that the syllabus may not have every detail on it. You'll get all the details about everything on the first day of class, but if you really want to find out ahead of time you can always email your instructor and ask him/her if they can provide more information on what you can expect. You can check the course syllabus page for any classes you signed up for this semester, not just 202.
I hope this information helps! You can ask more questions about the classes here or contact me through D2L, email, or Bb IM.
Back when I took 202, the database program we used was called DBTextWorks, and it was one that we had to install on our computer. Since then, it seems that the program has switched to WebData Pro, a web-based system. So, fellow students, you won't need to worry about installing a new program on your computer for class. If you want to get a head start and find out more about WebData Pro, you can start with the tutorials provided on the department website: http://slisapps.sjsu.edu/libr202/webdatapro/tutorial.html. This is also the page you'll need to go to in order to get technical support for any issues with WebData Pro (the technical support form is at the bottom of the list), so I recommend bookmarking the page just in case.
The student also asked about system requirements. You can check the requirements outlined by the school here. My student asked if all of the requirements on the page are actually necessary. Well, yes and no. The official policy is that yes, students do need to have a computer that fulfills all the requirements listed on this page. In my experience, some of the items can be fudged a little. For example, I have yet to come across a class where a CD/DVD drive was needed (although that's not to say they don't exist). And I don't know that you'll need the RAM noted on the page (slightly lower would still work). Things that you will for sure need: an Internet connection, speakers and a microphone for Collaborate sessions, a printer (if you're like me and like to print out articles to review or papers to edit and revise), and storage and back-up storage for all your course files. Most computers that you would buy now have everything and more than is listed on the system requirements. But don't feel like you have to go out and buy a new computer if you have one that's two years old or less. To give you some perspective, my three-year-old laptop can still handle everything flawlessly. So the requirements are not unreasonable.
I would also like to point out briefly the software requirements as well. Yes, Microsoft Office is a requirement. Yes, instructors will require submissions to be specific file types, so Microsoft Works will not--ahem--work. I know, it does mean more money that you have to spend on school costs; but you can use student loans to help since it is required for your academic program, and discounted pricing is available for students (see the Microsoft Office and Pricing page for more information).
And if you're wondering what kind of group work you'll have to do and what your weekly assignments might be, check the course syllabus. There are two things you'll want to keep in mind with syllabi: 1) Be sure you're looking at the syllabus for the section you have registered for because different sections can have different syllabi and 2) Keep in mind that the syllabus may not have every detail on it. You'll get all the details about everything on the first day of class, but if you really want to find out ahead of time you can always email your instructor and ask him/her if they can provide more information on what you can expect. You can check the course syllabus page for any classes you signed up for this semester, not just 202.
I hope this information helps! You can ask more questions about the classes here or contact me through D2L, email, or Bb IM.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Making the Most of Your Program
As an online student, what is your routine? Log on to the course site, complete your readings, post to the discussion board, respond to a classmate's post, turn in your assignments, and repeat the process. Well, okay, that's not all there is because some classes do also include lectures and other resources to "spice it up." Now, if you want to go through your program and just take your classes and nothing else, that's fine. You'll still end up with your degree. But the market right now for librarians is not the best (just check the ALA LinkedIn group for all the stories of librarians who are still unemployed or who had to submit dozens of resumes before getting one interview). As a student, you'll want to make yourself stand out, and just doing the minimum and skating through your classes won't help you do that. So what are some of your options?
Internships or special studies opportunities can be one way to boost your resume. These "classes" do give you units towards your degree, but they offer real-world experience that you can't always get in the traditional classes that discuss library theory. Now I'll be the first to admit that many of the projects and assignments I did were mock-ups of possible real-world scenarios. One that immediately comes to mind is the collection policy manual I worked on with a group over the course of the semester. The end result was a working collection policy manual that could have been used in an actual library (and in fact, we did base some of the statistics and budget on an actual library). But an internship gives that extra edge of having done something for an actual library or other organization. And special studies (which can include projects or research or even being a Peer Mentor like I am now) can give you other valuable experiences. My internship allowed me to help develop a real library's website, create tutorials for staff that will actually be used, and learn from people that are working in our profession. My experience as a Peer Mentor is providing me with leadership and management experience. That can all be put on my resume as examples of my work and how successful it was in a real setting, rather than assignments turned in for class.
Publication opportunities are also available for us, even while in school. The Student Research Journal is a scholarly peer-reviewed journal published by our program. Graduate students from our school and from other graduate programs can submit papers for review and publication. You will write at least several research papers during the course of your program. You could use this publication opportunity to have one of your papers published. If you don't feel the peer-reviewed track is for you, there is a more informal publication opportunity in the SLIS Descriptor. This online publication allows students to submit their own articles on topics that are of interest to them. I submitted an article on my experience with designing a website for another organization and had it published in a past issue. Having your work published is another great way to boost your resume. Having and maintaining a blog is not quite as impressive because you can post whatever you want. Getting your work accepted and published by another party shows that there is value in what you've written.
A third way to stand out is by getting involved in student organizations. There are many leadership opportunities to be found in our student organizations for those that want to run for them (many of the offices are filled by individuals getting voted in). Check out our ALASC, ASIS&T, and SLISConnect groups. Having a position of responsibility is another great point on your resume and shows definite leadership potential in a work setting. This was one opportunity I couldn't really take advantage of due to time constraints, although I did get involved in one of our department's governance committees (which was awesome because I got to help the department prepare for our program's re-accreditation that will be happening next year).
I'm not trying to suggest that every student needs to do all of this. But I think that each student should try to plan at least one of these opportunities into his or her program. It will create a richer student and program experience than just taking regular classes. You'll be glad if you do!
Internships or special studies opportunities can be one way to boost your resume. These "classes" do give you units towards your degree, but they offer real-world experience that you can't always get in the traditional classes that discuss library theory. Now I'll be the first to admit that many of the projects and assignments I did were mock-ups of possible real-world scenarios. One that immediately comes to mind is the collection policy manual I worked on with a group over the course of the semester. The end result was a working collection policy manual that could have been used in an actual library (and in fact, we did base some of the statistics and budget on an actual library). But an internship gives that extra edge of having done something for an actual library or other organization. And special studies (which can include projects or research or even being a Peer Mentor like I am now) can give you other valuable experiences. My internship allowed me to help develop a real library's website, create tutorials for staff that will actually be used, and learn from people that are working in our profession. My experience as a Peer Mentor is providing me with leadership and management experience. That can all be put on my resume as examples of my work and how successful it was in a real setting, rather than assignments turned in for class.
Publication opportunities are also available for us, even while in school. The Student Research Journal is a scholarly peer-reviewed journal published by our program. Graduate students from our school and from other graduate programs can submit papers for review and publication. You will write at least several research papers during the course of your program. You could use this publication opportunity to have one of your papers published. If you don't feel the peer-reviewed track is for you, there is a more informal publication opportunity in the SLIS Descriptor. This online publication allows students to submit their own articles on topics that are of interest to them. I submitted an article on my experience with designing a website for another organization and had it published in a past issue. Having your work published is another great way to boost your resume. Having and maintaining a blog is not quite as impressive because you can post whatever you want. Getting your work accepted and published by another party shows that there is value in what you've written.
A third way to stand out is by getting involved in student organizations. There are many leadership opportunities to be found in our student organizations for those that want to run for them (many of the offices are filled by individuals getting voted in). Check out our ALASC, ASIS&T, and SLISConnect groups. Having a position of responsibility is another great point on your resume and shows definite leadership potential in a work setting. This was one opportunity I couldn't really take advantage of due to time constraints, although I did get involved in one of our department's governance committees (which was awesome because I got to help the department prepare for our program's re-accreditation that will be happening next year).
I'm not trying to suggest that every student needs to do all of this. But I think that each student should try to plan at least one of these opportunities into his or her program. It will create a richer student and program experience than just taking regular classes. You'll be glad if you do!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
What classes do I take?
This is a question that I'm sure all (or almost all) new students in our program have. For those of my new students that have looked at the class descriptions, you'll see that there are six we must all take (the sixth being a choice between an e-portfolio and a thesis). But that still leaves you with *calculating* 27 units that are up for grabs. If you take classes that are all 3 units each, that gives you nine classes you still need to decide on. How do you make those decisions?
If you have a decided interest, one place to start is to look at the Career Pathways on the program website. The department has kindly listed the various classes that students will likely want to take if they have a particular career path in mind (academic librarian, YA librarian, library management, etc.). You don't have to follow any of these career pathways, but they are a good starting point to get an idea of classes that will interest you. I actually started my class planning by using this method and initially looked at a combination of management and academic librarianship classes. I'm the solo librarian where I work, so I reasoned that this combination would assist in the work I do in my library daily. I have deviated somewhat from my original plan, although I have taken many of the classes that were on my original list. If you change your mind on classes, that's OK too. My interests and personal goals have changed and evolved through my program, and what I want now is not the same as what I wanted when I first started. As I've learned about the profession and its possibilities, I see myself in a different place than I did in Fall of 2010.
Another resource is your academic advisor. It is this person's job to advise you on the best way to reach the outcome you want from this program. Do you want to be in charge of a public library's archives? Do you want to be King or Queen of the reference desk? Do you want to plan and implement the children's or adult programming at a library branch? Do you want to branch out to an information management position at a corporation? If you have questions, talk to your advisor about your plans for your future and he or she will help you to plan out which courses would be the best to take.
I suggest taking this first semester to settle into the program and get some of those required courses out of the way. Some may need a second semester too. You don't have to have your entire program planned out perfectly right away. Take the time to ask questions. Explore your options. Don't be afraid if you change your mind about the direction you want to go in the profession.
And if you are interested in reference or web-development classes, I have a few recommendations.
If you have a decided interest, one place to start is to look at the Career Pathways on the program website. The department has kindly listed the various classes that students will likely want to take if they have a particular career path in mind (academic librarian, YA librarian, library management, etc.). You don't have to follow any of these career pathways, but they are a good starting point to get an idea of classes that will interest you. I actually started my class planning by using this method and initially looked at a combination of management and academic librarianship classes. I'm the solo librarian where I work, so I reasoned that this combination would assist in the work I do in my library daily. I have deviated somewhat from my original plan, although I have taken many of the classes that were on my original list. If you change your mind on classes, that's OK too. My interests and personal goals have changed and evolved through my program, and what I want now is not the same as what I wanted when I first started. As I've learned about the profession and its possibilities, I see myself in a different place than I did in Fall of 2010.
Another resource is your academic advisor. It is this person's job to advise you on the best way to reach the outcome you want from this program. Do you want to be in charge of a public library's archives? Do you want to be King or Queen of the reference desk? Do you want to plan and implement the children's or adult programming at a library branch? Do you want to branch out to an information management position at a corporation? If you have questions, talk to your advisor about your plans for your future and he or she will help you to plan out which courses would be the best to take.
I suggest taking this first semester to settle into the program and get some of those required courses out of the way. Some may need a second semester too. You don't have to have your entire program planned out perfectly right away. Take the time to ask questions. Explore your options. Don't be afraid if you change your mind about the direction you want to go in the profession.
And if you are interested in reference or web-development classes, I have a few recommendations.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Even I Had Questions as a New Student
When I need to think through something and plan, I write things down. I write down lists of what I could decide on, questions I have, things to consider--basically anything remotely related that I think of gets written down. When I was trying to figure out the logistics of my program (and everything that entailed), it was no different.
I even went to visit my advisor. Since I live within driving distance of the campus and she is also within driving distance, I was able to meet with her on campus one day before the start of my program. I had a list of questions that I took in with me. Now, mind you, I had done some research on the program and MLIS programs at other schools before applying at the campus where I now attend. And I was working full-time--as I am now--so I knew I couldn't speed through my program as fast as I would like. When I took my first steps on the campus on my way to her office, I already had a general idea of how I expected my program to go (which I find hilarious because I've drifted somewhat from my original plan).
So here are the questions I asked my advisor on that summer afternoon and her responses:
1. Which of the 200, 202, and 204 classes should I plan to take my first semester if I only plan to take one of them? Take 200. It will fulfill the writing requirement.
2. Is there a limit to the amount of time that a student can take to finish the MLIS degree? 7 years.
3. Regarding internships, are they a mandatory part of the program? If so, can I consider my current position as librarian for internship credit? They are not required. There is a database of internship opportunities. One credit is equal to 45 hours in an internship. There may be weekend internship opportunities. (I don't know if this was before virtual internships, but those work well for those with full-time positions or that won't be able to be on-site due to geography.)
4. Can students exceed the 43 unit requirement for the program? No.
5. In your experience, how often should online students plan to be "online"? Approx. how many times a week do students typically log on? To be successful, plan on logging on every day. Also, be active on the discussion forum!
6. How accelerated are the summer courses? 10 weeks instead of 14 or 15 weeks.
7. Does the schedule of summer courses change from year to year or are there some courses that are always offered at this time? Check the class rotation list.
8. Do the "seminar" classes work any different than the other classes? No, they are done the same.
9. Can students who have earned their MLIS degree from the SJSU program come back and take other courses offered after they graduate? No. (This was before the department began offering the Post Master's Certificate Program.)
Some other advice my advisor gave me was to follow the new student checklist and read it carefully. She suggested becoming organized by using a calendar for important things and logging in frequently. She also mentioned scholarships available through the school and possible grants from ALA. The last piece of advice she gave me was to get involved. Being a distance student is hard (we are so isolated at times it seems), and getting involved in the program or the school in some way can help to build connections. Joining and participating in some of the student organizations--SLISConnect, ALASC (ALA Student Chapter), etc.--would be great experience and are ways to build your resume. I ended up becoming the Student Representative on one of the department's governance committees and got to help with the self-assessment for the program for next year's accreditation!
To all my new students, we all have questions when we first begin. Don't hesitate to ask yours!
I even went to visit my advisor. Since I live within driving distance of the campus and she is also within driving distance, I was able to meet with her on campus one day before the start of my program. I had a list of questions that I took in with me. Now, mind you, I had done some research on the program and MLIS programs at other schools before applying at the campus where I now attend. And I was working full-time--as I am now--so I knew I couldn't speed through my program as fast as I would like. When I took my first steps on the campus on my way to her office, I already had a general idea of how I expected my program to go (which I find hilarious because I've drifted somewhat from my original plan).
So here are the questions I asked my advisor on that summer afternoon and her responses:
1. Which of the 200, 202, and 204 classes should I plan to take my first semester if I only plan to take one of them? Take 200. It will fulfill the writing requirement.
2. Is there a limit to the amount of time that a student can take to finish the MLIS degree? 7 years.
3. Regarding internships, are they a mandatory part of the program? If so, can I consider my current position as librarian for internship credit? They are not required. There is a database of internship opportunities. One credit is equal to 45 hours in an internship. There may be weekend internship opportunities. (I don't know if this was before virtual internships, but those work well for those with full-time positions or that won't be able to be on-site due to geography.)
4. Can students exceed the 43 unit requirement for the program? No.
5. In your experience, how often should online students plan to be "online"? Approx. how many times a week do students typically log on? To be successful, plan on logging on every day. Also, be active on the discussion forum!
6. How accelerated are the summer courses? 10 weeks instead of 14 or 15 weeks.
7. Does the schedule of summer courses change from year to year or are there some courses that are always offered at this time? Check the class rotation list.
8. Do the "seminar" classes work any different than the other classes? No, they are done the same.
9. Can students who have earned their MLIS degree from the SJSU program come back and take other courses offered after they graduate? No. (This was before the department began offering the Post Master's Certificate Program.)
Some other advice my advisor gave me was to follow the new student checklist and read it carefully. She suggested becoming organized by using a calendar for important things and logging in frequently. She also mentioned scholarships available through the school and possible grants from ALA. The last piece of advice she gave me was to get involved. Being a distance student is hard (we are so isolated at times it seems), and getting involved in the program or the school in some way can help to build connections. Joining and participating in some of the student organizations--SLISConnect, ALASC (ALA Student Chapter), etc.--would be great experience and are ways to build your resume. I ended up becoming the Student Representative on one of the department's governance committees and got to help with the self-assessment for the program for next year's accreditation!
To all my new students, we all have questions when we first begin. Don't hesitate to ask yours!
Monday, July 29, 2013
To the New Online Student -- How Do You Do It?
For the new online student, becoming a student in a virtual classroom--while still keeping up life and work obligations--may seem like a huge undertaking. Back when I first started my online program I was worried that I wouldn't be able to handle school on top of everything else I had to do, despite my determination to succeed. For many of us that enter this MLIS program, we aren't coming in fresh off the BA/BS boat; it's been some time since we last were in school, be it a few years or even a few decades. We have jobs that we can't leave for school because, let's admit it, we need that paycheck. We have families that all require time from our day. And sometimes we just need to take a break and spend an hour or two reading, playing another couple rounds of Mario Kart, gardening, crafting, cooking, walking, or whatever else it is that we enjoy. So in our already busy lives, is it even possible to do it all? Today, I can tell you IT CAN BE DONE!
Three big things come to mind when I think of how I made it all work for me: motivation, organization, and scheduling. Motivation is what keeps me going, the drive to check in with my course several times a week (and sometimes at least once a day) and complete all reading and assignments on time. The amount of reading you'll do varies from course to course. Some have a lot of reading--textbook, articles, additional content--and some have less just because of the nature of the course content (such as LIBR 240, where you learn how to code in HTML and CSS). The assignments also vary from class to class. Some classes have several papers or assignments due over the course of the semester. Others have one big project that you work cumulatively on over the entire semester. Finding a way to stay motivated will help you to stay on top of everything you need to do. My motivation is getting my diploma in May of next year (which will open doors and give me more options of where I can take my career from here). Why are you in this program? What do you hope to do after you finish? Answering these questions can help you find a reason to be motivated and do your best.
But motivation isn't all you need. There's a lot to keep track of: deadlines, readings, assignments, lectures, discussions, etc. Online students also would do well to find a way to stay organized. I use my calendar in Outlook to record class lectures and deadlines, and set up reminders so that I don't forget them. Each course gets a binder or manila folder (depending on how much I have to keep track of) where I can put the course syllabus, articles (I'm someone that needs to print them out so I can highlight and write on them), assignment descriptions, and any other notes I may have. I use post-its to mark important sections in my textbooks. If I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work it seems like I have to do for an assignment, I make a to-do list and break it down into smaller tasks; each task I accomplish gets checked off and I'm much less likely to forget something. I log into my course site regularly to make sure that I don't miss important information. It sounds like a lot of work (and it is!), but doing some work each day helps to keep it all under control and prevent you from falling behind. Courses seem to go by really fast, so it's hard to catch up if you fall behind.
Scheduling your time can work really well to make sure you're giving everything (including job and life) enough time and attention. For me, I would schedule time to work on school during my lunch hour, at night when I get home from my job, and on the weekends. Sometimes I find other opportunities to work on school; but even if I don't, I know I have enough time for course work because I've scheduled it in. I also schedule time to do something fun--I need breaks/downtime, too! My scheduling method is really informal (I tend to just note down general times), and others may find that they need to put together a day-by-day calendar where they can fill in exact times for things. This is fine, but keep in mind that things can change; assignment deadlines could be pushed back, readings could be switched around, or unexpected things in life could come up--all of which might affect your schedule. So schedule away, but be flexible.
There is a learning period when jumping into an online program. You're not necessarily going to get everything perfectly balanced when you first start. Find your groove, be as organized as you need to be, build a schedule that works for you, and stay motivated!
Three big things come to mind when I think of how I made it all work for me: motivation, organization, and scheduling. Motivation is what keeps me going, the drive to check in with my course several times a week (and sometimes at least once a day) and complete all reading and assignments on time. The amount of reading you'll do varies from course to course. Some have a lot of reading--textbook, articles, additional content--and some have less just because of the nature of the course content (such as LIBR 240, where you learn how to code in HTML and CSS). The assignments also vary from class to class. Some classes have several papers or assignments due over the course of the semester. Others have one big project that you work cumulatively on over the entire semester. Finding a way to stay motivated will help you to stay on top of everything you need to do. My motivation is getting my diploma in May of next year (which will open doors and give me more options of where I can take my career from here). Why are you in this program? What do you hope to do after you finish? Answering these questions can help you find a reason to be motivated and do your best.
But motivation isn't all you need. There's a lot to keep track of: deadlines, readings, assignments, lectures, discussions, etc. Online students also would do well to find a way to stay organized. I use my calendar in Outlook to record class lectures and deadlines, and set up reminders so that I don't forget them. Each course gets a binder or manila folder (depending on how much I have to keep track of) where I can put the course syllabus, articles (I'm someone that needs to print them out so I can highlight and write on them), assignment descriptions, and any other notes I may have. I use post-its to mark important sections in my textbooks. If I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work it seems like I have to do for an assignment, I make a to-do list and break it down into smaller tasks; each task I accomplish gets checked off and I'm much less likely to forget something. I log into my course site regularly to make sure that I don't miss important information. It sounds like a lot of work (and it is!), but doing some work each day helps to keep it all under control and prevent you from falling behind. Courses seem to go by really fast, so it's hard to catch up if you fall behind.
Scheduling your time can work really well to make sure you're giving everything (including job and life) enough time and attention. For me, I would schedule time to work on school during my lunch hour, at night when I get home from my job, and on the weekends. Sometimes I find other opportunities to work on school; but even if I don't, I know I have enough time for course work because I've scheduled it in. I also schedule time to do something fun--I need breaks/downtime, too! My scheduling method is really informal (I tend to just note down general times), and others may find that they need to put together a day-by-day calendar where they can fill in exact times for things. This is fine, but keep in mind that things can change; assignment deadlines could be pushed back, readings could be switched around, or unexpected things in life could come up--all of which might affect your schedule. So schedule away, but be flexible.
There is a learning period when jumping into an online program. You're not necessarily going to get everything perfectly balanced when you first start. Find your groove, be as organized as you need to be, build a schedule that works for you, and stay motivated!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Embarking as a Peer Mentor
Over the next couple of months, the focus of my blog is going to shift. In my last post, I mentioned that I am going to be a peer mentor for new students starting their SLIS program this fall. I will be a resource, a coach, and a TA all wrapped up in one package. While a little nervous (it's been a long time since I was in charge of a class as a teacher or TA), I'm looking forward to the prospect of helping these students get a firm foot into the door of their program. Online classes are not easy, and any guidance I can give them to get them acclimated to the online learning environment translates to less stress about where to go and how to do things.
During the course of the class, I will be posting regularly on my blog (I seem to be getting a lot of use out of it for my classes this year), but these posts will be tailored more to the taste of new online students. My goal will be to address questions or concerns they may have, and my blog will be filled with my answers and advice for them. I will still sprinkle it with recipes (I can't wait to get cooking in my new kitchen!), and of course dear reader you are welcome to read all of the advice I give and the questions I address. But all in all, expect to see more activity here, at least until late September when this particular class ends.
I did want to also mention this fun list of websites provided by the ALA. It's called the Best Websites for Teaching and Learning. The ALA makes a new list every year. These sites are fun and creative and have the potential for so many uses outside the classroom. Tagxedo, the site I used to create the word cloud in my last post, was on the list in the past, as was Glogster and Prezi. I invite you to go through the list and check out some of the sites listed, even if you are far from a classroom (physical or virtual). I did some exploring and found a really fun presentation-type site called Smore. You can create flyers (for free!) that are much more than your run-of-the-mill, stapled-to-a-lamppost flyer. These flyers are interactive. In addition to text, you can add pictures with captions, embed videos and audio, and list links that visitors can click on. It's a creative way for businesses and non-profits to get their names out, to be sure. But students can use it for organizing report summaries and resources, instructors/teachers could use it for posting weekly assignments or resources relating to class, or (as in my case) TAs can use it to introduce themselves to the class they are working with. It's fun, try it!
I definitely want s'more Smore.
During the course of the class, I will be posting regularly on my blog (I seem to be getting a lot of use out of it for my classes this year), but these posts will be tailored more to the taste of new online students. My goal will be to address questions or concerns they may have, and my blog will be filled with my answers and advice for them. I will still sprinkle it with recipes (I can't wait to get cooking in my new kitchen!), and of course dear reader you are welcome to read all of the advice I give and the questions I address. But all in all, expect to see more activity here, at least until late September when this particular class ends.
I did want to also mention this fun list of websites provided by the ALA. It's called the Best Websites for Teaching and Learning. The ALA makes a new list every year. These sites are fun and creative and have the potential for so many uses outside the classroom. Tagxedo, the site I used to create the word cloud in my last post, was on the list in the past, as was Glogster and Prezi. I invite you to go through the list and check out some of the sites listed, even if you are far from a classroom (physical or virtual). I did some exploring and found a really fun presentation-type site called Smore. You can create flyers (for free!) that are much more than your run-of-the-mill, stapled-to-a-lamppost flyer. These flyers are interactive. In addition to text, you can add pictures with captions, embed videos and audio, and list links that visitors can click on. It's a creative way for businesses and non-profits to get their names out, to be sure. But students can use it for organizing report summaries and resources, instructors/teachers could use it for posting weekly assignments or resources relating to class, or (as in my case) TAs can use it to introduce themselves to the class they are working with. It's fun, try it!
I definitely want s'more Smore.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Wrapping Up the Semester
This is the last week of the semester. It officially ends on May 13th, but I've given myself a deadline of May 10th (this Friday) to complete my work.
It seems that every semester when I get to this point, I am shocked at how fast the semester has gone. With the amount of work that I've put into my classes--especially my internship--as well as the extra stuff that I volunteer for, it seems doubly true. At the time of this writing, I have completed 127.5 out of 135 internship hours. I have 7.5 hours left to do, 6 of which will be done when I am on-site this week. I have completed 7 substantial projects, worked on 2 ongoing projects that I will likely continue to do as a volunteer, and performed multiple other tasks. I have a solid working knowledge of Drupal, and between my internship and my Drupal class I am confident that I will be able to perform as a Drupal site administrator for any library that hires me in the future. I would note this semester down as a big success, even considering that I had almost too much work to handle.
After this week, I hope things calm down for awhile. I will still be volunteering with MCFL, but only 8-10 hours a month. The rest of May and June will be time for me to relax and recharge for my final semester taking content classes (my last semester will be devoted to assembling and presenting my e-portfolio). My mom and I took a look at the schedule for my graduation ceremony next May and have already started making plans. I know I have some important graduate deadlines to meet this next year (mainly forms that I must submit to be eligible for graduation).
It's the final leg of my journey that I started three years ago, right here on this blog. It's a very odd feeling because until now it didn't feel like my program would ever come to an end. Well, it is. And I can see it, now.
It seems that every semester when I get to this point, I am shocked at how fast the semester has gone. With the amount of work that I've put into my classes--especially my internship--as well as the extra stuff that I volunteer for, it seems doubly true. At the time of this writing, I have completed 127.5 out of 135 internship hours. I have 7.5 hours left to do, 6 of which will be done when I am on-site this week. I have completed 7 substantial projects, worked on 2 ongoing projects that I will likely continue to do as a volunteer, and performed multiple other tasks. I have a solid working knowledge of Drupal, and between my internship and my Drupal class I am confident that I will be able to perform as a Drupal site administrator for any library that hires me in the future. I would note this semester down as a big success, even considering that I had almost too much work to handle.
After this week, I hope things calm down for awhile. I will still be volunteering with MCFL, but only 8-10 hours a month. The rest of May and June will be time for me to relax and recharge for my final semester taking content classes (my last semester will be devoted to assembling and presenting my e-portfolio). My mom and I took a look at the schedule for my graduation ceremony next May and have already started making plans. I know I have some important graduate deadlines to meet this next year (mainly forms that I must submit to be eligible for graduation).
It's the final leg of my journey that I started three years ago, right here on this blog. It's a very odd feeling because until now it didn't feel like my program would ever come to an end. Well, it is. And I can see it, now.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Making Lemonade
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, I had to make lots of lemonade this week. Scooter's car got broken into, and although we were extremely lucky because the car was still there and nothing in it was taken (even though Scooter had cash and tools in the backseat), there was still damage done that we're now having to deal with. Another small blessing is that our insurance has been very helpful and responded quickly.
Then late in the week, I broke my website I had been using for class assignments in my Drupal class. Yes, broke. It was due to two modules (packets of code installed on the Drupal software) being incompatible with each other. The result? My entire website being replaced with a blank page and one line of text describing an error (and not the usual web errors). Of course I panicked, and when my efforts to restore things didn't work I was literally in tears. All my work for the past 10 weeks...gone. Then I remembered when we had to create backup sites earlier in the semester; my backup site was also displaying the same error, but I realized the content had to still be on the server. Checking my server files proved me right. Thank heavens. It took another three hours to fix the problem, but eventually I got my site working again.
So between Scooter's car and my website, things were chaotic this week, and my internship hours and Drupal assignments for the week suffered a major setback. It's a good thing that my instructor and my site supervisor know that life sometimes happens. It's a reality that I think everyone who works with adult students must acknowledge. I have to be aware of it myself, as I work with adult students at my job too. My instructor gave me a few extra days to complete my Drupal work for the week (and I actually got the extension before my site broke--I call that good timing). My site supervisor told me not to worry, that I'm doing excellent work, and that I shouldn't let the internship be cause of needless stress.
Things turned out okay, and even though we're still dealing with the aftermath of Scooter's car, life has calmed down a bit. The lemonade isn't outstanding, but it's at least a little sweet.
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