Have you voted!?

Get out and vote today!

Here's the Google Logo for the day -- I love when they do these things! Isn't it cute!



Let's hope this election goes the way I want it to :)

Falling Behind, Catching Up

Some of you may have wondered if I have fallen off the face of the earth the past few weeks... and, well, yah, I guess I have. Not intending to drag my students into my personal life, I haven't really mentioned what has been going on, and I'm kind of struggling with whether to throw it out there or not. But, since I live within the definition of "being human" I figure what can it harm.

I was out of town last week, back in Michigan, to visit my very ill father. Several months ago in my blog I mentioned that he had recently been diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer with brain metastases (cancer tumors). He had radiation and chemo back in the Spring and I'm happy to say that he had a pretty good summer. However, the cancer took back over last month and it's been a pretty rough downhill spiral. I made an emergency visit to see him and assist with his care (he refuses to go into a nursing home for care so my siblings are doing a fantastic job helping him with his 24/7 care).

Therefore I apologize if I've been a bit "absent" the past two weeks. I'm intending to catch up on grading and will have the remaining assignments posted shortly. Thanks for your patience and understanding!

In all honesty I have greatly enjoyed reading the blog postings and project 2 responses. As always, I love the forum participation. Even if I'm not putting my $.02 in everywhere doesn't mean I'm not here... looking on like the proud teacher I am. I love when the students "get it" and I can see the lightbulb going off as well.

Keep up the great work!

Dena

Week 6 of the fall semester

Wow. Week 6 already! Seems like we just started the semester.

Library 1 is coming to an end soon. Good class. This is the first semester I've taught it as a graded course instead of a CR/NC class. Quite a difference in student performance when a grade is at stake, which I appreciate. I've pulled the research project due date to week 8 to see if I get better quality work. Some projects seem very thrown together at the last minute. I have another section of Library 1 starting the last 9 weeks of class and it will be a very full class! Very full. Already have over 50 people on my waiting list. I'm going to see how many people I can pull in from that.

I really love Library 204, a great group of students and the first of the core library technician students. We've talked about concepts that are a good reminder for me about why I enjoy being a librarian. The ultimate purpose - we are here to assist our patrons with their information needs, whether that patron is standing in front of me or talking to me through instant messaging, sending an email or just visiting our website.

Sometimes I get so caught up in the Systems aspect of my job - the computers, the databases, the Voyager system (and upgrade), the statistics, the computer labs... that I feel further from the real purpose. I guess that is why I enjoy teaching my classes so much - gives me that one-on-one connection with the students and allows me to share some of my knowledge with them that hopefully they can take on to further places and share with others - their kids, friends, parents, and maybe someday their own students if they go on to become a librarian. Perhaps!

Well, this is my own 6 week reflection. All the students in my class probably hate the reflections I ask them to do - so I figured I'd do my own too. Just so I can enjoy the process as well!

Take care!

A Librarian's Lexicon for the Layperson

Highly recommended reading defining terms we have or will be talking about in our LIB 204 class.

A Librarian's Lexicon for the Layperson:

"As is quite well known, librarians are afflicted with a particular strain of linguistic debillitation known as jargonitis, or inflammation of the jargon gland. "

Another new Google tool

Being a Google fanatic, I enjoy learning about and using Google's new toys... I mean... tools!

Today they released the Google Chrome beta - Google's version of a browser. You can just type in searches in the URL address bar and it will perform a search for you. Smart. LOL.

Check out more about Google Chrome and download it to try it out!

I'll keep you posted on my thoughts about it. This could take some time getting used to!

Library 204: Blog as a Library Tool?

Greetings students!

I've been enjoying reading all the blogs this week. The majority of you seem to be new bloggers -- and while some of you may be scratching your head wondering why I would possibly want you to blog, I assure you that at the end of the class you will see some value in it. (If you don't feel free to express that to me as I'm a feedback nut).

The major idea of a blog is a personal publishing system with a very important component - the ability for the general public (or restricted users in some cases) to post comments. Feedback! Contribution!

Let's take a look at Amazon. When I am searching for a new book to purchase on a favorite topic, I generally browse a specific subject that I find in a keyword search. I narrow down my choices by type of materials (this case a book), and at the bottom of every product page is a list of CATEGORIES that the product belongs to. This is all very similar to a library catalog (OPAC). I can click through the different subject. I can see other titles that are similar to the one I'm searching for. And, for someone like me who is a feedback nut, I can read REVIEWS! I want to know what other people who have read the book I am considering spending $30 on thinks about it. Was it valuable to them? Wouldn't it also be nice to have a feature in the library OPAC that connected REVIEWS to the item you are searching for?

I do the same thing with hotels. Let's look at my choices. 10 years ago I could go to the Internet and search for hotels on expedia.com, find out information about the property, etc. It is a good possibility that I could even find a webpage for the specific hotel with photos, maybe reservation information, and description of amenities. Today however I can go to TripAdvisor.com or RealTravel.com and find out other people's opinions on hotels, restaurants, museums, places to visit, etc. One of my favorite places to visit is Seattle, Washington. Take a look at the TripAdvisor page for Seattle. Some of these hotels have hundreds of reviews. I can do my own research from opinions and advice from real people, instead of from a book which may or may not be outdated or accurate. Another good example that I use often to find local restaurants, parks, and other places is Yelp.com. People SHARE information with other people, with us.

Blogs are just another way to do that, to provide a platform for someone to share about a specific topic and for others to put in their $.02. In a library environment, it gives the library a human aspect, opens up ideas about new services and really tries to connect the library and the community. Kinda like what I'm trying to do in this class. Hmm...

Something to think about!

Some of my favorite library related blogs are:
LibrarianInBlack.net
TameTheWeb.com
TheShiftedLibrarian.com
LibrariansMatter.com
TheUbiquitousLibrarian

Here are some examples of how Universities use blogs in their libraries:
Ohio Universities Libraries News
Yale University Library News
Hunter Library News

Example of Teen Services Blogs in Public Libraries
WorthingTeens

Know of any you would like to share?

Lets talk about Library 2.0

This weeks discussion is centered around Reference Services -- what is our idea of providing valuable reference services to our patrons. When we think of library reference services are we assuming that the interaction always has to occur in a face-to-face setting? How can we provide reference services 24 hrs a day? How can we reach out to the Internet generation? People browsing our website? Where else can we reach the patrons?

I'm going to provide a few links to other blogs that provide discussion about Library 2.0. We will be reading much about Library 2.0, Web 2.0 and other services to provide over the Internet to inspire ideas that might help us discover new ways to reach patrons.

Library Crunch - Service for the Next Generation Library - A Library 2.0 Perspective by Michael Casey

Tame the Web - Libraries, Technology and People - by Michael Stephens

Library 204: Day One

I'm so excited to be starting another class - a brand new class! Library 204 - Intro to Reference Services. I have tons of ideas for work that we will be doing together. As usual, I will incorporate blog reflections into the course. It works well for me and I think the students enjoy the reflection and collaboration process as well. Other assignments and projects will be discussed/revealed soon. :)

New students welcome! Returning students -- glad to see you!

Excellent report in CQ Researcher this week

Internet Accuracy - How Reliable is Information Found on the Web (dated August 1st, 2008)

Wow - an excellent report. It discusses information that we have talked about in this course. Particularly about the concept of community contributions to wikis for reference material (namely Wikipedia) and how the accuracy of that information can affect other information resources.

The report also discusses how the younger generation is used to information overload, and how most people who know how to use a search engine can FIND information on the web, but is it the BEST source out there for them to utilize.

Check it out and let me know what you think of it. I will definitely be using this report as a reading assignment for future courses!

Oppose the suggestion to close the Main Branch of the Long Beach Public Library

Spreading the word about the disturbing suggestion to close the main branch of the Long Beach Public Library to save money.

Please read about the situation at the blog below:
http://savelbpl.blogspot.com/

Help spread the word!

Lib 3: Final project inspiration

Here is a final project example from a prior Library 3 student - Scott Zettlemoyer- his blog post for his final project is: http://lbccszlib3.blogspot.com/. The format has changed slightly but it's a good example for you to view to help you understand what you should be working toward.

Lib 3: Reflections on Assignment 5 - Reference Sources

I just finished grading assignment 5 on Reference Sources. Interesting to note given the choice between using online reference sources, print reference sources or a combination of both, the majority of the class did most of their searches with online only resources. The few people who went to a library and used print resources and the ones who used a combination were refreshing to read.

Most people went to IPL.org and performed searches there. Several students seemed frustrated with the idea that they could not just google for the answers. Sure, we all know that can be done, but what will that teach us? My goal is to show students other resources, reputable resources that can be used online. For instance several students have greatly enjoyed biography.com and artcyclopedia.com. Some students have discovered factmonster.com which looks useful but is geared toward elementary and middle school students. It is a great site to show your kids and help them with their homework.

Anyways, I digress. The point is that some students used IPL to search for their topic (example: Margaret Sanger) and some searched for the reference they wanted like "biography." I found this to be quite interesting. When performing that exact search above, you won't find anything useful by typing in Margaret Sanger. The searching for "biography" is the better bet.

Some students avoiding the search box and used the subject links on the left side of the page. Looking at the bold subject Ready Reference they had a list of several different types of reference resources and chose one from that list. I think that is the best bet for this assignment. I want people to connect the resource they need to the specific type of information they are looking for. Find the RESOURCE, use the RESOURCE instead of depending on Google to do all the work.

Use a Quotation resource to find a quotation by Eleanor Roosevelt. There's TONS of quotation resources out there. The students who used a quotation source had a much easier time answering the question compared to the student who typed in a search for Eleanor Roosevelt.

It is so ingrained in us to just rely on the keyword searches (thank you google :-P) but sometimes there is a better, faster choice. Ready reference is general reference information easily searchable, up-to-date, not too detailed but detailed enough. Ready reference books or online sources can answer most, if not all, of the questions posed in Assignment 5.

All in all, I'm very pleased to see the work my students are producing. It's great to show them new ways of doing things and the feedback seems pretty positive. I only wish I could teach Library 3 more than just the summer term because I get so much out of it. I learn new things in these courses too - new ways of running the class, making the assignments easier to understand, new websites to utilize, etc.

Summer 08 ending

Wow, this summer has gone by so fast! I can't believe it.

I traveled a good portion of the summer, the first 4 weeks of the semester and saw some amazing things. I went to three national parks in ONE week - Mt. Rainier, Glacier and Zion. Breathtaking and really reset my peacefulness meter.

Library 3 only has a few more weeks. Another great summer class with excellent students. Out of all the classes I teach, Library 3 seems to give me the most joy. Probably because its a three unit class compared to the one units that I teach often. I'll be happy to see some library 3 faces in my new course Library 204 starting this fall (Intro to Reference Services).

Even though I'm more of a computer/database programming geek, I love working at the reference desk and sharing that enthusiasm with students. In my masters program, the Reference Services course was probably my favorite and the course that I learned so much about library resources in. Perhaps that is what my students feel as they discover the resources they learn about as well. It's overwhelming, but in a good way. Amazing to think that there is so much information out there.

There is no doubt we are an information fed species that thrives on the Internet. If there is something we hear throughout the day that we don't know anything about, once online google to the rescue. Instant access (not always correct information but as we develop our research skills we learn how to sort through credible versus non-credible information). We are *keyword* driven. We use words daily to describe things, but how do we learn which word to use? Thats one of the ideas I try to emphasize in my courses - the difference between keyword searching and subject searching.

We look at dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference indexes and have to first learn how to use the book, how is it organized, how do i search using it. It seems like so much work compared to just opening up a search engine and typing our word. But is it worth it? I think so. I think thats what makes these classes so interesting. Learning about the resources, learning which resources are available for you to use online through the LBCC library, learning how they work. Most of the online reference sources are trying to simplify the searches to resemble the google searchbox. Because that is what we know. That is what we breathe. As educated people, we need to be aware of what are other options are when we need more.

Okay, enough for today. Back to the reference desk!

Lib 3: Student Blog Links

Lenita F - http://mrsfiggins.blogspot.com/
Ruth G - http://mommyruthie.blogspot.com/
Jim G - http://jimg5150.blogspot.com/
Freddy G - http://lookatfredsblog.blogspot.com/
Lee J - http://covcitylee.blogspot.com/
Stephany J - http://stephanyjones.blogspot.com/
Diana L - http://library3mslara.blogspot.com/
Chris L - http://lareslbcclib3.blogspot.com
Samady L - http://samady-lib3.blogspot.com/
Vanessa L - http://nessasblog81.blogspot.com/
Joanne M - http://joanne-jcmblog.blogspot.com/
Adrianne M - http://barbie08.blogs4me.com/
Ashley P - http://ashl3ypham.blogspot.com/
Matthew P - http://mattprak.blogspot.com/
Edward R - http://erlibrary3.blogspot.com/
Ismelda S - http://sanch8zaces.blogspot.com/
Andrea S - http://welcome2dagoodlife.blogspot.com/
Marissa S - http://marissaskool.blogspot.com/
Nickalas S - http://whatisthisworldcoming2.blogspot.com
Tarita T - http://itsinabook.blogspot.com/
Jo Ann T - http://jazzey-icandothis.blogspot.com/
Gregory T - http://lbccgreg.blogspot.com
Enrique V - http://oldearth-outsideyourworld.blogspot.com/

Lib 3: Summer 2008 LIB 3 Class

I have a wonderful class of 30 students this summer semester. LIB 3 is always one of my favorite classes to teach - the students are generally quite enthusiastic and it feels like we work together as a team. It is always cool to see the responses I get from students who are creating their first blog.

I have many different teaching ideas about online courses and utilizing blogs is one tool that I would like to see more. Unfortunately I only use blogs in LIB 3 so far. Maybe I'll introduce it in other courses as well.

Research topics are coming up this week - let's see what topics will be brought up. My favorites are always current social topics, things that are sort of new in today's world. Let's see, an example... combating child obesity, anything involving the internet and society (Web 2.0 impact, etc.), and my new favorite Smoking Cessation (my father recently was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer and i'm angry about his smoking addiction being the cause of this disease). Things I hope we don't see because they are SO common -- abortion, teen pregnancy, school uniforms, euthanasia.

Blog reflections are a new component for this course. I've decided to do my own reflections as well! Hence this post. :)