tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85944070510517237032024-03-14T11:12:23.800-07:00La Vida BibliotecaI've been a librarian since 1977. Over the years, I've worked for numerous public libraries in Southern California. I currently work part-time for the California State Library and teach part-time for the UCLA Department of Information Studies. In my spare time (ha!), I conduct workshops on various topics and do occasional freelance consulting. This is my "professional" blog where I will occasionally share thoughts about conferences I've attended and ponder other library-related issues.Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-32085086130391214652013-09-29T19:49:00.000-07:002013-10-29T14:12:32.652-07:00San Diego Public Library Grand Opening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">At long last, San Diego gets a new central library</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even as far back as 1982—when I moved to San Diego to work for the county library—residents as well as librarians lobbied for a new building to replace the once-modern, but now extremely crowded, central library built in 1954. Efforts continued all 10 years I lived there and beyond. Finally, yesterday, <a href="http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/09/buildings/new-san-diego-library-to-open-debt-free/">San Diego's new central library</a> was opened to much fanfare and happy appreciation.</span><br />
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The building is truly magnificent. Wood and timeless shades of brown and grey dominate the interior. The exterior is capped by an enormous dome that has already become one of the most iconic features of San Diego's skyline. As architect Rob Quigley explained at yesterday's opening ceremony, the unfinished dome reminds us that knowledge is never complete. I absolutely love it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The front of the library</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">View from the 2d floor</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Looking down on the ground floor</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One of my favorite rooms is the auditorium, which</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">has an accordion wall that opens outside to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">accommodate </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">overflow audiences. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The art installation (above) fills </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">an entire </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">wall </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">of the theater: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">open books</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> behind mesh. Fabulous!!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Another favorite feature: chalkboard</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">on the top and sides of the teen room</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">stacks. Brilliant!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The 8th floor reading room not only has a phenomenal</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">view of the Coronado Bridge and San Diego Bay, it also</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">reminds me a lot of the wonderful "living room" in the</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">amazing Seattle Public Library's central facility</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dome scaffolding at the top of the building</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The view from the top of the building: PetCo Park</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">baseball stadium</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The art gallery</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">An artifact from the past: card catalog in</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">the California Room</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The stacks</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Looking skyward at the dome</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The unfinished dome</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The line of community members was too long to see the children's room, which is decorated in Dr. Seuss; plus I missed the baseball collection, which is supposed to be terrific. So I guess I'll just have to return soon to see the rest of the library. Oh, darn!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P.S. So I did indeed return to the library a couple weeks later. The children's library is lots of fun and the baseball collection impressive. See for yourself:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Dr. Seuss on the children's room</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">walls</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Colorful furniture for kids</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Children's information desk</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Baseball books and art on the 8th floor</span></div>
</div>
Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-5836809731657591582013-08-29T19:15:00.000-07:002013-09-05T08:22:07.957-07:00Sea-Tac Airport Library<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Signs in the Southwest terminal</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Imagine our surprise when the first thing my husband and I saw, as we arrived at the Seattle airport recently, was a huge sign (above) admonishing us to “Take Time and Read.” Not only does the <a href="https://www.kcls.org/">King County Library</a> encourage passengers to read, they also provide free books—and even rocking chairs!—for folks to use while they’re waiting for their flight. According to an <a href="http://mynorthwest.com/11/2339228/SeaTac-Airport-library-doing-booming-business">article</a> in MyNorthwest.com, some 15,000 books are taken by Sea-Tac travelers a month. Obviously an excellent and well-used program—other libraries should take note!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Books, magazines and rocking chairs</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Find a seat and read!</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-20712855636363805522012-10-23T10:27:00.001-07:002012-10-23T10:27:51.315-07:00Library Jobs, 2011<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The October 15th issue of <i>Library Journal</i> is always a "must read," especially if you're looking for a job in the information profession. This year's cover article, <a href="http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/10/placements-and-salaries/2012-survey/a-job-by-any-other-name-ljs-placements-salaries-survey-2012/">"A Job by Any Other Name: A Few Bright Spots Shine for the Class of 2011,"</a> provides happier news</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"> than recent past years, though salaries in the western US have apparently dipped.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The most fascinating part of the article, however, is the titles of the jobs recent grads are acquiring:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><u>Top Five Job Titles</u>: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Digital Services Librarian/Coordinator</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Information Resources Manager</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Learning Resource Center Manager/Coordinator</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Reference Librarian (who says reference is dead?)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><u>New & Unusual Job Titles (LJ's phrase, not mine)</u>:* </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Health/Science Informatics Administrator/Analyst</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Technology Development Librarian</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">User Experience Designer</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">What's important to understand here is that the article is addressing <i>recent MLIS grad placements</i>, so all the jobs listed above relate to entry-level positions. If you didn't know before, I'm hoping you'll certainly see now why Management is a core course.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">*I doubt that any of these titles will seem "new" or "unusual" to my students!</span></div>
Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-11581135227432734922011-10-02T12:50:00.000-07:002011-10-02T12:50:32.901-07:00West Hollywood Library<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lately I’ve been feeling almost despondent about the failing economy and its effect on public libraries. Not only are services being cut at a time when library usage is at an all-time high, but my students can’t find jobs when they graduate.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My spirits were lifted considerably yesterday, however, when I attended the grand opening of the new <a href="http://www.colapublib.org/libs/whollywood/index.php">West Hollywood branch</a> of the County of Los Angeles Public Library. The two-story facility is beautiful but simple, with a magnificent view of <a href="http://www.weho.org/">West Hollywood</a> and the <a href="http://www.pacificdesigncenter.com/">Pacific Design Center</a> directly across the street. And two of my former students have just been hired there as permanent librarians, which for me was even more exciting than seeing the hundreds of people flooding into the new library! It was a wonderful occasion and a perfect reminder of just how important public libraries continue to be to their communities.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The library (on the right) and Pacific Design Center across the street</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interior: Wooden ceiling with curved features</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Children's storytelling room (exterior made to look like a packing crate - fun!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parking lot murals: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_Fairey">Shepard Fairey</a> (top) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Scharf">Kenny Scharf</a> (bottom)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">P.S. Too crowded to get photos, but two of my favorite parts of the new branch: the circulation desk has been replaced by self-checkout machines and a “customer service” desk, plus the librarians work at a desk that implores patrons to “ASK ME.” Love it!</span></div>
Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-19757462450302003132011-09-11T13:10:00.000-07:002011-09-11T13:10:09.211-07:00Remembering 9/11<br />
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I was appalled when I read in the <i>L.A. Times</i> (<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/september11/la-me-911-teach-20110911,0,7084584.story">“A Challenge for Teachers and Students”</a> by Teresa Watanabe) this morning that, at least in California, instructors are given only 45 minutes to teach students about 9/11. Now I don’t happen to think that 9/11 is the single most important event ever in U.S. history. But I do believe that it has, so far, been the most influential event of the 21st century and that if young people are to, at all, objectively consider why our country is where it is today, then they must learn about and discuss the ramifications of this critical event. If teachers aren’t allowed to conduct these conversations, then it’s up to public librarians to do so.</div>
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I was president of the <a href="http://www.cla-net.org/">California Library Association</a> (CLA) when the terrorists struck on 9/11. Although I was grieving like everyone else, I also saw the opportunity for librarians to take a lead in the local, as well as national, healing process. And so I wrote a column, called “Light in Times of Darkness,” for CLA’s now defunct newsletter <i>California Libraries</i>, urging my colleagues to use their professional skills to help others move through their mourning and confusion. Ten years later, I believe this admonition remains just as relevant. If you think so, too, then please read on.</div>
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<i>“Light in Times of Darkness”</i></div>
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<i>The ruins of what once was the World Trade Center are still smoldering as I write this column. Emergency crews are working around the clock to rescue people trapped under the rubble. Medical personnel, counselors, and religious leaders are all caring for the survivors. Everyone has a role to play in overcoming the crisis. Even my husband, who works in radio here in Los Angeles, is on 24-hour alert in case a late story breaks and all hands are required at the station. In the library profession, many of us are asking ourselves what we can do to help others in such a time of dire national need.</i></div>
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<i>Like most of you, I was riveted to my television set watching the unbelievable events unfold on September 11th. As a human being I was outraged by the deliberate acts of violence perpetrated against the innocent people of New York City and Washington, DC. As a librarian and educator, however, I was fascinated by the reporters trying to cover the details of the disaster as objectively and thoroughly as possible. Although horrified, I was nonetheless grateful for the FAA’s visual documentation of the flight paths taken by the hijackers and even for the amazing footage that captured the destruction of their ultimate destinations. As shocking as these images were, they remain primary evidence of the careful planning that went into the execution of these heinous acts. Even more poignant were the accounts of the people who viewed and/or experienced the disaster first-hand. Their stories create a context which supports the enormity of the events of that day. Pictures of airplanes flying into buildings may provide us with irrefutable fact; but it’s the eyewitness accounts that help us understand the underlying truth of what really happened.</i></div>
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<i>Unfortunately, in the days following the disaster, the media have become so frenzied to report whatever they see, the full picture is sometimes obscured by the sensationalism of the moment. As </i>Los Angeles Times<i> commentator Howard Rosenberg recently noted, TV newscasters have a bad habit of reporting information without first sorting it out. That, of course, is why we are so important. Unlike other professionals, librarians are obligated to objectively provide the information people need to make sense of this national tragedy. </i></div>
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<i>So how do we proceed? We do this by practicing keen collection development skills that emphasize accurate and balanced sources of information. Certainly our shelves are full of materials describing and lauding the American way of life; but books about our possible enemies must also be represented to help us understand what motivates their actions. Furthermore, we must assist our users in navigating the sometimes murky depths of the Internet. Which pieces of virtual information are trustworthy and which are not? Which are created with the sole purpose of inciting hatred and prejudice and which are not? We may choose not to block access to inflammatory websites, but we must then be equally vigilant in promoting more reliable and objective sources of information if these are indeed what our customers want.</i></div>
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<i>As reference librarians, we must also keep up-to-date on the issues of the day so we can answer our patrons’ questions intelligently. Although we ourselves may not be able to ease their minds, we should at least know enough of the situation to make an appropriate referral. In addition, we should provide space in our facilities where people can talk to each other about their concerns and fears. There is much we can do to help others cope with the crisis and prepare for the days ahead. In particular, we can invite local officials to hold a town hall meeting in the library’s community room; present programs and storytimes that inspire hope and leadership; bring in experts to discuss emergency planning; and create bookmarks or webliographies of local social service agencies. </i></div>
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<i>By providing access to all necessary information the library remains an ever-important source of enlightenment, especially in times of darkness.</i></div>
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Source: <i>California Libraries</i> (October 2001): 1, 13.</div>
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Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-65462802621133391142011-07-05T10:55:00.000-07:002011-07-05T11:16:59.642-07:00The Side Gig<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqrXO0iCCEtXtYTDGju3PX8E2x6N-blrqqOCZCv_iofwDtX1rqe1TS56A58df_F7yIheHaZXzxiRpka7laW1A4dKevyUVKxh-YU9tPyMq-6jInvOT7HFbEf7mIE-hHts8wpRjEDrzjdc/s1600/DSC03288.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqrXO0iCCEtXtYTDGju3PX8E2x6N-blrqqOCZCv_iofwDtX1rqe1TS56A58df_F7yIheHaZXzxiRpka7laW1A4dKevyUVKxh-YU9tPyMq-6jInvOT7HFbEf7mIE-hHts8wpRjEDrzjdc/s320/DSC03288.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625931978690855522" /></a><br />Although I swore I’d never attend another <a href="http://www.ala.org">ALA</a> conference in New Orleans (too damn hot!), I couldn’t resist the opportunity to be on a panel of librarians who, like me, work several jobs. The program was called “The Side Gig: How to Supplement Your Income in Tough Economic Times” and featured seven women, including me, who hold down a variety of jobs—everything from dog-walking to moonlighting as hourly reference librarians. Some even contribute articles to a number of information-based websites, like <a href="http://www.groupon.com">Groupon</a> and <a href="http://www.patch.com">Patch.com</a>. It was fascinating to hear just how creative librarians can be when full-time employment isn’t available.<br /><br />My own story is slightly different. For the past 16 years, I’ve voluntarily chosen to work part-time. In 1995, I quit my full-time public librarian job to pursue a Ph.D. in library science. Since receiving my doctorate in 2000, I’ve managed to cobble together the equivalent of 40 hours (or more!) of work a week, despite being employed only part-time. I prefer working at home and really like the variety of opportunities that come my way. Besides, if I were laid-off from one of my part-time gigs, I could live on the income from the other job(s), if necessary. I am also lucky to have a husband whose well-paying job is fairly secure.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tips on Becoming a Part-Time Teacher</span><br /><br />I work part-time for the California State Library. I consider this my “real” job because it’s permanent and pays benefits. I’ve also taught MLIS courses for more than two decades—first for the San José State University’s School of Library and Information Science (1991-2000) and since 2000 for the UCLA Department of Information Studies. Teaching can be emotionally as well as financially rewarding, but is, of course, not for everyone.<br /><br />If you are thinking of becoming, say, an adjunct professor who teaches an occasional master’s-level course—or even classes for a local library technology program—I strongly recommend that you start small by first making presentations before non-library groups (e.g., Rotary, campus clubs, etc.). This will help test whether you like public speaking and allow you to practice organizing your thoughts into a coherent and compelling presentation. If you do well, you might then decide to volunteer to be on a library conference panel or offer to guest lecture as part of a library course. <br /><br />The next step would be to pull together a full-blown workshop (2-4 hours) on a professional or personal topic you know well. Potential opportunities include local library conferences, university extension courses, and even <a href="http://www.learningannex.com/">“learning annex”</a> type workshops. Do you have what it takes to hold people’s attention for several hours? Are you able to present your knowledge in a way that encourages others to learn from you?<br /><br />Conducting a successful workshop can be bliss; but teaching a multi-week course is often something altogether different and much more complicated. How does one create a semester-long curriculum covering lots of different topics? Which criteria should be used to grade papers? How do we keep our students consistently engaged from week to week? One of the best ways to answer these questions is to team-teach with an experienced instructor before venturing out on your own. This is especially important if it’s been several years since you’ve been inside a classroom yourself.<br /><br />Once you’re ready to become a part-time instructor, you can contact local schools and let them know what topics you teach. Salary often depends on a combination of teaching and work experience, plus level of education (i.e., Ph.D. vs. MLIS).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tips on Freelance Consulting</span><br /><br />In addition to teaching, I also occasionally accept freelance consulting gigs to either (1) manage a short-term project or (2) evaluate existent library services or programs. The secret to marketing yourself as a consultant is to develop an area of expertise (through research and/or experience) that few others have. Then, as much as possible, share your knowledge by publishing articles and presenting at conferences. You will also want to subscribe to relevant e-lists and immerse yourself in the literature about your area of expertise.<br /><br />Once your name becomes associated with an area of expertise, you may get offers to speak at conferences or advise on projects. You should seriously consider all opportunities that come your way, even if it means going outside your comfort zone. I have a fairly notorious fear of flying. And yet, I have traveled to libraries around the country, conducting workshops on subjects I know well and am particularly passionate about. You can also create your own opportunities by applying for research grants in order to develop your expertise even further.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Final Words of Advice</span><br /><br />1. Do a thorough self-inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. What skills and/or knowledge can you offer others as either a teacher or consultant? What limitations might keep you from pursuing certain opportunities—overly-committed work schedule? geographical restrictions? fear of flying?—and how will you overcome them?<br /><br />2. No matter which path you take, stay connected to the library profession by keeping up with the literature and remaining active in library associations. Even while I was a doctoral student, people knew my name because of my work through the California Library Association.<br /><br />3. Cultivate a strong network of colleagues. Good jobs will come your way if you’re a good worker, but it’s often “who you know” that gets you in the door.<br /><br />4. Take advantage of opportunities that come your way and always follow-through. Cultivate a good reputation by meeting expectations.<br /><br />5. And finally, if you’re going to work several jobs, be sure to create boundaries for yourself so you’re not completely consumed by work. This is especially important if you work at home, where it’s very easy to plug yourself into your computer from the moment you get up until you go back to bed that night. Trust me—you do not want your life to become the “side gig.”Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-43078738640533465812010-07-30T17:02:00.000-07:002010-07-30T17:10:16.536-07:00Libraries Without Librarians<span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">A Library Without a Librarian</span><br /><br />A library without a librarian is like<br />A beehive without bees<br />A tree without leaves<br />A brownie without chocolate<br />A forest without trees<br />A head without a brain<br />A book without words<br />An ocean without water<br />A bird without wings<br />A zebra without stripes<br />A tailor without clothes<br />A barber without scissors<br />Blood without iron<br />A bank without money<br />A fish without gills<br />A turtle without a shell<br />All these things are bad, but a<br />library without a librarian is worse.<br /><br />Written by members of the Rescue Our Librarians Club</span> (4th- and 5th-graders at La Escuela Fratney, Milwaukee, WI)<br /><br />I love this poem, which was posted by 5th-grade teacher Bob Peterson on his <span style="font-style:italic;">Rethinking Schools</span> blog. The poem is part of his “A Librarian in Every School, Books in Every Home: A Modest Proposal” posting, a reaction to the news that his school librarian is being laid-off due to budget cuts. <br /><br />Working with his students, Peterson calculated that it would cost the federal government $7,125,000,000 to pay the annual salary of a full-time librarian for every school in the country—the same as what’s spent in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars every 25 days.<br /><br />For more information on Peterson’s campaign to retain school librarians, see <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/24_04/24_04_librarian.shtml">Rethinking Schools</a></span>.Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-33814652119837024842010-07-29T18:55:00.000-07:002010-07-30T08:06:47.067-07:00ALA vs. Comic-Con<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qbAFuFRUws3ESU3baIqxdXRUaWcubdjZ3kCtyfwgYLm3540k9SF30jzhXkNZheEtylt3im6XifbVmUkfsnfEU0UkUn3sERjk_mJhp9v9gEPVdrZVoBfTzIg0va-QhhFLpMZMnl84ERI/s1600/DSC02965.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qbAFuFRUws3ESU3baIqxdXRUaWcubdjZ3kCtyfwgYLm3540k9SF30jzhXkNZheEtylt3im6XifbVmUkfsnfEU0UkUn3sERjk_mJhp9v9gEPVdrZVoBfTzIg0va-QhhFLpMZMnl84ERI/s200/DSC02965.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499533728457195458" /></a>Last week, my husband Tim and I spent two days in San Diego, attending <a href="http://www.comic-con.org">Comic-Con</a>, the largest pop-culture convention in the world. We spent one day cruising the enormous exhibit hall and another day seeing programs. It was exhausting but exhilarating.<br /><br />With the American Library Association (ALA) <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/midwinter/index.cfm">Midwinter meeting</a> coming to San Diego next January, I thought it might be fun to see how ALA conference stacks-up to Comic-Con. Get your scorecards ready!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Preliminary program</span><br /><br />ALA: Schedules are released at least six months prior to the summer conference, so you can actually plan your itinerary well before paying for registration.<br /><br />Comic-Con: You’re lucky if the schedule is made available two weeks in advance. But don’t wait last minute to buy tickets—this year, Comic-Con sold-out six months ahead of opening day.<br /><br />ALA: 1, Comic-Con: 0<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Registration</span><br /><br />ALA: Registration opens six months before the annual conference and four months before Midwinter. Summer registration can cost well north of $200 and some events, like pre-conference workshops and meal programs, cost extra.<br /><br />Comic-Con: I paid $100 for a 4-day pass to this year’s Comic-Con. This included everything: preview night, exhibits, programs, art show, etc. My husband, who turned 60 last year, paid only $50 for senior rate. Registration begins a year in advance and remains open until the show sells out.<br /><br />ALA: 0, Comic-Con: 1<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Hotels</span><br /><br />ALA: ALA provides hotel registration at the same time conference registration opens. Conference room rates are slightly cheaper than regular room rates, but the selection is much more limited. There’s no guarantee you’ll get the hotel you really want, but if you don’t send in your choices (up to six!) immediately, you may not get any hotel at all.<br /><br />Comic-Con: Comic-Con provides hotel registration several months in advance. Convention room rates are slightly cheaper than regular room rates, but the selection is much more limited. The entire city of San Diego sells-out during Comic-Con, so I reserve my room a year in advance.<br /><br />ALA: 0, Comic-Con: 0<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Venues</span><br /><br />ALA: Conference meetings and programs are usually held in surrounding hotel ballrooms as well as the convention center. For most cities, this means traveling from venue to venue via taxi or shuttle. With an average 20,000-25,000 attendees and some 2400 programs, annual conference can be very difficult to navigate.<br /><br />Comic-Con: For the past several years, the entire Con has been held in the San Diego convention center. This year, a handful of events were also held in the neighboring Marriott hotel. Traveling from room to room is done by foot, though shuttles do transport attendees from and to their hotels. With attendance usually topping 130,000, the convention center is impossible to navigate. Comic-Con organizers need to equitably restrict attendance through some sort of ticket lottery, etc., or seriously consider moving to a larger venue (Los Angeles anyone?).<br /><br />ALA: 0, Comic-Con: 0<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Speakers</span><br /><br />ALA: In recent years, ALA has played host to numerous luminaries, including Amy Sedaris, John Grisham, Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, and, oh yeah, Senator Barack Obama, who went on to become . . . well, you know.<br /><br />Comic-Con: This year alone, Comic-Con featured the following celebrities promoting their latest projects: Will Ferrell, Angelina Jolie, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey, Jr., Seth Rogen, Joss Whedon, J.J. Abrams, and the cast of <span style="font-style:italic;">True Blood</span>, to name just a few.<br /><br />ALA: 1, Comic-Con: 1<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Exhibits</span><br /><br />ALA: One of the highlights of conference every year is the enormous exhibit hall, where everything from books to high-end library technology is displayed. Wear your comfortable shoes, because it takes hours to walk through the exhibits. Even my husband, who is not a librarian, loves ALA’s exhibits.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeokAn_AWSgpUHQ_fEIwQ_F8aLl5Wf6KRZuTXt14mQLWWPNWn0U7bBcWIwH4e_gNSLnYBkbklRZZCDItDggDqFRkjhAfzsfeRu5l5BioqN3GkDZA1AW-4ywRxMaeUMpopbd9tIG2PfkM/s1600/DSC00617.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeokAn_AWSgpUHQ_fEIwQ_F8aLl5Wf6KRZuTXt14mQLWWPNWn0U7bBcWIwH4e_gNSLnYBkbklRZZCDItDggDqFRkjhAfzsfeRu5l5BioqN3GkDZA1AW-4ywRxMaeUMpopbd9tIG2PfkM/s200/DSC00617.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499530058140841122" /></a>Comic-Con: A big part of the Con is the enormous exhibit area, where everyone from Hallmark Cards (new <span style="font-style:italic;">Star Trek</span> Christmas ornaments!) to Dark Horse comics to Lucas Films is hawking new products. It’s noisy and way too crowded (where’s the fire marshal when you need one?), but there’s always the chance you’ll run into Jon Favreau or William Shatner signing autographs or standing atop an exhibit booth, promoting his latest project. Wear your comfortable shoes and bring lots of patience, because it takes hours to walk through the exhibits. My husband, who is not a fan of science fiction/fantasy/comicbooks or crowds, hates the exhibits. [By the way, San Diego Public Library had a booth at the Con this year, so score one for the home team.]<br /><br />ALA: 1, Comic-Con: 1<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Programs</span><br /><br />ALA: Conference is so huge that many of the programs you want to attend will be scheduled at the same time. Sneaking from one program to another is usually difficult because of the distance between venues. Still, the speakers tend to be topnotch and the information shared is always inspiring and educational.<br /><br />Comic-Con: The Con is so huge that all good panels are scheduled against each other (e.g., <span style="font-style:italic;">True Blood</span> vs. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Green Hornet</span>). Sneaking between programs is impossible because the lines are just too damn long. Still, if you manage to get into your favorite programs, you are often treated to wonderfully unexpected surprises—for instance, Barenaked Ladies showing up to sing the theme song from <span style="font-style:italic;">The Big Bang Theory</span> or Harrison Ford making his very first Comic-Con appearance. Priceless!<br /><br />ALA: 1, Comic-Con: 1<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Waiting on line</span><br /><br />ALA: Most lines at ALA are for either book-signings, shuttles or onsite registration. Everyone is polite and patient.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHmqvTcHU6nYvzKgvfpOyUW5Cq3VXPu9tF9VFLLayyehxEKKGr_wvNix_dduGgQQ6UUk1Y4aAqud5URoVT0iiQbmS7CNP8YOShLEYUCS1hmRWRYz2tlNvhk4-KzFCBw_6ZMfAGSPx_4A/s1600/DSC02931.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHmqvTcHU6nYvzKgvfpOyUW5Cq3VXPu9tF9VFLLayyehxEKKGr_wvNix_dduGgQQ6UUk1Y4aAqud5URoVT0iiQbmS7CNP8YOShLEYUCS1hmRWRYz2tlNvhk4-KzFCBw_6ZMfAGSPx_4A/s200/DSC02931.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499531733327379282" /></a>Comic-Con: With over 130,000 people attending Comic-Con, you have to wait on line for everything: food, bathrooms, shuttles, autographs, and especially the panels featuring megawatt celebrities. Angelina Jolie’s fans camped out overnight to see the <span style="font-style:italic;">Salt</span> panel Thursday morning. I got on line at 7:30AM, Friday morning, to see a panel at noon. Most Con-goers never see the inside of the highly coveted Hall H, where blockbuster movies are promoted, or Ballroom 20, where the most popular TV shows are discussed. Although they can be fun—misery does love company—Comic-Con lines have become far too prolific.<br /><br />ALA: 1, Comic-Con: 0<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Bags</span><br /><br />ALA: Librarians LOVE free book-bags and so ALA learned a long time ago to give one to every paying conference-goer. The bags are just big enough to carry the conference schedule and any other brochures, etc., you might pickup in the exhibits area.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2gtDoizmaQxdXBlzZD5Rkt9hlkRPpx6SXr5medi3OOHz90PAd662mM19OQEGe8QrWcD2d_TNmH0v6fivyWwNfjYiK0FhhhbJz4deyCcQyF3o9HzSdj9ptfFYhs3l4-sp9BKgWT-2oxk/s1600/DSC02981.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2gtDoizmaQxdXBlzZD5Rkt9hlkRPpx6SXr5medi3OOHz90PAd662mM19OQEGe8QrWcD2d_TNmH0v6fivyWwNfjYiK0FhhhbJz4deyCcQyF3o9HzSdj9ptfFYhs3l4-sp9BKgWT-2oxk/s200/DSC02981.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499533030906770018" /></a>Comic-Con: Fanboys and girls also love free bags and so this year every paying Con-goer was handed a gigantic bag advertising either a movie or TV show. Big enough to hide a small child, the bags are a good place to carry the mountain of vendor brochures distributed in the exhibit hall and on the street outside the convention center.<br /><br />ALA: 0, Comic-Con: 1<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SWAG (Stuff-We-All-Get)</span><br /><br />ALA: The exhibit area is a veritable emporium of free books, pencils, book-bags (one can never have enough!), candy, posters, keychains, letter-openers, and all manner of tchotchkes that librarians absolutely adore. Thank heavens ALA provides a post office inside the exhibit hall or else many attendees wouldn't be allowed to fly home for all the “stuff” they’ve collected at conference.<br /><br />Comic-Con: There are lots of “collectibles” to buy, but very few freebies at Comic-Con. If you’re lucky, you’ll receive a "fulfillment" ticket, which must then be redeemed at the “fulfillment center” in a remote part of the Marriott hotel. Your gift: either a t-shirt emblazoned with a TV show logo or a copy of a paperback novelization.<br /><br />ALA: 1, Comic-Con: 0<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Attendees</span><br /><br />ALA: My husband always insists he can spot library conference-goers the minute we get off the plane. Librarians do, after all, tend to wear sensible clothes and look like they know where they’re going (because they do!). As much as we disavow the stereotype, most of us are obviously librarians.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-d-Df4ZK-OYsXeaXEfzxu__p_8QQLI6SgXUR3Zmk9O5Bm6IQt-vvAJWzvhFXTvVK_W6rHgai9x9VRhKEwMkiUgXZwVPMFWJBaTlvqGAJXDqXfADPM17fhPXEN2y1pKX1KGvni_v6on2Y/s1600/DSC01443.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-d-Df4ZK-OYsXeaXEfzxu__p_8QQLI6SgXUR3Zmk9O5Bm6IQt-vvAJWzvhFXTvVK_W6rHgai9x9VRhKEwMkiUgXZwVPMFWJBaTlvqGAJXDqXfADPM17fhPXEN2y1pKX1KGvni_v6on2Y/s200/DSC01443.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499530737914577074" /></a>Comic-Con: Fanboys and girls are just as obvious to spot, even if they’re not wearing costumes. A t-shirt that says “NERD” or “Beam Me Up, Scotty,” is as big a giveaway as a Princess Leia harem outfit or homemade Cylon suit. Unlike librarians, Con-goers wholeheartedly embrace their stereotype.<br /><br />ALA: 0, Comic-Con: 1<br /><br />FINAL SCORE: ALA 6, Comic-Con 6<br /><br />Over the years, I’ve attended as many Comic-Cons as I have ALA conferences and I completely love both! Where else can I feel so comfortably surrounded by kindred spirits? <br /><br />May the library profession live long and prosper!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7N0VrqymWr0xkieWP1izhmYaBXLOq87-bdcO-Nb6Hi4cUkJLamU9EJOPFt-QeJ7xRFsR6UDmDEfObtj8pL0yyPYF5_Lt1hg3J29kE14iLhAXrGTjEce1UhhVbo6aaAUgwDTLfq2ZDYq4/s1600/DSC02935.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7N0VrqymWr0xkieWP1izhmYaBXLOq87-bdcO-Nb6Hi4cUkJLamU9EJOPFt-QeJ7xRFsR6UDmDEfObtj8pL0yyPYF5_Lt1hg3J29kE14iLhAXrGTjEce1UhhVbo6aaAUgwDTLfq2ZDYq4/s200/DSC02935.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499532341976052802" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Ballroom 20Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-76522592105597293242010-07-13T15:40:00.000-07:002010-07-13T16:04:57.071-07:00Espresso Book Machine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMsTRnrJ8Cv-HcL_-grElYkmNd6YctbJapfRFWmIMz_duuysWHtpz60UUbKsEVBLUaOapSDJZ_PO_BFpR1pUJua4FAgiIHTZDgY225mkZ5KPGa_IuN-GQhruzJtmGkS79BQHQO5m1bpQ/s1600/DSC02847.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMsTRnrJ8Cv-HcL_-grElYkmNd6YctbJapfRFWmIMz_duuysWHtpz60UUbKsEVBLUaOapSDJZ_PO_BFpR1pUJua4FAgiIHTZDgY225mkZ5KPGa_IuN-GQhruzJtmGkS79BQHQO5m1bpQ/s320/DSC02847.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493527920253068946" /></a>I had the happy opportunity to visit the <a href="http://www.rivlib.net/RCLS/branches/temecula.shtml">Grace Mellman Community Library</a> in Temecula last week. The branch, which I hadn’t seen since it first opened in the 1990s, was recently remodeled. A festive multicolor linoleum-tiled floor now enlivens the children’s room and a previously imposing bank of computers has been replaced by a cozy reading area.<br /><br />The star of the day, though, was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espresso_Book_Machine">Espresso Book Machine</a>, a device that prints books on demand. Patrons can either request an item from <a href="http://rivlib.info/riverside-county-library-system/ondemand/">Flash Books</a>, a database of some 3 million digitized items, or bring in their own manuscripts for publication. The project is funded through a Library Services and Technology Act grant, awarded by the California State Library to the Riverside County Library.<br /><br />Starting at $8, the cost of printing Flash Books titles is very much in line with today’s mass market paperbacks. Publishing one’s own original book is far more expensive, however. Patrons pay $75 to have library staff prepare their manuscripts for printing. In exchange, they get two copies of the book, plus an electronic pdf file of the manuscript. Additional self-published copies cost between $8 and $15 to print, depending on the number of pages.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZITO_qP_Q5yolJBlyWdsdZf2klGeTv8Se9dDw-c5mqLf7F8XEFNqq7dRvYtUD78L0ZX9b2RBE62Ds0fhKjUWDhl_GnF_rxASQxXRXtIgOid7eo0i3Pu38i_3-tzC5O-4Aa3-ujqD4CnU/s1600/DSC02848.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZITO_qP_Q5yolJBlyWdsdZf2klGeTv8Se9dDw-c5mqLf7F8XEFNqq7dRvYtUD78L0ZX9b2RBE62Ds0fhKjUWDhl_GnF_rxASQxXRXtIgOid7eo0i3Pu38i_3-tzC5O-4Aa3-ujqD4CnU/s320/DSC02848.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493526150442753394" /></a>The actual printing of the book takes about 5 minutes. (Click <a href="http://rivlib.info/riverside-county-library-system/content/announcing-flashbooks">here</a> to see the Espresso Book Machine in action.) Pages are produced on one side of the machine, while the other side prints the cover. Once the cover is complete, it slides to the center of the machine, where glue is applied before the pages are dropped onto the inside spine. The cover and pages are then pressed together before the entire book is cut to size—6” x 9” is standard, though other sizes are also apparently available. This being a library, the excess page cuttings are used as bookmarks, p-slips, etc., and, therefore, are not wasted.<br /><br />It was fun watching a book being created right before my eyes. But even more importantly, there seem to be numerous ways the library’s customers can benefit from this service. Besides the obvious advantage of having access to 3 million Flash Books titles, patrons can also publish an endless array of self-written materials: family histories, journals, teen poetry, learning aids, homeschooling texts, personalized children’s books, etc. In addition, manuscript fonts can be manipulated to create large print versions of books only available in regular-sized type. Staff can also print extra copies of school reading-list titles when all others have been checked out. Patrons can either purchase or borrow print-on-demand books. Those that are not purchased are then considered for possible addition to the collection.<br /><br />On the down side, the Flash Books component is clunky at best. Accessible only by keyword, the database has no capacity for limiting or refining searches. A search of “Tom Sawyer,” for instance, not only brought up several editions of Mark Twain’s book, it also yielded an endless list of books about Twain, as well as items written by authors named Tom and/or Sawyer! Moreover, the Flash Books database is devoid of any bibliographic or content information other than title and author, making requests for specific editions or topics very difficult. Staff hope to one day use Flash Books in lieu of interlibrary loan, but the database will have to be seriously redesigned (by the vendor) before this can happen.<br /><br />If the problems with Flash Books can be overcome, I think this project has the potential to add an extremely interesting dimension to public library service. Even without Flash Books, providing the ability to print quality copies of self-published works is an invaluable service for patrons accustomed to creating their own content on the ‘Net and elsewhere. Books, after all, promote literacy, whether they are written by famous authors or the kid down the street, and libraries are all about literacy. I’m excited to see what outcomes ultimately emerge from Grace Mellman’s Espresso Book Machine project.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPqXHFBaqTC2OwSbnI5gpSUpoonp7HJ-wrKtgiJ9kx95BJTj_3gqhwRXqXI-nCT9Or38Ag8Uf-s8Z3qEcADGp0cXV5B6No4mOkGpJ23Ld_OUEeG_NtITVqLKIL7SsI9shNa3nFhwYpWI/s1600/DSC02849.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPqXHFBaqTC2OwSbnI5gpSUpoonp7HJ-wrKtgiJ9kx95BJTj_3gqhwRXqXI-nCT9Or38Ag8Uf-s8Z3qEcADGp0cXV5B6No4mOkGpJ23Ld_OUEeG_NtITVqLKIL7SsI9shNa3nFhwYpWI/s320/DSC02849.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493527043661190642" /></a>Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-78932853004074027162010-07-01T15:35:00.000-07:002010-07-01T15:51:19.845-07:00AfterZones<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6zqgMaI4RxilpcEC9KEIpg6rus9HYur3GpLsbyRaS-GblJZqhn1xkiJeaX-pqWLRssw56AsRzaRFEjiD7pbEHWixBHryNh0ETQkMXQDFl5vcg1oG7hvfuKdKRChQKu4y4VlfKBimEig/s1600/Spring+AZ.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6zqgMaI4RxilpcEC9KEIpg6rus9HYur3GpLsbyRaS-GblJZqhn1xkiJeaX-pqWLRssw56AsRzaRFEjiD7pbEHWixBHryNh0ETQkMXQDFl5vcg1oG7hvfuKdKRChQKu4y4VlfKBimEig/s320/Spring+AZ.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489073043359671282" /></a><br />I haven’t posted anything here in quite a while--too busy with teaching and state library work. But I did want to share information gathered at an excellent webinar I attended earlier this week. Sponsored by the <a href="http://www.nlc.org">National League of Cities</a> and the <a href="http://www.wallacefoundation.org">Wallace Foundation</a>, the 1.5 hour session was called “City Leadership for Neighborhood-Based Afterschool Systems.” The topic was <a href="http://www.mypasa.org/afterzone/history-afterzones">AfterZones</a>, a highly successful after-school program offered in Providence, RI. The program has also been successfully replicated in Nashville, TN.<br /><br />So what are AfterZones and why are they so effective? <br /><br />The program is based on a “neighborhood campus” structure where after-school services are provided at multiple agencies (e.g., public libraries, recreational centers, art centers, etc.) in geographically clustered areas. Programs are offered 2.5 hours a day, four days a week, in the fall, winter and spring. A short four-week summer version was introduced in 2008. <br /><br />The target audience is middle-schoolers, who are transported directly from school to the various agencies linked through the program. After spending an hour of intentional “learning time”—where they focus on homework, educational games, or other academic enrichment projects—the kids engage in arts, life skills or sports-related activities, depending on the agency. At libraries, they use computers and participate in reading-based programs. After-school program providers apply to become AfterZone sites. If successful, the site receives up to $5000 per year to cover program expenses. Overall, the entire AfterZones program costs approximately $1000 per student.<br /><br />The program is managed by an AfterZones coordinator; but the real backbone is <a href="http://www.mypasa.org">PASA</a> (the Providence After School Alliance), a citywide nonprofit network responsible for registering students and tracking their participation. They also schedule transportation, which is a major element in empowering kids to select after-school programs that appeal to their interests. Although a study of AfterZone outcomes won’t be published until next year, proponents are already speculating that the program appeals particularly to young adolescents' desire for greater independence. Indeed, nearly 50% of Providence middle-schoolers have opted to participate in the AfterZone program.<br /><br />There are three main reasons the program has been so successful thus far:<br /><br />1. AfterZones have had active support from the city’s mayor, who was instrumental in developing the program’s goals. As mayor, he was able to bring key city players together to plan the initiative and leverage commitments from city departments and the school district. He also worked closely with PASA.<br /><br />2. Strong leadership from PASA, which cultivated relationships among 100 agencies by focusing on capacity-building and collaboration. All decisions were data-driven.<br /><br />3. Effective use of <a href="http://www.youthservices.net">youthservices.net</a>, a web-based tracking tool that meets the data collection, service management and program evaluation needs of the youth services sector. PASA used youthservices.net to keep tabs on enrollment and attendance, allowing them to make data-based decisions about future program-providers, etc.<br /><br />Not all aspects of the program have been successful, however. Challenges encountered include:<br /><br />1. Not all agencies have fully embraced the AfterZone concept. While PASA hoped the individual sites would eventually assume responsibility for completing some of the management tasks, this has not yet happened due, in part, to the economic downturn and lack of resources. More funding is required to make the overall program sustainable.<br /><br />2. Providing off-campus programs is extremely expensive, especially when factoring in the cost of transportation. Still, some experiences just aren’t available in school (e.g., art activities or learning about sea creatures at the marina) and so PASA will continue to look to the community for educational support.<br /><br />3. Although sixth- and seventh-graders are enthusiastic about the program, enrollment drops off significantly in eighth grade, possibly because of increased responsibilities at home. More research is needed here. Fairs, where students can see firsthand what each after-school site offers, have been the most effective recruitment method.<br /><br />4. To financially sustain the program, PASA must show that AfterZones are an integral part of middle-school education. A three-year grant from the <a href="http://www.mott.org/">Charles Stewart Mott Foundation</a> will be used to more closely link AfterZones to school-day learning.<br /><br />For more information about the program, please see <a href="http://www.mypasa.org/sites/default/files/u3/Final%20Implementation%20Study.pdf">AfterZones: Creating a Citywide System to Support and Sustain High-Quality After-School Programs</a>.Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-20078420860549490502009-10-09T16:49:00.000-07:002009-10-09T17:16:28.798-07:00Sports Museum of Los Angeles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IkWhxm80mQGTHhgtq3uYZmf7ih0Pik5oZDT6svXe6aENmFYkWXkCbvaUV-Dwhhzks7zDagQhHvwuCXMNdnw8HtOi6j7kaUbye-cCIitn_RU96vk6E71xZVg1ZYaPx-4cafkxLV3oXVc/s1600-h/IMG00072.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IkWhxm80mQGTHhgtq3uYZmf7ih0Pik5oZDT6svXe6aENmFYkWXkCbvaUV-Dwhhzks7zDagQhHvwuCXMNdnw8HtOi6j7kaUbye-cCIitn_RU96vk6E71xZVg1ZYaPx-4cafkxLV3oXVc/s320/IMG00072.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390756428627902754" /></a>My husband Tim and I had the great fortune to attend a fundraiser at the <a href="http://www.sportsmuseumla.com/index.html">Sports Museum of Los Angeles</a> last night. The cause was completely worthwhile: raising money for <a href="http://www.jasocal.org">Junior Achievement of Southern California</a>, a terrific volunteer organization that teaches kids financial literacy. The real reason we were there, though, was to see the Sports Museum.<br /><br />Tim, of course, is a far bigger sports fan than I’ll ever be; but I do love baseball and get especially misty-eyed when I see footage of the team I adored when I was a kid: the L.A. Dodgers. We have since switched our allegiance to the Angels, partially because Tim used to work for the radio station that broadcasted their games. Still, as native Angelenos who grew-up here when the Dodgers were truly phenomenal, we retain a soft spot in our hearts for the boys in blue. And having them in the play-offs this year doesn’t hurt either!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptTwM2ZPYZMNa4ctHI7hObVQSFTBfNFlmhQb8wicwU4mzFM2plz68dodAiF1S9_6d6l61jTyQd8_3ZpAvumXarTgqhh5L1NXtZzUWzsSF-EDm3MfsPRWM_fcEhH3MHtD4fxj7AOajeKc/s1600-h/IMG00069.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptTwM2ZPYZMNa4ctHI7hObVQSFTBfNFlmhQb8wicwU4mzFM2plz68dodAiF1S9_6d6l61jTyQd8_3ZpAvumXarTgqhh5L1NXtZzUWzsSF-EDm3MfsPRWM_fcEhH3MHtD4fxj7AOajeKc/s320/IMG00069.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390755376955031330" /></a><br /><br />I had read about the Sports Museum, but was totally unprepared for what I was about to see. The 32,000 square foot building, located on Washington and Main in downtown L.A., houses over 10,000 items displayed in 30 “galleries.” The museum, owned by entrepreneur Gary Cypres, is the largest private sports collection in the world. Although most American sports are represented, baseball—in particular, the Dodgers and Yankees (Cypres was originally from NYC)—is especially emphasized, with an entire room dedicated to Babe Ruth memorabilia. The walls of another room are covered in framed baseball cards. There are exhibits of the evolution of baseball mitts, balls and uniforms, and several replicas of <a href="http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/ebbets.htm">Ebbets field</a> and other long-gone stadiums. Cypres told last night’s crowd that, even more than the sports themselves, he loves the history of sports and so purposely displays his collection to show how athletics has grown and changed. <br /><br />As magnificent as the collection is, the museum, from a librarian’s perspective, could stand to be better organized and managed. Descriptions of each item are lacking as are narrative signs explaining the significance of some of the exhibits. I was also appalled at the lighting, which is far brighter than any museum I’ve ever visited. Sure, it’s great from a fan’s point of view, but I worry about the integrity of the artifacts. Will the lights eventually lead to fading or other disintegration? And what preservation techniques are being used overall? I also wonder if Cypres has a collection plan or if he just purchases items on whim and/or instinct. His passion did, after all, start by happenstance when he bought an old tennis racket in London many years ago. Now he’s got thousands of items to care for and house. What will eventually happen to the collection if there is no plan?<br /><br />Nevertheless, if you’re a collector and/or sports aficionado, the Sports Museum of Los Angeles is a must for you. It’s open now only through appointment, so if you get invited to an event there, by all means go!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QeXccUR47UbUeukdez2T-JAHa0PiEKbS4zFqguD9qSuftcL1PDqgArOtm63ofQ83ZYzcM8iKWzuFSmzLvXbcb7v2uesj3Jn82QliClrp7wBs3OmoEJEMZnQu4OxTDknaRuFjjteQd3Q/s1600-h/IMG00070.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QeXccUR47UbUeukdez2T-JAHa0PiEKbS4zFqguD9qSuftcL1PDqgArOtm63ofQ83ZYzcM8iKWzuFSmzLvXbcb7v2uesj3Jn82QliClrp7wBs3OmoEJEMZnQu4OxTDknaRuFjjteQd3Q/s320/IMG00070.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390755902026572754" /></a>Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-15907275445697621832009-10-06T07:51:00.000-07:002009-10-06T07:59:50.037-07:00Carma Leigh (1904-2009)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C2YFjaGpEmj96xY9QwxAwHCrvo8k5d0pbSm4UkoS4dK513m8FTEVzcCcrdaQWvcKYTXZNMzoJ_80GpWB22bLPTQXd_udU9psIriLjLV2fMt0camxURvFGEBiNoH2GjmMPNqtfQuNHUQ/s1600-h/2007-0080a.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 173px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C2YFjaGpEmj96xY9QwxAwHCrvo8k5d0pbSm4UkoS4dK513m8FTEVzcCcrdaQWvcKYTXZNMzoJ_80GpWB22bLPTQXd_udU9psIriLjLV2fMt0camxURvFGEBiNoH2GjmMPNqtfQuNHUQ/s320/2007-0080a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389500307674770482" /></a><br />I first met Carma Leigh in the early 1980s when I was a young librarian with the San Diego County Library. No longer able to drive, she would accompany friends or colleagues to library-related social or professional events. I knew she had been California state librarian, but had no idea what that meant until many years later.<br /><br />Then in 1996, one of my doctoral studies professors suggested that I do a paper on Carma’s career. My professor had done research on Carma’s husband Robert D. Leigh and, in the process, had become intrigued by his wife. Since I knew Carma from my days in San Diego, I agreed to investigate her accomplishments. I was soon amazed!<br /><br />An alum of UC Berkeley's School of Librarianship (1930), Carma worked briefly at Berkeley Public Library before becoming director of the Watsonville <br />Public Library (1931-1935). In 1938, she became Orange County library director and then director of San Bernardino County library in 1942. She left California in 1945 to become Washington state librarian only to return six years later when a search committee recruited her to interview for the job of state librarian. Not surprisingly, she got the job and was appointed California state librarian by Governor Earl Warren in 1951. She eventually retired in 1972, making Carma the longest-tenured state librarian in California library history. <br /><br />Over the years, Carma was very involved in the American Library Association (ALA)—this despite the fact that long-distance travel was far more complicated then than it is today. In 1952, ALA asked her to be part of a cultural envoy to West Germany as part of the post-WWII reconstruction effort. Among her traveling companions were deputy Librarian of Congress <br />Frederick Wagman and sculptor Alexander Calder. The following year she <br />was asked to become part of DACOWITS (Defense Advisory Committee on <br />Women in the Services), which toured military bases and reported on <br />the living conditions, etc., of servicewomen. <br /><br />Although Carma considered the creation of public library systems in California her greatest accomplishment, her influence was far wider than just the west coast. For ten years, she was one of a group of stalwart librarians who regularly lobbied Congress for passage of the first Library Services Act, which finally became reality in 1956. She also lobbied for reauthorization after the law was renamed the Library Services & Construction Act. In addition, she and her husband Robert helped reshape the general library philosophy of the mid-20th century by emphasizing the power of cooperation in maximizing library services for all. In 1996, Carma was honored as one of several “Legislative and Grass Roots Library Champions” feted by ALA in Washington, D.C. I met with her shortly afterward and decided to write my doctoral dissertation about her career.<br /><br />She was a wonderful research subject—still as sharp as a tack despite her advanced age: 91 years old when we decided to work together on her life story. She was very involved in the research process and opened numerous doors to former colleagues whom I then interviewed. Without any prompting, they all noted how dedicated she was to the profession and how<br />beautiful and charming she was. (I always imagined actress <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000133/">Geena Davis</a> playing her in the movie version of my dissertation!) One former colleague called Carma’s time as California state librarian a “golden age” of innovation and modernism. My own conclusion was that she was that rare mid-century woman who managed to shatter all gender and library stereotypes.<br /><br />Carma died peacefully on September 25th. She was 104 years old. She was a remarkable librarian and role model for many of us. To say she led an extraordinary life would not be an overstatement.<br /><br />(Photo credit: California State Library photo archives - Carma in 1954)Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-1990755431798381632009-08-21T12:44:00.000-07:002009-08-21T12:56:50.964-07:00How I See It - My Place<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZ6nVpmv0VqV6DWicfLAfyZtIpAR4vIQBn-k3Q65AzI1KE4KtCd48Wb7Pp-fc88mppWi_Z7AjmlSViG1pAFp-SOHCA-4fIqQF_2mpycb2KAJLxB1d-tzvPkNNvvsUs0rUfpH1DwFOWw4/s1600-h/hisi_logo2.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZ6nVpmv0VqV6DWicfLAfyZtIpAR4vIQBn-k3Q65AzI1KE4KtCd48Wb7Pp-fc88mppWi_Z7AjmlSViG1pAFp-SOHCA-4fIqQF_2mpycb2KAJLxB1d-tzvPkNNvvsUs0rUfpH1DwFOWw4/s320/hisi_logo2.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372507909593102898" /></a><br />One of the best teen projects I've ever had the privilege of being associated with is "How I See It - My Place," a writing and photography program developed by the <a href="http://www.calhum.org/">California Council for the Humanities</a> and financially supported by the <a href="http://www.library.ca.gov">California State Library</a>. The purpose of the program was to get kids to think critically (i.e., intelligently) about their surroundings and to record those thoughts through words and pictures. The results of that fabulous project are now posted <a href="http://www.calhum.org/myplace/">online</a>. Get ready to be blown-away by the teens' insights and critical eye.Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-62925902872448153772009-08-06T11:29:00.000-07:002009-08-06T11:36:07.068-07:00California Library Association conference, Oct. 30 - Nov. 2, 2009Information about CLA conference and registration is now available <a href="http://cla-net.org/included/docs/09conf/2009_preliminary_program.pdf">online</a>. As the chair of this year's conference planning committee, I can tell you we've worked long and hard to offer the best, most cost effective sessions possible. Please let me know if you don't find anything here of interest.Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-72657649390415447782009-07-27T17:29:00.000-07:002009-07-28T08:52:22.055-07:00Comic-Con 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxiqt1f7hRQO0PVUOh1uY1wnz_QhDYBGihg50cSRIkHYJ6YNFtqrULJeZnM0nBG9AgCZyBJa86fYuR6b-Lf-c2lZuyl8yMel-J8a1UdoWm58If1VWZvIioDHGeu-wBm-JbziaxDyBmS4/s1600-h/DSC02130.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxiqt1f7hRQO0PVUOh1uY1wnz_QhDYBGihg50cSRIkHYJ6YNFtqrULJeZnM0nBG9AgCZyBJa86fYuR6b-Lf-c2lZuyl8yMel-J8a1UdoWm58If1VWZvIioDHGeu-wBm-JbziaxDyBmS4/s320/DSC02130.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363312345933309170" /></a>In recent years, July has become one of my favorite months. Sure, it’s the midway point of summer. But even more importantly, July is when the annual <a href="http://www.comic-con.org">Comic-Con</a> is held in San Diego.<br /><br />During the 1980s, I attended a couple of Comic-Cons when I lived in San Diego. In those days, the Con was mostly just collectors buying and selling comics and science fiction/fantasy books to each other. Well-known authors would show-up to discuss how to incorporate, say, Arthurian elements into a short story, but the celebrity factor was kept to a minimum.<br /><br />Not so much today, of course. Over the past several years, Comic-Con has become the most massive pop-culture event in the world, welcoming all sorts of media celebrities to hawk their current and upcoming projects. This year featured the likes of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp (<span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014759/">Alice in Wonderland</a></span>), the cast of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/">The Twilight Saga: New Moon</a></span>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000116/">James Cameron</a> (director of the original <span style="font-style:italic;">Terminator</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Titanic</span> and the long-awaited <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/">Avatar</a></span>), and the stars of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1228705/"><span style="font-style:italic;">Iron Man</span></a>, to name just a few. All this in addition to a gynormous exhibits area where everyone from Disney to <a href="http://www.socalcomics.com/">Southern California Comics</a> displays his/her wares.<br /><br />So why even mention this on a library blog? Well, for one thing, librarians <span style="font-style:italic;">are</span> a presence at Comic-Con, with at least one annual panel discussion dedicated to library collection development issues. This year’s topic was “Graphic Novels in Libraries,” moderated by <a href="http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/2007/02/meet_snow_wilds.html">Snow Wildsmith</a>, reviewer for <span style="font-style:italic;">SLJ</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Booklist</span>. Other panels of potential interest to librarians included “Evolution of Fantasy,” where authors tried to predict the next big fantasy series, “A Darker Shade of Ink: Crime and Noir in Comics,” “Underground Comix,” and “What’s Up with Penguin and DK.”<br /><br />Youth services librarians—and actually anyone interested in media and/or pop culture—would enjoy the vendor area, which is always larger and certainly ten-times louder than ALA’s exhibits. The big themes this year were: TV remakes (new versions of <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1043714/">The Prisoner</a></span> and the cheesy 1980s series <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1307824/">V</a></span>), sequels (<span style="font-style:italic;">Iron Man</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Twilight</span>), 3-D (<span style="font-style:italic;">Avatar</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Alice in Wonderland</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104001/">Tron</a></span>), and anything having to do with vampires. <br /><br />Gaming seemed to be less of a presence than previous years, while publishers (e.g., <a href="http://www.abramsbooks.com">Abrams</a>, <a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com">Chronicle Books</a>, <a href="http://www.dk.com">DK</a>, <a href="http://www.mcfarlandpub.com">McFarland</a>, and <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey">Random House/Del Rey</a>) were in more abundance—but maybe I’m just reflecting my own media preference. I did see lots of people lined up to get autographed books and graphic novels, almost to the point of looking like a <a href="http://www.bookexpoamerica.com">BookExpo</a> convention. I’m starting to think librarians should be given special badges (like at BookExpo) so Comic-Con vendors can promote their products directly to us (e.g., my snappy new <a href="http://www.slgpublishing.com/prev_rex/prev_rex.html">Rex Libris</a> poster above).<br /><br />What about the rest of you? Did any other librarians attend Comic-Con?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP03vzRZzvGzibRT5tPLQQq50YsET4NAF-HoGCTGepC9_Kd9S9WLv2AEXcI3iATKxWXNZKX15j9smNKoCIIEm_FKA1g7aFqy8lUYVNcsPBaBg0Hw70CSoy4v5Nyn1z0IRzeTT6lESdxQ/s1600-h/DSC01472.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP03vzRZzvGzibRT5tPLQQq50YsET4NAF-HoGCTGepC9_Kd9S9WLv2AEXcI3iATKxWXNZKX15j9smNKoCIIEm_FKA1g7aFqy8lUYVNcsPBaBg0Hw70CSoy4v5Nyn1z0IRzeTT6lESdxQ/s320/DSC01472.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363311943636142786" /></a>Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-3847160846103492262009-07-03T15:01:00.000-07:002009-07-03T15:31:14.281-07:00Advice to Students Attending Conference<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQyIa7EOGe63HirVUJNQQaY_Mv_qIUoJzQQc1GZmLciXzydIoWv2EsRsDblxDg2Au6lukCvaDJqxi_DVYVeCCTlQNggokcDBHJAJBbJqyvyIfv02VuGWlo0zPtnaKsLGuU0J5oNDIUUU/s1600-h/DSC02067.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQyIa7EOGe63HirVUJNQQaY_Mv_qIUoJzQQc1GZmLciXzydIoWv2EsRsDblxDg2Au6lukCvaDJqxi_DVYVeCCTlQNggokcDBHJAJBbJqyvyIfv02VuGWlo0zPtnaKsLGuU0J5oNDIUUU/s320/DSC02067.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354358426300932226" /></a><br />Although I’m not attending the <a href="http://www.ala.org">American Library Association</a> (ALA) conference this year (I’ve done Chicago in the summer—too hot!), I have gone to many national conferences in my 30+ years as a librarian and so have lots of advice for first-timers who have never experienced ALA before:<br /><br />1. ALA’s annual conference is ENORMOUS! Not only are there meetings and exhibits in the <a href="http://www.mccormickplace.com">convention center</a>—which, in Chicago, is miles away from anything else—there are also meetings and events in the various conference hotels, restaurants, and local venues (e.g., the <a href="http://www.artic.edu">Art Institute</a> and <a href="http://www.navypier.com">Navy Pier</a>). Therefore, you should plan ahead by carefully reviewing the <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/annual/2009/2009_prelimprogram_FINAL.pdf">online conference program</a> before even boarding your plane. As you’ll see, there are hundreds of programs offered over the course of four days and many of them conflict with each other. Choose the ones that interest you the most and then plan how best to get there. If two (or more!) good programs are scheduled at the same time, there’s no penalty for leaving one early so you can attend others. However, if you think you <span style="font-style:italic;">are</span> going to leave early, then it’s best to sit toward the back of the room so as not to disrupt the proceedings when you sneak out.<br /><br />2. Shuttles (i.e., the infamous “Gale buses”) transport attendees for free to and from the various conference sites. But be prepared to stand on long lines of librarians waiting for the buses to arrive. Also, if you’re not staying at one of the official conference hotels, then you’ll need to find the closest one to you if you want to catch a free ride to the convention center, etc. Conference hotels should all have big signs in the lobby describing shuttle times and locations.<br /><br />3. Plan to spend at least half-a-day (or more!) at the exhibits as this is where you’ll see all the new library products (e.g., technology, furniture, services, etc.) that vendors have been waiting to rollout. This is also where you can grab lots of freebies, like books, bags (canvas are the best!), posters, magnets, etc. If you go hog-wild, there should be a special post office set-up inside the convention center where you can mail all your precious SWAG back home. And, oh yeah, be sure to wear comfortable shoes as there are miles and miles of aisles to walk before you see the end of all the exhibits.<br /><br />4. Which brings me to: What to wear at conference. You’ll want to dress comfortably but professionally, because you never know where you might meet your next job prospect. So women: a dress or skirt (or nice pants) and blouse; be sure to pack a sweater as conference rooms are always freezing! Men: slacks and shirt, no tie necessary unless you’re actually interviewing for a job at conference. Save jeans, t-shirts and shorts for after-hours events and/or sightseeing after the conference. Shoes should be comfortable.<br /><br />5. If you don’t already have some, then make business cards to take along and distribute when you meet someone you’d like to see again. As I said above, you never know where you might meet your next job prospect (or future colleague), so it’s always best to be prepared with business cards in hand. If you just graduated from library school, then list your name (followed by your degree, e.g., MLIS), phone number, e-address, and web site (if you have one that’s suitable). You could also list your areas of specialty, but only if you want to limit your possibilities.<br /><br />6. Chicago is going to be rife with librarians, so take advantage and make new friends. Talk to the person next to you on the shuttle. Offer to share a table with someone waiting to eat lunch at the same restaurant. It’ll be pretty obvious who’s attending ALA from the bags they’re carrying and their general librarian “look.” Conference is no time to be shy.<br /><br />7. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for free social events (e.g., the New Members Round Table’s Friday night “meet and greet”) and vendor parties. If you work in a library, you’ve probably already received invitations to various after-hours soirees. If you haven’t, then check with your coworkers to see if they’ve got invitations lying around they’re not going to use. Parties are a great place to meet new (and old) colleagues; plus the food is usually pretty darn good, too.<br /><br />8. Have fun! This is the one time of the year when you’re surrounded by thousands of your peers, so relax and be yourself. Librarians are the warmest, most generous people on the planet. They’ll be very happy to see you and welcome you into the profession.Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-72268574617402644872009-04-04T16:14:00.000-07:002009-04-04T16:18:32.682-07:00Librarian Trading CardI am now #27 in Amy Pelman's pack of <a href="http://librariantradingcards.blogspot.com/search?q=mediavilla">librarian trading cards</a>! Hooray! Thanks Amy (one of my stellar former students)!Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-5386813122453303292009-03-25T10:57:00.000-07:002014-05-01T08:27:24.476-07:00Dewey-less in Arizona<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbeVdhmgBG_wBAhM-kZS7edKk9Wdy2YypOngBKKxIpK05E1NdaBfWA84zykFX-qgJEGKl9BWCzTIsCfCou1BJQ9dEkRe0ITpAIL_t8ABWvNMR_bvB1ZzkCRcePZ-UxE6mAKZC6rX1d-U/s1600-h/DSC01872.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br />
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When I first heard that the <a href="http://www.mcldaz.org/">Maricopa county (AZ) library</a> was abandoning the Dewey Decimal system (DDC), I was appalled. How could anyone find specific nonfiction books without a DDC address on the spine?</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">No call numbers</span></div>
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Then I attended an <a href="http://www.infopeople.org/training/webcasts/webcast_data/291/index.html">Infopeople webinar</a> on the Dewey-less library in Gilbert, AZ, and suddenly became intrigued. The presenter, Marshall Shore, insisted that patrons didn’t miss Dewey numbers and, in fact, found what they wanted just as easily without them. I decided I had to see this for myself, and so that evening announced to my non-librarian husband Tim that we needed to add a day to the trip we had already planned to Arizona (to see baseball spring training), so I could visit the <a href="http://www.mcldaz.org/library/userdef/branches/ud_mcld_branch_GI.aspx">Perry library</a> in Gilbert.</div>
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We pulled into the branch parking lot at about 4PM. Although the library is located on the Perry High School campus, the place was deserted. “Could this be a sign that kids don’t like Dewey-less collections?” I secretly thought to myself. But, no, we had arrived in the middle of the school’s two-week spring break and no one was around. We parked and walked up to the front door.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Neon wall and "staff picks"</span></div>
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My eye was immediately drawn to a blue neon wall as soon as we entered. Turns out this is where staff display their recommended “picks.” Across from the neon was a bank of self-checkout machines and beyond them two tables stacked high with new books. The rest of the space was open and bright, with the clearest sight-lines I’ve ever seen.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Clear sight-lines</span></div>
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“Wow! This looks just like a bookstore,” Tim exclaimed, while I looked around in wonder. If libraries could talk, this one definitely would have had me at “Hello!”</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Book displays</span></div>
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We approached a trio of staffed desks, where I identified myself and asked if we could take photos. A friendly young woman said she’d get the branch manager. The head librarian, Jennifer, emerged from a back room and told us we could (of course!) take pictures. She then took us on a short tour. She explained that the branch has a “browsing collection” arranged by broad Book Industry Standards and Communications (BISAC) (i.e., bookstore) categories instead of Dewey, which are further refined by subcategories (e.g., Travel - U.S.). DVDs, CDs and fiction are shelved separately, but all adult, teen and kids’ nonfiction is interfiled. We saw several freestanding book displays (e.g., “Oprah Reads”), attractively organized on shelves that could easily be wheeled anywhere inside the library.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzdhNkCt3__3wPPH4pXnUOcD34d629uJmwG5VoBSiFs8LeuW9zle7c9okHLd9n9qtHT1SU6QMBvlUP5y4n-9m4SJKnZJ4hime9RwCjNwZUaAN1aCyZHQ76c21IIkvqQZv3yO36Ctf7YQ/s1600/DSC01866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzdhNkCt3__3wPPH4pXnUOcD34d629uJmwG5VoBSiFs8LeuW9zle7c9okHLd9n9qtHT1SU6QMBvlUP5y4n-9m4SJKnZJ4hime9RwCjNwZUaAN1aCyZHQ76c21IIkvqQZv3yO36Ctf7YQ/s1600/DSC01866.JPG" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Shelf end-panels</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8c_YQ76GDMBvFPFYk5kKu7WohNQijRO4CY1uRWP0reXudNuuX060TD-3mOQDiJxO9kKrkl5mofv9kex0LWNtMIA29Hu6BoSEnH_TUUKhsp7hKjuog1EttrJWZWBt01wsgHD4f74ou04/s1600/DSC01867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8c_YQ76GDMBvFPFYk5kKu7WohNQijRO4CY1uRWP0reXudNuuX060TD-3mOQDiJxO9kKrkl5mofv9kex0LWNtMIA29Hu6BoSEnH_TUUKhsp7hKjuog1EttrJWZWBt01wsgHD4f74ou04/s1600/DSC01867.JPG" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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Signage was large and clean, but (to my eye) brutal. Shelf end-panels were softened by generic photos of people smiling and reading. Tim and I were both surprised to see LGBT fiction shelved next to westerns, which were both shelved near the religious books. Tim was disappointed by the puny magazine collection. But he did like the comfortable armchairs, each outfitted with a small table for folks equipped with laptops. These, too, had wheels so users could move them as needed.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Easy chairs on wheels and with desks</span></div>
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Because the facility is part of the high school, students have exclusive access to the branch every school-day morning before it opens to the public. Their entrance, located on the west side of the building, opens onto an extensive row of computers and a teen room. Vending machines, filled with various waters and “healthy” snacks (e.g., SunChips, granola bars), are clearly visible from throughout the library. Food and drink are allowed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Jc8xh-PFsWuLjp3klzN988fGOhd9X06J4umnEX1PdGN0WI7U5YrB4OQIpzrY7VmaMUBjtBM1gShkFmLDZnM5pZxozexqvAGCwp6_j4Zg5jzqtZTkQD4ZjnENFv93extwGkuGzlvozEw/s1600/DSC01871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Jc8xh-PFsWuLjp3klzN988fGOhd9X06J4umnEX1PdGN0WI7U5YrB4OQIpzrY7VmaMUBjtBM1gShkFmLDZnM5pZxozexqvAGCwp6_j4Zg5jzqtZTkQD4ZjnENFv93extwGkuGzlvozEw/s1600/DSC01871.JPG" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Teen room signage</span></div>
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We left after about half-an-hour, duly impressed by the library layout and service philosophy. The materials seemed to be logically arranged, as well, even without Dewey. I actually could see myself working in Gilbert, if I didn’t live 400 miles away! Next year we’ll visit the other Maricopa county branches that recently converted to BISAC to see if they’re just as successful. In the meantime, I’m going to ponder how other libraries might look if they adopted the Perry branch model.</div>
Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-67331622719340482502009-03-18T12:43:00.000-07:002009-03-18T13:12:59.709-07:00Services to HomeschoolersI attended an excellent workshop last week on serving homeschool families. Offered by <a href="http://www.infopeople.org">Infopeople</a>, California libraries’ premier continuing education provider, the session was conducted by Adrienne Furness, author of the brief but informative <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Helping-Homeschoolers-Library-Adrienne-Furness/dp/0838909558/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237405556&sr=8-1">book</a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Helping Homeschoolers in the Library</span> (ALA, 2008).<br /><br />Although I’ve researched kids’ academic needs for almost 20 years now, I still know very little about homeschooled students. I was therefore surprised to learn that more parents homeschool their children out of concern about the school environment (88%) than they do for religious reasons (83%) (see <a href="http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/homeschool/">National Center for Educational Statistics</a>). I was even more surprised to find out there are more homeschooled kids in Southern California than any other place in the country.<br /><br />Several homeschooling philosophies exist, but the most prominent, according to Furness, are “unschooling” and conservative Protestant. <a href="http://www.unschooling.com">Unschooling</a> follows the tenets of John Holt, who espoused a movement of child-led learning that often incorporates “real world” activities. Typically, unschooled kids volunteer at community agencies as part of their education and are well-versed on current events. If there is a curriculum, it tends to be more freestyle and focused on experimentation.<br /><br />Religious homeschools, on the other hand, are far more structured and purposeful. Conservative homeschool teachers are highly organized and vocal. Curricula come prepackaged and are often shared among families.<br /><br />Though homeschooling is currently legal in all 50 states, the laws vary widely from state to state. In <a href="http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/">California</a>, homeschooling families have to declare themselves a private school or enroll their child(ren) in a charter, public or other school that allows independent home study. Instruction must be in English and adhere to the following subject parameters: <br /><br />• Grades 1-6: English, math, social sciences, science, fine arts, health, and physical education<br /><br />• Grades 7-12: 1-6 subjects plus an international language, applied arts, vocational education, and driver’s education.<br /><br />One workshop attendee had a hard time getting her head around the fact that any ol’ parents can identify themselves as teachers and then proceed to educate their kids. My own feeling is that it should make no difference to us whether the parents are qualified or not, just as long they use the library’s resources to teach accurate and current lessons. In fact, I’d rather have them start with the good information available in the library than use questionable information gathered elsewhere.<br /><br />So what should public libraries do to accommodate homeschoolers? According to the many people Furness has interviewed nationwide, homeschoolers primarily need: (1) space to meet and (2) special borrowing privileges, such as “teacher cards” and extended loan periods. They also appreciate working with librarians to create programs that not only teach library skills, but relate to their curriculum. Library programs should be conducted in the afternoon, because most homeschool “desk learning” occurs in the morning, and should focus on the library’s resources. Since many homeschools encompass a wide range of ages, library programs should be advertised by “skills level” rather than age.<br /><br />Homeschooled kids know how to talk about books and are extremely well-read. At minimum, librarians can serve homeschooler needs by developing collections that represent multiple viewpoints, conservative as well as liberal. Classic literature should be well-represented for families that prefer not to read contemporary fiction. In addition, the library should carry as many “how-to” homeschool books as possible, even though they are not widely available through jobbers. (For reviews, see <a href="http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com">Cathy Duffy Homeschool Reviews</a> and Furness’s own <a href="http://homeschoolingandlibraries.wordpress.com">Homeschooling and Libraries Blog</a>.) Some libraries even offer homeschool “resource centers” with three-dimensional realia and equipment (e.g., a telescope!) that can be checked out for class use. <br /><br />Seems like there are lots of opportunities here to develop public library programs for kids from all kinds of educational settings. What's good for homeschoolers may also be just as good for more traditional students. Something to think about when writing that next youth-services grant . . .Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-44726784434673913182009-03-13T17:31:00.000-07:002009-03-13T17:40:56.283-07:00Letter to the EditorOccasionally I’ll get a bee in my bonnet and write a letter to the editor of whatever periodical I happen to be reading. My letters tend to be either political in nature or library-related. My most <a href="http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6611583.html">recent letter </a> to <span style="font-style:italic;">Library Journal</span> (11/15/08), for instance, rebutted Joseph Grosso’s assertion that public libraries have abandoned their educational role. My contention, of course, was that they have not. (Don’t even get me started!) <br /><br />I am no Luddite, but I am easily aggravated by the shortsightedness of those who think the Internet should replace paper-based information sources. I was especially rankled by last week’s <span style="font-style:italic;">L.A. Times</span> “Webscout” article, which not only predicted the demise of print newspapers, but seemed to gloat in the possibility. I had a fit! Why should a format that has served its reading public well for so long be so summarily relegated to the junk pile? Anyway, here’s my response, which the <span style="font-style:italic;">Times</span> published on Saturday (3/7/09):<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Regarding David Sarno's "Online/on paper debate" (March 4, 2009), while I agree that many of today's readers are more interested in receiving their news through the Internet than via newsprint, I have some real concerns about doing away with paper periodicals altogether. In particular, I worry about the demise of newspapers as historical artifacts. Sure, we can currently look-up old copies of the L.A. Times on Proquest, but how long will that last in an electronic environment that's so volatile? I'm far more concerned that whole swaths of history can be eliminated with the simple touch of a delete key than I am about the millions of trees destroyed every year to create newspapers. If publishers do away with newsprint, then they better figure out a way to permanently preserve the historical record of our daily lives.</span><br /><br />So there! (I’m glad my letter was printed on paper as this blog will no doubt be completely obliterated someday. . .)Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-48619769085151797752009-02-16T15:31:00.000-08:002009-02-16T15:50:19.731-08:00The ReaderWe finally saw <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0976051/">“The Reader”</a> yesterday—the last of the major Oscar-nominated films we needed to see. It was powerful and beautifully performed and touched me far more deeply than expected, even though I’m a huge sucker for thoughtful, sad love stories.<br /><br />Although the entire movie was heart-wrenching, the most poignant part for me was when [SPOILER ALERT!] Michael (Ralph Fiennes) decides to send tape-recorded books to his former lover Hannah (Kate Winslet), whom he knows is illiterate. This tender gesture, which changes Hannah’s life, made me cry like no other scene in the movie.<br /><br />Certainly there are much grander themes of morality and “doing the right thing” in the film. But the importance of literacy and the power of the written word are an integral part of the larger themes presented here. Maybe it’s just the librarian in me, but the ability to read is so critical that I think the act of reading to another person is one of the most precious gifts we can give someone. Imagine a parent reading to a young child before saying goodnight or an elderly wife reading to her sick husband. It's no exaggeration to say that sharing the written word can be as profound an act of love as any.<br /><br />So what does this mean to librarians? Would Hannah still have become a Nazi guard if she had used a library when she was young? In the context of the movie, her shame of being illiterate directly forced her into a job that enabled the murder of hundreds of women and children. To me, the implications run much deeper, however. Because she couldn’t read, Hannah’s existence was very black-and-white—almost binary: if she couldn’t do this thing, then she would do that. There were no shades of gray in her life. By reading, however, her mind would have been opened to multiple worlds and ideas, which in turn may have led her to a life of more options. As it was, her ignorance resulted only in tragedy.<br /><br />Of course, today’s libraries are much more than just book depositories: we offer programs, a “third place” where people can congregate, and information in many different formats. Literacy, too, has expanded to encompass all knowledge, not just reading. There’s information literacy, media literacy, consumer literacy, and even financial literacy. But it still all boils down to the written word. <br /><br />In a wonderful <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/books/16libr.html">article</a> published in today’s New York Times, a school librarian helps kids find the best information possible. <br /><br />“Have you looked in any books?” she asks a 13-year-old doing research on the Internet. “Does anybody like books?” she then asks the rest of the students in the library. They shake their heads no.<br /><br />“You can read magazines, newspapers, pictures, computer programs, Web sites,” she tells them all. “You can read anything you like to, but you have to read. Is that a deal?”Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-85603940044034793592009-01-31T11:30:00.001-08:002009-01-31T11:44:25.679-08:00Connie Costantino<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAiy8lccnqM6zkLlarJNOi4Pk4ENMJl4Xra6wMViq4gYZKp84uuoqW17KdFUB1KkGNBfUa9mq7G-9qzogde3xtyktzSUaaDdfATmBnLSWbf_VDD2mutsNr90Of33VrPECZ28yhBm2Gow/s1600-h/image004+3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 158px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAiy8lccnqM6zkLlarJNOi4Pk4ENMJl4Xra6wMViq4gYZKp84uuoqW17KdFUB1KkGNBfUa9mq7G-9qzogde3xtyktzSUaaDdfATmBnLSWbf_VDD2mutsNr90Of33VrPECZ28yhBm2Gow/s200/image004+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297542682471917746" /></a><br />I met Connie about 20 years ago when she interviewed for a job with the San Diego County Library. I was on the interview panel and was in charge of checking references before we offered her the job. Her former supervisor was absolutely ecstatic that we were thinking of hiring her. I had never heard such glowing praises from a previous employer! The woman clearly loved Connie as a librarian and as a friend.<br /><br />Though we were never “best friends,” Connie and I did have a lot in common. We supported each other psychologically and emotionally while we both pursued doctorates (me in library science, she in education). And when she became adjunct faculty for the SJSU library school, we shared teaching tips. We kept in touch through email and exchanged Christmas cards every year. One winter, when they were living in Marina del Rey while her husband oversaw a construction project at UCLA, she and Lenny invited Tim and me aboard their sailboat for a leisurely cruise. The four of us spent a lovely evening together, sailing around the marina and chatting.<br /><br />After a long time not hearing from her, Connie called me last month to touch base. She told me she was looking forward to traveling to Rome with Lenny after the new year—a trip they had postponed while she took care of her mother in Buffalo, NY. Though I was sad to hear that her mom had passed away in November, I was not surprised that Connie had pretty much put her own life on hold to be with her mother the last few months of her life.<br /><br />Early this month, Connie died suddenly at the London airport as she and Lenny were changing planes to go to Rome. She apparently had a blood clot in her lungs that killed her instantaneously. The news still shocks me and reminds us all that no matter how good a life one leads, death is always just a moment away. <br /><br />Friends, family and colleagues are gathering to toast Connie’s generous life and spirit tonight as the sun sets outside her Oceanside beach home. She is already much missed . . .Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-24039227774996658572008-12-29T18:46:00.000-08:002008-12-29T18:57:59.510-08:00Year-End WeedingThis is the time of year when I take inventory of how much weight I’ve gained over the past twelve months. Mind you, I don’t weigh myself on a scale of any sort—that only happens when I go to the doctor. Instead, I try on various clothes in my closet to see if they still fit. Those that don’t fit get shoved into a bag that is unceremoniously taken to Goodwill as a year-end donation. I call this process “weeding,” because it is so similar to purging one’s library collection.<br /><br />Like my clothes closet, library collections should be weeded at least once a year to rid the shelves of materials that the community has—ahem—“outgrown.” Items that were once stylish may now be tattered, old or just plain inappropriate (for example, why on earth did I ever think I could wear yellow?). Even more importantly, your closet—oops! I mean the library’s shelves—may be far too overstuffed to add new materials (like silk and denim!). Then there’s the clutter. How can patrons find what they really need when there’s a lot of old junk in the way? Weeding helps optimize your resources. (“Well, lookee here. I forgot all about these khaki pants I bought last year!”).<br /><br />There’s nothing like a good after-Christmas sale to inspire me to cast out clothes I haven’t worn in a while! But as someone who works at home, I don’t feel compelled to shop all that often. I can wait till the end of the year to weed my closet.<br /><br />Libraries, on the other hand, are constantly adding to their collections and so should constantly weed what’s no longer needed. The library will look more attractive and patrons will be able to more readily find what they want if your shelves are culled of unnecessary items. Don’t you dare hold on to old stuff, though, just because your book budget has been cut! As sure as I am you don’t want to see me wearing yellow, I am equally sure we do our patrons a disservice by having old information on the shelf. There’s no excuse not to weed . . . especially the week after Christmas when most people are doing things other than visiting the library.<br /><br />How’s this for an idea? Let’s make a joint New Year’s resolution that I’ll stop buying new clothes as long as you continue to weed your library’s collection. I bet I know who’s going to break the pact first . . .Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-2699795775371147022008-11-22T11:36:00.000-08:002008-11-22T11:59:06.409-08:00California Library Association Conference 2008There are many reasons I love the fall: the first day of school, Halloween and the start of the holidays, and Satsuma tangerines (yum!). But one of my all-time favorite things is the annual <a href="http://www.cla-net.org">California Library Association</a> (CLA) conference, usually held in November. Not only do I look forward to seeing colleagues, former students and, yes, even favorite vendors, it’s also the time when I recharge my professional batteries.<br /><br />This year’s conference was held last weekend in San Jose. Here are a few highlights:<br /><br />•Online homework help provider <a href="http://www.brainfuse.com">Brainfuse</a> has begun piloting a service that connects job-searchers with online helpers who advise on writing resumes and developing interview skills. Could this service be any more timely?<br /><br />•<a href="http://www.tutor.com">Tutor.com</a> premiered enhancements to its online homework help product, including color graphics, a more extensive toolbar, and stick-figure avatars that high-five each other when the student does well. Hopefully these enhancements, which are being rolled out next summer, won’t boost subscription costs during a year when most libraries will be facing budget cuts.<br /><br />•Speaking of online homework help, a group of librarians offering this service convened to discuss the possibility of starting a users group. Instead, we decided to create a listserv for California librarians who want to discuss all manner of issues related to homework help, online or otherwise. The group volunteered me to moderate.<br /><br />•<a href="http://www.sjlibrary.org/">San Jose Public Library</a> staff, who led an excellent session on customer service, noted that our professional reputation tends to hinge on our keen knowledge of the collection and how things are organized in the library. They suggested we need to expand that reputation to include expertise in providing outstanding customer service. If we build a positive customer service reputation, patrons will not only come, they’ll also return.<br /><br />•Kudos to CLA president-elect Barbara Roberts for giving the most inspiring inaugural speech I’ve heard in many a year. Reflecting her theme, “Reach Out!,” she admonished the membership to carry the library message to political leaders and others who may not understand what we do. She will be convening a summit with other library organizations to consolidate and reinforce these efforts. She also encouraged us to embrace best business practices and to reach across library “types” so we can work together to strengthen the association. <br /><br />•And finally, just to prove that everything isn't serious work and no play at conference, here I am with a couple of state library colleagues, dressed-up as pseudo-Star Wars characters at Infopeople’s annual photo booth!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwiCgeiuSUCKHuyokqV9qK7km9ZZvpShGFvpEMC-Ske9Ur6uR6eHXKe2iixKhedY9s7vs7i1d9V8CcPufacN4DQWetYXu7UrdObVyXQDzOblZYd5ubFhlyvEmJ41qYYmHwHti0fXpRya0/s1600-h/Star+Libs+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwiCgeiuSUCKHuyokqV9qK7km9ZZvpShGFvpEMC-Ske9Ur6uR6eHXKe2iixKhedY9s7vs7i1d9V8CcPufacN4DQWetYXu7UrdObVyXQDzOblZYd5ubFhlyvEmJ41qYYmHwHti0fXpRya0/s200/Star+Libs+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271572337516954226" /></a> <br /><br />May the Force be with all of us in what looks to be a tough year ahead.Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8594407051051723703.post-69154908945625403502008-10-27T14:34:00.000-07:002008-10-27T15:14:25.434-07:00L.A. ArchivesIt’s no surprise that my husband Tim and I love Los Angeles. We’re both native Angelenos (Tim from the Valley and me Burbank) and big fans of almost anything related to 20th century Southern California. No wonder, then, that we happily looked forward to attending the 3rd annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar this past weekend.<br /><br />Part of the <a href="www.usc.edu/libraries/lasubject">“L.A. as Subject”</a> project, the Bazaar showcases libraries and other agencies that collect various aspects of Los Angeles history. Not only did the day-long event feature well-known speakers, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Gold">Jonathan Gold</a>, the Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic, and artist <a href="http://www.allthesaints.com/">J. Michael Walker</a>, but also panel discussions on several topics, including how to search digital collections, how to use DNA to augment genealogical research, and what to do with old home movies. Four California Council for the Humanities-supported documentaries were also screened, including the much-anticipated “<a href="http://www.calhum.org/programs/doc_chicano_rock_special.htm">Chicano Rock! The Sounds of East Los Angeles</a>,” which is scheduled to air on PBS, December 14. (We’ve already marked our calendars!).<br /><br />But the best part of the day was the exhibit rooms, where more than 50 archives shared information about their unique historical holdings. Participants included everyone from USC's <a href="http://college.usc.edu/huntington/">Aerospace History Project</a> to <a href="http://www2.library.ucla.edu/specialcollections/researchlibrary/index.cfm">UCLA’s Department of Special Collections</a>, from the Los Angeles City Archives to the <a href="http://www.la84foundation.org/">LA84 Foundation</a>’s Sports Library. Hundreds of people browsed the displays and discussed research strategies with enthusiastic exhibitors. Tim found a photo of his <a href="http://digital-library.csun.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/SFVH&CISOPTR=849&CISOBOX=1&REC=1">childhood Little League team</a> on Cal State Northridge’s San Fernando Valley <a href="http://digital-library.csun.edu">digital archives database</a>, while I gathered brochures and chatted with colleagues, many of whom were former students. It was heaven-on-earth for scholars and amateur historians alike.<br /><br />As a librarian who periodically conducts historical research, I was amazed at the number of resources I knew nothing about. Who knew, for instance, that <a href="http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/special/">Occidental College</a> houses one of the largest collections of detective stories, as well as extensive documentation of the<a href="http://departments.oxy.edu/digitalarch/web/index.htm"> Japanese-American relocation during WWII</a>? I was also completely clueless about the <a href="http://www.nhm.org/research/history/seaver_center.html">Seaver Center for Western History Research</a> located within L.A. county’s Natural History Museum.<br /><br />Perhaps the most profound revelation, though, was the “L.A. as Subject” <a href="http://www.usc.edu/libraries/lasubject">database</a>, which lists nearly 300 historical collections throughout Los Angeles and beyond. As a reference tool, the list brings together primary resources on numerous topics and provides contact info, hours open, etc., for each participating archive. The interface is a little clunky—e.g., there’s no alphabetical list of all the collections and subject access is rather limited—still, this is an excellent start to shedding light on previously unknown archives. <br /><br />Now, if only I had time to research the countless historical topics I’m interested in . . .Cynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10040220362362796682noreply@blogger.com0