September 20-26
Ethical Issues in Reference Services
This week in class we had a challenging discussion about the rights and responsibilities of librarians held under the Library Code of Ethics and the Bill of Rights. Both of these documents allow the user to have free and private access to information and services in the library without judgement passed by the library staff. They also advocate providing wide and diverse view points about issues and interest.
We discussed several difficult situations where these ideals could be violated such as:
1. Helping a student find a book about ways to commit suicide. Is it your right to discuss this query with her parents or teachers or ask her why she wants to find this book? This was a difficult situation because to do so would violate her library rights of confidential access to information. My first thought was why even have this book in your library but that would be considered a form of censorship if this book was used for an academic or interest purpose. Even held by these ethical standards I do not think I could feel right about not following up in some way with this student afterwards.
2. A student ask about finding chemicals that can blow up a house or building. This was similar to the Unibomber suspect who used a local public library and reference services with librarians many times for resources for his attacks. I was interested to find out that the librarians did not pass any judgement on his request but as far as my teacher knew simply helped his request and moved along. According to these ethical standards it was not their position to get involved in personal opnioons or expressions. This would be a horrible position to be in as well because you may be somehow helping this person hurt others.
This week a Missouri School District Board voted to censor access to two books because a townsmember complained they had ideas contrary to the Bible. This person does not have any students at this school. The Board restricted access to 2 of the 3 books by having to have parental permission to check them out. This access only came after an appeal from groups after the books were origanally bannded from the libraries. The Board was quoted in the OA News as saying " we were happy to put the responsibility back on the parents".
I just bet you were. In that case you do not have to make a stand either way. This decision may seem like a victory for free access but does it really fulfill the ethical standards of the Library Bill of Rights or just play push the blame somewhere else? Parents should be a moral compass and first teacher for their children but making the librarian be the warden of those morals is a difficult situation.
As a Christian these are difficult issues for me to face as a teacher and librarian. Even in my classroom I carefully choose books and resources that encourage wholesome values to shepherd a child's heart. I do not try to hide them from the world but to give share a light so that their view of the world and what they want to read and pursue are changed. My Christian world view does not make me want to limit or judge what I read but it gives me a framework for evaluating the information I find as I filter everything through the scriptures. At heart this is at heart a spiritual issue that shows the lostness of this world that we take such authority and influence from the creations of words and men instead of the WORD and the Creator of all.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
September 12-16
Reference Experiences
As an elementary librarian I was unsure of what reference services would look like in my setting. As I discussed in other posts it seemed almost a backwards step away from an open, constructivist learning commons. After reading these chapters I have a better understanding of what a reference experience will look like in my library as a "professional answer-er." While the statistic that librarians only answer questions correctly 50% of the time can be discouraging it is more important to note that the strategy for searching was correct 90% of the time. My role, especially as a librarian for younger students, will be do help students form high quality, high thinking questions and strategies to guide their search for information. This is so important for students to be able to do as a foundation for improving their information literacy skills in older grades. So, an important part of my reference service will be facilitating meta cognitive strategies in young students that help them understand what they know, want to know, need to know and where to start.
As I was reflecting on these wonderful conversations with curious young learners on a quest for knowledge I thought about the time it would take to really implement these services. In order to get the most bang for your reference buck it will be so important to be proactive in collabraoting with teachers on possible reference opportunities. A small amount of preplanning with a teacher will allow me to prepare pathfinders, and research possible resources to provide the best experience for my students. This will be a great advantage for everyone as opposed to a suprise visit by a group of students looking for information about a random topic. This will also allow me to teach the beginning information literacy topics and library skills through integrated, meanigful lessons instead of in isolation. Getting teachers to buy in and get on board with these services also serves as great advoacy for my program and it's impact on the acamdemic program. These experiences will take time to implement so the more teachers value the reference services of the library the more willing they will be to include the time in their day. Being an instructional partner in this area is so important in building a school population that is information literate, and in helping deter well meaning teachers from creating bad information habits in students.
Possible Ideas:
Reference Experiences
As an elementary librarian I was unsure of what reference services would look like in my setting. As I discussed in other posts it seemed almost a backwards step away from an open, constructivist learning commons. After reading these chapters I have a better understanding of what a reference experience will look like in my library as a "professional answer-er." While the statistic that librarians only answer questions correctly 50% of the time can be discouraging it is more important to note that the strategy for searching was correct 90% of the time. My role, especially as a librarian for younger students, will be do help students form high quality, high thinking questions and strategies to guide their search for information. This is so important for students to be able to do as a foundation for improving their information literacy skills in older grades. So, an important part of my reference service will be facilitating meta cognitive strategies in young students that help them understand what they know, want to know, need to know and where to start.
As I was reflecting on these wonderful conversations with curious young learners on a quest for knowledge I thought about the time it would take to really implement these services. In order to get the most bang for your reference buck it will be so important to be proactive in collabraoting with teachers on possible reference opportunities. A small amount of preplanning with a teacher will allow me to prepare pathfinders, and research possible resources to provide the best experience for my students. This will be a great advantage for everyone as opposed to a suprise visit by a group of students looking for information about a random topic. This will also allow me to teach the beginning information literacy topics and library skills through integrated, meanigful lessons instead of in isolation. Getting teachers to buy in and get on board with these services also serves as great advoacy for my program and it's impact on the acamdemic program. These experiences will take time to implement so the more teachers value the reference services of the library the more willing they will be to include the time in their day. Being an instructional partner in this area is so important in building a school population that is information literate, and in helping deter well meaning teachers from creating bad information habits in students.
Possible Ideas:
- Google Calendars for teachers to post monthly themes or projects for possible reference services
- Set up appointments or give passes for students when they come for services or reference help
- Educate faculty on reference services you can provide with sample topic lessons
- Videos or podcasts of frequently asked reference questions or services how to search a database etc
- Document reference experiences and resources found along the way to reflect on how to make things better
Information Literacy
September 6-12
Information Literacy
Information Literacy is a common topic in the library world. Helping students access, evaluate and use information is one of the most important role of the library media specialist. Technology and the volume of information available have made this role more important. Patrons are not limited to the actual walls of the library anymore for information so our role has been stretched into virtual spaces. Instead of helping patrons find information we are now helping them wade through the easy access to information to find the highest quality resources.
Through reading Ch.2 in Essential Reference Services my view of information literacy was expanded through their discussion of The Common Sense CS3. We reviwed many models of building Information Literacy skills in class with most centering around questioning, reflecting and applying information. Each of these models used the first 3 Information Power Standards of "accessing, evaluating,using information." It is important to remember that these are the 3 standards that librarians are responsible for. Ch. 2 further divides information literacy by these 3 standards:
Information Literacy
Information Literacy is a common topic in the library world. Helping students access, evaluate and use information is one of the most important role of the library media specialist. Technology and the volume of information available have made this role more important. Patrons are not limited to the actual walls of the library anymore for information so our role has been stretched into virtual spaces. Instead of helping patrons find information we are now helping them wade through the easy access to information to find the highest quality resources.
Through reading Ch.2 in Essential Reference Services my view of information literacy was expanded through their discussion of The Common Sense CS3. We reviwed many models of building Information Literacy skills in class with most centering around questioning, reflecting and applying information. Each of these models used the first 3 Information Power Standards of "accessing, evaluating,using information." It is important to remember that these are the 3 standards that librarians are responsible for. Ch. 2 further divides information literacy by these 3 standards:
- Library Literacy: helping students access information by knowing how to use the library and all of it's resources effectively
- Information Literacy: evaluating the information itself in terms of quality and authority, and how it fits the need
- Knowledge Literacy: a new concept added that applies the new information to create new knowledge and integration
Monday, September 5, 2011
Electronic Information Services
August 30- September 5
Electronic Information Services
Important Notes from References Services Book- Bryner and Lanning
Information- data with a meaning and framework 11 22 82 is just data but 11/22/82 is my birthday. Information must be recorded or classified to be published and that is what libraries are all about.
Remember the first class when I wondered how "reference services" fit in to a 21st century library? The readings of Chapter 1,3,7-9 helped shed some light on the toolss that allow users to find information and their transformation through time and technology. While the basic idea to be the "window to the library" has stayed the same, the speed,accuracy and quality of the record keeping have dramatically improved.
Life of Catalogs Quickly:
Catalogs started by monks handwritten in books, hard to update, could not share with other libraries
Card Catalogs monks begin to keep on individual cards using certian styles of library script, may have seperate cards for author, subject, title
Com Cats were computer output microfilm which created cards from data but were short lived. Moved to Microfilm for searching because it was cheaper and took up less space. Easily able to share.
OPAC is the Online Public Access uses a computer file to access and read. Some made own programs, some bought but it extended options for searching.
WebPAC is Web based public access allowed ultimate sharing for users and electronic links.
Open Source Catalogs are integrated library sustems available to anyone with free software.
This is an interesting progression where each advancement comes out of a previous limitation. Important themes I saw repeated were increased user friendliness, ability to update collection information, and increased sharing among libraries.
Extending on the catalog collection are databases and search engines. The personal computer has transformed these electronic reference services.
Databases are collections of related items called records that have specific fields.
Catalogs, Databases and Search Engines put information in the hands of users to make decisions about their information search. This is an important thing to remember as a school librarian. It is not my role to answer every question as the giver of all knowledge but to use these reference tools to empower my patrons to create their own information. I checked out the New Treir Library that was in our first class notes and saw each of these services used in very 21st century ways. They were available for anytime use by the patron for reference anywhere with internet connection. They also had Facebook, twitter, and chatting with librarians to extend their services.
New Questions: What lessons or cirriculum teaches students to use these services effectively? Is it best to embed them into instruction or does some explicit instruction have to be done? What age do we start?
Electronic Information Services
Important Notes from References Services Book- Bryner and Lanning
Information- data with a meaning and framework 11 22 82 is just data but 11/22/82 is my birthday. Information must be recorded or classified to be published and that is what libraries are all about.
Remember the first class when I wondered how "reference services" fit in to a 21st century library? The readings of Chapter 1,3,7-9 helped shed some light on the toolss that allow users to find information and their transformation through time and technology. While the basic idea to be the "window to the library" has stayed the same, the speed,accuracy and quality of the record keeping have dramatically improved.
Life of Catalogs Quickly:
Catalogs started by monks handwritten in books, hard to update, could not share with other libraries
Card Catalogs monks begin to keep on individual cards using certian styles of library script, may have seperate cards for author, subject, title
Com Cats were computer output microfilm which created cards from data but were short lived. Moved to Microfilm for searching because it was cheaper and took up less space. Easily able to share.
OPAC is the Online Public Access uses a computer file to access and read. Some made own programs, some bought but it extended options for searching.
WebPAC is Web based public access allowed ultimate sharing for users and electronic links.
Open Source Catalogs are integrated library sustems available to anyone with free software.
This is an interesting progression where each advancement comes out of a previous limitation. Important themes I saw repeated were increased user friendliness, ability to update collection information, and increased sharing among libraries.
Extending on the catalog collection are databases and search engines. The personal computer has transformed these electronic reference services.
Databases are collections of related items called records that have specific fields.
Catalogs, Databases and Search Engines put information in the hands of users to make decisions about their information search. This is an important thing to remember as a school librarian. It is not my role to answer every question as the giver of all knowledge but to use these reference tools to empower my patrons to create their own information. I checked out the New Treir Library that was in our first class notes and saw each of these services used in very 21st century ways. They were available for anytime use by the patron for reference anywhere with internet connection. They also had Facebook, twitter, and chatting with librarians to extend their services.
New Questions: What lessons or cirriculum teaches students to use these services effectively? Is it best to embed them into instruction or does some explicit instruction have to be done? What age do we start?
What are Infomation Services?
August 23-29
Information Services
During this first week of class I was unsure of what I would really learn in this course. What exactly are reference and information services? I wondered if I would have to memorize lots of categories or catalogs in order to perform reference services. The very thought of a "reference librarian" at a special desk in the library did not fit it in with the 21st century learning commons vision. My first impression was that this means your collection is very centeralized and confined within the walls of the library. What are some ways that reference services which have been such an important part of the library experience for decades can be updated for the 21st century?
The presentation of Past, Present, and Future Information services helped to answer these questions. Reference services have moved past the librarian answering questions to the patrons creating and evaluating their own information through the faciliation of the librarian's services. This change is not that different from the shift in teaching that encourages students to be actively engaged in discovering information. One important role of the library I did not think about previously was the education of immigrants and citizens through public libraries. This really made an impact on the way I view equal and free access to information as a way to support a democratic society.
Information services are the vehicles that you use to help users find and use information. Print and digital resources that allow for a wide variety of high quality information through collections, interlibrary loan, document delivery or virtual spaces are the central feature of information services. Also included are the interactions available between information specialist and users through planned or spontaneous interactions either in person or electronic means. The physical organization of the facility and resources to provide clear and easy access to information and tutorials for information literacy skills are also important.
Information Services
During this first week of class I was unsure of what I would really learn in this course. What exactly are reference and information services? I wondered if I would have to memorize lots of categories or catalogs in order to perform reference services. The very thought of a "reference librarian" at a special desk in the library did not fit it in with the 21st century learning commons vision. My first impression was that this means your collection is very centeralized and confined within the walls of the library. What are some ways that reference services which have been such an important part of the library experience for decades can be updated for the 21st century?
The presentation of Past, Present, and Future Information services helped to answer these questions. Reference services have moved past the librarian answering questions to the patrons creating and evaluating their own information through the faciliation of the librarian's services. This change is not that different from the shift in teaching that encourages students to be actively engaged in discovering information. One important role of the library I did not think about previously was the education of immigrants and citizens through public libraries. This really made an impact on the way I view equal and free access to information as a way to support a democratic society.
Information services are the vehicles that you use to help users find and use information. Print and digital resources that allow for a wide variety of high quality information through collections, interlibrary loan, document delivery or virtual spaces are the central feature of information services. Also included are the interactions available between information specialist and users through planned or spontaneous interactions either in person or electronic means. The physical organization of the facility and resources to provide clear and easy access to information and tutorials for information literacy skills are also important.
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