Mainz On My Mind

Herr Gutenberg

For LIS 7790, the readings and lecture this week touched on Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg...and even mentioned the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Why am I writing about this?

Last year, the School of Library and Information Science was offering a study abroad opportunity to Germany with stops in Mainz and Frankfurt. Naturally, I had planned on attending and arranged my Plan of Work to accommodate the courses. I even planned on staying an additional week or two to explore Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland (and possibly Hungary). It would've been perfect as I would be introduced, in-person, to the birthplace of movable-type printing...and then segued into LIS 7790 taught by Dr. Barry Neavill.

Of course, I could grab my passport and simply jump the pond on my own, but I am certain that the experience would be mediocre at best. Why? The trip was being orchestrated by two experts in the LIS field, Dr. Joseph Mika and Dr. Hermina Anghelescu, who would have acted as our extraordinary tour guides.

Side note: I've temporarily suspended my German lessons. Since I am no longer running the roads for the 30Y.30L project, perhaps, I'll start again. Maybe as a graduation present to myself, I'll go to Mainz. Ideas, ideas...

Relevant posts on this subject (in order of date published):
Adventure
Mein Abenteuer 
Good News and Bad News
Deutschland and Final

Deutschland and Final

I received a comment on my previous post, Good and Bad News: "I know how excited you were for this trip- I am so sorry to hear. If there is a funding issue, would donations help to continue the trip? I know that one less head means one less discount. Please keep me posted!"

Yesterday, I followed up with Dr. Mika and gleaned the following, in which I will summarize:
It doesn't sound like fundraising will work because the money is needed immediately for arrangements; although, a large and immediate gift would likely make the trip happen. However, the probability of that occurring is slim.

In other news, yesterday, I traveled to Bad Axe (Huron County) and took my LIS 6210 final in the meeting room at Bad Axe Area District Library. (Thank you, BAADL, for your hospitality!)

Like the midterm, I am not certain how I performed as there were questions that I nailed and others in which I struggled. Because the exam was not in the Blackboard fashion, it will be hand-graded by Dr. Neavill which means I should know my grade in about a week and a half or so. I am certain that I lost my 4.0 this semester and to be honest, I am not all that upset about it. Why might you ask? I am learning loads and having a good time doing so.

While I am done with course work for the semester, I need to remain motivated and produce a proposal for independent-directed study by the middle of next week. However, I need to spend some time cleaning my "office" and organizing course content, from this term, into binders. iTunes + Indie Rock = Love

Good and Bad News

Where to start...

Good news or bad news? I'll start with the bad news.

Late yesterday afternoon, I received this email from Dr. Joseph Mika:
"I am sorry to inform you that we will not be able to do the trip to Germany.  We started off with 15 students and too many have dropped since we first started planning to make the class feasible.  Dr. Anghelescu and I would have loved to show you Germany, but it just did not work out.  Sorry."

This particular trip to Germany would have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience as the two professors (Mika and Anghelescu) are truly experts in the LIS field. The word "disappointed" does not even begin to explain how I feel about this development; however, I think I know a person who is perhaps more disappointed than I. A big thank you goes out to Professor Mika for all of the hard work he put into organizing and planning the trip to Germany.

Professor Anghelescu canceled her International and Comparative Librarianship class and is offering to supervise directed study (LIS 7990) for interested students. Considering these developments, I need to amend my Plan of Work. In order to pursue my interest, I am seriously contemplating directed study this fall. My interim topic, prior to my formal proposal, "Censorship and Intellectual Freedom During the Second World War" with a focus on how the Third Reich affected public libraries, the region, and children/young adults growing up during that era.

For Fall semester, this morning I registered for Survey and Analysis of Literature for Younger Children (LIS 6510)...and hopefully, if all goes well, I will be registering for Directed Study (LIS 7990).

And onto good news...

This afternoon, I took my laptop to Caro District Library and not only finished my final for LIS 7040 (Library Administration and Management), but also submitted my essay for LIS 6210 (Organization of Knowledge). Exam for LIS 7040: 22/23. If my calculations are correct (assignments, case studies, etc.), I should end up with a 4.0 in that class.

Tomorrow, is the scheduled final for LIS 6210 and I reserved the meeting room at Bad Axe Area District Library. The room has a large table in which I can spread out my materials and will likely encounter minimum distractions. Confession: I am a bit keyed up over this exam.

Holocaust Encyclopedia

For the next two weeks, compliments of Bad Axe Library, in order to brush up on my knowledge, I will be pouring over The Holocaust Encyclopedia by Walter Laqueur, (2001).

A copy of this book will definitely be added to my collection. Very thorough. The chronology helped to fill in the blanks that have developed, in my mind, over time.

MLIS + Graduate Certificate

If I add a class from a specific short list, and amend my Plan of Work (yet again), I will be able to graduate with a Master in Library and Information Science (MLIS) plus a graduate certificate in Public Library Service to Children and Young Adults.

In order to pull this off, I had to obtain permission to utilize LIS 7850 (Study Abroad: German Librarianship) towards the certificate -- which I did, thanks to Dr. K. With that said, a few minutes ago, I submitted the proper paperwork to my academic adviser for review and approval.

Going for the graduate certificate makes complete sense to me as I was already blending the two concentrations (public libraries and services to children and young adults) to fill in the gaps for my ultimate goal of rural librarianship. In December of 2012, if the world doesn't end (sarcasm), I will be graduating with an extra credential in addition to the MLIS.

A big thank you goes to Dr. Maria Gonzalez and Dr. Kafi Kumasi for their time, advice, and guidance. Much appreciated.

About My Reading Habits

While catching up on my Delta Alpha sister's blog, Lisa's World of Books, I stumbled upon this survey of sorts. Enjoy.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack:
I think this answer is going to show everyone how truly nerdy I really am. I do not eat anything while reading because I do not want to defile the pages. If I am reading a mass market paperback, which would be rare because I prefer hardcovers, a few cubes of Williams' Sharp Cheddar might be on my tea cart.

What is your favorite drink while reading?
Contrary to my previous answer, I will drink while reading. It really depends on the book and the type of reading at hand. Anything academic related typically caffeinated soda. When I was trying to save Huron County (insert sarcasm), I would unwind with a book and a cocktail, usually cranberry and vodka. Night reading always calls for a glass of ice water, or rather, ice with a water.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
In general, the idea of writing in books horrifies me. However, I have been known to own multiple copies of a book: a trade paperback and a first edition/author signed piece. If the book is for a review or Literature to Film Club, I will mark only in the paperback edition. My paperback edition of East of Eden (Steinbeck) has paperclips on several pages.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
Again, I think this answer shows my nerdiness, but I will not dog-ear a page and leaving a book lying flat while open is very hard on the binding. Definitely a bookmark or a mental note of the page number.

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?
Typically both. Right now, beyond my textbooks for library school, for my research interest (LIS 7850) I have been reading several non-fiction works on the Second World War, specifically, The Diary of Anne Frank (a recent re-read) and currently I Will Bear Witness: A Diary of the Nazi Years, 1942-1945. For Literature to Film Club, I recently finished reading a fiction piece titled The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. On my list next, for Literature to Film Club, An Education by Lynn Barber.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?
While it is ideal to read until the end of the chapter, life can be unpredictable. I can stop anywhere, but I prefer to pause at the end of a section.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?
This answer should be easy to predict: no. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, I must admit that I did throw Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (the last book in the Twilight series) and it took much coaxing and a bit of coercion from a few friends to finish reading it.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?
Absolutely. My motto: Ancora Imparo. I am still learning.

What are you currently reading?
Management Basics for Information Professionals (Evans and Ward, 2007)
Cataloging and Classification: An Introduction (Chan, 2007)
Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (2nd edition, 2002 revision, 2005 update)
I Will Bear Witness: A Diary of the Nazi Years, 1942-1945 (Victor Klempere)

What is the last book you bought?
On Monday, I did a little antiquing, with a friend, and purchased a 1911 edition of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?
At any given time, I am normally reading more than one book.

Do you have a favorite time / place to read?
While I can read just about anywhere and at any time, I prefer Bad Axe Area District Library. I love the atmosphere of that library. Part of my routine for unwinding, I often read in bed before falling asleep. Since resigning from SafePlace, it is not unusual for me to wake up at 3:30a and pick up where I left off earlier.

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?
To answer the question, I do not particularly prefer them. A few years back, I fell in love with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and for a conversation piece as well as common thread with my father, I picked up Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I am still plugging away at the Wheel of Time series as the newest book has been out for awhile and I haven't had the time to read it as of yet.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?
As far as authors go, I always recommend David Sedaris, John Irving and Jhumpa Lahiri. I often recommend Blindness by Jose Saramago, East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

How do you organize your books?
Considering I bought an old turn-of-the-century farmhouse that is being renovating...until completion, most of my books are packed away in boxes and totes. I have plans to turn the dining room into a library. Considering that I am in library school, I will likely create a basic second level catalog for my collection and then catalog my special collection at the third level. My non-fiction works will likely be classified via the Dewey Decimal system.

Lecture: Nazi Book Burning

If I can get my paper for LIS 7040 written, with revisions and polishing saved for tomorrow afternoon, then I will attend Sunday morning's lecture Fighting the Flames of Hate: America's Reaction to the Nazis Book Burning at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills.

When I saw the lecture and topic posted on Facebook, via my newsfeed, I was floored as it is matches my research interest for LIS 7850 (study abroad). Even more intriguing: the lecturer, Dr. Guy Stern, is a retired professor from Wayne State University's German studies program.

Back to the paper for LIS 7040, I am citing various points of the ALA's Code of Ethics as rationale of the job description and subsequent hiring decision.

(1) We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.
(2) We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.
(3) We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.
(4) We respect intellectual property rights and advocate balance between the interests of information users and rights holders.
(5) We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness, and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions.
(6) We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.
(7) We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.
(8) We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession.

Adopted June 28, 1997, by the ALA Council; amended January 22, 2008.

Photo Credit: from HMC's Facebook event page

Book Burning

This morning marked the opening day of registration for the Spring/Summer 2011 term. I always get excited when it comes to registering and especially love shopping for my textbooks. According to my Plan of Work, I registered for LIS 7340 (Collection Development) and the first class in the study abroad series LIS 7850 (German Librarianship) which looks like it requires a four-hour face-to-face at WSU.

I wheedled my topic interest to "Nazi Book Burning and Intellectual Freedom During the Second World War." On the flip side, as Dr. Anghelescu mentioned, I might see things I never thought of while abroad...
An adventure. Mein Abenteuer.