Millage, Wheat, and Grades

First off, I have been delayed in blogging this; however, I would like to send my congratulations to both Troy Public Library and Benzie Shores District Library. The millage for both libraries past earlier this week! Cathy Russ, the director of TPL, posted a note on the library's website: A New Chapter for Troy Library -- please take a moment to give it a read.

The 2011 wheat harvest is officially over. Due to the cold and wet spring, our yield was lower than anticipated; however, every little bit helps and, as usual, being a former suburbanite, I thoroughly enjoyed the agriculture adventure. I am quite curious to see how the soybeans end up yielding later this fall. Farming subsidizes extra expenses incurred while in library school: books, travel, field trips.

This past winter term, I noted that the B+ in cataloging (LIS 6210) broke my 4.0 GPA. Final grades for spring/summer 2011 term and I received a 4.0 in collection development (LIS 7340). My cumulative GPA is now a 3.88. Graduating with a MLIS + graduate certificate with a GPA of 3.9-something will just have to suffice, my friends.

A Tribute to Melvil

This weekend, I visited my Alma mater, Ferris State University and the surrounding areas. As I drove by Dewey Street in Baldwin, Michigan, I could not resist giving a tribute to Melvil Dewey and his classification system.

P.S. Please pardon my funky windblown hair. Thanks.

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.

Cataloging Mouse

With final exams right around the corner (next week!?), I have been putting in a considerable amount of time, beyond the norm, working on course readings and finishing assignments. Maybe too much time...because who dreams about teaching a mouse how to catalog and classify? Apparently, this girl here.

A fellow LIS student and friend of mine asked, "Was it Reepicheep or Despereaux?" To answer her question: Since I am a fan of C.S. Lewis, I am partial to Reepicheep. 

Back to Hermionish activities!

Menagerie

I have quite a bit to write about, but not a lot of time. 

Look what came in the mail yesterday?!

Sunday: I toured Grand Valley State University's Steelcase Library in downtown Grand Rapids with ALA@Wayne and had the opportunity to learn about their Automated Retrieval System. Fascinating. Look for a post and photos soon. For now, you can view the photos via my website.

(A spiel about the online albums: they are a bit glitchy and will sometimes throw an error that says something to the effect of "photo missing" -- the photo is not really missing and the issue can be rectified by hitting the forward or backward queue button.)

On Tuesday, I was the winner of the library advocacy contest hosted by ALA@Wayne.

LIS 6210: I am falling in love with classification work.

I wrapped up my marketing paper for LIS 7040 yesterday -- of course, I will write more about it in a spell.

 This morning, I finished reading City of Thieves by David Benioff. One word: brilliant.
 

I just returned from the theater...look for a post about Focus Feature's latest film Hanna in the near future. One comment: I love the soundtrack!

A Translating Dream

A friend shared a link, via facebook, of a blog titled Better Book Titles which I found to be downright humorous. The author's description: "This blog is for people who do not have thousands of hours to read book reviews or blurbs or first sentences. I will cut through all the cryptic crap, and give you the meat of the story in one condensed image. Now you can read the greatest literary works of all time in mere seconds!" Viewer discretion is advised as some of the "titles" contain vulgarity.

Since I "read ahead" and wrapped up my Lit to Film Club books, I am not reading anything right now but textbooks and articles for class. Bah. Very interesting stuff, yes, but considering that I do not watch TV, I need to pick up another book soon. 

My father's 60th birthday was yesterday and I was left scratching my head attempting to figure out what to get him for his special day. Golf balls? Bah. Books are the norm. He has been watching westerns lately, which I found surprising because I didn't know he was into that genre, but apparently so because he chatted away about the old stories he used to read. Interesting! His gift: The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour, the first and second volumes in hardcover. (Hopefully, he does not read this post before tonight!)

While carrying the two volumes to the front of store, in order to cash out, I was pondering how I would catalog the works. How is that for a Hermionish moment? Even more so, this morning I woke up from a dream in which I somehow found Nazi-Germany documents from the war and was working at translating them. I must admit that I was pretty excited when I woke up, but recalled it was all just a dream...

Reflection: I analyzed a phrase heard in conversation yesterday and the context in which it was utilized -- oh how I love semantics -- my conclusion is best summed up by Rita Mae Brown, "About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for what you can do for them and some won't like you at all."

I have faults and weaknesses...a heart that I keep guarded and give only to a few...but in amongst that clutter you will my strengths, one of which is loyalty. The first line of the quote is how I live...hopefully my friends can look past my faults, mistakes and weaknesses and love me for who I am..."as is."

Books and DDC

I have been incredibly busy as of late...pardon the randomness.
 
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
(If you read the Twilight series, you obviously know how this piece ends.) Even though I knew the ending, I kept hoping it would be different as I found Bree's character to be very admirable. "Freaky Fred" was my favorite and I was disappointed that Bree did not choose him, but instead got herself killed for bad boy Diego. During the combat scene, I was amused by how Meyer chose to describe Emmett Cullen without mention of his name...yet it was obviously him she was describing.

Style: Despite being a novella, without chapters, the piece flowed very nicely. Bella's prose certainly read at a higher maturity level than Bree's perspective. First person.

Overall take: Did I miss something? What was the hype all about?

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane by Laird Koenig
(Literature to Film Club read: May). Why is this book out of print?! I could hardly put it down. I loved Koenig's style and how he implemented natural elements into his descriptions. This is certainly a book that I would not have picked up on my own. Again, I loved Koenig's writing style...beautiful.

Koenig wrote very strongly about the relationship between Rynn and Mario and I found myself becoming very attached to him. What ended up happening to Mario?! The phone call Rynn received while being held hostage by Frank the pedophile left me hanging.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
(Literature to Film Club read: June). This piece was checked out from Sandusky District Library and I found it shelved with the library's College Bound collection. Reading the flap, I predicted that I would find the piece dark and depressing; however, that was not the case with this book. Upon the initial first few pages, the book felt like it was translated due what I describe as a minimalist or Hemingway style. I could not put the book down until I knew they made it to the coast.

LIS 6210: I am really enjoying the classification part of the class. Love DDC and building numbers.

Poetry Slam this evening at Kresge Library.

Closed and Open Stacks

Greetings from Caro District Library.

I am wrapping up lecture 11 for Neavill's class (metadata and classification). I am particularly taken by this element in his lecture: "The main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue is one of the world's great research libraries. It has closed stacks, uses fixed location for shelving, and materials have to be used in the library. (The other branches of the New York Public Library are lending libraries with open stacks and books classified on the shelves.) When you visit the main branch, you find what you need in the catalog and fill out a slip indicating the fixed location noted in the catalog. You submit your requests and are given a number. About half an hour later, your number lights up on a big board in the main reading room, and you collect your books...Closed stack libraries have always been more common in Europe and other countries than in the United States."

As of yet, I have not visited a closed stack library and have found myself curious as to whether the study abroad trip this fall will provide me with an opportunity. If not, then I certainly need to take a field trip and set up a behind the scenes tour. 


My local observations:
During the early afternoon, most of the public computers were in use by adults and the fax and copy machines were going crazy! I was surprised by how many people utilize the office equipment.

As I mentioned in a previous post, this library, like the others I have visited in the Thumb area, had a community center atmosphere -- patrons were visiting with each other and talking about the various books they are reading, which crops they are going to plant this year, etc.

Right around 2:30p, the library seemed to empty out and the demographic switched to mostly tweens and teens. I feel incredibly old right now, but I am very pleased to see this library being utilized as a study and hang out spot. When the demographic shifted, a staff member began roving the various study areas in the library. Many patrons interacted with this staff member while rounds were being made. A blend between roving reference librarian and behavior observer. Very good idea.

Photo: Reading up on Categories for the Description of Works of Art in the YA area (this was taken prior to the 2:30p demographic shift -- I grabbed a table elsewhere later.)

Fun with Cataloging

JC on MARC: "Indicators! I hate these. They remind me of a key signature: sharp or flat. I digress. One-digit numbers. Sometimes used as yes/no with the definition varying by field. Not all fields use indicators."

JC on series title: "The 440 field was made obsolete in 2008 – I was looking for 490/830. Tricky, tricky!"

JC on cataloging practices pertaining to publication dates and order of preference:
"Publication date pertains to the date the work was published or made available to the public, e.g. JC Brown. The printing date is technically referred to as the manufacture date: the date the work was printed and assembled. I like to think of it as the book’s birthday. Corny, I know. Copyright date refers to the date that the work was registered with copyright office. In MARC, these items can be found in the 260 field. In cataloging practice, the publication date is preferred, but that is not always available. The next best thing is the copyright date and if that is not available…(have a cocktail)…use the printing date (aka manufacturing date). A date that is unknown is sometimes put in square brackets, e.g. [16--] for a work that is suspected of being produced in the 1600s. Early in the cataloging practice, the abbreviation 'nd' was used for 'no date'.”

LIS 6210 Midterm

I was told that some of the exams took up to 45 minutes to grade. (Holy cats!)

My grade: A-
*huge sigh of relief*

I am going to get back at it...

Lemon Parfait

This time last week, I was taking the midterm for Dr. Neavill's class. The 15-page exam took me a little over 2 hours to complete and I am not sure how I did. Considering that the exam was 15-pages long and assigned shortly before spring break, Dr. Neavill stated that grades will be posted at the end of spring break. I am incredibly curious as to how long it takes him to grade one exam and then multiple that by the number of students in the class. Lots of reading for him! After I receive my grade, I will post a few of my humorous responses to his questions.

I spent the better part of Monday afternoon at Bad Axe Area District Library doing reading for both classes. Mimi, the fabulous library director, has taken to creating small reading areas throughout the library with beautiful furniture. Instead of sitting by the fire or at the table (next to the reference section) as I usually do, I gave one of the areas a try. My "spot" was at the end of the first adult fiction stack. The chair looked to be antique and I was skeptical as to its comfort, but I must admit, I loved it and found the area to be a lot less distracting. It was very relaxing. Creating small, intimate reading areas is brilliant idea and I hope to follow suit when practicing librarianship. I also admire the energy saving motion-activated lights in each stack.

However tempted I was to check out another book from the library, I abstained and finally started reading book thirteen in the Wheel of Time series Towers of Midnight co-authored by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Not necessarily my cup of tea, but I love the military references/strategy descriptions, as well as the conversation piece it holds with my father (he recommended the series and loves to discuss it).

Yesterday, I continued work on my WSU e-portfolio (different than my website).

Tomorrow, I am joining ALA@Wayne for a tour of the Library of Michigan, Law Library, and the Martha W. Griffiths Rare Book Room. Pretty excited.

Side notes: I love the Vera Bradley lemon parfait pattern.
I applied for my passport today! "The open book symbolizes 'knowledge' and the burning lamp symbolizes 'a light to study by'."

A Day of Libraries

This afternoon, I visited Bad Axe Area District Library and reviewed three classes/lectures for LIS 6210's upcoming midterm. The exam counts for 45% of my grade. Chatting with a few of my classmates, it seems that we are all a bit anxious about this exam. While at BAADL, I traded The Holocaust Encyclopedia for Patton and Rommel: Men of War in the Twentieth Century.

After getting some serious studying done, I visited Sandusky District Library and renewed my book for Literature to Film Club: An Education by Lynn Barber.

I think I would like to collect Seymour Lubetzky's work...
Studies of Descriptive Cataloging (1946)
Cataloging Rules and Principles (1953)
Code of Cataloging Rules (1960)
Principles of Cataloging (1969)

Hermionish Playlist

I love writing papers and working on assignments while listening to some tunes. I updated my Hermionish playlist via YouTube. This morning, I studied for Neavill's midterm, wrapped up a capital budget request for LIS 7040, and submitted an essay for a scholarship...

>

Invitation

Holy cats! Yesterday, while taking a study break, I checked my WSU email from my phone and found an invitation to join
Golden Key International Honour Society.

I must admit, this Hermionish moment totally made my day.

Back to studying for Dr. Neavill's midterm...

Midterm Studying

Studying for my LIS 6210 midterm...Oxford Public Library.

Literature to Film Club tonight! (The Virgin Suicides)

Authorized Personal Names

For LIS 6210, I just completed the OCLC Connexion Authority File Exercise...but played around a little bit further to look up a couple of my favorite authors who have multiple names: John Irving (John Wallace Blunt, Jr) and J.K. Rowling (Joanne Rowling...born with no middle name).

Irving:
100: Irving, John, $d 1942 --
400: (more in other languages, but no further English versions)

Rowling:
100: Rowling, J.K.
400: Rowling, Joanne K., $q (Joanne Kathleen)
400: Rowling, Jo
400: Scamander, Newt
400: Whisp, Kennilworthy
400: (a few more, but in other languages)
670: J.K. Rowling, c2002, $b p.9 (Joanne Kathleen Rowling; Jo is still the name she likes to be called)

Lord Porn and Dr. Death: A Cataloging Conundrum

Here is an interesting discussion question from LIS 6210 posted by Dr. Neavill:

"...Around 1970 an eccentric English peer, Lord Longford, undertook a one-man investigation into pornography in London. He was a moderately well-known public figure and came from a literary family. His wife, Elizabeth Longford, and their daughter, Antonia Fraser, are well-known writers; at one time Antonia Fraser was married the playwright Harold Pinter. Lord Longford’s attitude toward pornography was out of synch with the prevailing ethos of “ swinging London,” and the sensational British press had a field day covering his investigation. Journalists dubbed him “Lord Porn” and followed him around on his visits to Soho strip clubs. He’d emerge from one club, declare how awful it was, and dart into another. In due course he wrote and published a 520 page report. Many people looking for the report remember him as “Lord Porn” but may not know his real name. Should “Lord Porn” be assigned as an access point to the report? Some points to consider: “Lord Porn” was a name bestowed by the press and wasn’t used by Lord Longford himself. It doesn’t appear on the title page. In general, should a library catalog establish such nicknames in the catalog, either as access points or cross references?"

My stance:
Growing up in the suburbs of Oakland County, I recall hearing news casts about Doctor Jack Kevorkian, who was frequently referred to as "Dr. Death." Completing a general Google search using the term "Dr. Death", yielded a Wikipedia entry listing people commonly referred to as "Dr. Death" -- among the names listed: Jack Kevorkian. Years later, it is not surprising to find his proper name escaping the memory of those discussing the topic of assisted suicide.

The spirit of the library catalog is to facilitate the access of information. While I personally do not feel that bestowed nicknames should be included, it follows the spirit of the catalog; therefore, my answer is grudgingly affirmative in nature. As a fellow student noted, a cross reference should be utilized, much like catalogs have done with Samuel L. Clemens and Mark Twain.

Lord Porn Evidence:

• Time Magazine: October 2, 1972 (The Law: Lorn Porn's Report)
• LIFE: November 3, 1972 (Lord Porn: A Noble Briton Leads a Battle Against 'Filth')
• Obituary: Controversial peer Lord Longford dies... (reference to Lord Porn)
• Wikipedia Entry: Frank Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford (reference to Lorn Porn in the "campaigning" section of the entry)

What is your stance?

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.