On Thursday, I submitted the capstone project for LIS 7996, the research proposal, which just happened to be the very last course assignment I had for library school (outside of the e-portfolio). The feeling I had was indescribable -- bittersweet, only begins to sum it up. I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey and have been reflecting upon my personal as well as professional growth.
With that said, I have started to work on my reflective essay which is a component of the e-portfolio, a requirement for graduation that is due on March 3. Ultimately, I'd like to have the essay in draft form by the first of the year. I am thinking that I'll likely share the content via this blog since it captures my library school journey.
Selecting just three learning outcomes to write about in my reflective essay has been quite challenging thus far -- I have so much to say and very a limited space to do so...
Yesterday evening, I officially completed LIS 7640 -- my public library practicum: I logged my last few hours at CADL, wrote a blog post about my activities and observations, and published a summary of my overall experience!
I wrote:
My practicum experience mainly focused on surveying both the legal
community as well as the library's patrons as to their legal information
needs, reviewing and then weeding the library's legal collection, and
creating a pathfinder of legal resources. For these projects, I utilized
knowledge and skills acquired from LIS 7340 (Collection Development
with Dr. Holley).
My secondary projects involved creating three
annotated bibliographies for the library's young adult department --
Hunger Games Read-Alikes, Exploring Books Across Genres: A Guide to Teen
Lit for Girls, and Exploring Books Across Genres: A Guide to Teen Lit
for Guys. For these projects, I utilized knowledge and skills acquired
in LIS 6530 (Young Adult Literature with Suzanne Todd) and LIS 7250
(Programming for Children and Young Adults with Suzanne Todd).
I am very satisfied with my experience and I am aware that my site supervisor is satisfied as well: "You give me new faith in the profession and what it is and will be. Thanks for everything you’ve done and especially the joy and enthusiasm you bring." Dievendorf provided me with a copy of my evaluation and it honestly brought tears to my eyes -- it was that touching. While CADL is not currently hiring, I have been asked if I would be interested in working on additional projects for the library. I am honored and have already made arrangements to do so.
As part of our final practicum posting, it was optional to provide a picture. Before leaving, I made a point to take snap a picture (via my webcam) which I've embedded in this post. I would have much rather used this picture (which I snapped on my way to my practicum earlier in the week):
So...now all I have left is finishing up my research proposal for LIS 7996. Currently, I am over halfway done writing the literature review and then I will be onto methodology, analysis of the data, limitations, and possibilities for future research.
In the next day or so, I'll share photos from my practicum experience -- mostly snapshots of various books in which I encountered while working. Only the bibliophiles out there will likely appreciate them.
Last night, shortly before calling it a day, I received feedback from Dr. Charbonneau concerning the outline I submitted for my research proposal in LIS 7996 which just happens to be the capstone project.
With the proposal due in just two weeks (12/9 @ 9p), in the spirit of being proactive, I spent the better part of the day working on the draft -- mostly the introduction which included: statement of the problem (my topic); conceptualization of censorship, intellectual freedom, challenges, expressions of concern, oral complaints, written complaints, public attacks; and the purpose of the study. (Nearly three pages of content.) Tomorrow, I will focus on laying out the research questions and the literature review.
It is my sincere hope to actually conduct the proposed study with my friend and LIS colleague, Janet Curtiss.
Unfortunately, after an unexpected BoS while working on my outline last week, I've been dealing with Office 2007 stability issues on my laptop, Patton, ever since. I haven't been able to successfully format my document without the program locking up. I'm currently downloading Office 2010 from the School of Library and Information Science in hopes of rectifying the issue. I really don't want to work on this project upstairs in my office on the desktop. *fingers crossed* (Thank you, Jaysen, for tech support and listening to me rant earlier.)
Breakfast for the brain: cheese omelet, hash browns, and rye toast
As far as library school goes, I am down to a mere three weeks of class left. It's surreal... In some ways, it feels like just yesterday that I started graduate school...yet, when I look at my personal and professional growth, it feels like a decade has passed rather than 2.5 years.
I remember how nerved up I was first visiting campus in December of 2009, as a prospective student, gathering information and vacillating about applying for admission into the program. And now, in just a couple of months, I'll be applying for graduation. I might have mentioned this before, but I've never "walked" for any of my degrees, including high school, and would like to participate in the big Spring graduation with my LIS friends and colleagues. Totally geeked!
Speaking of my LIS friends and colleagues as well as professors, I am ever grateful for them and the experiences in which we've shared together throughout the course of my tenure as a MLIS candidate.
So what have I been up to this semester?
Trustee: Earlier this week, I was notified by the Sanilac County
Board of Canvassers that I received a sufficient number of votes and
have been elected to the position of Watertown Township trustee. My term
began on Tuesday, November 20 at 12:00p and will run through 2016.
I'll
be officially sworn in at the next township board meeting on Tuesday,
December 4. Look for an update with photos from that experience.
Practicum (LIS 7640): I've been spending time at Caro Area District Library working on projects for the Tuscola County Law Library which entailed reviewing/weeding the 340s, surveying patrons and the legal profession as to their various information needs, exploring/comparing databases of court forms, and building a comprehensive legal resources pathfinder for the community. (For viewing and/or download: cadl.legalresources.pathfinder)
In addition to the law library content, I custom tailored two YA bibliographies for CADL in which I developed for LIS 6530 (YA Lit) and LIS 7250 (Programming for Children and YA) -- Hunger Games Read-Alikes and Exploring Books Across Genres: A Guide to Teen Lit for Girls. (For viewing and/or download: cadl.hungergames and cadl.exploring)
Yesterday, the library director, who has supervised my experience, sent me a copy of the student evaluation she turned into the practicum coordinator -- a glowing review -- which made me quite misty-eyed when I read her comments and the body of the email.
LIS 7996: I've been working my way through the readings, assignments, and lectures. Last week, I submitted the outline for my research proposal and am currently awaiting feedback.
My topic: Since Class 1 - 3-sized libraries make up 60% of Michigan's public libraries, my proposed study aims to explore the presence (or lack thereof) collection development policies and training pertaining to censorship/intellectual freedom in Class 1 – 3 public libraries in Michigan which will help to paint a picture showing the importance of increasing training and the availability of workshops on the issue.
Earlier this month, I made a post about studying for the midterm. Here's how I did -- cut/paste from an email: "Well done on your LIS 7996 midterm exam. You got a perfect score! The midterm was worth 25 points." Rock on!
Reading: I haven't had much time for pleasure reading this semester; however, I have managed to squeeze in the Fifty Shades trilogy by E.L. James, The Kill Order by James Dashner (the newly released prequel to The Maze Runner trilogy), and Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick (sequel to Ashes). Currently, I am reading A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Next in my queue: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows and A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin (Book 2 in 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series).
Busy doesn't even begin to describe this semester...and I cannot get over how fast it's moving along. It's been a whirlwind...
I've been spending my time doing homework/reading for LIS 7996, working at my practicum site (Caro Area District Library), and attending workshops to broaden my learning experiences...
Earlier in October, as part of my practicum project, I launched a survey in hopes of raising awareness and gaining insight into the information needs and practices of the legal community in Tuscola County. This morning, a similar survey targeting patrons and their legal information needs was launched within the library.
Last week, I attended two "meet the candidate" sessions at Thumb area libraries which were facilitated by Bryon Sitler, Director of White Pine Library Cooperative. Session 1 was at Rawson Memorial District Library and featured 84th District House candidates Terry Brown (D) and Dan Grimshaw (R). The second session was held at Sandusky District Library and featured 83rd District House candidate Carol Campbell (D) -- Paul Muxlow (R, incumbent) was not present. All of the questions in which Sitler asked were relevant to libraries and the various issues in which they face.
Last night, I received notification from Academic Records that my final grade for LIS 6530 (Young Adult Literature) had been posted: 4.0, thus making my cumulative GPA a 3.94.
Here's a screen capture...
Just two more classes and my MLIS + graduate certificate will be complete!
Well...it's official. This morning I filed my paperwork and am now an official candidate and will be placed on the November ballot for the position of Watertown Township trustee.
You might ask, "What's your party affiliation, JC?"
Answer: I am running without party affiliation.
And to be completely honest, I'd like to keep it that way in the future, if possible.
The bookish view (keeping with the theme of this blog!):
If I get elected, which is highly probable due to the fact that I am running unopposed (and the deadline to file is Thursday, July 19th at 4:00p), I'll be in the market for a new book club as the Oakland University Alumni Association's Lit to Film Club meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00p...which just happens to be at the very same day/time as township board meetings. It's quite disappointing that I won't be able to attend as it's something I've done and thoroughly enjoyed since September 2008; I am going to really miss the whole group, but especially the amazing Anne Switzer. My civic duty is calling ("Hey, JC! Over here!")...and the trustee position has been on my radar for quite a few years time now.
Throughout my student tenure in library school, I've made a point of sharing my grades via this blog:
My classes were:
LIS 7250 - Programming and Services for Children and Young Adults
LIS 7790 - History of Books, Printing, and Publishing
My class for Spring/Summer 2012 term:
LIS 6530 - Young Adult Literature
(Note: My cumulative GPA was a 4.0 until I took LIS 6210 -- Organization of Knowledge aka Cataloging -- last winter term and got a B+. It's now a 3.93.)
Tomorrow, the Small & Rural Libraries conference begins and like just about every conference there will be multiple concurrent break-out sessions. For me, which sessions to attend is always a challenge because there are so many interesting topics. It's times like these that I wish I had learned to clone myself or had access to Hermione's time-turner necklace procured from the Department of Mysteries.
Here's a breakdown of which sessions I plan on attending...
Wednesday, May 2
1:45 - 3:00p -- Torn between two sessions and decided upon...
Get Anime-ted! Get Graphic! Adding Graphic Novels, Anime, and Manga to Your Collection
This introductory program is focused on practical advice for developing and maintaining a graphic novel/manga/anime collection. It includes a brief history of the literature, information about selection of materials and other resources, displays and marketing, and using various types of feedback to build the collection.
3:15 - 4:30p -- No-brainer:
Problem Patrons: Addressing and Responding to Patron Behavior
Do you have patrons who consistently break library rules? Do you have patrons who are disruptive? Has patron behavior ever shocked you? This session will help libraries identify what policies they need to effectively deal with problem patrons and provide guidance on how to enforce them, as well as how to respond to police involvement in patron behavior situations.
Thursday, May 3
10:00 - 11:15a -- No-brainer! Dr. Holley is presenting!
Digital Resources and the Rural Library: Not as Simple as It Seems
Access to digital resources including ebooks, databases, and digital collections greatly expands the amount of information available to the users of rural libraries. These resources, however, require rural librarians to consider some potentially challenging issues. Should the small library provide access to digital resources that it would never add to the print collection?
1:15 - 2:30p -- No-brainer:
Got GLBT?
This presentation will explain the importance of having gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender material available in small and rural libraries. Online resources for collection development, what types of organizations are available in your area to provide informational presentations, popular authors that cover the topic and what to do if a patron objects to this type of material will be covered.
3:30 - 4:45p -- Torn between three and decided on this:
Thingamabobs and Doodads: Tech Support IS Reference
Library users often rely on staff for technology support. This session will describe core technology competencies required by library staff, especially at the reference desk, to capably help library users. We will discuss how tech support is directly related to customer service and library relevancy. Librarians and support staff will be inspired to provide tech support as a means to market library services - and themselves – as vital resources to the community.
Friday, May 4
10:45a - 12:00p -- Torn between two and decided upon:
Non-Fiction Reader Advisory for Everyone
Not sure how to break the ice and “sell” non-fiction? Not a big non-fiction reader? No problem! Everyone has something to share in the world of reader advisory. This program is designed to help librarians develop strategies for talking about non-fiction with all patrons and create a personal go-to list of titles -- even if your knowledge and experience of non-fiction are limited.
Yesterday evening, fellow MLIS candidate Janet and I took a road trip to downtown Detroit in order to attend the School of Library and Information Science - Annual Recognition Ceremony.
We both had a fabulous time. I thoroughly enjoyed watching my classmates be honored and recognized for their achievements -- and was even able to officially meet several other candidates and even a professor with whom I've only had the opportunity to chat with via email. I was recognized, with seven others, as a recipient of the H.W. Wilson Scholarship.
We left right at 8:00p and I made it home just shortly before 10:00p. I was completely exhausted, which I attribute to all of the work I've been doing in order to finish final projects for this semester, and ended up hardly reading much further in The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston. Hopefully, I can finish the book tonight. We'll see...
Update (5.9.2012): The School of Library and Information Science uploaded a collection of photos from the event to their Facebook page.
For some time now, the accessions committee for the Sanilac County Historical Society has been talking about reworking the military room at the museum. We've talked about getting folks from the local VFW chapter to help us identify many of the unknown artifacts so that we can create some order amidst the chaos. Like most organizations, arranging the "us" part was challenging -- in other words, getting members to step up to the plate in order to work on the project. Considering my love of military history, I was eager...even giddy; however, with the 30Y.30L project in full swing, three kidney stones still doing the cha-cha in my side, not to mention the three graduate classes I was carrying last semester, I was stretched pretty thin and unable to pick up any more projects. Of course, after the holidays and winter term was underway, I knew that I would be able to devote time and energy to a new project.
I am pleased to say that the day has finally come! Early this afternoon, I'll be picking up a pizza in town and cruising over to the beautiful mansion to meet two of my favorite museum comrades and a local veteran. I'm downright giddy. Photos to come...
Fact: Did you know that the Society's archives collection has original letters from Sanilac County soldiers writing home to their families during the Civil War? I was pretty much in awe when Clarkson and Spellmeyer were working on their digitization and transcription project last summer.
30Y.30L Update:
Thank you notes are almost done! I've managed to kill a brand new pen. (Lots of writing!) I also hope to have two more posts written and published by the end of this week.
Yesterday on the SLIS listserv, I discovered the following job posting:
Does being paid to spend the summer in Northern Michigan in your own
cabin on beautiful Douglas Lake sound like a dream come true? The
University of Michigan Biological Station Library, located 265 miles
north of Ann Arbor, is recruiting for the Summer Librarian position.
Working closely with the Science Library, this unique position serves
as the librarian and on-site manager of the Library program for the
Summer session (June 22 - Aug 20).
Duties include: reference and instruction, interlibrary loan, reserves
maintenance, and general operations. Compensation will include room
and board at the Station during the Summer session, as well as a long
weekend in mid-May.
Minimum qualifications: ALA-accredited MLS
degree or equivalent, or currently a student in an ALA-accredited
program, with a strong interest in public service. Previous public
service experience in an undergraduate or science library is strongly
preferred. A science background is desired, but not required.
The very first friend in which I made after moving to the sticks just six years ago is Andrea. She highly recommended the book: The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love by Kristin Kimball and said that I would likely relate to it.
Taking three classes, two of which were literature-based, I didn't have much time for pleasure reading this past term so it was tabled until at least mid-December. A family member was between books so I lent The Dirty Life to them and soon learned that they were moved by the piece and admitted to devouring it in just a few sessions.
Since I am officially on winter break, I have carte blanche to stay up late and read whatever my heart desires. Last night, I finished the book and all I can say is: holy cats! What a terrific read. And yes, I certainly related to the book.
One of the gorgeous and highly annoying things about Mark's personality is that, once he bites into an idea, he'll worry it to death, exploring every possibility, expanding it to the point of absurdity and then shrinking it back down, molding it around different premises, and bending logic, when necessary, to cram it into a given situation. No matter what he is doing or saying or thinking, the idea is perking away in the background of his formidable brain, details accruing. Bits of it will surface, iceberglike, in a burst of chatter, but the bulk of it remains hidden until whole thing appears at once, fully formed and fiercely defended (p. 57 - 58).
My dirty life: plowing with a 1937 JD this past August
Kimball apparently described me to a T. (insert sheepish grin)
Publishers Weekly said the following about The Dirty Life:
Kimball chucked life as a Manhattan journalist to start a cooperative
farm in upstate New York with a self-taught New Paltz farmer she had
interviewed for a story and later married. The Harvard-educated author,
in her 30s, and Mark, also college educated and resolved to "live
outside of the river of consumption," eventually found an arable
500-acre farm on Lake Champlain, first to lease then to buy. In this
poignant, candid chronicle by season, Kimball writes how she and Mark
infused new life into Essex Farm, and lost their hearts to it. By dint
of hard work and smart planning--using draft horses rather than tractors
to plow the five acres of vegetables, and raising dairy cows, and
cattle, pigs, and hens for slaughter--they eventually produced a
cooperative on the CSA model, in which members were able to buy a fully
rounded diet. To create a self-sustaining farm was enormously ambitious,
and neighbors, while well-meaning, expected them to fail. However, the
couple, relying on Mark's belief in a "magic circle" of good luck,
exhausted their savings and set to work. Once June hit, there was the
100-day growing season and an overabundance of vegetables to eat, and no
end to the dirty, hard, fiercely satisfying tasks, winningly depicted
by Kimball.
My Thoughts:
If non-fiction is your cup of tea and you enjoy reading memoirs, I highly suggest this book -- particularly if you are interested in the "country life." Even if non-fiction isn't your ideal read, I found this book to be very entertaining. It made me laugh, sigh, and even get misty-eyed.
Being proactive due to my plate being full with my other two classes, I just submitted an assignment for LIS 6510 that is due on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The assignment called for me to select a book written or illustrated by a native Michigander.
Selection
Bergel, C. (2000). Mail by the pail. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.
Being a lover of history, earlier this semester I toured the Huron Light Ship museum in Port Huron. As the tour was concluding, I asked the docent as to what made him interested in the Light Ship: he told me a story about how his father used to deliver mail to the ships on the St. Clair River / Detroit River. When he was young, it was an occasional treat to accompany his father on a very small boat while delivering the mail to the men on the freighters. After resuming my studies later that day, I was pleased to see this individual assignment via the syllabus. I knew that I wanted to do find a book about the Great Lakes and freighters. Thanks to the Michigan DNR website, I was able to quickly and easily find this book.
J.W. Westcott II
Photo from Boatnerd.com
Summary
Published in 2000 by Wayne State University Press, the book tells a story about a family in which the father works aboard a Great Lakes freighter named the Big Laker. Because the father's cell phone is broke, he is unable to call home and instead writes letters. Learning that her father would not be home for his upcoming birthday, she creates a birthday card and begins to wonder how he sends and receives mail while aboard the freighter. The mother explains the process by introducing the concept of a unique marine post office operated by the J.W. Westcott Company. Operating 24/7 during the shipping season, the mail is organized and sorted by ship and delivered via a small boat, the J.W. Westcott II, once the freighter enters the shipping channel in the Detroit River. Mail and parcels are transferred between the delivery boat and the freighter via pail hence the book's title Mail by the Pail. At the close of the story, an entire page is dedicated to the history of the J.W. Westcott Company.
Subjects:
Postal service -- Michigan, Lake -- Juvenile fiction.
Ship letters -- Juvenile fiction.
Fathers and daughters -- Juvenile Fiction.
Evaluation
Based on readability and the illustrations, this book would be appropriate for students in the later part of first grade through third grade. Although the older students might not enjoy the story, I am certain that they will be impressed by the concept of "mail by the pail." The story weaves together fiction and non-fiction giving the reader a lesson on the Great Lakes and a historical Michigan company. Bergel includes a brief synopsis, embedded within the story, of how to address an envelope: what element goes where (return address, upper left-hand corner; delivery address, centered; postage, upper right-hand corner) -- this book would appropriately supplement letter writing exercises in the classroom.
Earlier yesterday, I registered for Winter 2012 term.
LIS 7250: Programming and Services for Children and Young Adults with Suzanne Todd
Principles and procedures for planning, managing and delivery of public library services to children and young adults.
LIS 7790: History of Books, Printing, and Publishing with Dr. Barry Neavill
Development of writing, the alphabet, early materials, manuscripts,
paper making, invention and spread of printing, famous presses, modern
methods of print and electronic production. The book as artistic output
of the culture and part of the world in which it was produced.
I might add:
LIS 6520: Survey and Analysis of Current Lit for Children Grades 4 - 8 with Dr. Walster
Intensive examination of books appropriate for children in grades four
through eight. Analysis of literary and extra-literary factors affecting
the older child's experiences with fiction and nonfiction.
The School of Library and Information Science on course load:
A student with a strong academic record who is devoting full-time to
graduate study and carrying no outside employment may register in the
School not to exceed twelve credits per semester. A student engaged in
part-time work should limit registration in proportion to the amount of
outside work. A student employed full-time will normally not register in
excess of six credits. Students who wish to carry more than nine
credits per semester must obtain permission from their advisor. Graduate
Assistants are required to register for six to nine credits each
semester. The University considers a program of eight graduate credits
per semester to be full-time study.
While I certainly have a strong academic record, I am skeptical about taking three classes considering that one of the two is with Dr. Neavill. Recalling last winter, the workload for his class was quite heavy and challenging. After all, I would like to be able to resume interning with the Sanilac County Historical Society.
Taking three graduate classes, keeping up with the coursework, plus ending up in the emergency room with four kidney stones has left me behind in blogging about this adventure. On Sunday, September 11, 2011, I visited the Fairy Tale Art: Illustrations from Children's Books at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. The exhibit was housed in the handsome Ford Cottage which added to the overall storybook and magical feeling.
While I enjoyed all of the works, I was particularly taken with The Rainbabies (1992) by Laura Krauss Melmed which was illustrated by Jim LaMarche (featured in my slideshow). Being a huge fan of woodcuts, I practically drooled when I saw The Mad Hatter by Barry Moser (1982) which was featured in Lewis Carroll's Alice: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland(1982).
