Practicum Experience

Here's a few photos that I captured during my practicum experience. Word of caution: only fellow bibliophiles will likely appreciate them!

Final, Final Grades

It's weird to think that this is the last time I'll post anything about grades outside of my e-portfolio. Here they are for Fall 2012 term:

LIS 7640: Practicum = S (Satisfactory -- pass/fail)
LIS 7996: Research Methods = A (4.0)

I'll be graduating with a cumulative grade point average of 3.94. Could be better, but still not too shabby...

Currently reading: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. 

Practicum: Complete

Utterly exhausted...

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.

Surreal

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).

Go Placidly

I've not forgotten about this blog. Promise.

Between class, my practicum, workshops/trainings, the election (yes, I am now an elected township official) and some unfortunate family drama, I've had quite a bit on my plate lately. My practicum has been going extremely well. I have been loving every minute and will be sad once I've reached my hours. Unfortunately, the library is not in a position to hire at this time.

Tomorrow is a homework day. I hope to have the outline for my research proposal for LIS 7996 complete or at least as close to complete as possible.

Until I can write a more substantial post, I'll leave you with a poem which was recently shared by a library colleague and is incredibly fitting...

Desiderata (1927) by Max Erhmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Whirlwind

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.

Terry Brown (D), Me, Dan Grimshaw (R)

Carol Campbell (D) and I

To bed I go...

Practicum Update

Loving my practicum experience thus far and wishing that I could just focus my time, energy, and effort at my site this semester instead of taking a second class. My project for the semester entails working with the library's legal collection -- the 340s -- which includes resources for the area attorneys (CADL houses materials for the county law library) and building pathfinders/annotated bibliographies for the patron-base. After surveying the collection, I'll putting together a survey for the two populations in order to better understand their information needs.

I've been drawing on a lot of content in which I learned from my Collection Development class (dankeschön, Dr. Holley) as well as recalling my professional experiences in working with the legal community as well as clients needing legal advocacy. I'm thrilled to be working on this project for the library!

A Fair Assessment

From the epigraph in chapter 4 of Applications of Social Research Methods to Questions in Information and Library Science (Wildemuth, 2009): 

"To describe is to draw a picture of what happened, or of how things are proceeding, or of what a situation or a person or an event is like. Description is concerned with making complicated things understandable." --Keith Punch (1998)

This afternoon, I start my practicum at Caro Area District Library under the supervision of Library Director Marcia Dievendorf. To say that I am excited is an understatement and to mention that I am nervous is a fair assessment. For my practicum class, I am required to keep a blog (embedded within Blackboard) to record my candid thoughts, observations, and reflections. I plan on doing a watered-down version here that will just capture my experiences without reporting any sensitive or confidential information.

In other bookish news, yesterday afternoon, I picked up materials from Sandusky District Library for the upcoming book discussion groups that I am leading for The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I've been squeezing in a chapter here and there in between my readings for LIS 7996 so that the story will be fresh in my mind. I should probably record my thoughts and a few of my favorite passages here...

Practicum

My practicum site has been arranged: Caro Area District Library. I start in September.

Very geeked...and yet quite nervous.

In other news, last night I attended a lecture at the Holocaust Memorial Center -- Hate Speech in Cyberspace -- by Dr. Jack Kay, Eastern Michigan University. Tomorrow, I am attending a workshop hosted by the Michigan Historical Society -- Copyright Issues for Historic Collections.

The End is Near

I just registered for the very last class needed to complete my POW for a MLIS: a practicum!
I'm still awaiting word on where I'll be placed...and hoping that the library will be in a
position to hire in the near future. *fingers crossed*