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Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 11:44:42 -0400 (EDT)
To: pubyac-digest@nysernet.org
Subject: pubyac V1 #676
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 20:43:30 EDT
From: Susan259@aol.com
Subject: Re: Re: Library School
It has been almost a year since I recieved my degree (MLIS). While I have
elarned a lot on the job, I am happy to report that much of what I had
learned in classes has been very useful. And NOT just the classes that were
related to my specific area of interest either. As I read everyone else's
responses, I realize part of the reason the classes were so effective was the
effort that the professors made to balance theory and practicality--i.e. read
the theories (textbooks, journal articles), then try the activities--design a
library, review this book, solve this management proble, answer these
refernce questions and so on.
Susan Smith, MLIS
Children's Librarian and Proud Graduate of the University of Oklahoma School
of LIbrary and Information Studies
Woodland West Branch
Arlington Public LIbrary
Arlington, Texas
PS I received 2 very useful degrees from OU--the other was in English. I can
write well and think critically, and I have my undergraduate professors to
thank.
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 11:21:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: carmel <carmel@ulysses.sebridge.org>
Subject: Re: question about checkout out books without card
At our library we require either a card or a driver's license. We are
automated so we can look a person's card number up, but we require ID.
Children cannot get cards under the age of 16 without a parent's signature.
We encourage cards, but will take positive ID instead. Our system is
talking about offering remote access to the databases that the libraries
subscribe to. These will require the input of a library card number to
access it. Our feeling is people need to have credit cards, bankbooks,
check cashing cards at the grocery stores. What's so amazing about
having to have a library card for the library? Marilyn Schlansky,
Carmel, NY
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 09:28:45 -0400
From: "K. Borchers" <kborch@netra.clc.lib.oh.us>
Subject: Library School
As a recent graduate, I find I have been using a lot of what I learned in
school. I am relatively young and had little previous experience, but as a
children's librarian with an undergraduate degree in journalism, I don't know
how else I would have learned about developmental stages, storytelling,
booktalking, etc. There were quite a few projects I scoffed at while I was in
school
that I frequently use--now. The most useful aspect of school has been the
programs
that I and my fellow students planned and shared with each other. If they were
to
come to my library, they would recognize many of the booklists and programs.
While in school I also worked in a student library and at the undergraduate
reference desk. This experience has definitely contributed to what I learned.
It helped me take away even more from my classes. Work kept me practical while
the
classes gave me the theory and the reasons for what I did. I could not have
asked for
a better degree. It was worth the year and a half I took off from a full time
job.
Other benefits of library school:
Meeting other librarians and networking!
An opportunity to learn and use computer programs and databases!
Higher salary than if you didn't have the degree
Kate Borchers, MLS Indiana University (1998)
Grandview Heights Public Library
Youth Services Department
Columbus, OH
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 20:41:48 EDT
From: Naughyde@aol.com
Subject: Re wrestling books
I don't really have anything to add to this discussion other than to say it
is about time PUBYAC tackled the pro wrestling issue head-on. Let me tell
you some books NOT to buy - i was a teenage professional wrestler by Ted
Lewin and The Biographical DIctionary of professional wrestling published by
McFarland. The first is a "nostalic" look so, no Stone Cold. The
second is
really a reference book. Neither of these are going to appeal to most YAs,
instead.....as we suggested, is to load up on wrestling magazines. For those
of you have not been watching, you should know however that the new WWF
slogan is "WWW attitude: get it" and they are really pushing a very
risque
product now, a far cry from the days of the Hulkster. The WWF magazine is
aimed at older teens, while the "raw" magazine is best described by
its title
and is really an adult magazine. A new good one is Wrestling Wow which is a
"smark" magazine - that is, aimed at kids who know the whole thing is
a work
and are interested in the "inside" dope. All the stuff from the makers
of
Pro Wrestling Illustrated (London Publishers) is real good. They tend ot
feature a little bit more on the smaller promotions and also still run bloody
photos.
For more information, although it is a few years old, check out my article
"Hulking Up: Libraries and Professional Wrestling" in Popular Culture
in
Libraries (Vol 2; no 1) p 15-26.
A fun little program we do in our ASPIRE
(http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/youth/aspire) is to library/internet worksheets
around the time of a big WWF payperview. We'll ask the kids to go to the WWF
web site and find, for example, the home town of a wrestler. Then they go to
the almanac and find out how folks live there, then need to answer how many
more (or less) is that live in Houston. It is a goofy little ways to teach
library skills. If anyone wants to copy of the Wrestlemania one, send me a
SASE:
Patrick Jones
Houston Public Library
(home of the Texas Library Association's Project of the Year - the Power Card)
500 McKinney
Houston TX 77002
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
What's So Scary About R.L. Stine? Find out the answer at:
http://members.aol.com/naughyde/rlstine.htm
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:22:32 -0400
From: vjohnson@baystate.edu (Virginia Johnson)
Subject: Re: Officer Buckle craft
>>I am intrested in reading Officer Buckle and Gloria to my k-2 storytime
>program. I would like to do a craft that is related to the story. Any
>suggestions
Christine -
How about a post-it (or "stickies") collage? They come in lots of
great
colors, and are easy to apply. Just a thought...
Ginny
vjohnson@baystate.edu
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 17:12:15 -0400
From: "Jerry Kuntz" <jkuntz@rcls.org>
Subject: Youth violence warning signs bookmark
...someone far more on the ball suggested we add the following link to the
KidsClick! search guide (which we did):
<http://helping.apa.org/warningsigns/index.html>
>
> The site focuses on helping youth to identify warning signs
> of violent behavior and how to get help if they recognize these
> signs in themselves or their peers.
>
Jerry Kuntz
Ramapo Catskill Library System
jkuntz@rcls.org
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:55:42 MST7MDT
From: "Bridgett Johnson" <BRIDGETT@lewis-carnegie-library.org>
Subject: Re: Officer Buckle craft
We had one of our local law enforcement officers come to read the story. He had
stickers and showed us his patrol car. The kids loved it.
Bridgett Johnson,Youth Services Librarian
Lewistown Public Library, 701 W. Main, Lewistown, Montana 59457
(406) 538 - 8559 bridgett@lewis-carnegie-library.org
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 13:57:27 -0500
From: "Hicks, Marcia" <MHardmon@ci.greenville.tx.us>
Subject: [none]
Subject: UFO puppet craft
I can't believe I lost it! I just had it in my hand! Several months ago
someone posted a very cute idea for making a UFO puppet. It involved
using two disposable bowls attached together to make the spaceship and
finger puppets for the aliens. I liked it so much, I printed it and put
it in my craft notebook. I took it out two days ago and promptly lost
it! If you are still out there, will you please send me the particulars
on this craft or post it to the list. I tried the archives, but the
system I'm on would not open the keyword search for me. TIA.
Marcia Hicks
Children's Librarian
W. Walworth Harrison Public Library
Greenville, TX 75401
mhardmon@ci.greenville.tx.us <mailto:mhardmon@ci.greenville.tx.us>
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:49:59
From: Nancy Randle <nrandle@tbpl.thunder-bay.on.ca>
Subject: Library Sleepovers
We are considering a sleepover at the library. Has anyone actually had this
type of program? We have a few questions about such a program, please bear
with me.
1. What age group should this be? What age group is best?
2. How many should you register?
3. What type of activities did you do?
4. What time should this program begin?
5. What time should this program end?
6. What type of snacks were served?
7. How are safety concerns, responsibility etc handled?
Any other comments or suggestions would be helpful. I thank you for any
help that you can offer. Nancy Randle
Nancy Randle
nrandle@tbpl.thunder-bay.on.ca
Thunder Bay Public Library
285 Red River Road
Thunder Bay, Ontario
P7B 1A9
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 10:59:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Teri Titus <titust@pls.lib.ca.us>
Subject: Re: question about checkout out books without card
An ongoing problem... while we have no illusions about trying to stop it,
we do try to lessen the frequency.. We have signs on the circ terminals
that say "Thank you for bringing your library card." We have a similar
message on the date due receipts. We encourage patrons
to use Self-Check, which requires a card. For those who do not have their
card, we ask them to fill out a "One Day Library Pass". We hope that
after a time or two patrons will realize it is easier to bring their card.
The one day pass asks for name, address, phone & signature. This also
makes it easier for staff to look up patron's card number.
A gentle persuasion approach that is somewhat helpful in reducing, but not
illiminating the problem of non-card-carrying patrons...
)
(
- ---------------^-^--------------------------------
'!'
Teri Titus, Belmont Branch Library, SMCo
1110 Alameda, Belmont, CA 94002
titust@pls.lib.ca.us
phone: 650-591-8286 x222 voice mail 650-591-8286 x321
fax: 650-591-1195
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_^^ysTeri-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 12:31:08 -0600
From: Carolyn Groves <cgroves@will.state.wy.us>
Subject: checking out without a card/MLS degree
After a staff training day on how to "WOW" our patrons, we decided to
start
letting people check out materials without a card. (We discussed pros and
cons at two monthly staff meetings first - it didn't happen overnight - and
we had to get everyone on staff to buy into it...) Because we have a
statewide database, we require that patrons who have forgotten thier card
show us a picture ID/or a piece of mail with their name or address on it/or
have a library staff member vouch for who they are...they must also verify
their mailing address and phone number for us. We also tell them that it
might take a minute or two to find their record, and that the fastest way
for us to get their record is with their library card.
Patrons are VERY appreciative of this...and the positive PR of letting
people take out their items totally outweighs the extra minute or two it
might take...
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Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 13:45:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: Maureen Hartman <maureen_hartman@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Library School vs On the Job
Deborah Brightwell wrote:
> no class can train you or give you the
experience
> you need to deal with the public, city
> officials, find and hire professional
> entertainers, how you go about doing a
> storytime, plan and implement a summer reading
> program and the thousand other things you do on
> this job, EXCEPT doing it! More classes on the
> type of librarian you plan to be would be
> helpful, but can this be taught in a class?
I disagree--of course a class can't give you the
practical experience of trying different things
at storytime and realizing what works and what
doesn't with your audience, but a class can and
should teach you about age-appropriate
programming, how to put together a program, and
how to improve your storytelling. A class can't
tell you how to work specifically with YOUR
community, but a class (for example, on Public
Libraries) should give you the tools you need to
network and gain support for your program,
whether its a summer reading program or funding a
new library.
If classes in library school aren't teaching
childrens librarians how to plan and implement
such basic things as storytimes and summer
reading programs, I think that's a waste of a
very expensive and often time-consuming MLS.
>
===
*******************************
Maureen L. Hartman
Children's/YA Librarian
North Branch, Watertown Free Public Library
Watertown Mass.
maureen_hartman@yahoo.com OR mhartman@mln.lib.ma.us
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:20:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: carmel <carmel@ulysses.sebridge.org>
Subject: Re: Teenagers reading to younger children
Hi! We have done a program called "Reading Buddies" for many years.
This is a summer program where children in grades 6 and up and recruited
to work with children in grades 1-3 on retaining reading skills over the
summer. Older Reading Buddies have a short training session. This
includes how to work with a younger child in a friendly manner, tips on
phonics and sounding out words, how to choose books appropriate to the
reading level. At the end of the session they are assigned a younger
buddy..(already registered) and the older child calls from the library to
set up the first session. The parents of the younger children
are informed that the Reading Buddy will contact them on this date. The
initial meeting between the two children AND the parents is arranged at
the library. The parents decide on a mutually agreeable schedule,
exchange phone numbers, etc. ALL sessions must take place at the
library, can take place whenever the library is open, and Reading Buddy
pairs must meet a minimum of one hour per week. If either of the pair
needs to cancel and reschedule the responsibility is their own.
A folder for each of the younger children is kept in a special place
(my office). In the folder is a list of the books the buddies read
together, any book they are currently working on, etc. It's also a good
place to leave messages or notices for the kids on special programs. The
Children's Programmer leaves a box of art and craft materials for the
kids to use so they can make projects based on the books they read. The
program culminates in an ice cream sundae party for all the kids, with
little presents for everyone.
At the risk of making this a VERY long email message I will say that
this is a phenomenally successful program, it has saved more than one
elementary school child from failing, and the parents of the kids who
participate love it so much they regularly attend town board meetings
demanding more money for the library. Please call me at 914 225-2439 and
I'll tell you more. Marilyn Schlansky Reed Library, Carmel, NY
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 15:01:55 -0500
From: cwitek@park-ridge.lib.il.us
Subject: Library School
Hello Pubyacers,
I, like Andrea, was very shocked to realize how little I learned in Library
School that was practical on the job when I graduated 3 years ago. Don't
get me wrong, I learned a lot of things in Library School about library
buildings, history of library services, intellectual freedom, *adult*
reference resources, OPAC interfaces and end users, collection development
policies (not particularly collection development itself), history of folk
and fairy tales, and organization of information. These are important
things to have as background knowledge but the everyday patron doesn't
really care about these things.
The real art of Librarianship is in integrating this knowledge with service
and skill that meets the patron where they are and *that* is not always easy
to do. Sometimes you don't use any of that "knowledge" to serve
your
patrons. Planning and implementing storytimes, school visits, summer
reading programs, recreating stories in different formats, and reader's
advisory are big parts of our jobs but we don't learn that in Library
School.
Whether Library School is necessary or not depends on the purpose of Library
School. Is the purpose to pass on the art of Librarianship or is it the
study of Librarianship? Studying something and actually partaking in it
are
two very different things! What I consider the heart of Librarianship
comes
with experience and cannot be taught. I feel my MLS was a study of the
field and profession which is important but not really practical. Perhaps
this is the difficulty with Library School. Sometimes I wish I had learned
more in Library School that would help me in the everyday rigor of the job
but then again, how can someone teach me to plan storytimes and other
programs for the library community I now serve? Or to wear costumes and
other silly things with dignity while having fun and not scaring small
children?
There has always been a gap between academia and the real world and I do
think more real world experience should be included and or required in
Library School to help ease that gap. I also feel that some who teach in
Library School honestly believe they are fully preparing us and there are
those who hire new graduates believing they should be fully prepared. With
so much of Librarianship hinged on people skills and good customer service
skills and Library Schools cutting more traditional classes and adding more
"technical" ones, this is certainly not the case.
Charlene Witek
*Opinions Expressed Are My Own and May Not Reflect Those of My Employer*
Charlene Witek, MLS
Children's Librarian
Park Ridge Public Library
Park Ridge, IL 60068
(847)825-4527
FAX (847) 825-0001
mailto:cwitek@park-ridge.lib.il.us
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End of pubyac V1 #676
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