I can't imagine having limited space in the library as some of the people mentioned in their discussion posts. I would not have been able to make as many changes as I have this year with limited space. Tomorrow, I am ordering 30 brand new work stations to replace the 30 computers I have in my compuetr lab. I also need to order more cameras. Teachers and students are needing to borrow a lot of tech equipment for their assignments. I just bar coded two more Gateway Tablets for teacher signout today and two Sea Note laptops which include Kurzweil and Dragon Speak for our 1701 students. I have four LCD carts with VHS/DVD players that go out every day even though almost every teacher in our school has an LCD player in their room. I get called to classrooms to help set up or trouble shoot if needed. The two mobile labs also get signed out for every block.Furthermore, at least two and three classes sign up for the library each block. We have student drop-ins; our fiction and non-fiction has a high circulation rate. A library which has limited space just would not do for this amount of traffic.
Weeding
I have weeded over 1100 books this year. Last year, I went to the four closing Junior Secondary schools and selected resources for my library. Most of the selection included grade 8 material because we did not have any resources for that grade. I did choose a lot of material for the research projects that I remembered for thw grade 9 and 10s. Any doubles of the year 2000 and better, I sent to a secondary school in MacKenzie because they do not have a very big budget. I discarded a lot of books depending on the year of publication, such as dating, teen pregnancy, and surrogate motherhood--very outdated and which probably includes misinformation now. Books that were stained and in poor shape were discarded. Once the items are taken from the shelves, I do a double check to make sure that they are not getting used. I do this for books that will most likely be used for the history/ social studies' lessons. I do not get rid of that much literature either. I have not discarded very much fiction at all. We can call the DRC and get them to run a list of books that have not been signed out in the last five years (that will happen when I get time). One mistake I made at the beginning of the year was to discard videos from the 1980s and 1990s. The reason I say this was a mistake is because the teachers say that it is better to have something rather than nothing and even though the styles are outdated on the characters, the concepts are still the same. This is the next area that I will be working on to improve. I need to order more up-to-date DVDs for enhanced learning. I have also learned that teachers want to keep books around in case they want to use them, so it is not always entirely a good idea to ask for their input. Also, I know that it is important to have a replacement book before depleting a resource. For example, I was going to discard two very old books about beavers; however, I know that that topic is on the Environmental Education project, so I can't discard until I get something new.
I also like the way the library looks after a good weeding--all shiny and new.
Note about the course: I appreciated reading all the posts. I learned so much and I have many valuable Internet links. I wished I had taken this course sooner to help me with the organizational learning curve I went through last year. The activities were so relevant; I used the ideas as fast as I was learning them. Thank you Cathie for all your input in extending our knowledge. I enjoyed this class very much!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Lesson 12 - Organizing Online Resources - The School Library Homepage
A school library homepage is essential at our grade 8 - 12 secondary school. I use the library homepage to show students how to access the catalogue and the databases. I have links to the College of New Caledonia, the University of Northern BC, the Prince George public library, the BC Virtual Library, and the District Resource Centre. I have links to BibMe and Knight Cite, Copy Right Matters, and Plagiarism tutorials. These are all lessons that I use at various stages of the students' research. I also have links to YALSA, Teen Reads, Teen Space, and other teen sites. I also have a list of MUST Reads. After looking at a number of library web pages, I would like to add some book trailers, some teaching You Tube videos, and photos. I don't know how to add photographs yet. My web page is very simple; it is not cluttered. I added a little to it last year because it only had a few very basic links. I added more to it this year, but it is very time-consuming. It takes me awhile to remember how to add links and make changes. Our district has to follow a certain web page template. I don't think it is that interesting, but it is consistent for the whole district. Another area in which my library web page needs improvement is to provide the means for students who have a visual impairment or other challenges to use the web site.
The most important elements of an attractive, usable school library homepage is:
-simple, keeping the audience in mind
-few images as a lot of students have dial-up in the outlying area surrounding our school and do not want to wait for the images to download
-audio for print and visually impaired students
-do not rely on colour alone for students who are colour blind
-consistent design and navigation
-include photographs of events happening in the library
-consistent structure
-welcome page, library hours of operation, personnel, and mission statement
-OPAC link
-links to databases
-links to teaching and learning resources
-new resources
Reflection:
When students come to the library to do a research project, I have arranged a pattern with most teachers that the students will use books on the first day of research, databases on the second day, and the Internet on the third day. This works out well because I can show students how to use the basic skills that they need for research. The students access a variety of resources and develop their critical analysis skills. Students are taught about scholarly papers and web site evaluation, and suffixes of certain good web sites. Students are also taught to check the references on Wikipedia and back up the information they find on Wikipedia with other scholarly resources as Wikipedia is the first place most students go to when they begin their research. As one can see from my Assignment #2, digital access was a challenge when I started because we did not have the means to run many digital lessons. Since adding more computers to the lab, I can run more lessons, get more students and teachers into the labs providing access to many more students in the school. Since Blogging, Tweeting, Wikis, are becoming more popular, it would be fun to design lessons that incorporate the students expertise with social media and combine these lessons with researching digital resources.
One thing I find frustrating is when I show the students how to search the databases and then they cannot find their topic. Today, a student tried to use the Biography database to fine Mathew Bailie Begbie; he searched in EBSCO, as well. Luckily, I had some information photocopied and in folders from Canadian Biographies web site.
Another health related issue is coming up with setting up WiFi in the school. There are many articles saying that it is a health risk. This creates a dilemma because the students really want access to the computers, but at what cost?
The most important elements of an attractive, usable school library homepage is:
-simple, keeping the audience in mind
-few images as a lot of students have dial-up in the outlying area surrounding our school and do not want to wait for the images to download
-audio for print and visually impaired students
-do not rely on colour alone for students who are colour blind
-consistent design and navigation
-include photographs of events happening in the library
-consistent structure
-welcome page, library hours of operation, personnel, and mission statement
-OPAC link
-links to databases
-links to teaching and learning resources
-new resources
Reflection:
When students come to the library to do a research project, I have arranged a pattern with most teachers that the students will use books on the first day of research, databases on the second day, and the Internet on the third day. This works out well because I can show students how to use the basic skills that they need for research. The students access a variety of resources and develop their critical analysis skills. Students are taught about scholarly papers and web site evaluation, and suffixes of certain good web sites. Students are also taught to check the references on Wikipedia and back up the information they find on Wikipedia with other scholarly resources as Wikipedia is the first place most students go to when they begin their research. As one can see from my Assignment #2, digital access was a challenge when I started because we did not have the means to run many digital lessons. Since adding more computers to the lab, I can run more lessons, get more students and teachers into the labs providing access to many more students in the school. Since Blogging, Tweeting, Wikis, are becoming more popular, it would be fun to design lessons that incorporate the students expertise with social media and combine these lessons with researching digital resources.
One thing I find frustrating is when I show the students how to search the databases and then they cannot find their topic. Today, a student tried to use the Biography database to fine Mathew Bailie Begbie; he searched in EBSCO, as well. Luckily, I had some information photocopied and in folders from Canadian Biographies web site.
Another health related issue is coming up with setting up WiFi in the school. There are many articles saying that it is a health risk. This creates a dilemma because the students really want access to the computers, but at what cost?
Lesson 11 - The Library Catalogue
I find it amazing that the computerized cataloguing system has only been in effect for the last 10 - 20 years. In September, I gave the new grade 8 and grade 9 students a library orientation about how to access the library catalogue when they are doing research or looking for a certain book. I showed them the basic search; however, when the students come into the library throughout the semester for a research assignment, I remind students how to use the catalogue, and I also show them how to do a Power search (Boolean Logic). I explain the "F", "DVD", and Call numbers and then I show them with an example how to find the book on the shelf. The students can also see if the book is checked out or not. Students can click on View to see more of a description about a book. The catalogue system is very user friendly for students and teachers.
The Sirsi Dynix Work Flows system is more complicated. The teacher-librarian can see all the topics associated with a search, the publication dates, the authors, the Call numbers. The TL can click on the description tab to see if that particular book is applicable or not and can see if the book is checked out and who has it. The teacher-librarian can also check for a resource by author, subject, title, or for a particular resource, such as DVD for Kelly Road, and also for other schools in the district. When I first started in the library last year, I needed a little guidance to use this program for searching, signing out books, and discharging books. There is so much a TL can do with this program besides searching, signing out books, and returns. I do not know the full extent of everything I can do, but I am still learning.
I am amazed at how much information is in the Bellingham Public Schools Manual. The first year I started in the library at Kelly Road, there wasn't a policy manual or any written manual about how to run the library. This year, the library clerk brought one from her previous school and then, the other TL and I adapted it and changed it up to suit our library. Most of our policies, tasks, and information is included in there, so that if someone had to suddenly take over, they could. This binder worked well when our library clerk went on holidays for two weeks. Everything was explained clearly in this binder. I would like to further enhance this binder by putting it online and making it even more thorough like the manual for Bellingham. The area that needs the most up-dating for Kelly Road would be the curriculum connections. I am familiar with the research projects that come into the library each semester, such as the Planning 10 Health Research and Social Studies essay questions. One activity that I did differently as a result of taking this course is that I also made spreadsheets for each research topic and teacher with all the available sources for each assignment on it. A huge task at first, but it will save a lot of time in the long run. I love the Selection Sources page (Managing Our Library Collections for Information Power, page 27, 28, and 29 of 58) with a little description and the web site address; I will find this very helpful in selecting resources.
At Kelly Road, students may sign out as many books as they can carry in their packsack. We do not sign out Reference books overnight, but the student may take the book to the office and get a page photocopied (I tried to get a photocopier in the library this year, but it was not approved). Overdues seem to be a problem at our school, so I needed to find a way to reduce them. When a student comes to sign out a book or textbook, and they have an overdue, I ask them to go to their locker and get the overdue book before I will sign out another book. If the book is an overdue text, I will still give the student a novel, but not a text; if the overdue book is a novel, they may have a text, but not a novel. Students are issued bills at Term Reporting periods. Students either return the item or pay for the lost resource. If the resource turns up, the student is reimbursed. There are some exceptions if a parent complains because technically, we cannot withhold texts from students. However, we get a lot of returns this way and it teaches the students to be responsible for their books. I am setting up a draw with a gift certificate to the Mall as an incentive for students to hand in their books. The grade 12 prize will be more as once they leave the school, they do not normally come back to return books.
The Sirsi Dynix Work Flows system is more complicated. The teacher-librarian can see all the topics associated with a search, the publication dates, the authors, the Call numbers. The TL can click on the description tab to see if that particular book is applicable or not and can see if the book is checked out and who has it. The teacher-librarian can also check for a resource by author, subject, title, or for a particular resource, such as DVD for Kelly Road, and also for other schools in the district. When I first started in the library last year, I needed a little guidance to use this program for searching, signing out books, and discharging books. There is so much a TL can do with this program besides searching, signing out books, and returns. I do not know the full extent of everything I can do, but I am still learning.
I am amazed at how much information is in the Bellingham Public Schools Manual. The first year I started in the library at Kelly Road, there wasn't a policy manual or any written manual about how to run the library. This year, the library clerk brought one from her previous school and then, the other TL and I adapted it and changed it up to suit our library. Most of our policies, tasks, and information is included in there, so that if someone had to suddenly take over, they could. This binder worked well when our library clerk went on holidays for two weeks. Everything was explained clearly in this binder. I would like to further enhance this binder by putting it online and making it even more thorough like the manual for Bellingham. The area that needs the most up-dating for Kelly Road would be the curriculum connections. I am familiar with the research projects that come into the library each semester, such as the Planning 10 Health Research and Social Studies essay questions. One activity that I did differently as a result of taking this course is that I also made spreadsheets for each research topic and teacher with all the available sources for each assignment on it. A huge task at first, but it will save a lot of time in the long run. I love the Selection Sources page (Managing Our Library Collections for Information Power, page 27, 28, and 29 of 58) with a little description and the web site address; I will find this very helpful in selecting resources.
At Kelly Road, students may sign out as many books as they can carry in their packsack. We do not sign out Reference books overnight, but the student may take the book to the office and get a page photocopied (I tried to get a photocopier in the library this year, but it was not approved). Overdues seem to be a problem at our school, so I needed to find a way to reduce them. When a student comes to sign out a book or textbook, and they have an overdue, I ask them to go to their locker and get the overdue book before I will sign out another book. If the book is an overdue text, I will still give the student a novel, but not a text; if the overdue book is a novel, they may have a text, but not a novel. Students are issued bills at Term Reporting periods. Students either return the item or pay for the lost resource. If the resource turns up, the student is reimbursed. There are some exceptions if a parent complains because technically, we cannot withhold texts from students. However, we get a lot of returns this way and it teaches the students to be responsible for their books. I am setting up a draw with a gift certificate to the Mall as an incentive for students to hand in their books. The grade 12 prize will be more as once they leave the school, they do not normally come back to return books.
Lesson 10 - Other Sources of Cataloguing and Processing and Preparing
I am very appreciative to have a District Resource Centre that does all the cataloguing for us. The chapter 10 activity is an important one to show the teacher-librarian the time-consuming and detailed process that the DRC must go through to catalogue all material for the library. As I read the posts to the forum, I was also surprised how many districts do not have a DRC. I cannot imagine having to do this job as well as everything else a teacher-librarian must do. Since the DRC faces getting cut every year because of tight economic pressures, I am glad that I know how to get the information I need to catalogue resources and that it is important to provide as detailed and accurate record as possible using as much information and access points as one can. Also, I learned that cost versus time, which is also inadvertently cost through wages, to process resources. I have used Follet and United Library Services for purchases, but I have not had to obtain cataloguing information. If I had to do my own cataloguing, I would copy catalogue--check out the Vancouver or Prince George public libraries for records; if I couldn't find the record there, then I would use AMICUS, and Library of Congress. I would also add additional information pertaining to my school. Although this sounds very idealistic in theory for saving cost, from reading the posts, I see that it is actually very unrealistic to copy all of your own records.
My philosophy is to use the best and most efficient practise, so if I had to purchase some records, I would, but I would not purchase all of the records because it would be too costly.
OCLC offers a massive amount of services. I checked out a lot of links. I will definitely search through this site when I have a lot more time as it offers a lot of very useful information for new teacher-librarians in running a library programme.
Online Dictionary for Library and Inforamtion Science explains all the terms and access points that the teacher-librarian must use to catalogue resources. Every term is explained in full detail and offers more links. Any questions a teacher-librarian may have about running a library will be answered in this very thorough resource.
All repairs are done by the library clerk in my library; special tape and glue are used to get the most use out of a resource. If books are missing pages or too far gone, they are Discarded. Books that are still suitable to use and their covers are loose are sent to the Bindery in June.
We recently received a huge box of donated books. I have not had the time to check to see if they are all suitable for grades 8 - 12 yet. I started looking through them and noticed some adult material, so I need to check reviews and such. This is very time-consuming and I am not sure whether the effort and time will be worth it. The books are in good shape though, so if I get some time I will look at them--probably the last task I would take on.
I select sources from a variety of places. Our DRC wants us to use Baker and Taylor; however, I also buy from a local book store, Super Store, Costco, Chapters, and Shopper's Drug mart. I try to get the best possible price. Jobbers, such as Smart Apple Media and Copper Beach, phone me on a regular basis. I like to look at the book so I usually accept a box or two, check to see what we have in out selection, and check on the currency of our selection to see if it needs up-dating. Mostly, I find a lot of USA material, not entirely relevant to Canada; this is something you will not get in a review. Our DRC invites jobbers to provides a take-away sale where Smart Apple Media brings their books and sets them up at one location for all the schools to browse. One mistake I made is that I was not aware of this when I first started working in the library and I accepted two books of books to look at. There is a discount if you buy so many of the books; however, the display at the DRC offers a 25% discount, so it is better to go to the take-away display. The only problem I find with the take-away sale is that I cannot always remember if I ordered that book already or not. One solution is to write down the books that you are interested in, then, check on a computer to see what you have on the topic already and then come back and purchase the books.
When resources arrive at my library, they already have the accession number, bar code, Dewey Decimal number, and taping of the spine and/or jacket covers. Then, the library clerk checks the item off on a list as received, stamps the book with a Kelly Road Library stamp, and puts in the security strip. When I get the book, I check the resource in the catalogue for genre, I read the first few pages, a few middle pages, and the last couple of pages. I put the genre label on the book and if it is an award-winning book, I put an additional label on the book. Other additional labels I include are an aboriginal wheel, Canadian, Short Stories, and Holocaust. Once books are ready, we add the books to the New Books display which students see just after they enter the library. Once books have been on the display table for a while, then they are moved to the shelf, but are displayed front-facing on the shelf on a stand for an additional period of time. TOC volunteers, who offer their help during a Prep, move new books to the display table or front-face the books on the shelf. There is a lot that goes into the selection of a book until the book is actually in a student's hands.
As Diana Liao pointed out after reading School Library Journal that she has not always received the best deal for her money, I have made a few mistakes in that area myself. Again, another time-consuming task. After reading all the posts, I guess I will have to renew my Costco membership!
My philosophy is to use the best and most efficient practise, so if I had to purchase some records, I would, but I would not purchase all of the records because it would be too costly.
OCLC offers a massive amount of services. I checked out a lot of links. I will definitely search through this site when I have a lot more time as it offers a lot of very useful information for new teacher-librarians in running a library programme.
Online Dictionary for Library and Inforamtion Science explains all the terms and access points that the teacher-librarian must use to catalogue resources. Every term is explained in full detail and offers more links. Any questions a teacher-librarian may have about running a library will be answered in this very thorough resource.
All repairs are done by the library clerk in my library; special tape and glue are used to get the most use out of a resource. If books are missing pages or too far gone, they are Discarded. Books that are still suitable to use and their covers are loose are sent to the Bindery in June.
We recently received a huge box of donated books. I have not had the time to check to see if they are all suitable for grades 8 - 12 yet. I started looking through them and noticed some adult material, so I need to check reviews and such. This is very time-consuming and I am not sure whether the effort and time will be worth it. The books are in good shape though, so if I get some time I will look at them--probably the last task I would take on.
I select sources from a variety of places. Our DRC wants us to use Baker and Taylor; however, I also buy from a local book store, Super Store, Costco, Chapters, and Shopper's Drug mart. I try to get the best possible price. Jobbers, such as Smart Apple Media and Copper Beach, phone me on a regular basis. I like to look at the book so I usually accept a box or two, check to see what we have in out selection, and check on the currency of our selection to see if it needs up-dating. Mostly, I find a lot of USA material, not entirely relevant to Canada; this is something you will not get in a review. Our DRC invites jobbers to provides a take-away sale where Smart Apple Media brings their books and sets them up at one location for all the schools to browse. One mistake I made is that I was not aware of this when I first started working in the library and I accepted two books of books to look at. There is a discount if you buy so many of the books; however, the display at the DRC offers a 25% discount, so it is better to go to the take-away display. The only problem I find with the take-away sale is that I cannot always remember if I ordered that book already or not. One solution is to write down the books that you are interested in, then, check on a computer to see what you have on the topic already and then come back and purchase the books.
When resources arrive at my library, they already have the accession number, bar code, Dewey Decimal number, and taping of the spine and/or jacket covers. Then, the library clerk checks the item off on a list as received, stamps the book with a Kelly Road Library stamp, and puts in the security strip. When I get the book, I check the resource in the catalogue for genre, I read the first few pages, a few middle pages, and the last couple of pages. I put the genre label on the book and if it is an award-winning book, I put an additional label on the book. Other additional labels I include are an aboriginal wheel, Canadian, Short Stories, and Holocaust. Once books are ready, we add the books to the New Books display which students see just after they enter the library. Once books have been on the display table for a while, then they are moved to the shelf, but are displayed front-facing on the shelf on a stand for an additional period of time. TOC volunteers, who offer their help during a Prep, move new books to the display table or front-face the books on the shelf. There is a lot that goes into the selection of a book until the book is actually in a student's hands.
As Diana Liao pointed out after reading School Library Journal that she has not always received the best deal for her money, I have made a few mistakes in that area myself. Again, another time-consuming task. After reading all the posts, I guess I will have to renew my Costco membership!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Lesson 9 - Copy Cataloguing
The copy cataloguing activity shows that there are many places one can go to get catalogue and MARC records. The most reliable places are Library of Congress and Amicus. I also searched the Prince George Public Library which follows the Library of Congress records very closely. The Prince George District Resource Centre creates records that are very student friendly for ease of searching. Most of the information for cataloguing and MARC records can be obtained from the CIP page, which one does not want to solely rely on because the record could have incomplete information because the CIP cataloguing is done before the book is published. It is a good idea to check the record with the actual book in hand. Although AMICUS and Library of Congress can save time and money, if one has a lot of time, which is highly unlikely, a person would want to use Library of Congress, Amicus, and maybe cross-reference with a couple of other libraries to make the most accurate MARC and Catalogue records. The biggest question I have about this exercise was why were the ISBN numbers different from each other for Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears and Puss in Boots? Fortunately, the Prince George Region has a District Resource Centre that does all the cataloguing and the MARC Records for all the school resources. I cannot imagine having to do that job as well as everything else in the library. Using WorldCat might be the way to go depending on the cost. If the cost was too high, I would use Library of Congress and Amicus to create the records.
I learned from the readings that CIP are done before the books are published and that sometimes books are not even eligle for a CIP (Cathie Norrie). Copy cataloguing is the way to go if one doesn't have the money to buy the records.
I learned from the readings that CIP are done before the books are published and that sometimes books are not even eligle for a CIP (Cathie Norrie). Copy cataloguing is the way to go if one doesn't have the money to buy the records.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Lesson 8 - Dewey Decimal Classification
I asked my seven year old grandson if he knew about the Dewey Decimal System. He said that he didn't, but asked what is it. I explained it to him, but he didn't understand until I showed him a book about dinosaurs and showed him the Call number. I asked him what would be the best way to teach this. He said: "In a Song." So we made up this cool song that goes a little like this: If you want to find a book about dinosaurs, you go to the 567 section.... He came up with turtles and I would say the number. This went on for awhile with different topics and it sounded like a fun song. Too bad you don't get the sense of the tune in writing, but it was pretty fun. I also read the Alien Dewey Decimal story to him (Mixing some school with visiting because I am getting behind). He also wanted to play some of the interactive kids games learning about Dewey; however, I wasn't successful at finding one that he could play. He is so imaginative that I wanted to share this because there are quite a few elementary teachers in this class.
I tried out all the links that were provided for learning about the Dewey Decimal system. I was really impressed how some librarians set up the Dewey Decimal system on their library web site. It looks like some teacher-librarians are really tech savvy at setting up interesting library pages. I did not know that there were ten sections that were divided into another ten sections. I wondered how the numbers were assigned.
During grade 8 library orientation, I gave the students a handout with the sections 000 - 999 and listeded examples of some subjects that are included in each section. When I went over these sections, I had a couple of examples of books that I showed the students. I also asked the students to put six hypothetical books with Call numbers on them in order. Then we went over the answers together. Then, I asked students to find three books from the different non-fiction areas that they were interested in. The students had to write down the Call number, authors or editors, the title, including sub-title, place of publication, publisher, and copyright date for each. After I showed the students how to access the catalogue, I asked them to search a favourite topic and then find the book in the stacks using the Call number.
Although not that interesting of an activity, the students were discussing the books they were finding with each other. This activity got the students into the non-fiction area and looking around. I also noticed that students, mostly all boys, were taking out non-fiction books for silent reading in their English classes.
I tried out all the links that were provided for learning about the Dewey Decimal system. I was really impressed how some librarians set up the Dewey Decimal system on their library web site. It looks like some teacher-librarians are really tech savvy at setting up interesting library pages. I did not know that there were ten sections that were divided into another ten sections. I wondered how the numbers were assigned.
During grade 8 library orientation, I gave the students a handout with the sections 000 - 999 and listeded examples of some subjects that are included in each section. When I went over these sections, I had a couple of examples of books that I showed the students. I also asked the students to put six hypothetical books with Call numbers on them in order. Then we went over the answers together. Then, I asked students to find three books from the different non-fiction areas that they were interested in. The students had to write down the Call number, authors or editors, the title, including sub-title, place of publication, publisher, and copyright date for each. After I showed the students how to access the catalogue, I asked them to search a favourite topic and then find the book in the stacks using the Call number.
Although not that interesting of an activity, the students were discussing the books they were finding with each other. This activity got the students into the non-fiction area and looking around. I also noticed that students, mostly all boys, were taking out non-fiction books for silent reading in their English classes.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Lesson 7: Subject Cataloguing
I typed cars into the Kelly Road Catalogue search box and 32 records came up; I typed car and 92 records came up; I typed automobile and 60 records came up; I typed automobiles and 58 records came up; I typed auto and 13 records came up; I typed autos and autoes and 0 records came up. In addition, some of the results had nothing to do with cars/automobiles. Even though typing in car produced the most results, you still may have to weed out the results that have nothing to do with your topic depending on how broad or narrow a search one wants. Also, if the user wants information about cars, then, they may not want the videos and fiction books in their result list. An advanced search or using Boolean operators would be more specific. This definitely indicates why knowing subject cataloguing is important.
Another interesting note in the readings for Lesson 7 is that the user should use American spelling for such subjects as labor / labour, rather than the Canadian spelling. Although I was not aware of this, I have tried the two diferent spellings when searching for certain topics. I am not aware of a lot of American spelling compared with Canadian spelling though.
Folksononomy is an interesting concept. I can see using www.Delicious as a good way to organize web sites for teacher-librarians who are collaborating or helping teachers put together certain topics for research projects. For example, the Science teacher came into the library with his students to do a research project on gems and minerals. The students had to make a pamphlet using the information they found. I pulled books and directed students to using databases; however, many students go to Google and Wikipedia first. Selecting web sites beforehand will help students stay on task and have a more focussed search. Again, another great resource that I was not aware of before.
Ben Koning's activities sound like a fun way to learn the Dewey Decimal System. I would have to adapt it for secondary students. There are so many neat ideas out there. As Cathie noted that she almost deleted this activity from the lesson because it is like teaching a lesson in isolation: however, I think this activity should still be included. I have come across many TOC's who say that they can shelve a book, but when I go to check on them, they have made too many mistakes that need to be corrected. The other day, a TOC shelved a 971.1 book in the 971 section by using the letters, so I showed her how to read the numbers and letters for shelving. She "corrected" the mistakes by finding the books and re-shelving. I did not check on her this time, but this scenario happens quite often. I always ask the students to find their book--either I give them a call number or they find it in the catalogue--and I will come along and help them if they cannot find it.
Another interesting note in the readings for Lesson 7 is that the user should use American spelling for such subjects as labor / labour, rather than the Canadian spelling. Although I was not aware of this, I have tried the two diferent spellings when searching for certain topics. I am not aware of a lot of American spelling compared with Canadian spelling though.
Folksononomy is an interesting concept. I can see using www.Delicious as a good way to organize web sites for teacher-librarians who are collaborating or helping teachers put together certain topics for research projects. For example, the Science teacher came into the library with his students to do a research project on gems and minerals. The students had to make a pamphlet using the information they found. I pulled books and directed students to using databases; however, many students go to Google and Wikipedia first. Selecting web sites beforehand will help students stay on task and have a more focussed search. Again, another great resource that I was not aware of before.
Ben Koning's activities sound like a fun way to learn the Dewey Decimal System. I would have to adapt it for secondary students. There are so many neat ideas out there. As Cathie noted that she almost deleted this activity from the lesson because it is like teaching a lesson in isolation: however, I think this activity should still be included. I have come across many TOC's who say that they can shelve a book, but when I go to check on them, they have made too many mistakes that need to be corrected. The other day, a TOC shelved a 971.1 book in the 971 section by using the letters, so I showed her how to read the numbers and letters for shelving. She "corrected" the mistakes by finding the books and re-shelving. I did not check on her this time, but this scenario happens quite often. I always ask the students to find their book--either I give them a call number or they find it in the catalogue--and I will come along and help them if they cannot find it.
Reflections about Assignment 2
I am glad that I created notes on The Tale of Despereaux as I read the MARC records assigned readings. I used these notes as I created my own MARC records for the twenty resources that I looked up for assignment #2. Creating MARC records was a very time-consuming task, so using the notes as a template made creating the records a little faster. However, I probably missed some details if I missed an important note while reading. I can honestly say that I am so glad that the Prince George Disctrict has a DRC for doing this job because I do not know how it would be possible to create these records with everything else that a teacher-librarian needs to do. I can really see how knowing how to create MARC records will help the teacher-librarian search for resources for teachers and students.
Creating a web site was very frustrating at first. I still have many mistakes, but I do not know how to fix them. For example, if the searcher clicks on the links in the sidebar, the person is going to the specific link because I didn't know how to link to the specific page that I wanted. Also, I did not delete a few pages imbedded in the template that I used which have nothing to do with the rest of my web site. Also, my links at the bottom of the page were arranged alphabetically, which does not give the researcher a logical flow of ideas into the next idea that I had planned. However, despite the little bumps in the road, I am very excited to create other digital library web sites for different subjects, such as Shakespeare or Canadian Literature. It should be easier the next time around. I am also very interested in showing my colleagues how to do this because when I first asked many teachers how to make a web site, no one seemed to know. I can't wait to show teachers how to do this because it would add so much more to the learning atmosphere for the students. I will use my web site for my English 12 students, after I delete a couple of items, to expand their knowledge on an important event in history that shaped who we are today.
Every time I take a new course, I think how will I find the time to learn how to do everything that is expected, but when I complete the course, I have a whole new understanding, so as frustrating as it was to learn how to do this assignment, I am grateful for the learning.
I still have a couple of questions that I should have asked before I handed in my assignment: 1). I am confused about what is meant by the detailed description of classification used, so I didn't answer that question very well. I looked at the Sears Book, but immediately closed it; it looked very daunting--although maybe not if I had more time to peruse it. To create the 650 subject lines, I used common search terms that I thought the students would type in to find the subject; 2). Does one assign a Dewey Decimal Call number for web sites? I will probably understand the answers to these questions better in the next few lessons.
Creating a web site was very frustrating at first. I still have many mistakes, but I do not know how to fix them. For example, if the searcher clicks on the links in the sidebar, the person is going to the specific link because I didn't know how to link to the specific page that I wanted. Also, I did not delete a few pages imbedded in the template that I used which have nothing to do with the rest of my web site. Also, my links at the bottom of the page were arranged alphabetically, which does not give the researcher a logical flow of ideas into the next idea that I had planned. However, despite the little bumps in the road, I am very excited to create other digital library web sites for different subjects, such as Shakespeare or Canadian Literature. It should be easier the next time around. I am also very interested in showing my colleagues how to do this because when I first asked many teachers how to make a web site, no one seemed to know. I can't wait to show teachers how to do this because it would add so much more to the learning atmosphere for the students. I will use my web site for my English 12 students, after I delete a couple of items, to expand their knowledge on an important event in history that shaped who we are today.
Every time I take a new course, I think how will I find the time to learn how to do everything that is expected, but when I complete the course, I have a whole new understanding, so as frustrating as it was to learn how to do this assignment, I am grateful for the learning.
I still have a couple of questions that I should have asked before I handed in my assignment: 1). I am confused about what is meant by the detailed description of classification used, so I didn't answer that question very well. I looked at the Sears Book, but immediately closed it; it looked very daunting--although maybe not if I had more time to peruse it. To create the 650 subject lines, I used common search terms that I thought the students would type in to find the subject; 2). Does one assign a Dewey Decimal Call number for web sites? I will probably understand the answers to these questions better in the next few lessons.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Lesson 6 - Machine Readable Cataloguing (MARC)
Part A:
I found all the marc records for each of the books; the MARC record for Nick Sharratt's book, Muddlewitch Does Magic Tricks, took me quite a while to find. I went over each title page and verso. I did this before I read the assigned reading, but it seemed to make sense to me. I tried to find each item on the title page or verso. I still have questions about a few lines in each MARC records. I finally found some quiet time to make sense of the readings. I took the first book, The Tale of Despereaux, and made notes on the MARC record as I read over the material. Ready to give an attempt.
Part B:
See, Lisa. (2005). Snow flower and the secret fan. New York: Random House.
My version of a MARC record:
020 $a9780812968064 (pbk.)
092 01 $aSEE
100 1 $aSee, Lisa.
245 10 $a Snow flower and the secret fan : $ba novel / $cLisa See.
260 $aNew York : $bRandom House Trade Paperbacks, $c2005.
300 $a269p. ; $c21 cm.
520 $aA story of friendship set in nineteenth-century China follows an elderly woman and her companion as they communicate their hopes, dreams, joys, and tragedies through a unique secret language.
650 0 $aReminiscing in old age $vFiction.
650 0 $aFemale friendship $vFiction.
650 0 $aWomen $zChina $vFiction.
650 0 $aMarried women $vFiction.
650 0 $aOlder women $vFiction.
650 0 $aFootbinding $vFiction.
650 0 $aChildbirth $vFiction.
650 0 $aSecrecy $vFiction.
650 0 $aChina $vFiction.
651 0 $aChina $vFiction.
MARC record:
020 $a9780812968064 (pbk.) is actually
020 $a1400060281 (alk. paper) --I could not find this ISBN number in the book.
260 I included Trade Paperbacks; it is ommitted from the MARC record. The mark record has $cc2005--I only put one c.
300 MARC record has a different physical description than I did--300 $a258p. ; $c25 cm.
The MARC record did not include the 520 tag at all.
I have no idea what 596 $aBHBR means; I also looked for those letters in The Tale of Despereaux and could not find them.
650 tags are correct, except that I forgot the letter v for Fiction and z for China. I had to look them up.
I did not include tags 010 035 082 655 655 and 948.
I wrote the MARC record out on a piece of paper before typing it out here. There are many rules for each tag, first and second indicators, and delimiters. It makes sense to me that it is a lot shorter and takes up less space by using symbols rather than writing the whole word out, such as tag 260: place of publication, publisher, and year of publication. I can also see how knowing the tag helps the teacher-librarian search for items for students. For instance, since my books are organized by genre, I would check the 650 tags before going to a certain genre to find a book. In order to tackle assignment 2, I need a template of the most-used tags etc. I see that I better get cracklelacken.
What I found from searching the information on the title page and the verso is that it is not easy to find MARC records for each book. Also, there are several places to find MARC records. It is impossible for one place to house all the MARC records for every book. There is also a lot to MARC records that I did not find on the tile pages or the verso. As creating MARC records is so time-consuming, I am glad we have a DRC because I am not sure how One caould find the time to do this and the many other tasks that a TL is required to do.
I found all the marc records for each of the books; the MARC record for Nick Sharratt's book, Muddlewitch Does Magic Tricks, took me quite a while to find. I went over each title page and verso. I did this before I read the assigned reading, but it seemed to make sense to me. I tried to find each item on the title page or verso. I still have questions about a few lines in each MARC records. I finally found some quiet time to make sense of the readings. I took the first book, The Tale of Despereaux, and made notes on the MARC record as I read over the material. Ready to give an attempt.
Part B:
See, Lisa. (2005). Snow flower and the secret fan. New York: Random House.
My version of a MARC record:
020 $a9780812968064 (pbk.)
092 01 $aSEE
100 1 $aSee, Lisa.
245 10 $a Snow flower and the secret fan : $ba novel / $cLisa See.
260 $aNew York : $bRandom House Trade Paperbacks, $c2005.
300 $a269p. ; $c21 cm.
520 $aA story of friendship set in nineteenth-century China follows an elderly woman and her companion as they communicate their hopes, dreams, joys, and tragedies through a unique secret language.
650 0 $aReminiscing in old age $vFiction.
650 0 $aFemale friendship $vFiction.
650 0 $aWomen $zChina $vFiction.
650 0 $aMarried women $vFiction.
650 0 $aOlder women $vFiction.
650 0 $aFootbinding $vFiction.
650 0 $aChildbirth $vFiction.
650 0 $aSecrecy $vFiction.
650 0 $aChina $vFiction.
651 0 $aChina $vFiction.
MARC record:
020 $a9780812968064 (pbk.) is actually
020 $a1400060281 (alk. paper) --I could not find this ISBN number in the book.
260 I included Trade Paperbacks; it is ommitted from the MARC record. The mark record has $cc2005--I only put one c.
300 MARC record has a different physical description than I did--300 $a258p. ; $c25 cm.
The MARC record did not include the 520 tag at all.
I have no idea what 596 $aBHBR means; I also looked for those letters in The Tale of Despereaux and could not find them.
650 tags are correct, except that I forgot the letter v for Fiction and z for China. I had to look them up.
I did not include tags 010 035 082 655 655 and 948.
I wrote the MARC record out on a piece of paper before typing it out here. There are many rules for each tag, first and second indicators, and delimiters. It makes sense to me that it is a lot shorter and takes up less space by using symbols rather than writing the whole word out, such as tag 260: place of publication, publisher, and year of publication. I can also see how knowing the tag helps the teacher-librarian search for items for students. For instance, since my books are organized by genre, I would check the 650 tags before going to a certain genre to find a book. In order to tackle assignment 2, I need a template of the most-used tags etc. I see that I better get cracklelacken.
What I found from searching the information on the title page and the verso is that it is not easy to find MARC records for each book. Also, there are several places to find MARC records. It is impossible for one place to house all the MARC records for every book. There is also a lot to MARC records that I did not find on the tile pages or the verso. As creating MARC records is so time-consuming, I am glad we have a DRC because I am not sure how One caould find the time to do this and the many other tasks that a TL is required to do.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Lesson 5 - Cataloguing process and standards
Lesson 5: Cataloguing process and standards
I chose the following sources because they were selected for specific units studied in the library last week (teachers asked me to pull materials for their classes) for making brochures, PowerPoints, essays, or research projects. I searched the Kelly Road Secondary Library catalogue for the catalogue record. Then, I looked up the first two items in the Prince George Public Library catalogue. I did not find the other items, probably because they are educational material. There is a huge difference between the two catalogues.
Book #1
Oldershaw, Cally. Firefly Guide to Gems. Toronto: Firefly Books, 2003. Print.
Area 1:
Call number - 553.8 OLD
Author - Personal Author: Oldershaw, Cally
Title – Title: Firefly guide to gems / Cally Oldershaw.
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
Not present
Area 4:
Publication info: Toronto : Firefly Books, c2003.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 224p. : col. Ill. ; 20 cm.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
General Note: Includes index.
Abstract: A guide to the identification, structure, and uses of precious and semi-precious stones, novelty stones, agates, and crystals.
Subject term: Precious stones.
Subject term: Crystals.
Area 8:
ISBN: 1552978141 (pbk.)
The information in the KRSS school library catalogue is very short and to the point. The information in the Prince George Public Library is very extensive and thorough. For example, in addition to a picture of the book, there are links to find more about the author; find more about the topic; and find nearby items on the shelf. Also there is a link to the MARC Record. There is a link to read more about this item, with four icons underneath which read review; summary; Library Journal review; and excerpt. Typing in the title, I got this book as the first result.
Book #2
Peterson, James. Baking: 350 recipes and techniques, 1500 photographs, one baking education. New York: Ten Speed Press, 2009. Print.
Area 1:
Call number - 641.815 PET
Title – Baking
Author – Peterson, James
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
Not present
Area 4:
Publication info: Berkeley : Ten Speed Press, c2009.
Area 5:
Physical descript: xv, 378 p. : col. Ill. ; 29 cm.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
General Note: Includes index
Abstract: Offers a step-by-step instructional for baking the best-loved basics as well as new and fresh versions of pies, tarts, cakes, cookies, pastries, and breads.
Subject term: Baking.
Area 8:
ISBN: 9781580089913
ISBN: 1580089917
The information in the KRSS library catalogue is very short and to the point. The Prince George Public Library includes a picture. When I typed in the title, Baking, I got 159 results; this book was on page 4 of the results, the third entry down. The Prince George Public Library added the subtitle from the jacket cover to the title, [350 recipes and techniques, 1500 photographs, one baking education}. Another difference in the catalogue record is that they have New York as the place of publication instead of Berkeley. They also included First Edition. I looked on the verso of the book and New York is the place of publication and it says First Edition.
Source #3:
Scathed. Odd Squad Production. Mississauga, ON: McNabb Connolly, 2007. DVD.
Area 1:
Call number: DVD 362.299 SCA
Title: Scathed [videorecording].
Odd Squad Productions.
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
1 videodisc (DVD) (27 min.)
Area 4:
Publication info: Vancouver, BC ; Odd Squad Productions ; Mississauga, ON : McNabb Connolly [distributor], c2007.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 1 videodisc (DVD) (27 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 ¾ in.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
Abstract: Online support material> Using testimonials from users, police officers, and parents, this video outlines the personal, social, psychological and physical consequences of crystal meth use. In its attempt to dissuade adolescents from using crystal meth, the video employs explicit images and descriptions as it conveys the personal stories of young users. From the makers of ‘Through a Blue Lens’, this well-done film will have an impact. Note: Highly graphic in nature. Must be previewed before showing and must be debriefed with students after viewing. Graphic images of a disturbing nature and strong language, though appropriate to the context, require warning before showing. Suitability: Grade 8, 9 Health and Career Education.
Audience: Level: J.S., S.S.
Subject term: Methamphetamine abuse—British Columbia.
Subject term: Amphetamine abuse—British Columbia.
Subject term: Youth—Drug use—British Columbia.
Subject term: Ice (Drug)
Added Author: Old Squad Productions.
Added Author: McNab & Connolly.
Area 8:
Key: CANA18504577
Source #4:
In the Shadow of Gold Mountain. National Film Board of Canada. Montreal Quebec: National Film Board, 2005. DVD.
Area 1:
Call number: DVD 971.004 INT
Title: In the shadow of Gold Mountain [videorecording] / National Film Board.
Author: Cho, Karen
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
1 videodisc (DVD) (43 min.)
Area 4:
Publication info: Montreal, Quebec. : National Film Board, 2005.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 1 videodisc (DVD) (43 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 ¾ in.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
Performer: Written and directed by Karen Cho.
Abstract: 43 min. closed-captioned, with teacher’s guide. Personal narratives convey the history of Chinese immigration, the payment of the head tax and the Exclusion Act. Discrimination faced by immigrants in urban settings is also discussed. Moving accounts by those who endured these indignities and by their relatives create a disturbing picture of a controversial period in Canadian immigration history. Archival photographs and footage of the goldrush and railroad construction add interest. Suitability: Grade 10, 11 Social Studies.
Subject term: Chinese Canadians—History.
Subject term: Ethnic attitudes—Canada—History.
Added author: Cho, Karen.
Added Author: National Film Board of Canada.
Area 8:
key: CANA17299043
Source #5
The Lottery, and a discussion of “The Lottery.” Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1969. Videocassette.
Area 1:
VR 808.3 LOT
Title: The Lottery, and the discussion of “The lottery” [videorecording].
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
1 videocassette (28 min.)
Area 4:
Publication info: Chicago : Encyclopedia Britannica, c1969.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 1 videocassette (28 min.) : sd., col. ; ½ in.
Area 6:
Series Title: (Short-story showcase)
Area 7:
A group of decent ordinary families gather to perform the annual lottery ritual. Ceremony accentuates its brutality and senselessness—man’s inhumanity to man. Suitability: Grade 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Language Arts, CAPP.
Audience: Level: J.S., S.S.
Subject term: Sociology.
Subject term: Human Behavior.
Subject term: Violence.
Area 8:
key: 00012823
Overall, the items matched what was in the record with the exception of Berkeley as the place of publication instead of New York for the Baking book. I liked the Prince George Public Library's addition of a picture and all the informational links to encourage the reader to look further into the resource. One question I have: "Why does the video and DVDs have 'key' and a number rather than an ISBN number?"
The school libraries differ a lot from the public libraries in that there is a lot more information to access. This is probably due to cuts and time-saving strategies in education.
I chose the following sources because they were selected for specific units studied in the library last week (teachers asked me to pull materials for their classes) for making brochures, PowerPoints, essays, or research projects. I searched the Kelly Road Secondary Library catalogue for the catalogue record. Then, I looked up the first two items in the Prince George Public Library catalogue. I did not find the other items, probably because they are educational material. There is a huge difference between the two catalogues.
Book #1
Oldershaw, Cally. Firefly Guide to Gems. Toronto: Firefly Books, 2003. Print.
Area 1:
Call number - 553.8 OLD
Author - Personal Author: Oldershaw, Cally
Title – Title: Firefly guide to gems / Cally Oldershaw.
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
Not present
Area 4:
Publication info: Toronto : Firefly Books, c2003.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 224p. : col. Ill. ; 20 cm.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
General Note: Includes index.
Abstract: A guide to the identification, structure, and uses of precious and semi-precious stones, novelty stones, agates, and crystals.
Subject term: Precious stones.
Subject term: Crystals.
Area 8:
ISBN: 1552978141 (pbk.)
The information in the KRSS school library catalogue is very short and to the point. The information in the Prince George Public Library is very extensive and thorough. For example, in addition to a picture of the book, there are links to find more about the author; find more about the topic; and find nearby items on the shelf. Also there is a link to the MARC Record. There is a link to read more about this item, with four icons underneath which read review; summary; Library Journal review; and excerpt. Typing in the title, I got this book as the first result.
Book #2
Peterson, James. Baking: 350 recipes and techniques, 1500 photographs, one baking education. New York: Ten Speed Press, 2009. Print.
Area 1:
Call number - 641.815 PET
Title – Baking
Author – Peterson, James
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
Not present
Area 4:
Publication info: Berkeley : Ten Speed Press, c2009.
Area 5:
Physical descript: xv, 378 p. : col. Ill. ; 29 cm.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
General Note: Includes index
Abstract: Offers a step-by-step instructional for baking the best-loved basics as well as new and fresh versions of pies, tarts, cakes, cookies, pastries, and breads.
Subject term: Baking.
Area 8:
ISBN: 9781580089913
ISBN: 1580089917
The information in the KRSS library catalogue is very short and to the point. The Prince George Public Library includes a picture. When I typed in the title, Baking, I got 159 results; this book was on page 4 of the results, the third entry down. The Prince George Public Library added the subtitle from the jacket cover to the title, [350 recipes and techniques, 1500 photographs, one baking education}. Another difference in the catalogue record is that they have New York as the place of publication instead of Berkeley. They also included First Edition. I looked on the verso of the book and New York is the place of publication and it says First Edition.
Source #3:
Scathed. Odd Squad Production. Mississauga, ON: McNabb Connolly, 2007. DVD.
Area 1:
Call number: DVD 362.299 SCA
Title: Scathed [videorecording].
Odd Squad Productions.
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
1 videodisc (DVD) (27 min.)
Area 4:
Publication info: Vancouver, BC ; Odd Squad Productions ; Mississauga, ON : McNabb Connolly [distributor], c2007.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 1 videodisc (DVD) (27 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 ¾ in.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
Abstract: Online support material> Using testimonials from users, police officers, and parents, this video outlines the personal, social, psychological and physical consequences of crystal meth use. In its attempt to dissuade adolescents from using crystal meth, the video employs explicit images and descriptions as it conveys the personal stories of young users. From the makers of ‘Through a Blue Lens’, this well-done film will have an impact. Note: Highly graphic in nature. Must be previewed before showing and must be debriefed with students after viewing. Graphic images of a disturbing nature and strong language, though appropriate to the context, require warning before showing. Suitability: Grade 8, 9 Health and Career Education.
Audience: Level: J.S., S.S.
Subject term: Methamphetamine abuse—British Columbia.
Subject term: Amphetamine abuse—British Columbia.
Subject term: Youth—Drug use—British Columbia.
Subject term: Ice (Drug)
Added Author: Old Squad Productions.
Added Author: McNab & Connolly.
Area 8:
Key: CANA18504577
Source #4:
In the Shadow of Gold Mountain. National Film Board of Canada. Montreal Quebec: National Film Board, 2005. DVD.
Area 1:
Call number: DVD 971.004 INT
Title: In the shadow of Gold Mountain [videorecording] / National Film Board.
Author: Cho, Karen
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
1 videodisc (DVD) (43 min.)
Area 4:
Publication info: Montreal, Quebec. : National Film Board, 2005.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 1 videodisc (DVD) (43 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 ¾ in.
Area 6:
Not present
Area 7:
Performer: Written and directed by Karen Cho.
Abstract: 43 min. closed-captioned, with teacher’s guide. Personal narratives convey the history of Chinese immigration, the payment of the head tax and the Exclusion Act. Discrimination faced by immigrants in urban settings is also discussed. Moving accounts by those who endured these indignities and by their relatives create a disturbing picture of a controversial period in Canadian immigration history. Archival photographs and footage of the goldrush and railroad construction add interest. Suitability: Grade 10, 11 Social Studies.
Subject term: Chinese Canadians—History.
Subject term: Ethnic attitudes—Canada—History.
Added author: Cho, Karen.
Added Author: National Film Board of Canada.
Area 8:
key: CANA17299043
Source #5
The Lottery, and a discussion of “The Lottery.” Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1969. Videocassette.
Area 1:
VR 808.3 LOT
Title: The Lottery, and the discussion of “The lottery” [videorecording].
Area 2:
Not present
Area 3:
1 videocassette (28 min.)
Area 4:
Publication info: Chicago : Encyclopedia Britannica, c1969.
Area 5:
Physical descrip: 1 videocassette (28 min.) : sd., col. ; ½ in.
Area 6:
Series Title: (Short-story showcase)
Area 7:
A group of decent ordinary families gather to perform the annual lottery ritual. Ceremony accentuates its brutality and senselessness—man’s inhumanity to man. Suitability: Grade 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Language Arts, CAPP.
Audience: Level: J.S., S.S.
Subject term: Sociology.
Subject term: Human Behavior.
Subject term: Violence.
Area 8:
key: 00012823
Overall, the items matched what was in the record with the exception of Berkeley as the place of publication instead of New York for the Baking book. I liked the Prince George Public Library's addition of a picture and all the informational links to encourage the reader to look further into the resource. One question I have: "Why does the video and DVDs have 'key' and a number rather than an ISBN number?"
The school libraries differ a lot from the public libraries in that there is a lot more information to access. This is probably due to cuts and time-saving strategies in education.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Lesson 5 - Accessing Data
Favorite nursery rhymes from Mother Goose illustrated by Scott Gustafson, 2007.
Students and teachers would access data from the above mentioned title by typing in the subject term "nursery rhymes" or "Mother Goose" or "Children's poetry." I do not think they would use "Scott Gustafson" unless they are familiar with other illustrated books of his. Many times students come to the library and they will ask for a book, usually by the title, or author, or series. Students also ask for books about a subject, so I would say that the bibliographic record for the above book is very useful for teachers and students. There is also a picture which is very helpful for younger students.
Connors, David. 2008. "A Ghost in the Catalog: The Gradual Obsolescence of the Main Entry". The Serials Librarian, 55:1, 85 - 97.
Although main entry had a time and place when it was useful, it is clear from reading Connor's article that many librarians are resistant to change, and that with the ever-growing "electronic environment," the main entry is no longer needed as Arlene Taylor in Wynar's Introduction to Cataloging and Classification states: "This [main entry] is an obsolete concept in online catalogs." Readers and searchers access material in a number of ways. At one point in history when everything was written down, I could see saving time, money, and energy and a lot of writing by using a main entry card. This reminds me of looking up a word in the dictionary and you find the word you are looking for and the entry says, see such and such a word--kind of like a merry-go-round. As important as main entry serving as the primary access point was at one time, it is now time to move on to a system that can access many points depending on the user, such as the current OPAC system--you do not need the main entry term to access a resource in the catalogue. OPAC searches the 1XX and the 7XX fields indiscriminately. I definitely see a need for an organized system of searching.
Checking out the various catalogues, such as school libraries and public libraries--Prince George and Vancouver--it is interesting to note the differences. The school libraries are short and to the point. There is so much more offered when searching in a public library. I wonder if the public library system has so much more money to spend than the school libraries. There is so many more links to check out when conducting a public library search. There were few discrepancies when searching out the same books at both sites; however, I really liked the public library format because it used pictures along with other useful links.
One important point that I learned in this lesson is that it is important to catalogue with as many details as you can and be as accurate as you can; it is too time-consuming to correct an entry later on down the road. If there is inaccurate information added to a catalogue entry, then others may copy the inaccurate info making a huge mess of the cataloguing system.
Students and teachers would access data from the above mentioned title by typing in the subject term "nursery rhymes" or "Mother Goose" or "Children's poetry." I do not think they would use "Scott Gustafson" unless they are familiar with other illustrated books of his. Many times students come to the library and they will ask for a book, usually by the title, or author, or series. Students also ask for books about a subject, so I would say that the bibliographic record for the above book is very useful for teachers and students. There is also a picture which is very helpful for younger students.
Connors, David. 2008. "A Ghost in the Catalog: The Gradual Obsolescence of the Main Entry". The Serials Librarian, 55:1, 85 - 97.
Although main entry had a time and place when it was useful, it is clear from reading Connor's article that many librarians are resistant to change, and that with the ever-growing "electronic environment," the main entry is no longer needed as Arlene Taylor in Wynar's Introduction to Cataloging and Classification states: "This [main entry] is an obsolete concept in online catalogs." Readers and searchers access material in a number of ways. At one point in history when everything was written down, I could see saving time, money, and energy and a lot of writing by using a main entry card. This reminds me of looking up a word in the dictionary and you find the word you are looking for and the entry says, see such and such a word--kind of like a merry-go-round. As important as main entry serving as the primary access point was at one time, it is now time to move on to a system that can access many points depending on the user, such as the current OPAC system--you do not need the main entry term to access a resource in the catalogue. OPAC searches the 1XX and the 7XX fields indiscriminately. I definitely see a need for an organized system of searching.
Checking out the various catalogues, such as school libraries and public libraries--Prince George and Vancouver--it is interesting to note the differences. The school libraries are short and to the point. There is so much more offered when searching in a public library. I wonder if the public library system has so much more money to spend than the school libraries. There is so many more links to check out when conducting a public library search. There were few discrepancies when searching out the same books at both sites; however, I really liked the public library format because it used pictures along with other useful links.
One important point that I learned in this lesson is that it is important to catalogue with as many details as you can and be as accurate as you can; it is too time-consuming to correct an entry later on down the road. If there is inaccurate information added to a catalogue entry, then others may copy the inaccurate info making a huge mess of the cataloguing system.
Lesson 4 - Cataloguing Introduction
A few teachers asked why me I needed to take ten courses about becoming a teacher-librarian. I should just show them the cataloguing glossaries. My head is spinning with all of these terms and technology. I hope I can get through this course because all of this information seems so overwhelming (as if the many search engines and directories topic didn't get my head swelling with new information). Off topic here.
I don't know which was more fun: actually reading the definitions or reading the discussion posts. Even though we did not have to post anything this week, it was pretty fun to read and I do not think anyone could resist posting the weird terms. This was a good assignment after reading about Search Engines to give our mind a break.
I was under the impression that The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is 13 digits now because there are so many entries that they ran out of 10 digit combinations.
I don't know which was more fun: actually reading the definitions or reading the discussion posts. Even though we did not have to post anything this week, it was pretty fun to read and I do not think anyone could resist posting the weird terms. This was a good assignment after reading about Search Engines to give our mind a break.
I was under the impression that The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is 13 digits now because there are so many entries that they ran out of 10 digit combinations.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Lesson 3 - Mastery of Search Engine Anatomy Reflection
Mastery of search engine anatomy would help with the role of the developing information literacy with colleagues and students. First, colleagues would create web pages and add links according to what each search engine uses to prioritize relevance rankings, such as using a theme, using two words in the title, not having any images in the first ten lines because the spiders or web crawlers cannot read images. Also, when colleagues and students are familiar with Boolean logic, searches are narrowed down even more to include relevant results. Knowing the difference between a Directory and a Search Engine is beneficial for specific searches; for example, an elementary class is better off to use the DMOZ Directory for looking up information about a specific topic, such as owls. Because search engines do not use the same formulae for relevance ranking, one may look up a topic on more than one search engine and find relevant results from each search engine maximizing research. Teaching how to Keyword search is important--See "The Spider's Apprentice" posted by Brooke--. Showing students the different search engines using one topic would be a good lesson for students to see the results.
Searches using more than one search engine will give even more relevant results than just using Google, for instance. Also, I learned that because each search engine is in such a competitive business that they will use unique features to appeal to its clientele. For instance, phrases enclosed in double quotes is a feature in Yahoo! Search. Boolean logic is used in most search engines. Yahoo! Search allows easy access to synonyms, dictionaries, and encyclopedias; however, Google users have access to Google Books, Google Scholar, Google Images, and a whole lot more.
Since most of the class has not heard of the DMOZ Directory before taking this class and now each of us teaches others to search more than one search engine, we have opened up the doors to more effective searching techniques and a broader range of material that might have otherwise been skipped over.
I liked the idea of the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative of standardizing metadata of Internet resources. As several people in the class noted, I was not aware of the term "metadata" before either. Standardizing Internet resources seems like an insurmountable task; however, it is an excellent organization tool which will improve relevant search results. As more and more relevant hits are missed because of currency of updates and irrelevant information, etc. a more structured system of description and organization is needed. It seems like a very complex task with so many unanswered questions. The simplest user friendly specific version is the answer because if the task is more work than it is worth, people will not use it. Appendix 1: Dublin Core Metadata schema chart has enough information that a query of any of these elements will bring up a relevant result.
I almost shut down reading all of this technical information; however, I reread the readings in this lesson to get a better grasp of the terms. This is a very interesting lesson; one could get lost just clicking on more and more informational links--just amazing. I feel a little frustrated with DMOZ. I tried to search in DMOZ, but was not very successful. I am not sure why, but I will keep trying, so that I can offer more than one choice of search engines and directories to teachers and students. I asked my English 12 students if they have used DMOZ for research before and they have not. The students are working on an author research assignment. I would like to take advantage of the DMOZ Directory to see if this is a relevant search tool for this assignment. Since Google provides approximately 80% of relevant results, I want to offer more places for research. I also use NovelList Plus and Biography databases, biographies and encyclopedias. Google is so easy to use that most students rely on this search engine so much.
I watched Social Networking just before this lesson. What a fascinating movie. I have to admit that I was surprised that it won the Golden Globe award for Best Picture though.
I found Alice Kedves April Fool's Day 2002 joke about the Google's PigeonRank hilarious; I always wondered how search results were accessed so fast!
Ben Koning's discussion post about how spiders crawl through the web was very informative. Colleen Nikon posted an excellent link with so much useful information that I plan to use as a teaching tool in my library classes. This site separates the information into very understandable categories to help make sense of the web.
Searches using more than one search engine will give even more relevant results than just using Google, for instance. Also, I learned that because each search engine is in such a competitive business that they will use unique features to appeal to its clientele. For instance, phrases enclosed in double quotes is a feature in Yahoo! Search. Boolean logic is used in most search engines. Yahoo! Search allows easy access to synonyms, dictionaries, and encyclopedias; however, Google users have access to Google Books, Google Scholar, Google Images, and a whole lot more.
Since most of the class has not heard of the DMOZ Directory before taking this class and now each of us teaches others to search more than one search engine, we have opened up the doors to more effective searching techniques and a broader range of material that might have otherwise been skipped over.
I liked the idea of the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative of standardizing metadata of Internet resources. As several people in the class noted, I was not aware of the term "metadata" before either. Standardizing Internet resources seems like an insurmountable task; however, it is an excellent organization tool which will improve relevant search results. As more and more relevant hits are missed because of currency of updates and irrelevant information, etc. a more structured system of description and organization is needed. It seems like a very complex task with so many unanswered questions. The simplest user friendly specific version is the answer because if the task is more work than it is worth, people will not use it. Appendix 1: Dublin Core Metadata schema chart has enough information that a query of any of these elements will bring up a relevant result.
I almost shut down reading all of this technical information; however, I reread the readings in this lesson to get a better grasp of the terms. This is a very interesting lesson; one could get lost just clicking on more and more informational links--just amazing. I feel a little frustrated with DMOZ. I tried to search in DMOZ, but was not very successful. I am not sure why, but I will keep trying, so that I can offer more than one choice of search engines and directories to teachers and students. I asked my English 12 students if they have used DMOZ for research before and they have not. The students are working on an author research assignment. I would like to take advantage of the DMOZ Directory to see if this is a relevant search tool for this assignment. Since Google provides approximately 80% of relevant results, I want to offer more places for research. I also use NovelList Plus and Biography databases, biographies and encyclopedias. Google is so easy to use that most students rely on this search engine so much.
I watched Social Networking just before this lesson. What a fascinating movie. I have to admit that I was surprised that it won the Golden Globe award for Best Picture though.
I found Alice Kedves April Fool's Day 2002 joke about the Google's PigeonRank hilarious; I always wondered how search results were accessed so fast!
Ben Koning's discussion post about how spiders crawl through the web was very informative. Colleen Nikon posted an excellent link with so much useful information that I plan to use as a teaching tool in my library classes. This site separates the information into very understandable categories to help make sense of the web.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Lesson 2 - Reflection - Changes in the Area of Digital Media
It is very easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of information available at our fingertips! At first, I found learning about and using digital media very frustrating; however, I fully support learning about new digital technology and keeping ahead of the game. I don't know how many times I have heard that libraries will be a thing of the past. I feel that this is not true at all and that schools will need the services of a teacher-librarian more than ever just to make sense of all the information that is out there. Before I got a position as a teacher-librarian, I did not know very much about technology at all. I learned everything as I went along making my first year in the library a huge learning curve. Thanks to the library courses I am learning how to Blog and soon how to Skype, both important skills in the world of technology.
When I first started in the library in September 2009, there wasn't a full class set of computers in the library and there was only 17 laptops in a mobile lab cart. Some of the computers that were in the library computer lab didn't work. Nothing is more frustrating to students than a computer that doesn't work properly. I put in a request to get a class set of computers in the library and ordered 32 Netbooks for the mobile cart, so that students in a class had sufficient access to information. I am also a member on the Tech committee which allows me to have a say and a vote for ordering tech requests. We also ordered Tablets for the Science and Math teachers and we ordered LCD projectors for each teacher in the school. For the English department, I also ordered Follett Playaways using a Raise a Reader grant for visually impaired, struggling, or reluctant readers. I ordered MP3 players so students and teachers can download books that we don't have in Playaway format. I also bought a Sony e-reader because I read that California and Ontario download textbooks and I wanted to see if it was feasible for our library. It is important to have enough equipment and the tech support for keeping the equipment running smoothly.
In order to provide support for teachers and students, collaboration is a key element. I collaborated with a Planning 10 teacher designing a lesson to get students using the catalogue to look up books about a specific topic one day; then the next day, I demonstrated how to access the databases that our school subscribes to; and finally on the third day, I gave a lesson to students how to evaluate Internet sites and what sites are better for research according to suffixes, such as gov. edu. I followed this process with most of the teachers who brought their classes in after that if they had time for a three day research project. I also attended work shops offered through our District Resource Centre so that I could teach the use of databases more efficiently. As someone else pointed out in their Blog, it is surprising that a number of teachers are not familiar with how to access the catalogue or the databases. For this reason, I set up workshops to show teachers, administrators, and parents from the PAC committee how to access the databases and best help young people with their research. I have also added useful links to our library web page for teachers and students about Copy Right and How to do a Bibliography. Probably the most frustrating is when a teacher allows students to use Wikipedia without an explanation about how to critically analyze information, or allows students to cut and paste without referencing their sources.
Students cannot access Facebook or Hotmail at our school. We are just hooking up a Colubris in the library and the Common Room (where students each their lunch); however, we haven't set guidelines up to when and how students will have access. (Please post suggestions to my Blog!). I look after barcoding equipment, entering tech tickets for equipment that is not working, and going to teacher's classes when they have a problem with equipment. I sign out equipment to keep track of it using the Sirsi Dynix Work Flows system. When teachers ask for a TV and a VCR/DVD, I suggest that they try the LCD projector; I tell them that I will come to their class and show them how to set it up. Since I am in the early stages of being a teacher-librarian, I still have a lot to learn, but I believe in being pro-active and supporting change.
Added Notes: I now know the difference between e-readers and e-texts. E-readers would be an excellent way to store the classics, so that they are not taking up room on the shelf; however, a student asked for Wuthering heights today--after she read Pride and Prejudice; nothing like curling up with a book and a blanket. E-texts offer many enhanced features to add to the texts, such as links that will provide more information. I asked my Math teachers if they were interested in getting the e-texts because of the three new streams Math 11 coming into effect next Fall; however, they want to order the textbooks.
After reading Joyce's comments about digital access, I feel sorry for the students who go to that library; I am happy to say that I allow students to drop-in and use the computers if they are not all being used by a class.
I love the idea about students checking out the Internet through Google and that it is about time that teachers design lessons that incorporate the students' digital world into the classroom.
When I first started in the library in September 2009, there wasn't a full class set of computers in the library and there was only 17 laptops in a mobile lab cart. Some of the computers that were in the library computer lab didn't work. Nothing is more frustrating to students than a computer that doesn't work properly. I put in a request to get a class set of computers in the library and ordered 32 Netbooks for the mobile cart, so that students in a class had sufficient access to information. I am also a member on the Tech committee which allows me to have a say and a vote for ordering tech requests. We also ordered Tablets for the Science and Math teachers and we ordered LCD projectors for each teacher in the school. For the English department, I also ordered Follett Playaways using a Raise a Reader grant for visually impaired, struggling, or reluctant readers. I ordered MP3 players so students and teachers can download books that we don't have in Playaway format. I also bought a Sony e-reader because I read that California and Ontario download textbooks and I wanted to see if it was feasible for our library. It is important to have enough equipment and the tech support for keeping the equipment running smoothly.
In order to provide support for teachers and students, collaboration is a key element. I collaborated with a Planning 10 teacher designing a lesson to get students using the catalogue to look up books about a specific topic one day; then the next day, I demonstrated how to access the databases that our school subscribes to; and finally on the third day, I gave a lesson to students how to evaluate Internet sites and what sites are better for research according to suffixes, such as gov. edu. I followed this process with most of the teachers who brought their classes in after that if they had time for a three day research project. I also attended work shops offered through our District Resource Centre so that I could teach the use of databases more efficiently. As someone else pointed out in their Blog, it is surprising that a number of teachers are not familiar with how to access the catalogue or the databases. For this reason, I set up workshops to show teachers, administrators, and parents from the PAC committee how to access the databases and best help young people with their research. I have also added useful links to our library web page for teachers and students about Copy Right and How to do a Bibliography. Probably the most frustrating is when a teacher allows students to use Wikipedia without an explanation about how to critically analyze information, or allows students to cut and paste without referencing their sources.
Students cannot access Facebook or Hotmail at our school. We are just hooking up a Colubris in the library and the Common Room (where students each their lunch); however, we haven't set guidelines up to when and how students will have access. (Please post suggestions to my Blog!). I look after barcoding equipment, entering tech tickets for equipment that is not working, and going to teacher's classes when they have a problem with equipment. I sign out equipment to keep track of it using the Sirsi Dynix Work Flows system. When teachers ask for a TV and a VCR/DVD, I suggest that they try the LCD projector; I tell them that I will come to their class and show them how to set it up. Since I am in the early stages of being a teacher-librarian, I still have a lot to learn, but I believe in being pro-active and supporting change.
Added Notes: I now know the difference between e-readers and e-texts. E-readers would be an excellent way to store the classics, so that they are not taking up room on the shelf; however, a student asked for Wuthering heights today--after she read Pride and Prejudice; nothing like curling up with a book and a blanket. E-texts offer many enhanced features to add to the texts, such as links that will provide more information. I asked my Math teachers if they were interested in getting the e-texts because of the three new streams Math 11 coming into effect next Fall; however, they want to order the textbooks.
After reading Joyce's comments about digital access, I feel sorry for the students who go to that library; I am happy to say that I allow students to drop-in and use the computers if they are not all being used by a class.
I love the idea about students checking out the Internet through Google and that it is about time that teachers design lessons that incorporate the students' digital world into the classroom.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Reflection - Questions and Notes
I have a question about the organization of the fiction section by genre. The library's fiction section is arranged by genre. This was done before I took over. When it comes to finding a book, sometimes I spend more time than I should because of a blurring or blending of the genre boundaries. A colleague was contemplating arranging her fiction section by genre and I suggested that maybe it would be better to keep the books according to the Dewey Decimal system; however, she could label the spines and keep the books where they are.
Another question I have is about the purchasing of non-fiction books. I have a large non-fiction section compared to the fiction section. A colleague was informing other teacher-librarians that she is not going to waste her money on purchasing non-fiction books when the Internet is so much better and she can focus on purchasing fiction books. So according to our textbook, Achieving Information Literacy, should the percentage of non-fiction books to fiction books be smaller?
The Dewey Decimal system descriptions looked interesting. I want to check out as many as I can. I starred a couple that I would considering using during library orientations. My thoughts were wondering how can one fit in everything that the students need to know. It is like information overload to show them too much at one time, so how much will they retain.
In one of the discussion posts a person asked the question about how others in the class arrange their graphic novels. My graphic novels are arranged by alphabetical order in series. For example, the Chibi Vampire series comes before the Nana series, then comes the Tsubasa series. It is important that the students access the graphic novels as easily and as quickly as possible because they are so popular. The students have to walk by the classic novels to get to the graphic novels, so the students notice the timeless great reads, as well.
In another discussion post, the person offered a great idea that I am considering: Putting a star on the teachers' favourite reads.
Another question I have is about the purchasing of non-fiction books. I have a large non-fiction section compared to the fiction section. A colleague was informing other teacher-librarians that she is not going to waste her money on purchasing non-fiction books when the Internet is so much better and she can focus on purchasing fiction books. So according to our textbook, Achieving Information Literacy, should the percentage of non-fiction books to fiction books be smaller?
The Dewey Decimal system descriptions looked interesting. I want to check out as many as I can. I starred a couple that I would considering using during library orientations. My thoughts were wondering how can one fit in everything that the students need to know. It is like information overload to show them too much at one time, so how much will they retain.
In one of the discussion posts a person asked the question about how others in the class arrange their graphic novels. My graphic novels are arranged by alphabetical order in series. For example, the Chibi Vampire series comes before the Nana series, then comes the Tsubasa series. It is important that the students access the graphic novels as easily and as quickly as possible because they are so popular. The students have to walk by the classic novels to get to the graphic novels, so the students notice the timeless great reads, as well.
In another discussion post, the person offered a great idea that I am considering: Putting a star on the teachers' favourite reads.
Reflection - Quick notes or Questions
I have a few questions about organization, such as what is the best way to organize the fiction books? and With the advancement of technology and the access to so much information on computers, should a teacher-librarian purchase a lot of non-fiction resources? I have a large section of non-fiction books compared to fiction; however, I visited a colleague's library and she asks, "Why waste so much money on non-fiction books when the Internet is so much better and then she can buy more fiction books?" A few colleagues have asked me about arranging books by genre and I suggested it might be a good idea to put the genre labels on the books, but leave them in the Dewey Decimal organization. My books are arranged by genre. My students love the genre arrangement, but when it comes to finding a book, sometimes I cannot find it in a timely fashion because of the blurring or blending of genres.
I do not remember reading about marketing startegies, so I will need to refresh my memory.
I have no idea how to make a digital library, so I can't wait to learn how to do that.
I will check out the Dewey Decimal links; the description of each site looks interesting. I starred a couple that I would like to try while doing a library orientation. The question Ihave is how do you find enough time to show this to students with everything else one is supposed to cover?
When I read the discussion posts, I liked the idea of having the teachers indicate favourite reads using a star.
A few people in this class asked how others arranged their graphic novels. My graphic novels are arranged along one shelf starting from the wall. They are put in alphabetical order in series. For example, Chibi Vampire series, then the Nana series, then the Tsubasa series, etc. I have the Classic genre at the end of the shelf, so students have to pass the timeless great reads first. The graphic novels are so popular that it is important for easy and quick access for students.
I do not remember reading about marketing startegies, so I will need to refresh my memory.
I have no idea how to make a digital library, so I can't wait to learn how to do that.
I will check out the Dewey Decimal links; the description of each site looks interesting. I starred a couple that I would like to try while doing a library orientation. The question Ihave is how do you find enough time to show this to students with everything else one is supposed to cover?
When I read the discussion posts, I liked the idea of having the teachers indicate favourite reads using a star.
A few people in this class asked how others arranged their graphic novels. My graphic novels are arranged along one shelf starting from the wall. They are put in alphabetical order in series. For example, Chibi Vampire series, then the Nana series, then the Tsubasa series, etc. I have the Classic genre at the end of the shelf, so students have to pass the timeless great reads first. The graphic novels are so popular that it is important for easy and quick access for students.
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