So I have started on my second assignment and decided to explore voicethreads (www.voicethreads.com) I really like the idea of narrating your own story. I signed up, loaded up a couple of images and started to lay down the story. I did at least 3 takes, each time adding on details and removing hesitations and poorly pronounced words. Then I realized what I really needed was a storyboard where I could organize and build my script and attach and arrange the images. I want a storyboard, so I have a script for when I create my final project. And voicethreads does not have this capability, so I fell back on my old standby - powerpoint (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/)- where I can create the story in the notes section, place the images and key points on the slides, layout the framework of the story and fill in as I go along. Powerpoint will let me edit and rearrange until I like the story and have all the details included, now I sound like an ad. Then if I have time I may return to voicethread.
I see voicethread a bit like facebook (https://www.facebook.com/login.php) where you can use it to just blurt out your ideas, unedited. To use for a presentation I would want it to be much more scripted. I can see using it with students for book reviews, after they have printed the book review for my eyes, then they could make a voicethread to go with the cover. This would also avoid the issue of using student photos.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
tagging
I dipped into Delicious (www.delicious.com) and also Library Thing (www.librarything.com) . But much more strongly this discussion reminded me of using tags [1] to create an excel database (or catalogue) of "grey literature" that my husband had collected on hydrology and I on silviculture that we wanted our staff to be able to access. I had sorted my grey literatue (http://www.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_g.aspx#grayliterature) into file folders by self-selected subject headings and on the whole I could find an article later that I remembered or an article that was related to a current project. Sometimes I may have to go through 2 to 4 file folders (subject headings) but often that found other related articles. My husband had sorted his articles by author, because he had created his original collection to complete his masters. To find articles in his collection which didn't have subject headings was difficult since only he was really familar with the authors. Many of the researchers had done several articles on their research topic so they would be adjacent articles could be relevant; and you could identify other relevant authors by reading the research paper bibliography list but this would be much more time consuming. Which is important to consider when professional time is what your business is selling.
So when I created the Excel database (now I would call this our catalogue) creating and using subject headings was important so our staff could use the database to find relevant articles quickly. I found this task easier by repeating the same subject heading "tags". So I quickly created a list so I could repeat the tags, just like the controlled consistent vocabulary noted in Lesson 8 of our LIBE465 course notes.
1. Noruzi, A. (2006). Folksonomies: (Un)Controlled Vocabulary? Knowledge Organization, 33(4), 199-203. Retrieved Oct 2012 from http://eprints.rclis.org/11286/1/Folksonomy%2C_UnControled_Vocabulary.pdf
So when I created the Excel database (now I would call this our catalogue) creating and using subject headings was important so our staff could use the database to find relevant articles quickly. I found this task easier by repeating the same subject heading "tags". So I quickly created a list so I could repeat the tags, just like the controlled consistent vocabulary noted in Lesson 8 of our LIBE465 course notes.
1. Noruzi, A. (2006). Folksonomies: (Un)Controlled Vocabulary? Knowledge Organization, 33(4), 199-203. Retrieved Oct 2012 from http://eprints.rclis.org/11286/1/Folksonomy%2C_UnControled_Vocabulary.pdf
Friday, October 19, 2012
Copy cataloguing
So I started the assignment on Copy cataloguing [1] off-task as
usual. I can even rationalize this
starting point, as I choose something I was intimately familiar with, also I can justify it by arguing that it’s my
way of making new learning connect to my existing knowledge so I keep it longer,
by adding to my schema (Piaget theories).
So I started by first looking for the book I published in my last
career. I liked most of the information
but was disappointed that the subject topics chosen were not what I thought of
as the best fit. I wrote the book “Plant
Indicator Guide for Northern BC: etc” [2] for use by field foresters and I think searching
should include words they would use like “ecology, biogeoclimatic zone, site
prescriptions” and not phytogeography which I had not heard of as a topic. “Forest plants” works fine but it would be
useful to also include “forest vegetation” since it’s an established industry
word. I realize I need to take this personal
lens to my assignment. If I am adding
information to catalogue records for music resources, I should be asking my
music teacher what terms she might use to locate the resource and so on for the
different specialists and grade teachers in my school. And when looking at aboriginal resources I realized I have to watch my cultural lens when adding resources. (See also my LIBE465 Blog post Oct 19, 2012 about MARC records and cultural lens for book "Giving Thanks")
[1] Amicus Canadian National Catalogue. Accessed Oct 19, 2012 at http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/amicus-bin/self_register?l=0
[2]
[1] Amicus Canadian National Catalogue. Accessed Oct 19, 2012 at http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/amicus-bin/self_register?l=0
[2]
Beaudry, L., R. Coupé, C. DeLong and J. Pojar. 1999.
Plant indicator guide for Northern British Columbia: Boreal, Sub-boreal and
Subalpine Biogeoclimatic Zones; SBS, BWBS, SBPS and Northern ESSF. B.C. Min. of
Forests, Research Section, Victoria, B.C. Land Management Handbook #46. http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/lmh/lmh46.htm
Learning from BCTL conference
Wow, my brain is full of new ideas to try in the school library and also different approcaches I need to take to encourage students and teachers to use the Inquiry process, and teaching kids about how to find, sort and manage information. I really like to idea of making the library a sharing space where learning happens both out loud, with groups and online - ie move towards a Learning Commons (David Loertscher, The Learning Commons: Moving to the Center of Teaching and Learning, BCTL conference keynote speaker Oct 19, 2012). In particular I realize I need to collaborate more with the teachers in the school, and to find ways to make the library a more welcoming place. My first will be to talk to my principal to see if I can change my duty time to open library time.
I will be challenged to get use technological resources to support student learning (Creating Collaborative Projects with Technology Integration, Susan Henderson, BCTL conference Oct 19, 2012). I can see I approached library as too much as a subject to teach and not enough about collaborating with the teachers to create a learning space. I liked the suggestion of one presenter to make my library club leaders in this area and have them help around the school.
I did see a small ray of light that I had learned something about this all encompassing job when I could help a TL who was buying books . We had been in a session together where she shared her challenges of poor funding and support. I was able to tell her to buy books from booksellers who sold MARC records too! It was easy for me to explain how cheap a $1.50 MARC record is compared to the 1 hour of her clerk time to entry a book in her database. I knew she just needed to do a test run to make sure the records she was buying would match her system. Right away she checked with her District Librarian and then paid for the MARC records for her purchase. I realised I needed to be doing the same type of reflection - what processes can be done by someone else easier or cheaper so I can support collaboration between students for their learning. I realise if I had more time I would have talked about all the free record sites we are learning about in class.
I will be challenged to get use technological resources to support student learning (Creating Collaborative Projects with Technology Integration, Susan Henderson, BCTL conference Oct 19, 2012). I can see I approached library as too much as a subject to teach and not enough about collaborating with the teachers to create a learning space. I liked the suggestion of one presenter to make my library club leaders in this area and have them help around the school.
I did see a small ray of light that I had learned something about this all encompassing job when I could help a TL who was buying books . We had been in a session together where she shared her challenges of poor funding and support. I was able to tell her to buy books from booksellers who sold MARC records too! It was easy for me to explain how cheap a $1.50 MARC record is compared to the 1 hour of her clerk time to entry a book in her database. I knew she just needed to do a test run to make sure the records she was buying would match her system. Right away she checked with her District Librarian and then paid for the MARC records for her purchase. I realised I needed to be doing the same type of reflection - what processes can be done by someone else easier or cheaper so I can support collaboration between students for their learning. I realise if I had more time I would have talked about all the free record sites we are learning about in class.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Reflections on MARC records
The overview of cataloguing from Saskatchewan[1] was very helpful for me to
understand why our District librarian finds it difficult to recatalogue a book
that is classified as Fiction to non-fiction.
I have been frustrated that the book “Tale of a great white fish: A Sturgeon
Story” which is written as a mix of a story with non-fiction dialogue boxes of
facts is classified as fiction. Students doing research on Sturgeon don’t choose this book since it is
classified as fiction. I had wanted the
District Librarian to change one copy to non-fiction. From this article I can see that the
District Librarian is limited by the rules set up during the annual MARC
Committee meetings. This book would just
be a tiny blip in the overall meeting and for my District librarian to get the
system changed would require me to submit a rationale to support two different
entries for the same book, which defeats a system that is intended to create
only one entry per item.
This lesson also clarified why I will not get a quick
resolution to my frustration with some of the school library materials that
should be adjacent on a shelf but are separated (eg frogs) since some have a
basic dewey decimal system number and some have extended ones which separates
them from the basic books on the shelf due to other amphibian books. From my reading (1, 2) I understand that this is due
to a number of things including:
·
who you bought the record from,
·
the quality of the record and
·
consistency in use of call numbers,
·
the focus of the book on the topic if it is a
general introduction or a primary level book or a more detailed look at the
subject or a more intermediate level book. But due to the fact that different
MARC record creaters deal with these levels differently they could be assigned
basic or extended MARC records.
·
authors who are blending genres as a creative
process but are ahead of database rules creation.
This has given me more sympathy for the District librarians
who do our cataloguing as I understand they are restricted by the system. I can see that I will have to find other
creative ways within my library to help overcome this issue, including book
displays, creating cards with lists of where to find books on topics, pulling
books on topics to help students/classes with identifying resources to match
their research topics. I will also work
on learning of other ways from my colleagues.
[1]
Accessing Information:Cataloguing Guidelines for Manitoba and Saskatchewan
School Library Personnel, Retrieved Oct.
8, 2012 from http://www.education.gov.sk.ca/Accessing-Information
[2] Library of Congress. Understanding MARC . Retrieved Oct 8, 2012 from http://www.loc.gov/marc/umb/um01to06.html
[2] Library of Congress. Understanding MARC . Retrieved Oct 8, 2012 from http://www.loc.gov/marc/umb/um01to06.html
Monday, October 1, 2012
database vs catalogue
On reflection of a
bibliographic record for the title “Favorite nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose”.
I could see a student or teacher looking for nursery rhymes, or Mother goose or individual rhyme titles like “Jack Sprat” as noted in the access points identified in the reflection question. Like Connors[i] I see the catalogue as a large database with as many access points as entries so the concept of a main access point is irrelevant. I am more concerned if the database is complete and if there is room to append the database as new ways of looking at the catalogued items occur. I have read in our course materials (Libe465 Lesson 5) that these entries would be Housekeeping entries which could include curricular interests. As I mentioned in a course comment in response to K. Sproule (Oct 1, 2012), I am searching for stories that support social goals of kindness, friendship and empathy and some of the individual rhymes may be what I would like to find. Housekeeping entries could list curricular interests such as self-control, empathy, voice (6+1 writing traits). Alternatively since I am working off a list of stories on self-control, in the bibliographic record the titles of the rhymes would be more useful as one of the rhymes may be on my list. Just as with non-fiction books a listing of the table of contents may be useful. I had a teacher looking for different immigrant groups to Canada and some books had titles that implied the information was present and not until you looked at the table of contents did you realize that the book did not cover the topic as required by the student’s inquiry questions. Unfortunately like noted in Connor the catalogue is held by the creators and they don’t give up the rights to add housekeeping details to users who may damage their entries.
On the topic of a database, one of the functions a computer database can do is transpose (e.g. MS Access). So this means that every entry switches from a search to a response category, this shows how a database values each piece of information individually rather than ranking them. From a database article “The right database software will turn columns and rows of data into valuable information that can drive your business.” [2] Just what a library catalogue is supposed to do for the users, drive their business to maximize efficiencies of finding and using resources. I can see like Connors that “main entry” is in the eyes of the creator of the database but not the user.
I could see a student or teacher looking for nursery rhymes, or Mother goose or individual rhyme titles like “Jack Sprat” as noted in the access points identified in the reflection question. Like Connors[i] I see the catalogue as a large database with as many access points as entries so the concept of a main access point is irrelevant. I am more concerned if the database is complete and if there is room to append the database as new ways of looking at the catalogued items occur. I have read in our course materials (Libe465 Lesson 5) that these entries would be Housekeeping entries which could include curricular interests. As I mentioned in a course comment in response to K. Sproule (Oct 1, 2012), I am searching for stories that support social goals of kindness, friendship and empathy and some of the individual rhymes may be what I would like to find. Housekeeping entries could list curricular interests such as self-control, empathy, voice (6+1 writing traits). Alternatively since I am working off a list of stories on self-control, in the bibliographic record the titles of the rhymes would be more useful as one of the rhymes may be on my list. Just as with non-fiction books a listing of the table of contents may be useful. I had a teacher looking for different immigrant groups to Canada and some books had titles that implied the information was present and not until you looked at the table of contents did you realize that the book did not cover the topic as required by the student’s inquiry questions. Unfortunately like noted in Connor the catalogue is held by the creators and they don’t give up the rights to add housekeeping details to users who may damage their entries.
On the topic of a database, one of the functions a computer database can do is transpose (e.g. MS Access). So this means that every entry switches from a search to a response category, this shows how a database values each piece of information individually rather than ranking them. From a database article “The right database software will turn columns and rows of data into valuable information that can drive your business.” [2] Just what a library catalogue is supposed to do for the users, drive their business to maximize efficiencies of finding and using resources. I can see like Connors that “main entry” is in the eyes of the creator of the database but not the user.
[1] Thomas, Faith. How to select the best database for your business. Accessed Oct 1, 2012 from http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/10/how-to-select-the-best-database-software.html
[2]
Conners, D. (2008, September). A Ghost in the
Catalog: The Gradual Obsolescence of the Main Entry. Serials Librarian,
55(1/2), 85-97. Retrieved February 22, 2009, from Academic Search Complete
database. Persistent link to article at UBC library: http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a903778273&fulltext=713240928
Kitchen reno like Library reorg
I have been thinking about the comment of how organizing a library is like organizing a kitchen that my classmates have been discussing online(LIBE465 lesson 4, cataloguing introduction). It has really resonnated with me. I am in a new to me library space and am planning its reorganization the way I planned my kitchen reno. I am thinking about the traffic flow, how to minimize steps between the carpet and the books for the primary students. How to minimize my steps between helping students find books and checking them out (between fridge, stove, counter and table) How to orient the bookcases so I can see students and books... like how to see what I have in my pantry by how I organize the shelves. How to locate the items that are used every day and those that are just used on special occasions; how to stock the shelves in the library, where to put bins and displays.
I am excited that I have signed up to a library design session at the upcoming TL conference in Port Coquitlam to get more reflection and other viewpoints on this process before I re-organize. I want to redesign to include a "Learning Commons" (Koechlin, C. et al Building a Learning Commons, a guide for school administrators and learning leadership teams) type of space. For me this focuses on renovating my kitchen/library to reflect how the space will be used socially. Will I be entertaining in my kitchen? Having my children work on homework? Doing batch baking/canning with family and friends? Where will everyone sit to eat? So in the library how do I accomodate large learning groups, small groups, groups that will be talking and discussing and quiet spaces to read and reflect, places for supplies for projects and maybe even a bit messy ones with glue and felts.
I am also thinking of a bookstore as part of my job and how to display books so students will choose them (http://redhairedlibrarian.com/2006/04/06/library-borrows-bookstore-display-ideas/). This could be related to my kitchen reno as where do I locate my plant pots, flowers, art and wine glass display. Where is the breakfast cereal so the little hands can choose and get it themselves. I want to encourage students to find not just books they are familiar with but also to promote new authors and genres of books. So I am thinking about what should be binned and what should be put out on display to encourage students to locate books? As I noted in my course comment many of the French books have been organized or "binned" by publisher rather than author while the English books have been organized by author. I am thinking that by changing the system, students will discover other books... so do I switch the English to publisher and the French to author? Can I do this without totally frustrating my clerk and her ability to shelve quickly? I have already had her change from displaying titles that students know to books they are less familiar with but have great covers. This has definately increased "sales". Will my students still be able to find the cereal they want while discovering other brands? I am also going to have to think more about using Dewey organization after reading the blog by Van merter (http://vanmeterlibraryvoice.blogspot.ca/2012/08/we-spiced-up-shelvesand-ditched-dewey.html.
Just like my kitchen reno I will improve how the library helps the students find books and has usable space, but there will still be adjustments as I see how the students and teachers use the "new" spaces I will create.
I am excited that I have signed up to a library design session at the upcoming TL conference in Port Coquitlam to get more reflection and other viewpoints on this process before I re-organize. I want to redesign to include a "Learning Commons" (Koechlin, C. et al Building a Learning Commons, a guide for school administrators and learning leadership teams) type of space. For me this focuses on renovating my kitchen/library to reflect how the space will be used socially. Will I be entertaining in my kitchen? Having my children work on homework? Doing batch baking/canning with family and friends? Where will everyone sit to eat? So in the library how do I accomodate large learning groups, small groups, groups that will be talking and discussing and quiet spaces to read and reflect, places for supplies for projects and maybe even a bit messy ones with glue and felts.
I am also thinking of a bookstore as part of my job and how to display books so students will choose them (http://redhairedlibrarian.com/2006/04/06/library-borrows-bookstore-display-ideas/). This could be related to my kitchen reno as where do I locate my plant pots, flowers, art and wine glass display. Where is the breakfast cereal so the little hands can choose and get it themselves. I want to encourage students to find not just books they are familiar with but also to promote new authors and genres of books. So I am thinking about what should be binned and what should be put out on display to encourage students to locate books? As I noted in my course comment many of the French books have been organized or "binned" by publisher rather than author while the English books have been organized by author. I am thinking that by changing the system, students will discover other books... so do I switch the English to publisher and the French to author? Can I do this without totally frustrating my clerk and her ability to shelve quickly? I have already had her change from displaying titles that students know to books they are less familiar with but have great covers. This has definately increased "sales". Will my students still be able to find the cereal they want while discovering other brands? I am also going to have to think more about using Dewey organization after reading the blog by Van merter (http://vanmeterlibraryvoice.blogspot.ca/2012/08/we-spiced-up-shelvesand-ditched-dewey.html.
Just like my kitchen reno I will improve how the library helps the students find books and has usable space, but there will still be adjustments as I see how the students and teachers use the "new" spaces I will create.
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