Pathfinder

I started on my pathfinder right after we had class the other week ago. I knew I had to start it early because I had VBS this week and I was gone this past weekend too. I made a lot of notes in my notebook before ever putting anything to the wiki. Once I started working on it I just sat here at the computer and worked and worked and worked all day long. I was able to get a majority of it finished. I had a little trouble with the pictures, but I figured it out. I wanted to put an image of every NC lighthouse. You can't have one without the other! Everyone that I found was too big. I finally figured out that I shouldn't "click on the image" to see it. I just copied and pasted from where I googled it and it stayed small. If that makes any sense at all! I was hoping to not have to put descriptions on everything, but I emailed about it and Dr. Rob said it would probably be best. So I did. Some of things I just put the price..b/c I wasn't sure of what else to put. I sortive felt the titles were self-explanatory and really didn't need a description. This was a much more extensive and time consuming pathfinder from the one we did in Dr. Cat's class. I think this one will be much more helpful! It was a great learning experience with the use of Wiki's! It's making me start to like the use of Wiki's more and more! Who knew.... If only they would figure out a way to save the info and not delete if two people click save at the same time. That never happened to me everytime I worked on mine, but I would highlight the info and click copy, just in case. I'm glad I'm done!! NOw I have a few weeks to relax!!

S & D questions

I went to the library last MOnday to do my S & D questions. I was able to get most of them finished and I found some of them online as well. Most of the questions were not too hard. But some were really hard! This was an interesting project, but I'm glad I'm finish with it! Patrick Beaver Library to far to go to! I learned a lot about the different catergories of how reference materials are organized. One time I went to the PBL and I was looking for a book that I knew that they had there and half way through my search I realized that the book was a reference, not non-fiction! Non-fiction just has the numbers with authors, Reference will say reference above the number! I will remember each I look now!

Thursday's CPCP meeting

Well we had our last meeting for our CPCP group and I forgot to meet online. I have been so busy with VBS this week that I completely forgot. Usually it's meet and another lady at all of the other meetings. I think it's ok though, b/c I had my part finished a long time ago! All they talked about I'm sure is how everything looked once it was put together. I had already emailed my part to the head person of the group and she was going to make a word document with everyone's info. We had one person to do the introduction - I think he volunteered b/c he missed many of the meetings. We have the project finished and that's the main thing! It will be interesting to see everyone's projects tomorrow night. I'm not sure I would like doing this type of online learning. I guess this is how online learners have to do all of their projects. It's really hard not being able to know someone and meet with them face to face. I like online learning, but I like some meeting times too.

Live chat with reference dept. @appstate

Tonight I remembered I need to try out the Live Chat program that is through ASU. I really didn't have any questions to ask, but as soon as I got online someone was waiting there and said hello and how can I help you? I thought that was very nice. I asked the person how long do they stay available and they said usually till 10 or the hours of the library. During finals it's later, usually 12am. They told me there was a reference librarian there now if I needed to ask any questions. I asked them if they have any other responsibilities or do they just wait for someone to chat. And of course they have other things to take care of, mainly watching the circ. desk. They said they didn't get many people to use the Live Chat so far. I thought this was a neat way to get information. I'm thinking I may have wrote something about this type of interview in one of my papers/blogs. I'll have to remember this service!

Last night's class

Last night we had our last S&D presentations. They were given by Heather and Veronica and Jerry, Kim, and Rebecca. They gave their presentations on geographic sources (chapter 10) and special sources and government sources (chapter 9 and 12). All of these presentations were great! I have like doing this project because we have learned a lot of simple little things ...like interesting websites for various topics. Anyways, we also talked about what a pathfinder is and we looked at some examples of pathfinders. Our next assignment is to make a pathfinder from whatever topic that we choose. I think I'm going to keep my topic with lighthouses. We have to include the six source types plus ten additional catergories of resources. We are to find three different websites/print resources for each of these sources types. This project is going to take awhile!! I'm hoping to get a majority of it done this week because I have Bible school all next week and I just want to be able to focus on that. Plus I have my last set of S & D questions to do at the library. Hopefully I can meet with a group and get them done quickly!!

Third Article

Hisle, W. (2005, September 30). Reference Questions in the Library of the Future. Chronicle of Higher Education, 52(6), B6-B8. Retrieved June 29, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

This article describes how we are in a time of transition for academic libraries. Libraries are changing and rethinking how they deal with the core functions of the library. The reference services, collection development, and preservation are handled differently as things are moved from print based forms to online and digitized forms. The article states that reference work has been around since the 19th century helping people to increase literacy. Online and digitized services have taken away some of the reference work for librarians, but it has also brought about different types of questions and reference work among patrons. Many colleges and universities are changing their approach to learning. Students have to work in groups more and make presentations that require digital media. The role of the reference librarian changes with this style of teaching. It requires librarians to be experienced in virtual reference services, experienced in building websites, experienced in working with electronic course assignments, and experienced with online instructional materials. Reference librarians must continue to be teachers to patrons in order to be able to help others navigate information literacy programs. The article gives a couple of examples from various schools on how they are changing their style of reference work. Some schools are combining social and study space and creating an "information commons" where students can work in groups or alone and use digital technology. Other schools are completely going away with the reference desk entirely, and instead one desk offers general information, circulation and reference services, and basic technological support. If a student needs to see a librarian, an appointment has to be made. Another style of reference that is a little different is at the University of Florida. Librarians are going mobile by carrying laptops with wireless Internet around to dining halls, student centers, and residence halls.

I think that this is a great article on how reference is changing and will always continue to change. I do not think that reference work will ever go away. Students are always going to need help in some way and the librarian is hopefully where they will turn to. Google offers a lot of information, but it may not always be the correct information. Like the article said, the reference librarian is great to help sort through all 50 million hits on the topic. I think the convience of online services are wonderful, but I still think that it is important to not forget about important print resources as well. I agree with the article on that librarians need to be up to speed with more electronic services, because that is what most of the questions are going to be about from students.

CPCP Project

Tonight I had a scheduled meeting at 9pm to meet with my CPCP group. Well this time it was only myself and two others that remembered. That's one more than last time. I have my part finished and the other two that met are pretty close to being finished. I posted my points to our wiki that was created by one of the group members. The wiki has been pretty helpful and cuts down on all the emails that could be sent back and forth. We set another time and date, so hopefully they others will meet and get their part finished. It sounds like most of us just have to collaborate a vision and share with the class. I'm glad that's all that I have to do! Anyways, that's the update on that project.