Today a wonderful email dropped in to my in-box letting me know that I have been selected as a recipient of the 2008 Carla E. DuPuy Scholarship!!!
Once a year, the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County gives a scholarship to a staff member who is enrolled in a MLIS program, and this year I am that person!!!!
What an honor! What a suprise!
I am full of joy right now. It's a good day.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Beatnik Cafe, Simply Science, and Away Games
May has been a busy month. Recently I have started offering several of my portable workshops to teachers as a classroom visit. My portable school programs are simply library programs that have worked in the branches and I take them on the road. If ImainOn is my home court, then the portable school programs are the away games.
Currently I offer Beatnik Café and Simply Science and they have both proved very popular with both students and teachers. Beatnik Café is a poetry program (obviously). As you have guessed by the title, Beatniks are part of the formula. I dress up in black, wear a beret and play the bongos while reciting poems. After my antics have loosened up the kids, I encourage them to come up and read a poem while I accompany on the bongos. Sometimes the kids read poems they have written; sometimes they use one of the many poetry books I bring and find inspiration there. I always bring an extra set of bongos and have an assistant bongo player. Then I hand over my bongos to an eager student and keep the Café moving. By the end of the program all of the kids (even the shy ones) have either read or poem or played a bongo. Sometimes the teachers jump in. I wrap up the program with a plug for the 811 poetry section in non-fiction. The kids leave thinking how cool the library is. Can you dig it, man?
Simply Science is a great hands-on program that introduces basic science concepts to kids. It started as a workshop I did for teachers and then I realized that it could be easily adjusted for a classroom visit. I keep the experiments simple. For example; baking soda and vinegar mixed together make a cold reaction (endothermic) and peroxide and yeast make a hot reaction (exothermic). Discuss. I made a nifty little Science Notebook that the kids can use to record their observations and hypothesis. I end the class with a reference to the 500’s science section, a list of cool science books, and a hopefully a burning thirst for more science knowledge.
The sad thing is that many of the kids have not been to their local library. Sure they know that there is a library filled with books, but why would they want to go there? What can the library possible offer them? Well, it can tell you more about rockets and exothermic reactions, for one thing. Not to mention the plethora of awesome, FREE programs that are offered, for any age group.
This interests the kids. They have rockets at the library? Beatniks too? So the library is….kind of cool?
It’s the problem of the modern librarian: We offer these fabulous, free programs that are just as spectacular as video games (and some of them are video games) but we need to get the word out that This Is Not Your Momma’s Library. Kids are welcome, we are here for you.
Now I don’t really care if kids think librarians are cool, but I do care if they think the library is relevant. And I think that the away games are a great way to do that.
I have one more Simply Science tomorrow, then I’m winding down for the summer. However, I already have several requests for the fall and I am developing new away games (literacy games, anyone?) that hopefully will continue to delight young patrons.
If anyone would like the write ups for Simply Science or Beatnik Café, leave a comment and I will be happy email them to you. I also send the teachers evaluations, so I can send the template with the program. As always, feel free to use and adjust.
Currently I offer Beatnik Café and Simply Science and they have both proved very popular with both students and teachers. Beatnik Café is a poetry program (obviously). As you have guessed by the title, Beatniks are part of the formula. I dress up in black, wear a beret and play the bongos while reciting poems. After my antics have loosened up the kids, I encourage them to come up and read a poem while I accompany on the bongos. Sometimes the kids read poems they have written; sometimes they use one of the many poetry books I bring and find inspiration there. I always bring an extra set of bongos and have an assistant bongo player. Then I hand over my bongos to an eager student and keep the Café moving. By the end of the program all of the kids (even the shy ones) have either read or poem or played a bongo. Sometimes the teachers jump in. I wrap up the program with a plug for the 811 poetry section in non-fiction. The kids leave thinking how cool the library is. Can you dig it, man?
Simply Science is a great hands-on program that introduces basic science concepts to kids. It started as a workshop I did for teachers and then I realized that it could be easily adjusted for a classroom visit. I keep the experiments simple. For example; baking soda and vinegar mixed together make a cold reaction (endothermic) and peroxide and yeast make a hot reaction (exothermic). Discuss. I made a nifty little Science Notebook that the kids can use to record their observations and hypothesis. I end the class with a reference to the 500’s science section, a list of cool science books, and a hopefully a burning thirst for more science knowledge.
The sad thing is that many of the kids have not been to their local library. Sure they know that there is a library filled with books, but why would they want to go there? What can the library possible offer them? Well, it can tell you more about rockets and exothermic reactions, for one thing. Not to mention the plethora of awesome, FREE programs that are offered, for any age group.
This interests the kids. They have rockets at the library? Beatniks too? So the library is….kind of cool?
It’s the problem of the modern librarian: We offer these fabulous, free programs that are just as spectacular as video games (and some of them are video games) but we need to get the word out that This Is Not Your Momma’s Library. Kids are welcome, we are here for you.
Now I don’t really care if kids think librarians are cool, but I do care if they think the library is relevant. And I think that the away games are a great way to do that.
I have one more Simply Science tomorrow, then I’m winding down for the summer. However, I already have several requests for the fall and I am developing new away games (literacy games, anyone?) that hopefully will continue to delight young patrons.
If anyone would like the write ups for Simply Science or Beatnik Café, leave a comment and I will be happy email them to you. I also send the teachers evaluations, so I can send the template with the program. As always, feel free to use and adjust.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Public Library at the County Jail: Wii Progams Unite Everyone
Public Library programs in jail? Why not.
I have been partnered with Jail North since September 2007. Jail North is one of the county jails of Mecklenburg and houses male inmates. I’ve had great success with the Jail North programs, mainly because I run them as I would a normal library program and the inmates respond to that. My first few classes were poetry classes. The guys loved writing, especially poetry, so it was an easy class to facilitate. Classes were small (8-10 participants) and lasted 90 minutes once a week for 4 weeks. I would bring in poems from Gil Scott-Heron, Gwendolyn Brooks, T.S.Elliot, Maya Angelo, Allen Ginsburg, and Jack Kerouac to name a few. I would also use songs from artists like Mos Def, Common, Notorious B.I.G., Jimi Hendrix and Lauren Hill and have the guys analyze the lyrics. We wrapped up each class with a writing assignment (for example, Jack Kerouac has a very distinct writing style called stream of consciousness. Try writing in this style). Often the guys drew amazing parallels between the lessons and real life and wrote wonderful poems that reflected their thoughts. I hope to post future inmate poems on this blog.
This month we had two Learn and Play days at Jail North with the Nintendo Wii. The Outreach department has the Wii Sports game that came with the system. Wii Sports has bowling, baseball, tennis, boxing, and golf. Participants can team up or play the games individually. We have used it with seniors and other adult groups and they loved it. However, would a room full of adult male inmates like it too?
I decided to go for it and pitched the Wii program as a great team building, cooperative video game program for inmates. The Wii is a more non-traditional gaming system, but the premise of the Learn and Play days is to introduce new technology to the inmates. I proposed that inmates would be playing together in a team environment and learning something new. Jail North liked the idea so they approved the program. Although I’m new to inmate gaming, another library colleague has been facilitating Madden football game tournaments to youth offenders for a year and she said that they loved it. Why not give Wii a chance too?
To say that the Jail North Wii class exceeded my expectations is an understatement. My first class had 6 adult men and they loved it. The class was very eager to try all five games and they worked well together. They took turns playing, helped other participants work the remote and encouraged each player. True, there was the usual amount of trash talking but it wasn’t any worse than you would hear in a normal setting. The class lasted 90 minutes (because you can’t really play a video game in an hour) and the inmates were very appreciative of the opportunity to try something new.
Was this a fluke? Not at all. My colleague Jason and I went again to Jail North today and had another wonderful experience. Once again, we had a class of about 6 men and they loved the Wii. This time the game of choice was boxing. While some might hesitate to let inmates play a boxing game, Wii boxing is very mild and does not have graphic, bloody fight scenes. Plus it’s a great workout. Once again, the guys were encouraging and helpful to each other, which was nice to see. Jason remarked that it did not feel like a jail program and felt more like an adult gamming night at one of the branches. Jail North was happy at the positive nature of the games and how well the inmates worked together. While it may sound like a simple concept, gaming allowed these men to relax and have fun, but they were also inadvertently developing social skills and communicating in a positive way.
This is one of those feel good, pat-on-the-back programs that makes me love the library even more. I know we probably didn’t change anyone’s lives, but we made a great connection with the inmates and encouraged them to visit the library with their families when they are released.
Next up with Jail North, a Youth Offenders Graphic Novels class, complete with a visiting artist! Should be fun, I’ll post more later on.
I have been partnered with Jail North since September 2007. Jail North is one of the county jails of Mecklenburg and houses male inmates. I’ve had great success with the Jail North programs, mainly because I run them as I would a normal library program and the inmates respond to that. My first few classes were poetry classes. The guys loved writing, especially poetry, so it was an easy class to facilitate. Classes were small (8-10 participants) and lasted 90 minutes once a week for 4 weeks. I would bring in poems from Gil Scott-Heron, Gwendolyn Brooks, T.S.Elliot, Maya Angelo, Allen Ginsburg, and Jack Kerouac to name a few. I would also use songs from artists like Mos Def, Common, Notorious B.I.G., Jimi Hendrix and Lauren Hill and have the guys analyze the lyrics. We wrapped up each class with a writing assignment (for example, Jack Kerouac has a very distinct writing style called stream of consciousness. Try writing in this style). Often the guys drew amazing parallels between the lessons and real life and wrote wonderful poems that reflected their thoughts. I hope to post future inmate poems on this blog.
This month we had two Learn and Play days at Jail North with the Nintendo Wii. The Outreach department has the Wii Sports game that came with the system. Wii Sports has bowling, baseball, tennis, boxing, and golf. Participants can team up or play the games individually. We have used it with seniors and other adult groups and they loved it. However, would a room full of adult male inmates like it too?
I decided to go for it and pitched the Wii program as a great team building, cooperative video game program for inmates. The Wii is a more non-traditional gaming system, but the premise of the Learn and Play days is to introduce new technology to the inmates. I proposed that inmates would be playing together in a team environment and learning something new. Jail North liked the idea so they approved the program. Although I’m new to inmate gaming, another library colleague has been facilitating Madden football game tournaments to youth offenders for a year and she said that they loved it. Why not give Wii a chance too?
To say that the Jail North Wii class exceeded my expectations is an understatement. My first class had 6 adult men and they loved it. The class was very eager to try all five games and they worked well together. They took turns playing, helped other participants work the remote and encouraged each player. True, there was the usual amount of trash talking but it wasn’t any worse than you would hear in a normal setting. The class lasted 90 minutes (because you can’t really play a video game in an hour) and the inmates were very appreciative of the opportunity to try something new.
Was this a fluke? Not at all. My colleague Jason and I went again to Jail North today and had another wonderful experience. Once again, we had a class of about 6 men and they loved the Wii. This time the game of choice was boxing. While some might hesitate to let inmates play a boxing game, Wii boxing is very mild and does not have graphic, bloody fight scenes. Plus it’s a great workout. Once again, the guys were encouraging and helpful to each other, which was nice to see. Jason remarked that it did not feel like a jail program and felt more like an adult gamming night at one of the branches. Jail North was happy at the positive nature of the games and how well the inmates worked together. While it may sound like a simple concept, gaming allowed these men to relax and have fun, but they were also inadvertently developing social skills and communicating in a positive way.
This is one of those feel good, pat-on-the-back programs that makes me love the library even more. I know we probably didn’t change anyone’s lives, but we made a great connection with the inmates and encouraged them to visit the library with their families when they are released.
Next up with Jail North, a Youth Offenders Graphic Novels class, complete with a visiting artist! Should be fun, I’ll post more later on.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Information Overload
I might have bitten off more than I can chew for the summer as I plan to take three grad school courses in my attempt to graduate in December 2009. Crazy, right? Right.
Truth be told, my introduction class for the spring semester wasn't that bad. I thoroughly enjoyed the content, the readings, the assignments... OK, I am a perpetual nerd, so the school work didn't bother me. I aced the course, now I have a break in May until June 2nd, when my Materials for Early Childhood and Introduction to Research in Library and Information Science classes begin.
On the surface Summer 1 doesn't look so bad... read 100 picture books and review them for Materials (should be fun) watch the classroom DVD, learn about puppets, flannel boards, story times, and round out the class with a few papers and a campus visit. I'm in the distance education program so a face to face lecture should be fun. For Research I read two-three chapters a week and will have a research project due. Online participation and class discussion postings via Blackboard are mandatory for each class, natch.
I'm not think about Summer 2 until, well, later.
Here's the thing: I believe that what will make me a good librarian will be the things that I am experiencing in my current job, and skills I have learned in past jobs. There's not really a flannel board that can teach you how to facilitate a graphic novels class to youth offenders in county jail, 'ya know? But more on that issue later.
That being said, I have to say that I am enjoying the degree itself and the book learning that is coming with it. I think right now I have the best of both worlds- working in a library while working on my MLIS- and I do intend to make the most of it.
So yes, I might be taking on a lot but really, you only live once and I want to go full throttle on this degree and get the most out of it that I can. I am very interested to see how this summer will shape up.
Cheers, Snarky Readers.
Librarian by day....
Hmmm, I wonder how much library student enrollment would jump if universities posted this on their webpage?
To get the full effect, click on the ad and make sure to read the tag line.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Urban Ministries Library Fieldtrip
Dentistry Library:
StacksOriginally uploaded by rosefirerising
I followed through with my idea for a library field trip with the Urban Ministries folks. My purpose for the fieldtrip was to connect homeless patrons with library services and employees that could help them find a job, a place to live, brush up on their computer skills, and to find that perfect book to read. It was a great success with a larger number of folks coming from Urban Ministries than I thought. At one point we had 14 people, and I was seriously expecting maybe 5 or 6. What a pleasant surprise!
Here is my formula for a successful fieldtrip:
1. Contact everyone within the library. I mean everyone. I contacted the heads of security, circulation, reference, and Virtual Village asking if they would like to participate in the fieldtrip and discuss their areas, and cc’d every library manager I could think of. I did not want to leave anyone out and I wanted staff to well-informed about this endeavor. I am fortunate to have very supportive colleagues and was met with an enthusiastic response.
2. Ask the patrons what areas they are interested in learning more about and then have a solid schedule for them. I put just as much effort planning the Urban Ministry fieldtrip as I did planning for my high-end book clubs. After making sure all the staff was on-board, I emailed everyone at PLCMC and Urban Ministries a schedule. On the day of the fieldtrip, I had a well rounded visit planned out for the patrons, showcasing areas like Virtual Village and reference. Something for everyone.
3. Have food. It unites people.
4. Make it a monthly occurrence. Or a quarterly occurrence, or a seasonal occurrence, but if possible try to offer again. It builds a great rapport with the community and the patrons did learn about library services that they were not aware of before.
5. Send thank you’s to the library staff. You can never say thank you enough.
Part of my motivation for the fieldtrip was to attempt to improve relations between the library and homeless patrons. Sometimes the homeless patrons feel intimidated by library staff; sometimes library staff feels intimidated by the homeless patrons. On the flip side, there does not seem to be a lot of friendly communication between the two groups. I’m sure that most library systems (and homeless patrons) can relate. Hopefully, these fieldtrip will remedy that.
After the fieldtrip one of the Urban Ministry patrons told me, “Well, now that I’ve met you all, you all seem like real people to me.”
That’s a very interesting and powerful thought, the concept of what makes one person real to another. Is it when we talk to someone? Is it when we have positive interactions? Or is it as simple as when we say hello? Food for thought.
Urban Ministries has expressed an interest in making another trip, and the library staff told me they will support it. Go team, go. Let’s become real to some people.
Book Clubs: The Snarky Librarian Staple
Snarky Librarians thrive on book clubs. Truly, nothing is better than introducing a wonderful book to a group and then listening to them talk about it.
Check out 25 Ways Libraries Can Serve Book Groups from Book Group Buzz.
Other book clubs ideas that can be used in a library setting:
1. Pair a book with a movie. Have participants read the book, screen the movie, and talk about the transition from page to screen. My experience has been that the movie element works well as a hook for teens, and as a great visual aide for senior groups or ESL groups. Bonus challenge: Read a script instead of a book and compare it to the movie version. Six Degrees of Separation is a good place to start.
2. On the library webpage, have a place where author websites are book marked. Often authors have book club questions about their books.
3. Start a library book club blog (the Snarky Book Club, perhaps?) and use it as a virtual Book Club. This is a great tool to use for library outreach; groups such as busy professionals, stay at home parents, or the disabled and homebound. Blogs are fun and FREE!
Check out 25 Ways Libraries Can Serve Book Groups from Book Group Buzz.
Other book clubs ideas that can be used in a library setting:
1. Pair a book with a movie. Have participants read the book, screen the movie, and talk about the transition from page to screen. My experience has been that the movie element works well as a hook for teens, and as a great visual aide for senior groups or ESL groups. Bonus challenge: Read a script instead of a book and compare it to the movie version. Six Degrees of Separation is a good place to start.
2. On the library webpage, have a place where author websites are book marked. Often authors have book club questions about their books.
3. Start a library book club blog (the Snarky Book Club, perhaps?) and use it as a virtual Book Club. This is a great tool to use for library outreach; groups such as busy professionals, stay at home parents, or the disabled and homebound. Blogs are fun and FREE!
The Digital Divide: My Nemesis
I have found my Nemesis, my Arch-Enemy, and she is named Digital Divide.
The term digital divide refers to the gap between those people with effective access to information technology and the knowledge to use it, and those that do not. It’s the old story of the haves and the have-nots. The modern twist is that the lack of basic computer skills and technological access for the have-nots is not only affecting their ability to find a job, but to function in our society. The DD is the Joker to my Batman, and I will use all the bat-gadgets in my utility belt to defeat it.
As a library science student my professors covered the DD concept accurately and thoroughly. As an employee of the public library I come across it almost daily. Currently I work in the Youth & Outreach department and am partnered with an array of groups across Mecklenburg County. One group is the Urban Ministries center. Urban Ministries is an inter-faith organization that serves those that face homelessness and poverty. I run several monthly programs at Urban, the newest being a resume class where the digital dived was painfully evident.
Starting out I envisioned having several laptops at Urban for the patron’s use with internet access. I thought that I would be there in a support capacity and that the patrons would be writing up their own resumes and posting them online. Nope. The program ended up being very hands-on as the patrons I served did not know how to type, much less post the finished product on Careerbuilders.com. Many of them did not even have an email address. Take a moment and imagine not having an email address. It might be nice to be unplugged, but think about trying to operate in today’s world with out one. Now think about applying for a job without email. How does a potential employer contact you? How would you communicate with jobs of interest and send applications? Sure, there’s the phone, but realistically homeless patrons don’t have easy access to that either. Many of my homeless patrons are part of the digital divide have-nots and don’t know about free email accounts, posting resumes online, or job search engines. I’m not saying that you can’t find a job without those tools, but it sure is easier with them, don’t you think?
I adapted quickly and the program took a very interesting turn as I helped with resumes, job postings, and opening free email accounts. My digital divide nemesis almost took the day, but library services prevailed. I have decided to take it a step further and will start scheduling Urban fieldtrips to the Public Library to better connect them to our wonderful, free services. Down with DD!
The term digital divide refers to the gap between those people with effective access to information technology and the knowledge to use it, and those that do not. It’s the old story of the haves and the have-nots. The modern twist is that the lack of basic computer skills and technological access for the have-nots is not only affecting their ability to find a job, but to function in our society. The DD is the Joker to my Batman, and I will use all the bat-gadgets in my utility belt to defeat it.
As a library science student my professors covered the DD concept accurately and thoroughly. As an employee of the public library I come across it almost daily. Currently I work in the Youth & Outreach department and am partnered with an array of groups across Mecklenburg County. One group is the Urban Ministries center. Urban Ministries is an inter-faith organization that serves those that face homelessness and poverty. I run several monthly programs at Urban, the newest being a resume class where the digital dived was painfully evident.
Starting out I envisioned having several laptops at Urban for the patron’s use with internet access. I thought that I would be there in a support capacity and that the patrons would be writing up their own resumes and posting them online. Nope. The program ended up being very hands-on as the patrons I served did not know how to type, much less post the finished product on Careerbuilders.com. Many of them did not even have an email address. Take a moment and imagine not having an email address. It might be nice to be unplugged, but think about trying to operate in today’s world with out one. Now think about applying for a job without email. How does a potential employer contact you? How would you communicate with jobs of interest and send applications? Sure, there’s the phone, but realistically homeless patrons don’t have easy access to that either. Many of my homeless patrons are part of the digital divide have-nots and don’t know about free email accounts, posting resumes online, or job search engines. I’m not saying that you can’t find a job without those tools, but it sure is easier with them, don’t you think?
I adapted quickly and the program took a very interesting turn as I helped with resumes, job postings, and opening free email accounts. My digital divide nemesis almost took the day, but library services prevailed. I have decided to take it a step further and will start scheduling Urban fieldtrips to the Public Library to better connect them to our wonderful, free services. Down with DD!
Welcome to the Snark!
Welcome all, to the Snarky Librarian. This is my first of many entries. To begin, let’s clarify what a Snarky Librarian really is. As defined by Urban Dictionary:
Snarky-
A witty mannerism, personality, or behavior that is a combination of sarcasm and cynicism. Any language that contains quips, comments or satirical witticisms intended as blunt irony. Usually accepted as a complimentary term, snark is sometimes mistaken for a snotty or arrogant attitude, but is intended to amuse and entertain.
Librarian-
A librarian is a person who is trained to help you find whatever information you might be looking for. Many people have an outdated stereotype of a librarian as an unmarried middle-aged woman who only cares about keeping kids away from her dusty old books. The truth is that the modern librarian comes in all shapes, sizes, genders and ages. More importantly, they aspire to make a difference in a constantly changing world, are some of the most interesting individuals you will ever meet and are more excited about technology then you think.
Snarky Librarian:
A witty, sarcastic person who is trained to help you find whatever information you might be looking for. Snarky Librarians often share amusing quips or satirical witticisms that are as entertaining as they are blunt. Snarky Librarians love (in no certain order) books, literacy, reading nooks, technology, gadgets, blogs, blogging, dynamic library programs, dynamic library people. A Snarky Librarian is a good person to have on your side.
Now that the definition is out of the way, the fun can begin!
Snarky-
A witty mannerism, personality, or behavior that is a combination of sarcasm and cynicism. Any language that contains quips, comments or satirical witticisms intended as blunt irony. Usually accepted as a complimentary term, snark is sometimes mistaken for a snotty or arrogant attitude, but is intended to amuse and entertain.
Librarian-
A librarian is a person who is trained to help you find whatever information you might be looking for. Many people have an outdated stereotype of a librarian as an unmarried middle-aged woman who only cares about keeping kids away from her dusty old books. The truth is that the modern librarian comes in all shapes, sizes, genders and ages. More importantly, they aspire to make a difference in a constantly changing world, are some of the most interesting individuals you will ever meet and are more excited about technology then you think.
Snarky Librarian:
A witty, sarcastic person who is trained to help you find whatever information you might be looking for. Snarky Librarians often share amusing quips or satirical witticisms that are as entertaining as they are blunt. Snarky Librarians love (in no certain order) books, literacy, reading nooks, technology, gadgets, blogs, blogging, dynamic library programs, dynamic library people. A Snarky Librarian is a good person to have on your side.
Now that the definition is out of the way, the fun can begin!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
