Tag Archives: libraries

Surprised by Oxford

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2013-10-02 16.21.26“So faced with a thousand-year old institution, I learned to pick my battles. Rather than resist, for instance, the archaic book-ordering system in the Bodleian Library with technological mortification, I discovered the treasure in embracing its seeming quirkiness. Often, when the wrong book came up from the annals after my order, I found it to be right in some way after Oxford often works such.

After one particulary serendipitous day of research, I asked Robert, the usual morning porter on duty at the Bodleian Library, about the lack of any kind of sophisticated security system, especially in one of the world’s most famous libraries. The Bodleian was not a loaning library, though you were allowed to work freely amid priceless artifacts. Individual college libraries entrusted you to simply sign a book out and then return it when you were done.

‘It’s funny; Americans ask me about that all the time,’ Roberty said as he stirred his tea. ‘But then again, they’re not used to having u in honour,’ he said with a shrug.”

Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber

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Internship at SPCC

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I just finished my library internship at South Piedmont Community College. P1000430

Finally being able to do some hands-on work at a library was very rewarding. I did weeding, updated libguides, added links to research guides, and updated computers.

WEEDING

P1000406

END OF A REFERENCE ERA

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I was also able to attend a conference by the Metrolina Library Association at Johnson & Wales in Charlotte.

Metrolina Library Association

 

My main project was an in-service project required for my class. SPCC is looking into subscribing to a new database for academic e-books. I did research on both EBSCO’s and ProQuest’s Ebrary’s academic collections, made comparisons, and did a PowerPoint presentation for the librarians from both campuses. Shortly after I did my presentation, I discovered that the Bodlein Libraries of the University of Oxford was also giving these two databases a trial. http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/notices/2013-mar-22    I’ll be interested in learning more about their discoveries and conclusions.

ebscohost

ProQuest

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was also able to spend some of my hours at the Monroe Public Library of Union County, working on collection development. Thanks to both of these libraries for giving me the time & experience, and help me to get one step closer to that diploma!

upublib

Learning to be a Librarian

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I have learned a lot about being a librarian while going to school for  my masters. Really. All kinds of technical stuff like classification, collection development, that special code librarians have called MARC, and all about who in the world was Melville Dewey. But some of the most useful information I’ve picked up has been about people skills; how to be approachable & personable. Maybe you’re surprised that I have learned some of this from a textbook & maybe you’re wondering if some of the librarians you’ve known took (& passed) this class, but I promise you, it is there.

In my textbook Reference & Information Services in the 21st Century is a list of “Behaviors to Avoid” for all librarians, but, specifically for those who have been asked for help with finding some answers. I have reworded these a bit and I hope to have them someday taped up in my future office; just like the rules I can see from my car (yes, fast food managers, we can see those) when I’m ordering my milk shakes, etc. You know, those rules from managers about smiling & asking if they want fries with that.

Behaviors to Avoid:

1) Do not provide an unmonitored referral. In other words, don’t just give the user a call number, wave your hand in the general area & send them off. Make sure they know exactly where to look.

2) Do not suggest that the user should have done some independent work before asking for help.

3) Do not try to get the user to accept information just because it is more easily available than what they really need.

4) Do not suggest, or even imply, that the information they are looking for cannot be found because it is just too hard, too obscure, or elusive. Do not say that not only can this information not be found at your library, but that it cannot be found at any library in the whole world.

5) Do not try to convince the user not to pursue the question. (see #4)

And here’s my personal favorite:

6) Do not leave the desk, never to return.

I’m glad I have these rules to refer to because I have a feeling there will be days when I will be tempted to break all of these rules; especially #6.