Reflection

I feel that I am a reflective practitioner and that I am always looking for new ways to improve my teaching and learning.  However, maybe in this class I did not always demonstrate that.  When I accepted my first continuing contract at Dixon Elementary at the end of August, I thought that I had accepted a similar position to the TL job I had at my previous school.  Boy was I wrong, the minute that Library became 'my own' everything became mine, its space issues, its overcrowded shelves, its need to be used as a multipurpose room! I was way in over my head and the one class that could help me get my bearings was also the same that got left on the back burner while I tried to find balance in my already hectic life.  I definitely learned a lot, but I also think I missed out on some big opportunities.

I think I became hung up with what was happening in my own library and was unable to connect to some of the lessons.  Frankly I got lost somewhere around MARC records and found my bearings again while reading about OPACs. MARC records mystified me, I understand their purpose and why they are used, but actually doing 15 from scratch was a nightmare for me.  I never knew what was enough information and what resource could help me best.  The first project took me forever and the results were not that great.  I feel very lucky that I am in a district that takes care of MARC records for me, or else I may have to find another Diploma to pursue.

I have always had the goal of creating a ‘learning commons’ in whichever space I was in, so many of the readings and concepts about access where very useful to me. I really think that most school libraries are not doing what they need to in order to keep our students up-to-date and literate in today's media driven world.  The article written by David Loertscher called 'Flip This Library: School Libraries need a Revolution' really spoke to me about what TLs need to think about and do to create a successful 'learning commons.'

Access to me is a very vital part to any educational institution especially a library.  Libraries were created to share information and if libraries are not accessible, by all and at the times that are needed, we are not doing our job.  The fact that Libraries are the first things to get cut in many districts restricts access to information every year.

The discussion forums did not always reflect my best work, but I did contribute every time I was asked to.  Some of the items I discussed I could with confidence and experience and other times I was either rushed or not fully understanding (MARC, Delicious...).  I would say my contributions were good and at times maybe very good and sometimes poor.  I for sure stretched myself too thin this semester.

The last few lessons where extremely useful and helpful in some of the questions I had about organization in my own library.  I had been contemplating what the purpose of an Inventory every few years was for, but I have always felt that it would for sure help with the organization of a library.  I also realized that I need to spend some time getting to know how to search using Destiny in order to better serve my library customers. Right now I am always rushed for time and never taking the time to show people how to properly use destiny.

Overall, I hope to continue to work on organization and access in my own library, because I feel that it is so vital to a successful learning commons.

Chchchchchanges.....

When the question came up in lesson 13 about changing the physical space of your library, I had vivid dreams about what I would write in hopes to not miss out on any of my ideas.  I am an action kind of person and find it hard to cool my heels in a new school environment in order to respect previous TLs and their systems, as well as take care to not bulldoze over staff and their ideas and needs.  I also have been a TOC by choice for a long time, I am flexible and adaptable and when I got my new job in my own library I saw that with time and planning, there were more possibilities for dramatic change.

However, when presented with the opportunity to change everything you always think of the limitations as well as the possibilities.  I wanted to do so much and this week it all might happen.  Two workmen from the district visited my library unexpectedly a few weeks ago asking a few questions, taking lots of pictures, taking measurements.  They said they were assessing every library in the district.  I thought nothing of it, money is tight, right? Well this week something amazing and unexpected happened to me.  My VP sat me down and informed me that I would be getting all new shelving.  We had been planning to mount the interactive whiteboard, I had already discussed with my admin at length about creating a 'learning commons' feel instead of just a traditional library feel. We had bought an ipad for my inquiry table and for OPAC searches to save on space.  I had been planning a huge weed and to start an inventory, and to hopefully streamline a very crowded library.  All of a sudden, we have the potential to change everything.  All we have to do is let the workmen know where the shelves need to go and how high they should be. 

I enlisted the pro,  Gordon Powell and we are well on our way to not just 'make a few changes', but to create a learning commons for A. B. Dixon Elementary.  In the next few years my budget will probably go to completing the task fully, but I am up for this exciting experience.  Honestly though, it is very scary, my first year in my own library...this is a one shot situation, the pressure is on! 

OPAC

  The OPAC that our district uses is Destiny and reading other people's messages, I think that the Richmond district definitely has different systems to catalog books than other districts.

We have library administrators who work at a central location who catalog all of our new resources if they are not already in our system. When you go into the back office as a TL (elementary) in Richmond, you do not have access to many of the features discussed in the lesson. I am not sure what that level would be, but I am certainly not able to add my own MARC records (maybe other TLs are and I am just very unaware...). In the back office I am able to manage patrons, start an inventory, manage my calendar and hours and access my job manager.

As for the access students get, I have always thought that Destiny is very usable. My only complaint is that if you do not type the title/author correctly it will not come up with any results. For younger students, ESL students and students who struggle with spelling this could be a problem. Visually though, Destiny is great. The main search page has many search options like keyword, title, subject, author...I also love the visual tab which I am constantly trying to get other teachers and students to use for research, magazines and tumblebooks.

Dewey Decimal

I liked all of the ideas and projects that could be used to familiarize our users with the Dewey Decimal System.  However, it is really important to do what fits your school and its students.  I always reflect on what I loved and disliked about my library days when I was in elementary school.  The theory and concept can be pretty boring to some, depending on how it is introduced.  I also feel that until children are a certain age, the Dewey Decimal system is too difficult to learn in detail.  Even when I was teaching Grade 6/7 students last year, some individuals just did not get it.  I think the most important concept that students need to grasp is that every subject is kept in a specific place, no matter which library you visit, books on Canadian provinces will always be in the same place.  That is why I use a scavenger hunt to teach students about the Dewey Decimal System.  I feel the more students are exposed to where each 'topic' is kept the more familiar they will become with the DD system. It is also a very engaging way to involve kids in true inquiry. Students always remember easier if they have made their own connections to ideas and concepts.

Index issue

One of the activities while exploring MARC records and indexing was to search the keyword: cars and then compare it to a subject search: automobiles.

At Dixon elementary cars are a very popular subject with students, so when I searched the keyword: cars; many books came up.  Every title with the word 'car' in it came up, even in french (auto). The search results came up with 99 items.  So lots of books with the word car in the title.

When I did the next search for subject: automobiles, 55 results were found.  Lots of different titles came up that were about automobiles.

Getting use to an OPAC is tricky, finding information takes a lot of practice and skill.  I am certainly not there yet.  I think I need a few hours playing with Destiny to figure out all the important ways to search for information.  I want to make sure that when students and teachers come to me for help, they are getting it.

Delicious or ....

Delicious was different.  I was not a big fan, but sometimes, I think that you get so used to weeding through all of Google's many hits that something like delicious becomes that one extra step that you do not want to complete.  It is always so interesting to know that there are sites out there that are created to make searching the internet and saving the links easier and more streamlined.  However, I know that there were some of my classmates that criticized how many of these sites existed and why each site needs to be signed into with yet another password.  This site in particular is great for saving and sharing what you have found, that is its biggest appeal for me.  I know it is always a struggle in a classroom to find reliable sites that can be accessible in one central place.  Sites like Delicious are definitely valuable and worth plugging.  

Access

The concept of access in a school library is fascinating because there are so many levels of access; for example physical access to books, access to a variety of books for all levels and access to books that challenge and keep up with modern society.

I am constantly working on making sure that the physical space in the library is workable for everyone.  Right now we have many books and many sections (including baskets...many baskets) and my volunteers have a hard time keeping up with putting books away.   My goal by the end of the school year is to organize some system to make sure it is clear to the volunteers which books go where. We also have many tall shelves that are hard to get to, especially by the younger students.  Unfortunately, in order to be able to clear the top of the bookshelves a massive weed will have to be completed.  Right now even in the middle of the school year the shelves are full.

Another issue that comes up in our school is what is appropriate books for an elementary school.  Is 'The Hunger Games' too violent? Is two boys kissing on a stage in 'Drama' too much for younger students to understand?  There are many opinions to consider when stocking a library with materials for all reading levels and a variety of interests.

Access is one of the most interesting and challenging aspects of working in the library (considering the Library is the first to suffer cuts every year!).  It is really central to everything a TL works towards.