Comments for LIS 701 Spring 2008 Discussion Blog http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com A Place for Class Conversations Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:32:53 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Welcome to the discussion blog. by Patricia Carroll http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/hello-world-2/#comment-325 Patricia Carroll Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:32:53 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2007/06/10/hello-world-2/#comment-325 Grace: It was not easy to track, but your husband is correct, there is a Carnegie in Waukegan. It was praised in the writing of Ray Bradbury, a frequent user. Also, on "books chained to desks" I recommend Library:An Unquiet History by Matthew Battles (Norton, 2004) Grace: It was not easy to track, but your husband is correct, there is a Carnegie in Waukegan. It was praised in the writing of Ray Bradbury, a frequent user.

Also, on “books chained to desks” I recommend
Library:An Unquiet History by Matthew Battles
(Norton, 2004)

]]> Comment on Photo Tours of Libraries from Discussion by Rosemary http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/photo-tours-of-libraries-from-discussion/#comment-321 Rosemary Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:51:54 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/?p=51#comment-321 http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/preserving-gay-and-lesbian-history-at-the-library/ Interesting article about the New York Public Library's collections. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/preserving-gay-and-lesbian-history-at-the-library/

Interesting article about the New York Public Library’s collections.

]]> Comment on Course Announcements and Schedule by Patricia http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/03/22/course-announcements-and-schedule/#comment-318 Patricia Sun, 23 Mar 2008 05:05:26 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/03/22/course-announcements-and-schedule/#comment-318 NY Times, March 22, 2008 See article "Taking Games Seriously at the Public Library" on gaming at the NY Public Library as a follow up to our recent discussion of gaming/teen activities sponsored by libraries. NY Times, March 22, 2008
See article “Taking Games Seriously at the Public Library” on gaming at the NY Public Library as a follow up to our recent discussion of gaming/teen activities sponsored by libraries.

]]> Comment on Online Discussion 2: Information R/Evolution by Rosemary http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/online-discussion-2-information-revolution/#comment-317 Rosemary Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:02:14 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-317 This is a really cool video. The only scary part where I almost dropped my bucket of popcorn was when they got to the microfiche. Seriously, even if you've used it a million times there's always a glitch. Moving along (or zooming backward, no forward again, Did I miss it?)...I think librarians should embrace the information revolution as an exciting new day with new possiblities that don't include having to hang a "needs repair" sign on machines (yeah, microfiche, I'm talking to you!). Clumsy patroms can still get info. because there will be many different, increasingly less cumbersome ways to get facts, including historical information. The future of librarianship is bright, I'd say because we have so many resources to turn to, we just have to be able to distinguish who has the best, more reliable and relevant information. It means less paper jams and eye rolling and blame between the accusing, overwrought librarian, the nervous, sometimes clumsy library card holder, and the difficult, unforgiving machine. This is a really cool video. The only scary part where I almost dropped my bucket of popcorn was when they got to the microfiche. Seriously, even if you’ve used it a million times there’s always a glitch.
Moving along (or zooming backward, no forward again, Did I miss it?)…I think librarians should embrace the information revolution as an exciting new day with new possiblities that don’t include having to hang a “needs repair” sign on machines (yeah, microfiche, I’m talking to you!). Clumsy patroms can still get info. because there will be many different, increasingly less cumbersome ways to get facts, including historical information.
The future of librarianship is bright, I’d say because we have so many resources to turn to, we just have to be able to distinguish who has the best, more reliable and relevant information. It means less paper jams and eye rolling and blame between the accusing, overwrought librarian, the nervous, sometimes clumsy library card holder, and the difficult, unforgiving machine.

]]> Comment on Online Discussion Questions for the Week of February 25th by Rosemary http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/online-discussion-questions-for-the-week-of-february-25th/#comment-316 Rosemary Sat, 22 Mar 2008 23:37:20 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-316 I agree that professions do not stand still because of new discoveries and technology. Also, I think new professions are created every day such as the webmaster. This means that many professionals have to continue to learn new skill sets throughout their careers, which can be both an exciting and an intimidating prospect. But I think it could also spell the end of repetitive, bland work that doesn't offer much in the way of creativity. This could mean there's less burnout on the job. Also, people will feel more fulfilled personally. The information revolution makes it easier for people to get their hands on information that will be relevant to their lives. They can get past the gatekeepers. For instance, your doctor diagnoses you with a chronic illness. Now, it's easier to be your best advocate in terms of your health care because you have information, such as research studies on drugs, that is now readily available on the Internet. The downside to this, of course, is that there's too much information to decipher and for someone who is trying to research something important to their lives this can cause panic. I believe this is the where the librarian steps in, to show people who is reliable and who isn't. Libraries, in my opinion, are trusted institutions in this country. We aspire to the higher ideal of knowledge through reading. However, in being seen as reliable, it's also easy to be invisible. People know we're there, but do they really take notice of all the we have to offer? Per our class discussion, I'm really on the fence about video games in libraries. Yes, they bring people together and libraries are being reenvisioned as these community centers. We want people to use the library. However, are we undermining our origial premise, to be a place of thought and introspection and a champion for the written word? I know that when I read, even if it's a good book, I have to remove myself from the room that my television and my CD player are in, in order to beat temptation. Sometimes I head to the library to think. Are we defeating reading by bringing something that could so easily distract from it into such close proximity? Food for thought. I agree that professions do not stand still because of new discoveries and technology. Also, I think new professions are created every day such as the webmaster. This means that many professionals have to continue to learn new skill sets throughout their careers, which can be both an exciting and an intimidating prospect.
But I think it could also spell the end of repetitive, bland work that doesn’t offer much in the way of creativity. This could mean there’s less burnout on the job. Also, people will feel more fulfilled personally.

The information revolution makes it easier for people to get their hands on information that will be relevant to their lives. They can get past the gatekeepers. For instance, your doctor diagnoses you with a chronic illness. Now, it’s easier to be your best advocate in terms of your health care because you have information, such as research studies on drugs, that is now readily available on the Internet.
The downside to this, of course, is that there’s too much information to decipher and for someone who is trying to research something important to their lives this can cause panic. I believe this is the where the librarian steps in, to show people who is reliable and who isn’t.
Libraries, in my opinion, are trusted institutions in this country. We aspire to the higher ideal of knowledge through reading. However, in being seen as reliable, it’s also easy to be invisible. People know we’re there, but do they really take notice of all the we have to offer?
Per our class discussion, I’m really on the fence about video games in libraries. Yes, they bring people together and libraries are being reenvisioned as these community centers. We want people to use the library. However, are we undermining our origial premise, to be a place of thought and introspection and a champion for the written word? I know that when I read, even if it’s a good book, I have to remove myself from the room that my television and my CD player are in, in order to beat temptation. Sometimes I head to the library to think. Are we defeating reading by bringing something that could so easily distract from it into such close proximity? Food for thought.

]]> Comment on Association Assignment: Report on Your selected LIS Association Here by Becky http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/association-assignment-report-on-your-selected-lis-association-here/#comment-315 Becky Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:05:13 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/association-assignment-report-on-your-selected-lis-association-here/#comment-315 Progressive Librarians Guild “Providing a forum for the open exchange of radical views on library issues” The PLG was formed in January of 1990 in New York City and are currently based out of New Jersey. The main belief of the organization is about public libraries being a place to provide free access to information and intellectual development for the good of a democratic society. Their main concern is that libraries today have lost sight of this goal and become a “neutral institutional mediator” and have begun to form alliances with questionable businesses, politics, and other aspects of the current information industry. The PLG supports progressive ideas of librarianship, activist librarians and libraries, critical consideration of the technological changes affecting the library field, and maintaining a high level of professional ethics and democratic awareness. They very strongly state in their About page on the PLG website: “Members of PLG do not accept the sterile notion of the neutrality of librarianship, and we strongly oppose the commodification of information which turns the 'information commons' into privatized, commercialized zones. We will help to dissect the implications of these powerful trends, and fight their anti-democratic tendencies.” The activities they engage in include a peer-reviewed journal called Progressive Librarian, sponsored programs at the ALA and Socialist Scholars conferences, and supports many programs and events where PLG chapters are located throughout the country. They also run an email discussion list and give a Miriam Braverman Memorial Award annually for outstanding papers concerning social responsibilities in the library field. To become a member you send an application to the organization and it is open to library workers and users who agree to their Statement of Purpose. Membership dues are $20, $10 for students/low income issues. It is run by a Coordinating Committee and Editorial Board who are selected on a volunteer basis from those who have been with the Guild for at least two years and show a level of commitment and activism that is in line with the Guild’s objectives. There are currently six student Chapters in the PLG and the requirements to establish a Chapter are having a minimum of three member who have all filled out the necessary paperwork and agree to the Statement of Purpose. Al information on the Progressive Librarians Guild can be found at: http://libr.org/plg/index.php Progressive Librarians Guild
“Providing a forum for the open exchange of radical views on library issues”

The PLG was formed in January of 1990 in New York City and are currently based out of New Jersey. The main belief of the organization is about public libraries being a place to provide free access to information and intellectual development for the good of a democratic society. Their main concern is that libraries today have lost sight of this goal and become a “neutral institutional mediator” and have begun to form alliances with questionable businesses, politics, and other aspects of the current information industry.
The PLG supports progressive ideas of librarianship, activist librarians and libraries, critical consideration of the technological changes affecting the library field, and maintaining a high level of professional ethics and democratic awareness.
They very strongly state in their About page on the PLG website:
“Members of PLG do not accept the sterile notion of the neutrality of librarianship, and we strongly oppose the commodification of information which turns the ‘information commons’ into privatized, commercialized zones. We will help to dissect the implications of these powerful trends, and fight their anti-democratic tendencies.”
The activities they engage in include a peer-reviewed journal called Progressive Librarian, sponsored programs at the ALA and Socialist Scholars conferences, and supports many programs and events where PLG chapters are located throughout the country. They also run an email discussion list and give a Miriam Braverman Memorial Award annually for outstanding papers concerning social responsibilities in the library field.
To become a member you send an application to the organization and it is open to library workers and users who agree to their Statement of Purpose. Membership dues are $20, $10 for students/low income issues. It is run by a Coordinating Committee and Editorial Board who are selected on a volunteer basis from those who have been with the Guild for at least two years and show a level of commitment and activism that is in line with the Guild’s objectives. There are currently six student Chapters in the PLG and the requirements to establish a Chapter are having a minimum of three member who have all filled out the necessary paperwork and agree to the Statement of Purpose.
Al information on the Progressive Librarians Guild can be found at: http://libr.org/plg/index.php

]]> Comment on Association Assignment: Report on Your selected LIS Association Here by RGPLG http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/association-assignment-report-on-your-selected-lis-association-here/#comment-314 RGPLG Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:03:06 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/association-assignment-report-on-your-selected-lis-association-here/#comment-314 Progressive Librarians Guild “Providing a forum for the open exchange of radical views on library issues” The PLG was formed in January of 1990 in New York City and are currently based out of New Jersey. The main belief of the organization is about public libraries being a place to provide free access to information and intellectual development for the good of a democratic society. Their main concern is that libraries today have lost sight of this goal and become a “neutral institutional mediator” and have begun to form alliances with questionable businesses, politics, and other aspects of the current information industry. The PLG supports progressive ideas of librarianship, activist librarians and libraries, critical consideration of the technological changes affecting the library field, and maintaining a high level of professional ethics and democratic awareness. They very strongly state in their About page on the PLG website: “Members of PLG do not accept the sterile notion of the neutrality of librarianship, and we strongly oppose the commodification of information which turns the 'information commons' into privatized, commercialized zones. We will help to dissect the implications of these powerful trends, and fight their anti-democratic tendencies.” The activities they engage in include a peer-reviewed journal called Progressive Librarian, sponsored programs at the ALA and Socialist Scholars conferences, and supports many programs and events where PLG chapters are located throughout the country. They also run an email discussion list and give a Miriam Braverman Memorial Award annually for outstanding papers concerning social responsibilities in the library field. To become a member you send an application to the organization and it is open to library workers and users who agree to their Statement of Purpose. Membership dues are $20, $10 for students/low income issues. It is run by a Coordinating Committee and Editorial Board who are selected on a volunteer basis from those who have been with the Guild for at least two years and show a level of commitment and activism that is in line with the Guild’s objectives. There are currently six student Chapters in the PLG and the requirements to establish a Chapter are having a minimum of three member who have all filled out the necessary paperwork and agree to the Statement of Purpose. Al information on the Progressive Librarians Guild can be found at: http://libr.org/plg/index.php Progressive Librarians Guild
“Providing a forum for the open exchange of radical views on library issues”

The PLG was formed in January of 1990 in New York City and are currently based out of New Jersey. The main belief of the organization is about public libraries being a place to provide free access to information and intellectual development for the good of a democratic society. Their main concern is that libraries today have lost sight of this goal and become a “neutral institutional mediator” and have begun to form alliances with questionable businesses, politics, and other aspects of the current information industry.
The PLG supports progressive ideas of librarianship, activist librarians and libraries, critical consideration of the technological changes affecting the library field, and maintaining a high level of professional ethics and democratic awareness.
They very strongly state in their About page on the PLG website:
“Members of PLG do not accept the sterile notion of the neutrality of librarianship, and we strongly oppose the commodification of information which turns the ‘information commons’ into privatized, commercialized zones. We will help to dissect the implications of these powerful trends, and fight their anti-democratic tendencies.”
The activities they engage in include a peer-reviewed journal called Progressive Librarian, sponsored programs at the ALA and Socialist Scholars conferences, and supports many programs and events where PLG chapters are located throughout the country. They also run an email discussion list and give a Miriam Braverman Memorial Award annually for outstanding papers concerning social responsibilities in the library field.
To become a member you send an application to the organization and it is open to library workers and users who agree to their Statement of Purpose. Membership dues are $20, $10 for students/low income issues. It is run by a Coordinating Committee and Editorial Board who are selected on a volunteer basis from those who have been with the Guild for at least two years and show a level of commitment and activism that is in line with the Guild’s objectives. There are currently six student Chapters in the PLG and the requirements to establish a Chapter are having a minimum of three member who have all filled out the necessary paperwork and agree to the Statement of Purpose.
Al information on the Progressive Librarians Guild can be found at: http://libr.org/plg/index.php

]]> Comment on Online Discussion 2: Information R/Evolution by Becky http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/online-discussion-2-information-revolution/#comment-313 Becky Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:50:08 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-313 One of the best conflicts this video pointed out was how information is accessed and created has changed. The power of information is in the hands of the users much more than it ever has been. There are thousands of ways for them to organize it themselves, find it, have it find them, create, comment, actually interact with the information. It's become a full blown independent organism. The struggle now is what role librarians and libraries play when users assume and want to be able to do it themselves. The expectation now is that the internet can provide everything with searching, and libraries are unnecessary. No matter what the origins of the internet or it's organization it is on it's own now and most users don't give a second thought where the organizational structure comes from. One of my favorite comments I think sums up another interesting aspect of this growing pains period: "I find the allure of the "treasure hunt," of the professional archival search for information exciting." "I think the answer to that sense of wonder is when you are on wikipedia and suddenly realize that you've followed a series of links from Britt Eckland to the properties of electrons. More or less the hunt has taken a different form." It's all taken on a different form. And I agree with alexis' point above that some libraries are dealing with it well, ad others are lagging behind. It's a tough trap for those libraries who need to appeal for extra funding. They are not seen as relevant, so they do get the funding...but they need the funding to become relevant again. One of the best conflicts this video pointed out was how information is accessed and created has changed. The power of information is in the hands of the users much more than it ever has been. There are thousands of ways for them to organize it themselves, find it, have it find them, create, comment, actually interact with the information. It’s become a full blown independent organism.
The struggle now is what role librarians and libraries play when users assume and want to be able to do it themselves. The expectation now is that the internet can provide everything with searching, and libraries are unnecessary. No matter what the origins of the internet or it’s organization it is on it’s own now and most users don’t give a second thought where the organizational structure comes from.

One of my favorite comments I think sums up another interesting aspect of this growing pains period:
“I find the allure of the “treasure hunt,” of the professional archival search for information exciting.”
“I think the answer to that sense of wonder is when you are on wikipedia and suddenly realize that you’ve followed a series of links from Britt Eckland to the properties of electrons.

More or less the hunt has taken a different form.”

It’s all taken on a different form. And I agree with alexis’ point above that some libraries are dealing with it well, ad others are lagging behind. It’s a tough trap for those libraries who need to appeal for extra funding. They are not seen as relevant, so they do get the funding…but they need the funding to become relevant again.

]]> Comment on Association Assignment: Report on Your selected LIS Association Here by alexis http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/association-assignment-report-on-your-selected-lis-association-here/#comment-312 alexis Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:32:40 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/association-assignment-report-on-your-selected-lis-association-here/#comment-312 The association that I was assigned was The Music Library Association. Their website is very informative and very simple to use, www.musiclibraryassoc.org. The organization was founded back in 1931 (3/11/06-MLA posts a new website). The MLA is a professional organization within the U.S. devoted to Music Librarianship and promotes the growth, establishment and use of music libraries. This organization has been created to promote the collection of music and musical literature and its preservation. The MLA and its meetings and website offer a forum for general librarians, music librarians and composers and music scholars to discuss, learn and promote music in libraries and special collections. Anyone is eligible to join and they encourage membership. They allow individuals, families, corporations and anyone/thing else interested in music and its place in the library system. The fees and dues for a membership with the MLA range from $90.00-$750.00 for US residents and $100.00-$760.00 for international members. There are many different memberships with different specifications, i.e. an individual, a corporation, an institution, a student and so on. The benefits of joining the MLA, which is an annual subscription, gets you a members handbook, one full volume of NOTES (a music librarianship focused magazine), and one quarterly version of the MLA Newsletter. If you obtain a membership that is not corporate, student or institutional are eligible to vote and receive all publications the organization offers. The voting is is for the members of the board and Each year it hosts an annual meeting for all its members to come together to discuss new ideas, past ideas and other topics related to music librarianship. Their 2008 meeting just took place last month in Newport Beach, Rhode Island, next year 2009; it is being held in Chicago!! The MLA Annual conference awards certain members each year with different awards. There are nine possible awards, for example, the Carol June Bradley Award; whish is a fairly new award. This award is awarded with respect to an individual that support the history of music libraries or special collections. The Dena Epstein Award, for Archival and Library Research in American Music was created through a generous endowment made by the named and her husband back in 1995. The first person awarded the grant was in 1996. This grant also goes to the research in archives or libraries internationally on any aspect of American music. Another award that is given is The Walter Gerboth Award, named for a former MLA president; this award is given to a librarian within their first five years of experience to assist them in research-in-progress in relation to music or music librarianship. I only used the website, www.musiclibraryassoc.org for my information. The association that I was assigned was The Music Library Association. Their website is very informative and very simple to use, http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org. The organization was founded back in 1931 (3/11/06-MLA posts a new website). The MLA is a professional organization within the U.S. devoted to Music Librarianship and promotes the growth, establishment and use of music libraries. This organization has been created to promote the collection of music and musical literature and its preservation. The MLA and its meetings and website offer a forum for general librarians, music librarians and composers and music scholars to discuss, learn and promote music in libraries and special collections.
Anyone is eligible to join and they encourage membership. They allow individuals, families, corporations and anyone/thing else interested in music and its place in the library system. The fees and dues for a membership with the MLA range from $90.00-$750.00 for US residents and $100.00-$760.00 for international members. There are many different memberships with different specifications, i.e. an individual, a corporation, an institution, a student and so on. The benefits of joining the MLA, which is an annual subscription, gets you a members handbook, one full volume of NOTES (a music librarianship focused magazine), and one quarterly version of the MLA Newsletter. If you obtain a membership that is not corporate, student or institutional are eligible to vote and receive all publications the organization offers. The voting is is for the members of the board and
Each year it hosts an annual meeting for all its members to come together to discuss new ideas, past ideas and other topics related to music librarianship. Their 2008 meeting just took place last month in Newport Beach, Rhode Island, next year 2009; it is being held in Chicago!! The MLA Annual conference awards certain members each year with different awards. There are nine possible awards, for example, the Carol June Bradley Award; whish is a fairly new award. This award is awarded with respect to an individual that support the history of music libraries or special collections. The Dena Epstein Award, for Archival and Library Research in American Music was created through a generous endowment made by the named and her husband back in 1995. The first person awarded the grant was in 1996. This grant also goes to the research in archives or libraries internationally on any aspect of American music. Another award that is given is The Walter Gerboth Award, named for a former MLA president; this award is given to a librarian within their first five years of experience to assist them in research-in-progress in relation to music or music librarianship.

I only used the website, http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org for my information.

]]> Comment on Online Discussion 2: Information R/Evolution by alexis http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/online-discussion-2-information-revolution/#comment-311 alexis Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:49:22 +0000 http://lis701spring2008.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-311 I truly enjoyed that video....not only did it show the multitude of ways that information is seeked and received, but it also showed how far technology and information have come. It is almost as if technology and information were on their own planes and in the past 50 years have started to grow towards each other and I don't think we are at the point of convergence just yet. I definitely believe there will be further additions and manipulations in merging the two together. But I do wonder what will happen with all this available information. Who is monitoring the quality of this information, is that our job as librarians? I definitely think that there is a perfect balance between the technology and the library, we just haven't found it yet. There seems to be a bit of catch up taking place, almost as if when technology came out that most libraries shied away and now they are racing to catch up to even the most basic technological gadgets. Granted there are many libraries that are on the forefront of all things techie...but how is that some can keep up and others can not. I think the libraries best solution is to use good judgment in figuring out the best devices and gadgets to implement into their system without going overboard and clustering the user or making them feel overwhelmed. I truly enjoyed that video….not only did it show the multitude of ways that information is seeked and received, but it also showed how far technology and information have come. It is almost as if technology and information were on their own planes and in the past 50 years have started to grow towards each other and I don’t think we are at the point of convergence just yet. I definitely believe there will be further additions and manipulations in merging the two together. But I do wonder what will happen with all this available information. Who is monitoring the quality of this information, is that our job as librarians?
I definitely think that there is a perfect balance between the technology and the library, we just haven’t found it yet. There seems to be a bit of catch up taking place, almost as if when technology came out that most libraries shied away and now they are racing to catch up to even the most basic technological gadgets. Granted there are many libraries that are on the forefront of all things techie…but how is that some can keep up and others can not.
I think the libraries best solution is to use good judgment in figuring out the best devices and gadgets to implement into their system without going overboard and clustering the user or making them feel overwhelmed.

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