As I reach my one year anniversary at PCC, the new school year starts. This is my first experience with the beginning of Fall semester, which is crazy. This week has been overwhelmingly busy. We were also short one person through the first half of the week, and you could feel the loss. I do think that many of the changes we made to the circulation desk throughout the summer were beneficial. Many of the circulation assistants are new and still learning, which slows things down a bit, but they are working hard and learning fast. I will now have to follow up with them, as I see many re-shelving mistakes. I think I will give them a short shelving test or quiz to make them aware of the mistakes that they are making.
Tomorrow I will begin teaching my first full credit semester long course. I think I have most of my lessons prepared and as with Library 10A, I expect to make some errors and improve as I go. I do look forward to the student contact. My roster show that many of my students are students I have had in the past in Lib 10A.
Well, I guess Im still a new librarian, just one with a year's experience.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
End of the year
Well, I am now nearing the end of my first year as a librarian at PCC.
We are now ready for the Fall semester to begin as well. I have hired 6 new people and started their training. The Reserve Textbook collection is clean and up to date. With the help of Jared and Diana, I have also cleaned and re-organized the entire circulation desk to get rid of all the clutter and make it easier to find the things you need when you need them.
Other than that, I have been preparing to teach my first full credit, semester long class. I will be teaching Library 103- Circulation Services in the Fall and have completed my syllabus and web page. I am now preparing my lectures and completing all of the readings that I will ask of my students to ensure that they are relevant. I have also scheduled our field trip to the San Marino Public Library to allow students to compare circulation services in different libraries.
I must also prepare to meet with the Languages and Physical Education departments again to make them aware of how the library can be of service.
Other projects for the near future are to delve back into Facebook and Myspace as well as work with Leslie to begin offering live Web-chat reference.
Finally I wanted to include the Circulation Policies and Procedures Wiki that was recently completed by Diana and Jared. This is a living document and will change with time, but here is the link for those who have access http://shatfordcirculation.pbwiki.com/FrontPage
We are now ready for the Fall semester to begin as well. I have hired 6 new people and started their training. The Reserve Textbook collection is clean and up to date. With the help of Jared and Diana, I have also cleaned and re-organized the entire circulation desk to get rid of all the clutter and make it easier to find the things you need when you need them.
Other than that, I have been preparing to teach my first full credit, semester long class. I will be teaching Library 103- Circulation Services in the Fall and have completed my syllabus and web page. I am now preparing my lectures and completing all of the readings that I will ask of my students to ensure that they are relevant. I have also scheduled our field trip to the San Marino Public Library to allow students to compare circulation services in different libraries.
I must also prepare to meet with the Languages and Physical Education departments again to make them aware of how the library can be of service.
Other projects for the near future are to delve back into Facebook and Myspace as well as work with Leslie to begin offering live Web-chat reference.
Finally I wanted to include the Circulation Policies and Procedures Wiki that was recently completed by Diana and Jared. This is a living document and will change with time, but here is the link for those who have access http://shatfordcirculation.pbwiki.com/FrontPage
Monday, July 14, 2008
Summer moves on.
Well, my excuse for not writing it that summer is here, I've been very busy at work, but have also been busy when off.
So far, I am very happy with the progress that has been made on projects that I had set up for the circulation department. We have nearly completed our weeding of the Textbook Reserves, which was badly needed. We found books that had not been checked out in 5 years, but were still being held on Reserve. This should expedite our service in the Fall with fewer unnecessary items to search through to get to the books students need. It will also portray the textbooks currently being used more accurately.
Jared and Diana have made great progress on the Circulation Wiki, which will include all policies and procedures and make them available online. I am currently conducting interviews in order to hire 5-6 new student assistants to work at the circulation desk in the Fall and then will have to train them rather quickly to be prepared for the beginning of the '08-'09 school year.
All in all, we should be ready for the large number of students we will be serving.
I have also recently completed my move into my new office. This helped me organize all of my circulation documents and my teaching materials for the upcoming year. It also gives me a beautiful view of the local mountains and Colorado Boulevard.
Since I last wrote, I ahve also attended the ALA National Conference for the first time. I was able to meet some of the vendors of our databases, as well as talk with them about functions I would like to see in their products. I was able to suggest to ProQuest that they work on creating an application for use with Facebook being that many other databases are doing this. I have been informed that they are now looking into this and hope to create such an applicaiton. I also was able to see many newer technologies, especially focussing on the different presentations of, and uses of Electronic Books.
So far, I am very happy with the progress that has been made on projects that I had set up for the circulation department. We have nearly completed our weeding of the Textbook Reserves, which was badly needed. We found books that had not been checked out in 5 years, but were still being held on Reserve. This should expedite our service in the Fall with fewer unnecessary items to search through to get to the books students need. It will also portray the textbooks currently being used more accurately.
Jared and Diana have made great progress on the Circulation Wiki, which will include all policies and procedures and make them available online. I am currently conducting interviews in order to hire 5-6 new student assistants to work at the circulation desk in the Fall and then will have to train them rather quickly to be prepared for the beginning of the '08-'09 school year.
All in all, we should be ready for the large number of students we will be serving.
I have also recently completed my move into my new office. This helped me organize all of my circulation documents and my teaching materials for the upcoming year. It also gives me a beautiful view of the local mountains and Colorado Boulevard.
Since I last wrote, I ahve also attended the ALA National Conference for the first time. I was able to meet some of the vendors of our databases, as well as talk with them about functions I would like to see in their products. I was able to suggest to ProQuest that they work on creating an application for use with Facebook being that many other databases are doing this. I have been informed that they are now looking into this and hope to create such an applicaiton. I also was able to see many newer technologies, especially focussing on the different presentations of, and uses of Electronic Books.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Last Week
This is the final week of the semester. The library is preparing to have our entire phone system replaced, so we have had training on using the new phones and such.
I am happy to say that PCC now has a link resolver that allows students to use Google Scholar and link to the resources in our databases and catalogs, as well as any other scholarly materials available for free on the web.
I demonstrated the use of Google Scholar during my interview for my job here, and pushed for its integration. After some initial research, another librarian, Leslie, went through the proper channels to acquire a link resolver service so that our library could participate using Google Scholar. Now it is partially my job to make certain that students are aware of this service, what it does, how it might help them, and its limitations so that it does not go unused.
I am happy to say that PCC now has a link resolver that allows students to use Google Scholar and link to the resources in our databases and catalogs, as well as any other scholarly materials available for free on the web.
I demonstrated the use of Google Scholar during my interview for my job here, and pushed for its integration. After some initial research, another librarian, Leslie, went through the proper channels to acquire a link resolver service so that our library could participate using Google Scholar. Now it is partially my job to make certain that students are aware of this service, what it does, how it might help them, and its limitations so that it does not go unused.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Spring Semester winds down.
As the Spring Semester winds down, I begin to prepare for the projects I would like to complete this summer prior to the Fall Semester beginning. Diana and Jared, the two library technicians here, will help to weed through our Reserve Textbooks. Diana will lead this project due to her familiarity with this area and being that she has been in charge of the Reserve textbooks. Jared will continue to learn from Diana and will maintain the Instructor Reserves that I recently completed weeding.
We will also need to hire 3-4 Student Assistants this summer and promote one Assistant to a Supervisor position. I hope to train all of these candidates prior to the Fall Semester.
I will use the summer to complete my lesson planning for LIB 103, which I will teach in the Fall, and to perfect and improve the Social Networking pages that I have created with the goal of sharing and advertising them to students in the Fall. One setback may be our network, but hopefully all upgrades will be complete and we will be able to open up the broadband restrictions here so that Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, and other Web 2.0 applications can be used to their full capabilities.
We will also need to hire 3-4 Student Assistants this summer and promote one Assistant to a Supervisor position. I hope to train all of these candidates prior to the Fall Semester.
I will use the summer to complete my lesson planning for LIB 103, which I will teach in the Fall, and to perfect and improve the Social Networking pages that I have created with the goal of sharing and advertising them to students in the Fall. One setback may be our network, but hopefully all upgrades will be complete and we will be able to open up the broadband restrictions here so that Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, and other Web 2.0 applications can be used to their full capabilities.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award
This week, the Shatford Library celebrated our winning of the ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The celebration was short and tailored to thank those who helped the library receive the award as well as the students of PCC. This is a prestigious award and solidifies my certainty of being in the right place.
As far as work goes, I have been learning how to run Voyager reports using Microsoft Access. This will be a large part of my work when Dan is on sabbatical next year. I have also started examining my personnel in order to determine how many people I must hire for next year.
Things are looking good for the Fall semester, although I need to get to work on preparing the Circulation course that I will teach. I also continue to work on specific rubrics for Information Literacy competency to be used by PCC when examined for accreditation.
As far as work goes, I have been learning how to run Voyager reports using Microsoft Access. This will be a large part of my work when Dan is on sabbatical next year. I have also started examining my personnel in order to determine how many people I must hire for next year.
Things are looking good for the Fall semester, although I need to get to work on preparing the Circulation course that I will teach. I also continue to work on specific rubrics for Information Literacy competency to be used by PCC when examined for accreditation.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Professional Development and Involvment Note
I need to take a moment to recap some of the other things that I have done on campus. (This is afterall a blog to help me remember when I come up for tenure.)
I have been participating in the Faculty Technology Committee since my start at PCC. I have presented information to the committee on Podcasting, Facebook, and MySpace. We meet once a month to discuss the Technology needs of faculty members.
I recently served on a panel that examined the libraries self study for the WASC visitation that is coming up to assess PCC's accreditation. As a group, we read, examined, and suggested changes to what will be the official document presented to WASC. I then acted as Secretary and compiled the notes and suggestions in order to present them to the writer of the document.
Finally, I have currently been asked to serve on the SLO (Student Learning Outcomes) Committee. We are examining different rubrics for assessing student's Information Literacy ability, in order to create our own. This too, is in preparation for the Accreditation visits coming to PCC.
Meanwhile, I continue to teach one hour sessions to various classes, prepare to teach LIB 103 (Circulation Procedures), manage the circulation desk and instructor reserves, prepare to hire new student assistants, create the summer schedule, and perform my standard reference and collection development duties. I am also serving on the hiring committee that is working to fill the Library Technician II position that will assist me at the circulation desk.
Well, enough of that, I think that I am all caught up.
I have been participating in the Faculty Technology Committee since my start at PCC. I have presented information to the committee on Podcasting, Facebook, and MySpace. We meet once a month to discuss the Technology needs of faculty members.
I recently served on a panel that examined the libraries self study for the WASC visitation that is coming up to assess PCC's accreditation. As a group, we read, examined, and suggested changes to what will be the official document presented to WASC. I then acted as Secretary and compiled the notes and suggestions in order to present them to the writer of the document.
Finally, I have currently been asked to serve on the SLO (Student Learning Outcomes) Committee. We are examining different rubrics for assessing student's Information Literacy ability, in order to create our own. This too, is in preparation for the Accreditation visits coming to PCC.
Meanwhile, I continue to teach one hour sessions to various classes, prepare to teach LIB 103 (Circulation Procedures), manage the circulation desk and instructor reserves, prepare to hire new student assistants, create the summer schedule, and perform my standard reference and collection development duties. I am also serving on the hiring committee that is working to fill the Library Technician II position that will assist me at the circulation desk.
Well, enough of that, I think that I am all caught up.
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