CLC LTA 121-Fall 2007

Final Exam

2007-06-23T13:52:00.000-05:00

I am working on the final. It includes:

Library history (in broad outline)
Which dept. does what
Which workers do what
What source would be the best for a given question
The difference between district and municipal PLs
How library boards come to be
MARC records
Library numbers (be able to identify)
Security

I'd be able to think of more if I actually had it in front of me!

I will continue this list later.

HR 1727 Did Not Pass

2007-06-23T13:51:00.001-05:00

Illinois HR 1727, a bill that would have required all Illinois public libraries to install filters on all public-access internet terminals, failed to pass in the Illinois Senate, reports School Library Journal. The bill had passed in the House (by 63 to 51). The legislative session is over now, but the bill could reintroduced in the future as a new bill.

Powerpoint on Banned Books and Copyright

2007-06-21T06:37:00.000-05:00

To help you study for the final, here are links to the PowerPoint presentations we saw in class.

Banned Books

Copyright

Internet PowerPoint Presentation

2007-06-21T06:35:00.000-05:00

For those of you who may want to review the Internet PowerPoint presentation given in class here it is.

The presentation should open in your browser; you don't even need PowerPoint to see it.

MARC record

2007-06-19T06:47:00.000-05:00

Want to see a MARC (machine readable cataloging) record? Go to Northwestern University Library's online catalog, pull up any record, then click "technical view".

Library U. Assignment

2007-06-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

There seems to be a problem with the Library U. tutorial called Accompanying the Young Reader: Helping the Reader Choose Appropriate Books (Course Code: YSR001). The program doesn't allow you to print a Certificate of Completion. So, if you haven't done that one, don't. If you have, please see me for an alternative way of earning ten points for the assignment.

Illinois Library Association's call to action regarding HB 1727

2007-05-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

This is the Illinois Library Association press release about HR 1727, the proposed IL law that will require filters to be installed on all public computers at IL public libraries.

The IL Library Association has called for a Library Blackout Day, Monday, May 14, 2007, during which IL public libraries are asked to "disable internet access to the public" in order to protest about the proposed law. Libraries plan to observe this "Day of Unity" in various ways.

Encouraging News

2007-04-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

From an American Library Association (ALA) press release dated April 16, 2007:

Ten years after some experts predicted the demise of the nation's system of libraries as a result of the Internet explosion, the most current national data on library use shows that the exact opposite has happened. Data released today by the American Library Association (ALA) indicates that the number of visits to public libraries in the United States increased 61 percent between 1994 and 2004.

For the full report (PDF) and links to related documents, see "The State of America's Libraries".

Library U

2006-12-19T09:31:00.000-06:00

Library U classes for Spring Semester 2007:
Definites

Shelving with Dewey
Shelving with LC
Cataloging for Non-Catalogers
Basic Web Based Reference
Evaluating Information Found on the WebZ
FirstSearch
Locating Journal Articles with Academic Search Elite
Readers Advisory Service
Weeding
Time for Talking Books

Cutter's Purposes

2006-12-16T10:09:00.000-06:00

Charles Ammi Cutter defined the purposes of the library catalog in his Rules for a Printed Dictionary Catalogue (1876):

To enable a person to find a book of which either the author, the title, or the subject is known
To show what the library has by a given author, on a given subject and in given type of literature
To assist in the choice of a book as to its edition (bibliographically) and to its character (literary or topical)

Powerpoint Presentations for Final

2006-12-11T10:11:00.000-06:00

To help you study for the final, here are links to the PowerPoint presentations we saw in class.

Banned Books

Copyright

Another hint: the final is supposed to be culmulative, but there's a lot more from the second half of the semester (after the midterm) than from the first.

Final

2006-12-09T12:28:00.000-06:00

I'm still working on the final, but it is safe to say you should know these things: (maybe not inclusive):

Evaluating web sites
Print reference sources discussed in class
Good reference practices
How Google works
Difference between a search engine and a web directory
Main features of American Library Association
These terms: Copyright, public domain, fair use, plagarism
Pros and cons of internet filtering
Intellectual freedom
USA Patriot Act (on handout)
What is the Internet (definition) and who owns it.
Categories of reference services
What is a wiki?
Peer reviewed and popular journals
How to read a table from Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

I will post the PowerPoint presentations from 12/6/06 later today.

Bibliography Hint

2006-12-03T20:19:00.000-06:00

The really long URLs you get when you are citing articles from full-text databases (like EBSCO, FirstSearch, Wilson) are annoying, aren't they?

For any and all citations from EBSCO databases, just use: http://search.ebscohost.com for the URL

For any and all citations from FirstSearch databases, just use http://firstsearch.oclc.org for the URL

For any and all citations from Wilson databases, just use:
http://www.hwwilsonweb.com

Working in the Library World

2006-11-29T12:38:00.000-06:00

Click here for access to the PowerPoint presentation of Nov. 29, Working in the Library World.

Intellectual Freedom

2006-11-26T13:45:00.000-06:00

According to the American Library Association, "Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored."

For more information see: The Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A

Generate Bibliographic Citations with Ottobib

2006-11-21T09:09:00.000-06:00

Ottobib is a free, web-based service that generates bibliographic citations for books (only) in MLA or APA format. All you need to provide is the ISBN. Try it here.

If you use this service to help you prepare citations for your class bibliography, remember to add the call number to the end of each book citation (this is not a standard part of the MLA format, but it is required for the class bibliography!).

Wireless Internet at CLC

2006-11-16T16:36:00.000-06:00

Last night 11/15, there a question about the availablity of wireless in our classroom. From Jo Beckwith, here is where wireless is available at CLC:

Tech Building open lobby areas
LRC Atrium, reference and most of the book stacks
Main lobby
Anderson Court
Brandel Court
Student lounge in the basement

So, it is not available in our classroom.

Internet PowerPoint Presentation

2006-11-14T08:12:00.000-06:00

For those of you who may want to review the Internet PowerPoint presentation given in class on Nov. 15, here it is.

The presentation should open in your browser; you don't even need PowerPoint to see it.

Glossary of Internet Terms

2006-11-13T18:41:00.000-06:00

If you find the Internet terminology we discuss in class confusing, try this helpful glossary.

Article about Wikipedia

2006-11-13T18:11:00.000-06:00

Last week in class we discussed Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that anyone from anywhere can write articles for or edit. Here is a link to an interesting article from The Chronicle of Higher Education called Can Wikipedia Ever Make The Grade? that discusses the virtues and faults of this "mob-edited publication". Read this article!

Readers Guide to Periodical Literature

2006-11-08T17:52:00.000-06:00

Here is a good guide to using the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature. For the purposes of this class, you don't need to know how to use Readers Guide in much detail, but in case you want to return to the days of the "big green books", this link will tell you everything you could want to know.

More on Spring Course Offerings

2006-11-08T12:41:00.000-06:00

Although the printed timetable you get in your mailbox at home won't be out until next week, the course offerings for the Spring 2007 semester are available on the CLC website. Here's what the LTA program has available for Spring 2007, along with dates and times:

Reference and Information Services, 6:00-8:45 Monday evenings
Intro to Library Science (this class), 6:00-8:45 Wednesday evenings (Room A-226)
Special topics: Storytellng, 6:00-8:45 Thursday evenings

As for reference and storytelling, I recommend both! Susan Gibberman teaches reference; she's very good. Jeanne' Lohfink is teaching the new storytelling class; I'd take it myself if I could! So, I encourage you to sign up for one or both.

Assignment Ambiguity Cleared Up

2006-11-04T09:52:00.000-06:00

Several of you have express confusion regarding questions 12-19 of the electronic database assignment. The problem is that CLC library's list of databases has entries like Ebsco, Wilson and FirstSearch, which implies that these are databases. As I said in class, these are not databases. There is no Ebsco database. Ebsco Wilson, and FS are are the names of families of databases. I want you to list actual databases. For example, if you click on Ebsco, you will find the names of the Ebsco databases (Academic Source Premier, CINDAL, etc.) and descriptions. You could pick databases from this list.

Spring Semester Course Offerings and Registration

2006-11-02T12:29:00.000-06:00

Last night some of you were asking about spring registration and what classes will be offered in the LTA program. Here's the latest from Jo Beckwith's CLC LTA Blog:

Spring registration is fast approaching! Priority registration for currently enrolled students is on Monday and Tuesday, November 20 and 21. Open registration for all students begins Monday, November 27th. If you wish to enroll in a practicum, please contact me before you register -- the sooner, the better. For spring, we will offer LTA 121, Introduction to Library Science and LTA 271, Reference and Information Services. We will also offer the first section of LTA 299, Special Topics in Library Science. This spring's special topic: Storytelling! As always, if you have any questions, please call or email me.

I think the storytelling class will be especially interesting. I believe it will be taught by Jeanne' Lofink, who is a former colleague of mine and a great teacher.

Jo didn't say anything about evenings or classtimes, so I will contact her for more information.

If you have any friends that might be interested in taking LTA 121, it will be Wed. evening 6:00-8:45 p.m., just like our class (and with the same instructor!).

Boolean Operators

2006-10-30T08:52:00.000-06:00

On Nov. 1, we will discuss electronic database searching. Often, when you are using electonic databases (or even an OPAC or an Internet search engine), you may want to use Boolean operators to broaden or narrow your search. You may have encountered Boolean operators before; they are the common English words "and" "or" and "not". These words take on new meanings when they are used as Boolean operators. We will go over this topic in class, but if you want more detail, or you are still confused, these links may help:

Boolean Searching on the Internet.

Boolean Operators (from Bowling Green State University).

You are only responsible for knowing the three major Boolean operators: "and", "or" and "not".

Print Reference Sources

2006-10-16T09:37:00.000-05:00

These are the print reference sources that we will discuss in class:

1. American Heritage Dictionary (CLC REF PE1628 .A623 1992)
2. [National Geographic's] Atlas of the World (CLC REF G1021 .N38 2005)
3. Chase's Annual Events (CLC REF D11.5 .C48)
4. Statesman's Yearbook (CLC REF JA51 .S7)
5. Statistical Abstract of the United States (CLC REF HA202 .S7)
6. World Almanac and Book of Facts (CLC REF AY67.N5 W7)
7. Physicians' Desk Reference (CLC REF RS75 .P5)
8. United States Government Manual (CLC REF JK421 .A3) This one is no longer in CLC's reference collection!
9. Value Line Investment Survey (CLC REF HG4501 .V262)
10. Who's Who In America (CLC REF E663 .W56 2003)
11. World Book (CLC REF AE5 .W55 2005)

These are very common print reference sources. All of these are available at CLC, and all should be available at your local public library as well.

Things to Know for the Midterm

2006-10-14T14:18:00.000-05:00

The following is a list of things to know about for the midterm:

1. The four types of libraries and their general characteristics (such as, who do they serve, where does the funding come from)
2. Information storage history, from clay tablets to scrolls to codexes to books to internet
3. People who work at libraries and what they do (for example: librarians, pages, slerks, associates, types of catalogers).
4. Collection development from selection to weeding, including selection tools and the MUSTY acronym
5. Library history, from the old days of libraries as unfriendly places to store items to the current, patron-friendly library
6. Cataloging--what AACR2, the Dewey schedules and the "big red books" are for (you don't have to know how to use AACR2, since we didn't go over it, but know the Dewey schedules and LCSH headings when you see them!). Know the different types of cataloging (descriptive vs. subject; original vs. copy)
7. The MARC record--be able to identify.
8. Be able to recognize and to put Dewey and LC numbers in order.
9. Know ISSN's and ISBN's when you see them.
10. Know that library records (circ. and reference) are confidential
11. Know the very basics of library security, as listed on the handout that went with the video we saw).
12. Know what a reference interview is.
13. Know what readers advisory service is.
14. Know the basics of seaching an OPAC (such as, when to use "keyword" and "subject searches"; who is an "author" etc)
15. Know the general outline of library history, from its beginnings in ancient Sumer through Egypt, the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, invention of the printing press, the public library movement, and the rise of the internet.
This list may not be all inclusive.

If you have any questions, be sure to ask on Oct. 18!

Security Video Viewed in Class

2006-10-04T19:34:00.000-05:00

In case you want to re-see Be Prepared: Security and Your Library 1994, it is available after tonight at the CLC library. Call number Z 679.6 .B42 1994.

Anti-RFID Group

2006-10-03T12:48:00.000-05:00

In class we've been talking about RFID tags. Here's a link to a group that has organized in Berkeley (CA) to prevent the use of the new technology:

http://libraryadvocates.org

According to the website, RFID is:

an invasive, potentially unhealthful, costly book-tracking technology... enabling your Library Director to justify reorganizing and otherwise depopulating your union Library staff?

I'd be curious to see who belongs to this group. I'd bet it consists of union employees of the Berkeley library (esp. since they discuss their concerns at a monthly "work party").

I also wish the group said more about the "unhealthful" potential of RFID tags on their site. Unhealthful in what way?

Skokie Accessible Library Services

2006-10-02T19:23:00.000-05:00

On October 4, we'll be talking about services for patrons with disabilities, among other topics. The Skokie Public Library has done a great job in this area.This library offers a program called Skokie Accessible Library Services (SALS) that "offers a number of electronic aids, materials in special formats, programs, and services for persons with disabilities." You do not need to live in Skokie to use these services.

Skokie PL also offers a number of resources for families and caregivers of children with special needs as part of its Come On In! program.

Library History Jeopardy Now [not] Online!

2006-09-20T16:04:00.000-05:00

Ideally, you would have been able to play Library History Jeopardy online. However I never did get it to work! Instead, bring me your flash drive, and I will copy it onto there.

Cataloging Resources

2006-09-19T12:01:00.000-05:00

Using Library of Congress Subject Headings. http://www.lib.umd.edu/UES/lcsh.html

How the Dewey Decimal System Works(http://www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/fi_books_dd.htm)

Library History Jeopardy Game

2006-09-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

Some of you have already expressed anxiety regarding the midterm. Relax, it isn't that big of a deal. But, for those who want a review, I'm willing to give you the "Library History Jeopardy" game for free, to play in your own home, office, or wherever else you use a computer. Just bring in a flash drive (also called a thumb drive), or other large capacity storage medium, to class (remember, I showed you my flash drive during class on 8/30) and I'll copy the game for you.

I'm willing to try to copy the game onto a floppy disc, but I bet the file is too big. I don't know if I have a CD burner in the classroom, so I'd rather not plan to do it to CD.

You will need to have access to Microsoft PowerPoint to view the game. If you don't have PowerPoint, you may be able to use it at a CLC computer lab or your local public library.

Also, you can download Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 2003 for free. This software allows you to read a PowerPoint file, but not to create one. Go to http://www.microsoft.com , and search for Microsoft PowerPoint viewer in the search box at the top right-hand side, or on the left hand side, go to "Downloads," then "Product Families" (right hand side)-> "Office" and select Microsoft PowerPoint viewer 2003 from the list that appears. Follow the instructions on the screen to download.

LTA 121

2006-08-22T13:31:00.000-05:00

It is now Fall 2006, and this is the first post of the blog for LTA 121, Introduction to Library Science. I am your instructor, Amy Blanchard.

Peer Review

2006-05-23T14:36:00.000-05:00

The following provide interesting information on Peer Reviewed journals.

http://valinor.ca/peer-review.html

http://www.rrcc.edu/library/articles/prjfaq.htm
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/alx/peer.htm
http://www.library.unr.edu/instruction/help/peer.html

Library Numbers

2005-12-12T08:43:00.000-06:00

Here are hints for identifying ISBN and ISSN numbers, from the Glossary of Library Terminology you received on the first day of class:

ISBN: International Standard Book Number. A unique, ten-digit number assigned to every printed book. The ISBN of The Cold War: A Military History is 0-375-50910-0.

ISSN: International Standard Serials Number: A unique eight-digit number assigned to every serial publication. The ISSN of PW: Publishers Weekly is 0000-0019.

OCLC Assession numbers are assigned sequentially. They may be anywhere from 1 to 9 digits. They don't have dashes and never begin with zero. Since they don't follow a standard form, the best way to think of them is to assume that if it isn't a call number or ISBN or ISSN, it must be an OCLC Assession Number.

Plagiarist Discussed in Class

2005-12-10T17:07:00.000-06:00

The name of the plagiarist discussed in class on 12/7 is Brad Vice. You can read the full story here:
http://www.nypress.com/18/48/news&columns/RobertClarkYoung.cfm

This story will*not* be on the final; it's just an interesting story for your edification.

Bibliography Clarification

2005-12-05T18:39:00.000-06:00

A classmate was wondering, if an article for the bibliography assignment is available in both paper copy and electronic copy at the library, can you choose to cite it in one or the other format? Here's my reply:

Dear Confused,

If an article is available in more than one format (for example, paper and electronic), you may choose the format you think is best for your audience.
But, just cite one article one way (i.e. don't cite an article twice, one in paper copy and once online). If for example, you cite the paper copy, you don't need to mention that it is also online (or, if you cite the online edition, you don't need to mention that it is also in paper copy).

You don't need to actually locate the paper copy and hold it in your hand. As long as you know that the library's subscription covers the date in question (i.e. the library really should have the issue), that's enough.

USA Patriot Act FAQ

2005-12-05T17:57:00.000-06:00

For the final, you will be expected to know about the USA Patriot Act, specifically the information contained in the ALA's USA PATRIOT Act FAQ.

In the original version of this blog entry, I said that "I will be handing out copies of this in class (note, it says "this document may be reproduced freely" at the bottom of the page; that means it's in the public domain and I or anyone else may distribute copies of it) as well." I didn't hand them out because I forgot to bring them. I'm sorry. But, I do expect you to still know what this text says...it is on the final!

Final Hint

2005-12-03T12:45:00.000-06:00

I'm about half done with creating the final for this class, and I want to give you a hint. You'll want to review the material about the reference interview. Much of it came from the Ohio Reference Excellence web site.

An Early Holiday Gift from EBSCO

2005-11-26T10:51:00.000-06:00

EBSCO, one of the subscription database vendors we talked about in class, has given all of us in the library world an early holiday present! EBSCO now offers FREE access to its LISTA database. Library and Information Science & Technology Abstracts
"provides coverage on subjects such as librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more. Delivered via the EBSCOhost platform, LISTA indexes more than 600 periodicals plus books, research reports, and proceedings. With coverage dating back to the mid-1960s, it is the oldest continuously produced database covering the field of information." This might not impresss you much now, but you may find LISTA very useful as you continue your library studies, either in the LTA program or (especially) in a master's degree program.

Extra Credit

2005-11-26T10:50:00.000-06:00

If you want to do an extra credit report, let me know soon. The last day will be Dec. 7 (we will not have oral reports the night of the final!).

Google and WorldCat, togther

2005-11-15T12:42:00.000-06:00

Did you know that Google can search WorldCat? In other words, if you search for the title of a book in Google, and Google is able to find a WorldCat record for that book, Google will tell you which libraries own the item, and how far away from you those libraries are. This will work for only subset of WorldCat records: about 2 million (WC has over 49 million records).

Find out more about the Open WorldCat Project by reading Mind-Googling Potential: Teaming the Power of Google with the Resources of WorldCat to Drive Library Traffic. This article also contains WorldCat facts, such as:

50,000 participating libraries worldwide use and contribute to WorldCat.
Every 12 seconds an OCLC member library adds a record to WorldCat.

Search Engines, Directories, Metasearch Engines

2005-11-13T07:58:00.000-06:00

In class on Nov. 16, we will talk about search engines, directories, metasearch engines and other ways of finding your way around the Web. Here are some of the sites we will talk about:

Google

Technorati

Dogpile

Yahoo!

Internet Public Library

Librarians' Internet Index

Cyndi's List

Stress Management and Emotional Wellness Links

COCOA-A

2005-11-12T18:37:00.000-06:00

In class on Nov. 16, we will talk about evaluating web sites for reference purposes. Here are web sites that work as examples (not all positive examples) of reference web sites. You will find out more about them (including why, exactly, they are on this list) in class.

We will use the acronym "COCOA" or more accurately "COCOA-A" as an easy way to remember the criteria for evaluating web sites:

C is for "Currency"

Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts, Boston

RootsWeb What's New

Once Famous

O is for "Outward Appearance"

Animal Actors

Essays on the Anti-Smoking Movement

NabiscoWorld

Kraft Foods Corporate Site

C is for "Coverage"

Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

The Onion

Third Age

O is for "Objectivity"

Aspartame Kills!

Martin Luther King: A True Historical Examination

A is for "Accuracy"

The True But Little Known Facts About Women and AIDS

Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) Research Division

A is for "Authority"

Aspartame Information Center

Wikipedia

Ooops!!

2005-11-11T09:45:00.000-06:00

One of your classmates pointed this out: for question 4, the correct name for the author of Piano Girl is Robin Meloy Goldsby, not Godsby.

I did not misspell the author's name intentionally. But, in the library world, you do often deal with misspelled, garbled or just plain wrong information from patrons, so consider this good training for real life!

Dear Confused...

2005-11-08T11:13:00.000-06:00

A class member sent me an e-mail asking about CQ Researcher's inclusion of a document number in the "MLA" citation generated by its "cite now" feature. MLA style as described by the Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) does not show document numbers in its citations, but CQ Researcher does. What should you do when style guides conflict? Here is my reply:

Generally, what a database says about citing articles from itself takes precedence over what standard, one-size-fits all source like Purdue's Writing Lab say. Remember what the purpose of a citation is: it's to help someone else easily find the source you used. Some databases have special features (for a lack of a better term) such as CQ document ID numbers that you can use to bring up the article in question (if you type in a CQ document ID number into the title field in Advanced Search, you go right to the article you want, without having to do a keyword search).

Here's what CQ itself says about the citations it provides through the "instant cite" feature:

Citation styles for electronic materials are continually evolving. In an effort to provide the most up-to-date examples of database citations, the CQ Press editorial staff used the APA, MLA, Chicago and Blue Book guidelines for online reference databases. Because the guides do not include a citation style that is directly applicable to the CQ Researcher, the editorial staff amended the online reference database style slightly to create a citation that includes all the information necessary to locate the material in the citation.

So, the MLA citation provided by the instant cite feature may not be "pure" MLA style, but it does provide the information that the people at CQ think is necessary to find the article in question. I'd go with what CQ says.

Here's A Hint for your Electronic Database Assignment

2005-11-02T14:34:00.000-06:00

This list of CLC's electronic databases broken down by subject will help you!

Print Reference Sources You Should Know

2005-10-22T09:01:00.000-05:00

The following is a list of print reference sources we will discuss in class on Oct. 26. We will work on an in-class assignment together, then you will have an assignment working with these as well. These titles are all available at the CLC library, and they should all also be available at your local public library.

American Heritage Dictionary (CLC REF PE1628 .A623 1992)
Atlas of the World (CLC REF G1021 .N38 2005)
Chase's Annual Events (CLC REF D11.5 .C48)
Statesman's Yearbook (CLC REF JA51 .S7)
Statistical Abstract of the United States (CLC REF HA202 .S7)
Time Almanac (CLC REF D410.5 .T49)
Physicians' Desk Reference (CLC REF RS75 .P5)
United States Government Manual (CLC REF JK421 .A3)
Value Line Investment Survey (CLC REF HG4501 .V262)
Who's Who In America (CLC REF E663 .W56 2003)
World Book (CLC REF AE5 .W55 2005)

Bibliography Assignment

2005-10-17T18:03:00.000-05:00

CLC LTA 121 Bibliography Assignment
Due December 7, 2005
Imagine that you work for a library, and this library is giving a program on a particular topic. You want to create a bibliography, a list of books, magazine articles, etc. that are all available at your library, to go with the program. This bibliography must contain at least fifty (50) different items, books, videos/dvds, magazine articles, websites etc. Please follow these guidelines:
1. Your bibliography must have a title in this format "[Topic] for [Audience]: A Selective Bibliography of Materials Available at the [Library Formal Name and Location]. For example, "Gardening Tips for New Homeowners: A Selective Bibliography of Materials Available at the John C. Murphy Memorial Library Learning Resource Center, College of Lake County, Graylake, Illinois". On your title page, you will list your sources and the dates consulted.
2. You may use almost any library--your home library, the library you work at, the CLC library etc--you care to use, with the following qualifications:

o All resources you use must be available at one library, the library specified in the title. Interlibrary Loan is not an option in this scenario. For magazine/journal articles, the article must either be available in full-text in the library's subscription database, or the library must subscribe to the magazine/journal in question and carry the year the article appeared in. I will be checking.
o The library must be automated (i.e. have an OPAC, plus at least 3 online databases that may be used to search for articles on your topic)
o The library must be open to your audience (i.e. the people you do your bibliography for must be able to check out materials from the library). So, for example, you wouldn't want to do a bibliography of materials for the general public at a special library that isn't open to the public.
3. The materials you include in your bibliography must be appropriate for your audience. For example, "Gardening Tips for New Homeowners" would not include a magazine article called "How to Grow Extremely Rare and Delicate Orchids in Your Home Greenhouse". You do not have to actually find or read the books or magazine articles you include; you can judge by the titles and/or abstracts if they would be appropriate for your audience.
4. All items listed on your bibliography must be available at the library you choose. Since you don't have to read them (unless you want to), it doesn't matter if the books, for example, are currently checked out or not.
5. The items you include should vary. For example, for "Gardening Tips for New Homeowners," you could, if you want, include a book on annuals, a book on perennials, a book on selecting bushes, etc. Do not, however, use all books from one series, one author, or one publisher; for example, Annuals for Dummies, as well as Perennials for Dummies, Bushes for Dummies etc. (use one, not all three.)
6. Have about at least 50 citations but no more than 60 items in your bibliography. A MIXTURE of sources (such as web sites, articles, videos, books, etc. is required) and the nature of your topic will dictate the proportion more than anything else. No more than half of these sources should be books. Use only 5 web sites, as a maximum, and make sure these are the best web sites you can find on your topic.
7. You should assume that I will verify each and every one of your citations, so you must be as accurate as possible. You will be graded on the accuracy of your citations, as well as on the appropriateness of the citations you select, and how well you follow these instructions.
8. Use MLA format. For books, include the call number of the book at the library you found it at in parentheses at the end of the citation. Here is an example:

Bush-Brown, James. America's garden book. New York: Scribner, 1980.(SB453.B9)

9. Be careful when selecting your topic. Do not use a topic that is too broad (for example, "Psychology" or "English Literature") or too narrow. I will ask for your topics on Oct. 26, mostly to be sure that your topic will work. If you find your topic really doesn't work, send and you want to change it, send me an e-mail (akblanch@core.com) with your new topic.
10. Do not make up citations!! I will be really mad if you do.

Why Libraries Matter: A Story Long Overdue

2005-10-15T10:55:00.000-05:00

Here's something fun for you to watch while you're taking a break from studying for your midterm. It's a Shockwave (Internet based) short video called "Why Libraries Matter: A Story Long Overdue". To access, follow the link below, then click on "click here to view online" in the picture on the left-hand side. Unless you want to add this video to your own website, you can ignore the request for your name and e-mail at the bottom of the page.

Why Libraries Matter: A Story Long Overdue

IIllinois Library Records Confidentiality Act

2005-10-11T21:46:00.000-05:00

Here is the full text of the Library Records Confidentiality Act from the Illinois Compiled Statutes (select "Libraries" from the list). I looked it up because I was wondering if the statute would mention any penalty that would be involved in breaking this law (this issue came up in class); as you will see it does not. Also, it mentions circulation records only, although, as we will discuss in class, libraries usually keep reference transactions confidential as well.

LIBRARIES
(75 ILCS 70/) Library Records Confidentiality Act.

(75 ILCS 70/1) (from Ch. 81, par. 1201)
Sec. 1. (a) The registration and circulation records of a library are confidential information. Except pursuant to a court order, no person shall publish or make any information contained in such records available to the public.
(b) This Section does not prevent a library from publishing or making available to the public reasonable statistical reports regarding library registration and book circulation where those reports are presented so that no individual is identified therein.
(c) For the purpose of this Section, (i) "library" means any public library or library of an educational, historical or eleemosynary institution, organization or society; (ii) "registration records" includes any information a library requires a person to provide in order for that person to become eligible to borrow books and other materials and (iii) "circulation records" includes all information identifying the individual borrowing particular books or materials.
(Source: P.A. 83‑179.)
(75 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 81, par. 1202)
Sec. 2. This Act may be cited as the Library Records Confidentiality Act.
(Source: P.A. 86‑1475.)

Introduction to Reference, part 2--The Reference Interview

2005-10-11T16:12:00.000-05:00

The Ohio Reference Excellence project has done a good job of summarizing the kinds of questions you as a reference worker want to ask patrons in order to determine what it is they really want (this process is called the "reference interview"). Here's the short version:

Paraphrasing

Asking open questions

Clarifying

Verifying

Getting all the needed information (the 6 pieces of evidence)

Following up

Ending the interview

Those 6 pieces of evidence are:

Purpose (but, see the previous entry where it was established that you shouldn't ask the purpose of the information. If the patron volunteers this information, you can certainly use it, but, again, you really can't ask. I would leave this one off the list, myself, but I'm quoting Ohio Reference Excellence)

Deadline

Type and Amount (of information sought)

Who (is this person a beginner at the topic, or more knowledgable?)

Where (what prompted the question? Or, where did the patron hear about this)

The Basic Question

For more information, come to class on Oct. 12, or go to http://www.olc.org/Ore/2intro.htm

Reference Preview-1 Good Rules of Reference

2005-10-11T16:06:00.000-05:00

On October 12, we're going to be doing our introduction to reference service and the reference interview. In this age of Google, one of the ways a librarian can add value to the reference transaction is through great customer service.

Here are some general rules of reference service we'll talke about in class. For those who like to get ahead of themselves, here they are:

1. No question is too trivial, or too complicated

2. Use the best tool for the job, whether that's a book, a website, or something else

3. Help one person at a time

4. Don't say that there is no answer! Instead, if you are coming up with nothing, offer to take the patron's name and number and call him/her when you have more information (this gives you more time to think about the question and consult with coworkers)

5. In general, don't ask why the patron needs to know

6. If the patron doesn't want to tell you his exact question, back off

7. Always look attentive and approachable

8. Don't let your personal beliefs or opinions get in the way of fulfilling the patron's information need

9. All reference transactions are confidential

10. Walk-in patrons have priority over telephone and e-mail patrons

11. Don't point; show the patron where things are

12. Resist talking about patrons--especially problem patrons--at the reference desk

13. Do not get immersed in non-work conversation with your coworkers at the reference desk. If a patron approaches the desk, end whatever conversation you are having immediately (even ending in mid-sentence, if necessary)

14. If possible, check back with the patron to be sure she is finding what she needs

15. Don't be afraid to ask your coworkers for help or ideas!

When and Why Public Libraries Changed Their Focus

2005-10-08T13:49:00.000-05:00

Remember, a few weeks ago, this question came up: given that U.S. public libraries got their start as providers of great literature (as opposed to dime store novels) to the masses, when did public libraries start shifting their emphasis to popular materials? I have found an answer that I keep forgetting to mention in class. Here it is, from Libraries Through the Ages (1999), by Fred Lerner:

After World War II, educational opportunities expanded across North America and Western Europe. Cheap paperback books enabled ordinary people to build their own home libraries. Television . . . brought a wide variety of both light and serious entertainment into the home.

At first these developments reduced the importance of public library as a source of knowledge and entertainment. It was seldom thought of as "the people's university," [any longer] a role now bestowed upon educational television and innovative institutions of higher learning. But public libraries changed in response to their changing surroundings. They learned that television programs often stimulated demand for the books from which they'd been adapted. Many of the students at . . . colleges found the public library a convenient place to study. And, they were now longer limited to the books owned by their local libraries. . .

. . . By providing public access to the world wide computer network, and advice in selecting from the countless information sources available in cyberspace, public libraries are in fact returning to their original functions (pp. 106-107, emphasis mine)

LTA Advisory Committee

2005-10-04T15:39:00.000-05:00

The LTA program has a new advisory committee that's looking for a student member. For more information, see the LTA Program Blog.

Need CIP?

2005-10-04T15:04:00.000-05:00

We were talking last week about Library of Congress (LC) Cataloging-in-Publication (CIP) data, as you find opposite the title page of most books (on the verso, for those who like to use proper book terminology). I got to wondering, does all CIP come from LC? Given all the books published each year, and the extent of the LC's famous backlog, it doesn't seem possible. So, I decided to look into it. And, it turns out, there are private companies that provide PCIP, or Publisher's-Cataloging-in-Publication data, for publishers who just can't wait for LC to catalog their titles. The Donohue Group is one such company.

I was really curious to see how much this service costs, but couldn't find pricing on their web site.

Another such cataloging company is the Cassidy Cataloging Group. They're less coy about their pricing than the Donohue Group is:

Our pricing information: $75.00 for basic PCIP (author, title, Library of Congress subject headings, Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress classification numbers, ISBN and/or LCCN when provided by the publisher) ; $90.00 for PCIP with additional information added (such as summaries, abstracts, or extensive notes), and for foreign language materials.

All 1st time PCIP submissions will be charged a flat rate of $125.00, no matter what type of block is created, to cover initial documentation and set-up costs. All ensuing PCIP blocks created will be charged at the above rates of $75.00/$90.00, depending on the type of block created.

Cassidy Cataloging claims a turnover time of less than one week.

If a publisher uses one of these private firms to provide CIP, the data has to be labelled "Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication" rather than "Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication." I'm going to see if I can find any examples.

LC apparently has given its blessing to these services. The Donohue web site says:

DGI staff members are certified by the Library of Congress to establish the authorized form of name, if none exists, for those who are responsible for any aspect of the publication. These names are established in the Library of Congress database. Publishers may be asked to supply the full name and birth/death dates.

LTA Blog

2005-10-01T08:32:00.000-05:00

Jo Beckwith, coordinator of the CLC LTA program, has created a new blog site for information about the program. See it here at http://clclta.blogspot.com

More on ILL Expenses

2005-09-26T08:05:00.000-05:00

Here's some more information on the high cost of ILL, from The Whole Library Handbook 2. This reflects the results of a major study of large research libraries' ILL expenses:

The major cost of interlibrary loan operations is for staff; less than one-fourth of the total goes for all other elements--communications, photocopying, supplies, equipment, delivery, etc.

and,

The average cost for a completed interlibrary loan transaction (incurred by both the lender and the borrower) is close to $30--nearly $19 for the requester, and $11 for the lender.

Source:Marilyn M. Roche, ARL/RLG Interlibrary Loan Cost Study (Washington DC: Association of Research Libraries, 1993. Reprinted in The Whole Library Handbook 2: p. 310.

According to How Much is That Worth Today, a website that converts the value of a specified amount of money in one year compared to another year, $19 in 1993 equals $24.20 today, and $11 in 1993 equals $14.01 today, for a total of $38.21. But note also that that 30 plus dollar figure is the amount spent by both libraries in an ILL transaction, not just one.

ILL Expenses

2005-09-25T12:55:00.000-05:00

We will be talking about ILL on 9/28. When I mentioned that the cost of an ILL transaction has been estimated at $30.00 each, someone in class asked where this figure comes from. As one way of finding the answer, I asked Lynne Jacobsen, head of technical services at WNPL (ILL is part of technical services at this library; other libraries put ILL in reference or circulation or as its own department). Here is her reply:

I really have never read or heard exactly what the expenses are. That's a good question. I think the costs are due to the staff time required, the shipping costs (packaging, postage), and perhaps online connection costs. ILL is typically very labor intensive because it requires finding the item (and a lender), requesting the item, communicating that you will ship the item, packaging the item with shipping labels and paperwork, communicating that the item was received, checking out the item, checking in the item, keeping records of all steps, packaging the item to return it, communicating that the item was returned, and then the lending library must close the transaction when the item is received. There's also handling hard to find items and re-submitting requests that come back "checked out" or unavailable for some reason. There are also issues with overdue items, sending notices, sending letters to patrons when items are unavailable, and calling patrons regarding special requests. It takes more time to determine if an article is available because there are copyright regulations and finding a library that has that particular issue (holdings). Software such as ILLiad increases efficiency and productivity, thus reducing costs.

Associates Online Journal

2005-09-24T16:38:00.000-05:00

I encourage all of you to take a look at Associates, an online journal that's published three times a year. It bills itself as "a forum for and about library support staff issues."

In particular the article Copy Catalogers by Any Other Name explains the origin of the term we discussed briefly last Wed. in class 9/21 (most people think the "copy" in copy cataloging means that copy catalogers just take whatever appears in someone else's MARC record and that's the end of it. Kind of like plagarism cataloging, except that it is socially acceptable. Actually, the author points out, the term "copy" refers to using text, like a "copy editor" does at a newspaper.

The author argues that there are many levels of "copy" cataloging, from "mark-and-park" to extensive editing of catalog records. Some libraries have moved away from the term "copy cataloger" altogether, and instead use "adaptive cataloger" or "derivative cataloger". I'm not sure that these are much of an improvement.

Speaking of journals, the other well-known publication for library support staff, Library Mosaics, will cease publication with the December 2005 issue.

Fingerprinting at Naperville Public Library

2005-09-09T08:06:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to the Chicago Tribune story we discussed on Wed. 9/7 about the Naperville Public Library's fingerprinting program

Inventor of the Card Catalog/Index Tabs

2005-09-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

Here's the information I shared on Wed. Sept. 7 regarding the unsung inventor of the card catalog. As I mentioned, the details were provided by George Eberhart, author of The Whole Library Handbook editions 1, 2, and 3, and the forthcoming Whole Library Handbook 4:

Card catalog, 1860. Ezra Abbot, assistant librarian at Harvard College, is credited with devising the first alphabetical library card catalog system in the United States, complete with the grouping of minor topics under more general headings. Melvil Dewey's Library Bureau in Boston encouraged the standardization of card size to 3-by-5 inches in 1890, began manufacturing drawers with a single row of cards in 1891, and patented the first drawers with metal rods that entered from the front in 1894. The Library of Congress began printing catalog cards in 1898 and started distributing them to other libraries in 1901.

Card index tabs, 1896. American inventor James Newton Gunn started using tabbed cards to subdivide membership records for the Akron YMCA. The tabs were positioned so they would not obscure the view of another tabbed card in a drawer. In 1897, Gunn sold the rights to Melvil Dewey's Library Bureau, where he began work as a consultant.

Read these articles for August 31

2005-08-24T15:05:00.000-05:00

Here are links to the articles the LTA 121 class should read for August 31:

Sexy, Savvy and Famous (PDF file; the article is on page 16)

In the Beginning, There Was Library Support Staff

Library Motto

2005-08-18T12:40:00.000-05:00

The motto of this web site is also the motto of the American Library Association: "The best reading for the largest number at the least cost." The man who originated this pithy saying is none other than Melvil Dewey, he of Dewey Decimal System fame.

For an interesting disussion of the slogan and its implications, see John Berry's column in Library Journal, Feburary 15, 2004.

Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science

2005-08-13T16:46:00.000-05:00

Indian librarian and library theorist S. R. Ranganathan came up with these five laws in his book The Five Laws of Library Science (1931):

1. Books are for use
2. Every person his book
3. Every book, its reader
4. Save the time of the reader
5. A library is a growing organism.

For a good discussion of what these laws mean in the real world, particularly in the context of a law library, see "Reflections on Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science"by Richard A. Leiter of the American Association of Law Libraries.

Introduction

2005-08-06T10:14:00.000-05:00

This is the blog for the Introduction to Library Science (LTA 121) class that will be taught at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL. The class will meet on Wednesdays from 6:00-8:45 p.m. from August 24 to December 14.

I am your instructor, Amy Blanchard. In this blog you will find:

1) information about the class, including any updates to the syllabus, any late breaking assignments, etc. Be sure to check this site if you miss a class!
2) links to web sites mentioned in class.
3) anything else that is relevant and/or interesting to students in LTA 121.

Here is the course description from the CLC catalog:

LTA 121 Introduction to Library Science (3-0) 3 Hours
Through practical exercises, students learn fundamental processes of automated databases such as online public access catalogs and periodical indexes. Students also search basic reference materials, such as common dictionaries and encyclopedias as well as yearbooks, handbooks, and biographical dictionaries. Intellectual freedom and interpersonal communication within libraries are emphasized. Individual preparation of a bibliography utilizing learned skills is required. Prerequisite: Language Proficiency