News Report #5

Library amnesty week coming up

11/13/2009

http://www2.wataugademocrat.com/story/Library_amnesty_week_coming_up_id_001016

The article I read discussed Library Amnesty Week at Watauga County Public Library. Watauga County Public Library is located in my hometown Boone, North Carolina. During the week of December 7-12th, Watauga Library will be offering there delinquent patrons a chance for redemption. Those who have overdue fines can bring in cans of food, including canned pet food, to help those in need and for each can it will cancel $1.00 of overdue fines. This will apply only to overdue fines and they can bring in enough cans to take care of all their fines or just a few to make a dent in their debt. All food collected will be donated to the Hunger Coalition and the canned pet food will be going to the Watauga Humane Society. The cans that are donated must be in good shape and not past their expiration date. The fines that can be erased apply to books, videos, CDs, DVDs or any other library materials. The only thing the canned food is not good for is for the repayment of lost materials. If people do this, it will put them back in good graces at the check-out desk of the library because those who have more than $10 in fines are unable to check out materials.

I think this is an awesome idea and it’s not only helping people who have overdue fines come clean, but it is also helping a good cause by allowing those who cannot afford food a chance to eat. I currently do not have any overdue fines at the library, but I would still go and donate food or bring cans to help someone else with their fines by bringing if I were going to be in town. I realize I would not be benefiting from this, but at least I would know I was able to help out someone so they can use the services the library offers as well as help those who are hungry have something to eat. I am not sure if all libraries participate in something like this but if they do not then they definitely should and I hope people will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

News Report #4

“Libraries offer online help”
David Tidmarsh, Staff Reporter
10/26/09
http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/university-news/2009/10/26/libraries-offer-online-help/

This article discusses how Yale University Library is doing everything they can to keep up with new technology. They have introduced tools such as Ask!live, profiles on Facebook and Twitter and by using cyber reference services. Many students admitted to only using these tools for social purposes, rather than for school things. So that is when they decided to use Ask!live to allow sutdents to text or instant message librarians. Librarians said this method was gaining followers and had increased by over half in the last year. Librarians and others realize that students are not coming to the library as much anymore, so they are trying to do what they can to reach them online. Over the past three months, they have received about 60 queries so far from the text messaging service. This was more than they had anticipated. Eleven students were interviewed and nine of them said they had never used the service, but that it could be a useful program. Many students were not aware that it was available but will now use it since they know about it. Many of these tools are useful, but they are focusing on advertising and using services online that are more popular such as Twitter and Facebook. They are spending hours working on gaining students through these sites.

I think it is a great idea that Yale and other universities are starting new things like what was mentioned in the article through online services. I know personally I hate having to go to the library or to meet with professors unless it’s absolutely needed. I would rather e-mail or work through online programs. I have always enjoyed online classes and keeping up with technology so this is something I really like. Other students are not as interested in technology and it is hard for them to catch on so they stick to traditional ways. I think if Yale and other universities advertise their services better and the tools they are getting that students will use them more and it will get the word out. I know I am signed up with the text message coupons that get sent through UNCW and I actually use them. Many students are unaware of this service so if we advertise it more students will use it. Also, many students are not aware of the instant messaging service available through the UNCW page where students can talk to librarians online and get their questions answered. This is a great service and I can’t wait to see what other tools become available using technology in the future.

Reading Report #5

“Information Navigation 101”By Andrea Foster Chronicle of Higher Education http://chronicle.com/free/v53/i27/27a03801.htm

This article discusses how much technology college students use this day and time. With technology students can text, use Facebook and MySpace and can put songs and create playlists for their iPods. However, when it comes to using technology for research in college, students can be inept. The article says that the student populations today are not used to using things like databases and they automatically resort to Google or Wikipedia for their research needs. The article also discusses how schools are trying to solve these problems by having librarians teach this information to students. Whether it is offered as a class or as a requirement in a core class, they will learn it. “Information literacy” is being referred to learning how to find this information and access it. The article ends by discussing how few people question that information literacy is a problem and how some schools are requiring students to take standardized tests that have been made in order to graduate.

This article really makes you think about students today. It does not really surprise me that students do not know how to find this information. Personally as a college student, I use Facebook and text and all other types of technology, but a lot of times I also find myself resorting to Google. I try not to take the easy way out but sometimes that is all you can. Also, I did not know about all of the things the library had to offer until taking this class. I knew there were databases and scholarly information but how to use them and the different information that they offer was not something I was familiar with. I think schools should make a requirement for students to take a class to learn about information literacy and all the things libraries offer and the resources available to them. I think that these classes should be offered early on to, maybe even starting in high school, so students are familiar with them early in life. The sooner they know about it, the sooner they will take advantage of all that is offered to them.

Reading Report #4

"The Infodiet: How Libraries Can Offer an Appetizing Alternative to Google"By: Steven J Bell

This article discusses how students today are becoming more dependent on search engines such as Google and are not taking advantage of the resources libraries. Libraries offer everything from books, journals, magazines to databases, something a lot of people are not that familiar with. This article talks about how students are not able to understand the scholarly information in databases and are not willing to take time and search for the information they need. Students want easy to find information fast. The term coined for this type of information in infobesity. However many people believe that search engines should be easier for students to use because some current interfaces are extremely difficult to understand. For example, their interfaces should appear like search engines such as Google. The end of the article discusses some experiments that have been done and the results show that databases should be more like search engines. They need to get more sophisticated software though so that it produces better and more relevant results.

I think that this article is really important and it discusses many relevant issues. I know many students do not know how to access information at the library and are too lazy to try and figure it out or get help. I know personally I do not take advantage of everything that libraries offer but I am going to start as well as tell others about it and suggest to them that they should go to libraries more as well. I do agree with the article though in that it can be extremely difficult to navigate databases and searching through them can be very time consuming. I know there has to be an easier way to publish them and if they found one I am sure others would use them more. Everything changes eventually so working on something to improve databases should be touched on as well.

Reading Report #3

"The Future of Libraries"by Thomas Frey, Executive Director of the DaVinci Institute

In the article, "The Future of Libraries Beginning the Great Transformation,” it starts by talking about the historical roles of libraries. Libraries were used in the beginning to preserve artwork and important documents. Books in the past were very expensive and only the wealthy could afford to buy them. That is when Gutenberg invented the printing press. This made for a lot of future trends in libraries and the article discusses ten of these trends. The article talks about how ways of creating information are changing. People used to use phonographs and are now using podcasts. Technologies come and go for a reason. An example used in the article was talking about how the 8 track was replaced by the tape and the tape was replaced with a CD and now we have iPod’s and MP3 players. They discussed how even search technology is becoming more complex and human needs are growing. This causes libraries to have to adapt to new changes. The article talks about how consumers are changing their demands and new technology and waves of communications are surfacing. The article ends by giving libraries advice on how to adjust to these changes.

I personally think this is a really interesting and true article. There are so many changes going on in our society right now and people are changing their demands. The things people want are different from what they wanted years ago. Changes are happening often and libraries need to be ready to make these changes as well. I think that libraries really need reevaluate how they can and will make these changes. It is crazy the evolution of libraries. It is amazing to me how a library can go from something that solely achieves materials and is for the wealthy, to being freely available to anyone and everyone.

News Report #3

“In Recession, Libraries Are Booming Megan McFarlane, American Library Association”
Sandra Hughes, CBS News
08/25/09
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/02/eveningnews/main4770599.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4770599

This article discusses the Los Angeles library as well as others throughout the United States and how they are booming with people. In Los Angeles, long lines are forming outside the public library during these tough economic times. People are coming to the library more to check out books and use the computers. Many of these people are unemployed and are coming to the library for help. Librarians have now become job counselors and they are doing everything they can to help each person who walks through the doors. People are coming to use the computers to search for jobs, update resumes and for many it’s just a quiet place to work. Nationwide more people applied for library cards last year than anytime since they started keeping records in 1990. This is the time when people need libraries the most and unfortunately in other cities libraries are being cut back or closed. All of this is happening as more people are finally realizing the value of the public library. Everything at the library is free unless you don’t return an item in on time and then a fine must be paid.
I hate to see so many libraries being closed down because like stated in the article we all need libraries now more than ever. A lot of people cannot find jobs or just simply do not have the money to pay for the internet and that is where the library can play a huge role in someone’s life. I think it’s an awesome idea that these librarians at the Los Angeles library are working as job counselors. This can be a huge help for people coming to the library and it will help bring them back if they know the librarians care and are there to help them. It is also amazing that so many people are getting library cards. I just wish it had happened sooner and they hadn’t waited until now when the economy is not good and many libraries are closing. Hopefully people will start realizing what all resources are out there that are basically free and start using them.

News Report #2

“Nation’s libraries to celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month”
Megan McFarlane, American Library Association
08/25/09
http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/august2009/lcsumstories_pio.cfm

During the month of September, the American Library Association and other libraries throughout the country are going to be celebrating Library Card Sign-up Month. This will be a time to remind and encourage parents to get their children a library card. When children start school they should most definitely have a library card. A library card should be considered a child’s most important school supply. The Yuma Arizona County Library District is partnering with a local radio station to promote Library Card Sign-up Month. The library’s community relations manager will have a 3-minute interview and their will be a thirty second public service announcement. The Wauconda Illinois Area Library District will partner with local businesses and library users can receive discounts at over sixty local businesses when they show their library card. The Fresno California Country Library used its summer reading program, Be creative @ your library, with Library Card Sign-up Month. Children were asked to be creative and design their own library card. The winning submission will be used on cards in September. These are just a few ways different libraries are promoting Library Card Sign-up Month.
I think this is an awesome idea! I personally do not think libraries are used as much as they should be. I know growing up my mom got me a library card right away and I loved just going and checking out books each week and also participating in programs the library offered for children. I attended many workshops at the library growing up learning everything about the library and how to use it. I also volunteered as a library assistant one summer and would go to the library each day for a few hours and help out where I was most needed. I used the library frequently and I think other children should take advantage of all the opportunities that libraries offer. I think by promoting Library Card Sign-up Month will help bring more children in and hopefully more parents will want to get their children cards. My library card was free and if they still are there is no excuse not to have one and take advantage of all the library offers.