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.