End of the Year Reflection

We've wrapped up another semester here. The students are home (or on the road to Rome, GA for the NAIA football championships), and things have gotten a little quieter around the library (at least for a few days).

Yesterday we held a summer book club winter gathering, an Apple Cider Lunch at the Library (instead of Lemonade Lunch at the Library), to talk about what we've read over the semester and just get together to celebrate having the time to get together after a busy term. It's nice to have the time to connect with students, staff, and faculty in a less formal way than the usual classroom and meeting interactions. 

A project I've been working on is starting to come to fruition for next semester: animal therapy dogs for that stressful time just before finals. I've gathered some information about other institutions and their use of therapy dogs, and have found some helpful articles as well. There is a local organization that trains service dogs and they have expressed initial interest in partnering for this, which I am really excited about. I think our students will love the program and it will help them de-stress before jumping back in to work on projects and studying for finals. 

This past semester was busy for everyone around the library with the roll out of the new college structure, committee involvement, increased class loads, etc., but it was great to work with so many students and help them be successful! 

Here are a couple quick shots of the new plaza, all lit up for the holidays:

 

And, because it's the end of the year and there are lists, here is my list (in no particular order) of top rated books on Goodreads from this year (though there's still time to add a few more... 11 days left):

• The Snatchabook by Docherty, Helen (Adorable and perfect for young preschoolers' bedtimes.)
• Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return (Persepolis, #3-4) by Satrapi, Marjane (better than the first, but you need the first to give you the context for the 2nd.)
• Fortunately, the Milk by Gaiman, Neil (Charming for young readers and older readers alike.) 
• Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Kerman, Piper (I enjoyed this memoir more than I thought I would--better than the TV show.)
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Gaiman, Neil (Again, charming!) 
• Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Lawson, Jenny (Funny, honest, worth your time)
• American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Ferguson, Craig (I enjoyed this one more than I though I would--He is insightful, honest, and good at sharing his story with self-deprecating humor which makes him all the more human and the book all the more enjoyable.)
• Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by Sedaris, David (Duh. Go for the audio book, read by Sedaris himself.)
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Sáenz, Benjamin Alire (Loved this!) 
• I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Crosley, Sloane (When she talked about toy dinosaurs under her sink, that was when I was hooked on this book.) 
• The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Kelly, Jacqueline (I loved that this book was so empowering to young women interested in scientific inquiry!) 
• Okay for Now by Schmidt, Gary D. (I loved the realism and honesty of the characters, the way they navigated and reacted to challenges, and just the way the whole story came together. Definitely worth your time!) 
• The House of Tomorrow by Bognanni, Peter (I wasn't sure about this book when first I read the synopsis, but I found the characters to be so human and honest and engaging.)
• Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers by Edwards, Elizabeth (I was drawn to Edwards' honesty, her down-to-earth nature, and her humanizing flaws. Her writing draws you in and it feels almost as if she was just sharing her story with a friend. It was painful when it was supposed to be painful, hopeful when (had I been in her position) I would have found it beyond difficult to find hope, and honest and humble.)
• Maus: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History (Maus, #1) by Spiegelman, Art (Once I started I couldn't put this down. The way the story is portrayed is engaging and moving.) 
• The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, #3) by Pullman, Philip (Just read all three. Simply put, they are good.)
• The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Pullman, Philip 

Internship in Perspective

This morning I received an email from a close friend/my former internship supervisor. She is preparing a libguide for UD library internships and wanted any suggestions for the page and a short quote.  It's hard for me to keep it short when talking about my internship experience, but I tried. Though it has been 2 years, it certainly doesn't feel like it. I still feel so blessed to have landed in Dubuque with such wonderful people to help guide me and am so thankful to be able to call them all friends! Here's what I sent:

I would recommend an internship experience at University of Dubuque’s Charles C. Myers Library to anyone interested in information, service, learning, teaching, or librarianship. My time in Dubuque helped me to develop as a librarian and as a professional. I was provided a wide range of opportunities at UD that I would not have had anywhere else, including the honor of presenting at both national and state conferences. This abundance of opportunities and realistic experience played a huge part in my immediate employment upon completion of graduate school. My internship experience connected me with an active network of library professionals (some of the most involved in the state) who have remained close friends. There’s something special happening in the Charles C. Myers Library at UD and I am so thankful to have been a part of it during my internship!   

Top Ten List: Number Ten

From the Iowa Library Association/ACRL Conference, in reverse chronological order:

10. Seeking Wisdom in Community: Shaping a First-Year Research Experience given by Andi Beckendorf, Germano G. Streese, of Luther College

• This session was particularly interesting to me, partially because I'm a Luther grad, and also because this program targets first-year students and their learning experiences. As a transfer student into Luther, I did not take Paideia. While I had heard stories about the course from my friends, this session allowed me to see the instructor side of the course. Germano and Andi provided a brief history, how they identified the need to modify the program (both the course and library approach). With new needs identified, the library was able to utilize LibGuides to support student learning. This integration led to changes in what was observed at the reference desk; questions shifted from the seemingly simple "how do I," skill-based questions (that can be answered with a set of directions), to more complex, strategy-based questions.
  

(Go Norse!)

Article 7: Communities of Practice at an Academic Library

Henrich, K. J., & Attebury, R. (2010). Communities of Practice at an Academic Library: A New Approach to Mentoring at the University of Idaho. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(2), 158-165.

Communities of Practice are made up of a group sharing a common goal. The environment created is one in which participants feel safe to share professional ideas. Benefits include efficiency of professional development; innovation, collaboration, and project success; and raised awareness about current happenings within the larger organization. Best practices for creation of Communities of Practice in libraries include having a common interest in the topic, inclusion of information and communication technologies, sharing common knowledge and experiences, promotion of publishing opportunities; and ensuring leadership is done from within the group. Promoting a Sense of Community, and making the Community of Practice meetings as part of the professional workday help add legitimacy to the development and sharing process. Challenges to Communities of Practice include finding and maintaining focus on the issue/s, allotting the time and effort to the group (it is a commitment), it can be difficult to sustain and leadership may lose momentum. When forming the group, the librarians at the University of Idaho kept the following points in mind: the goal is to benefit all members; they outlined how the time would be spent, who the facilitator was, what the goals were, how disagreements would be handled, and how they would stay on track. The group was limited to library faculty and they discussed research ideas and gave feedback to their peers. Participation was voluntary, and the environment was promoted as one that was confidential and an open space for sharing ideas without the threat that their research idea would be stolen. Meetings were held once per month the structure was that of presentation and discussion.

Article 5: Practicums and Service Learning in LIS Education

Ball, M. (2008). Practicums and service learning in LIS education. Journal of Education for Library & Information Science, 49(1), 70-82.

There has been a struggle in library school curriculum between the emphasis placed on theory and the emphasis placed on practice. Service learning combines theory with practice by highlighting reflection throughout the practicum experience, and embedding specific learning objectives tied to course offerings; personal and professional growth are emphasized. The term "service learning," as used by Ball, involves student civic engagement and development. Though more research needs to be done in regards to experiential learning and LIS education (moving away from anecdotal accounts toward qualitative and quantitative studies), the benefits of practical application of, and reflection about, classroom theory include, but are not limited to: student confidence & comfort in the profession, an appreciation for the field, and assists the student in realizing and defining professional goals and values. Student journaling and reflection add critical thinking skills to the professional experience. Barriers to service learning in LIS education include administrative costs and supervision and financial considerations (to pay, or not to pay students for their work).