Library Grrrls!

I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for music CDs they enjoy using during storytime? My library only does "family storytime" (ages 6 and under, but we mostly get preschoolers), so something that is appropriate for a wide age range is what I really need. I would also love something that incoporates movement. ( Read more )

So, any suggestions? I also attempt to sing live, of course, but sometimes it is a nice change of pace, particularly on days when your throat is sore or you just don't feel like singing. Money is a moderate concern, but nothing too limited.

Hi,

Has anyone used Web 2.0 in their libraries?  If so, how has Web 2.0 been incorporated into your library's every day functions?  Also, has anyone gone through the 23 Things tutorial that was so popular in 2007?

Thank you 

Hello everyone. My name is Diana and I am currently serving in the US Navy. After much pondering on the subject on how to best use my Montgomery GI Bill when my enlistment is up I have decided to use it towards Library Science. The community college where I would like to move back to only offers a Library Assistant Associates Degree. Should I study at that college and get that degree and then transfer to a university for a Library Science Bachelors Degree? Or would that not work out so well? Would it be better to attend a community college that actually offers an Associate Degree in Library Science? I would really like to be closer to my family and friends as I have not seen them in two years, but I do have to decide what's best for my education. Any advice would be great. Thank you and have a great day.

Hello all! 

I hope this isn't breaking any community rules!

Have any of you heard of therealljidolwriting competition? 
I have been a contestant for almost seven months now! 

We started off with 154 people back in October and are now down to the top nine. Each week we are given a topic to write about, then the LJ community can vote on their favorites.  There are some really great writers over there, if you are looking for something cool to read. This week's topic was "Moments of Devastating Beauty."
 
So...I wanted to invite any of you, who might be interested, to read my piece for the week here.
And, if you like it, to please vote here. Voting ends tomorrow - Saturday - at 9:00 a.m.

Do check out the other contestants as well, they are a diverse and talented bunch - but I'm the only librarian :)  

Hi there,

I applied and got into MLIS programs at both University of Washington and University of British Columbia. I'm having the hardest time deciding between the two. Does anyone out there have experience with either of these programs? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

cross-posted to libraryschool

 I was asked to help with the summer reading program this year and was told they need an activity planned that would would be more activity and less craft. We're doing a sporty/olympic theme and the librarian who normally does this said in the past they would have done some sort of math olympics but the ppl that helped are not up to it this year etc. due to health issues etc. Soooo, it has to be something that can take place on library property, for 70some kids (give or take a few). We do a morning program for younger kids and an afternoon program for older kids... and we only go up to 5th grade so you can gather age ranges from that. The activity can be different for the younger kids than it is for older kids. We have some crossover in the age ranges due to siblings etc.

Any ideas?

I kind of thought of relay type races, but we have to have an indoor plan in case of rain, so even if we planned on that, we have to have an alternative and our space inside is limited. I also thought of a scavenger hunt but that would be too hard for the little kids and I already know that ppl would not want the kids all over the library. They pretty much try to keep them down in the kid's section. So, I am at a loss.
 
x-posted to librarians

Hey gang,

A few months back I posted about a project I was doing about networking amongst librarians (especially library students). I didn't follow up on it because I jumped the gun big time and ended up getting swamped with assignments (you know how it can be). The project has become a lot more focused and what I'm interested in is the usage of web 2.0 technologies (which to be honest I'm not terribly familiar with) and community building/networking amongst librarians/library students. Here in the UK there is dick-all and the minor attempts that are made to construct some sort of network generally go ignored. It appears that there is loads more happening in the US. If anyone can point me towards examples or have any experiences they would share, I would be vey grateful!

Hope the books are treating you well,
Alison

 So, I had posted a month or so back asking about online library degrees, but at that point I hadn't even thought much beyond that in the library field.  I figured it would make sense to actually work/volunteer in a library before deciding if I want to have an actual CAREER in one, so today was my training at the public library in the next city over and tomorrow is my first day.  I'm obviously starting at the bottom rung, I'll be doing non-fiction shelving 6 hours a week, but I was just wondering if any of you had started out volunteering before deciding to pursue your degrees and what your experiences were with the entry level work?  I'm a little nervous because the volunteer coordinator heavily emphasized what to do when creepy patrons start hitting on you(I guess it happens a lot in that library) and asking for really personal information, but he also seemed really enthusiastic about possibly giving me more tasks later on that would be more in line with what I might eventually do in a paid position at some library.  Any advice or anecdotes from your own early days would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

Quick Questions!

Does your library have a blog? What platform/software/service do you use? How popular/well used is it? What was the response to it?

We're thinking of starting one up for our library.

im going to the ALA conference in annaheim and i was thinking about doing business cards and bringing them to me.

any ideas? Im not in a library yet but will start classes on the fall.

i was thinking of including my email, cell, address, and putting "MLIS student" and maybe going to kinkos? or is there a place online i could get that done. anyone know how much it would run on average?

thanks!

(cross posted to libraryschool)

Hi All,

I'm new to this community and it looks really awesome! I come here, with my head hung, looking for some advice. I'm fresh out of my an undergrad ILS program (well, almost!) and I was just hired for my first grown-up job in academic library at a private college. I worked there during an internship, where I was just able to wear sneakers and jeans and such, but now I feel that I should upgrade my wardrobe a bit. Here is the hitch: I know next to nothing about shopping and clothes. Right now all of my pants are jeans from Goodwill with patches all over them, band t-shirts and hoodies. Does anyone know where a 23-year-old nerdy punk can find reasonably priced "business casual" clothes that don't look like I robbed my mom's closet? I am beyond lost and any help would be appreciated!!

best,
krystina

I'm working on writing a paper about graphic novels in library collections. It's supposed to be fairly balanced between the positives and negatives, but I'm not finding much about the negatives. As someone who loves graphic novels, I think this is great, but it isn't helping my paper.

I've got some articles that are talk about the problems of popular materials in general, but I feel like my paper is still pretty weak in that area. Has anyone seen any articles against having graphic novels in libraries? Alternately, can anyone suggest an indirect approach that I could work around to include graphic novels?

Thanks in advance!

So I just found out I was accepted into the University of Buffalo...does anyone go there? Does anyone go there that will let me ask them a million questions via email? I live in Missouri and so it's going to be a big transition and I am somewhat concerned about housing and all of that stuff.

Thanks.

(I cross posted this between two communities, sorry if you see it twice.)

So, I recently joined the tech services staff of a college library. To help me meet people, our director has volunteered me to help plan our department's retreat in June. It's just a half-day thing, where small groups give brief presentations on various library-related topics. The planners pick topics (usually w/ articles, so the groups don't have to do a ton of research and so everyone else can read them beforehand too, if they'd like) and people sign up to be in a group to present on each topic. So I'm trying to come up w/ some topic ideas - at the last retreat they talked about WorldCat Local and Primo, Archivist Toolkit, and looked at various other college catalogs. The director suggested this year we have RDA as a topic, but the rest are up to us. I'm thinking that maybe open access journals might be good, but I'm blanking on anything else. It doesn't need to be serious - it could be a fun topic, as long as it's library-related and ideally a current/hot topic! Any suggestions? Thanks! :)

So has anyone taken any mini-mester clases at UNT?
(or any other grad school?)

If so, how difficult was it?
I'm a little afraid. I don't even think I did mini-mesters during my undergrad.

Gracias/Thanks
^_^

Does this term refer to children and teen, or one or the other? Is it different for different libraries?

Thanks!

So I suddenly have an interview Monday afternoon for a reference assistant position within my public library system and I'm totally excited and nervous as hell. I've been working in circ for the past three months with no prior library experience before that, but I will be starting school for my MLS in the fall. This is at small branch, but it is also the busiest branch in my county. I know that there are some other library aides interviewing for the same position, and some of them already work at that branch or have worked for the county longer so that gives them an advantage, but I also know that I'm the only one right now continuing my education and seriously trying to make this into a career so I don't think that can be discounted either. I am afraid my lack of experience will hurt me and they may not be looking to train anyone on the job. Obviously, they can also be interviewing other people outside the county I don't even know about, but I was wondering aside from expressing my honest interest and my ability to learn quickly if there was anything else I could do to help me with this interview?

recently found out
i am to host a picnic...cookout
for an academic medical library
any
suggestions for a slogn that
can be put on t-shirts and distributed that day?

Hi! Was wondering if anyone is currently enrolled in or has recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh's MLIS program? I'm to start in the fall and wanted to talk with some folks about the different specializations and their experiences... thanks!

I'm really happy with my flyer so I thought I'd share. We are having extended library hours for finals at the college where I am a reference librarian.



Why yes that is a unicorn wearing cateye glasses and a bowtie. I'm so glad my zine skills have a professional purpose.

(still has to be approved by my supervisor, sigh)