Events
Adult Programming at the Library
Posted July 31, 2012 by Julie Steenson
When asked to come up with some ideas for the Adult Summer Reading Program, to add to what was already planned, I struggled with how to appeal to a different library population. In our small town library, the same people generally come to book clubs, foreign films and speaker events. This population is devoted to the library, and many of them belong to the Friends of the Library organization. We are grateful for their support, but I really wanted to bring in some new patrons. My first thought was that I wanted to appeal to working parents and families, who can’t come in to storytimes and children’s daytime events due to work schedules. Unfortunately, that territory appears to involve some toe-stepping and political wrangling so that idea is being tabled for now…. but not forgotten. My second thought was to appeal to an audience interested in pure entertainment, as a way to introduce a new population to all the library has to offer. We all love to be intellectual and talk about the latest bestseller…
Oh, can’t anybody see? We’ve got a war to fight.
Posted July 17, 2012 by Danielle Geller
The past two weeks since my last update have been ridiculously busy. First of all, I’m at the point where I have been forced to sit down and start committing all of my findings to paper. I feel like the progress has been abysmally slow, and 20 (single spaced!) pages in, I feel like I’m only half-way to my conclusion. Luckily, it’s broken down into a number of smaller sections, so I’ve been hopping around to smaller topics that interest me to try and keep up my motivation. I’ve also found that if I listen to the same song on repeat for eight hours, I don’t get nearly as distracted as I would if I let Pandora do its thing. Thanks, Portishead. I can literally listen to your song “Roads” all day long. So far today, I’ve written two pages on the disposition of culturally modified human remains! Oh, jeeze. This past weekend I also had the opportunity to attend the 2012 Wikimania conference in Washington, D.C. Fortunately for me, the conference was held at George…
The Library as a Cool Space
Posted June 22, 2012 by Maya Bery
If you’ve been in Boston the past two days, you know that we have issued in summer with a bang. Record-setting temperatures of the high 90s (with the humidity making it feel like the low 100s) have made people seek cool spaces, whether outdoors in the shade or by a pool, or indoors, in the air-conditioning. Having air-conditioning can often be a life or death matter for people at high risk of heat stroke (the elderly, young children, the infirm, the homeless), but not everyone owns an air-conditioner, or has the means to adequately cool their residence (my own apartment currently has seven fans and a portable AC running). That is why Boston, like many cities, designates places as cooling centers, where people can go and escape from the heat for a few hours. Suggestions include hanging out in shopping malls, movie theaters, museums, or libraries. Now, I don’t know about you, but if I’m in the first three places, chances are high I’m going to be spending money while staying cool. Great for…
The Library’s Changing Role in the Community
Posted June 20, 2012 by Julie Steenson
I have many career ambitions for my library degree, and to be honest, working in a small, public library is not one of them, but since the opportunity presented itself, here I am. I suddenly find myself at the circulation desk and preparing movie nights for the adult summer reading program. My first library job back in 1993 was in a children’s public library, and I absolutely loved it. If I had had the same opportunities then, I would have become a Children’s Librarian. I did, in fact, check out Simmons in the early 1990s, but as a single mom who lived far from Boston, it didn’t seem realistic at the time. Credible distance learning opportunities like West campus, and online/blended classes did not exist. One of my duties so many years ago was an evening storytime, complete with kids in PJs with teddy bears, usually accompanied by working dads who were having quality time while moms enjoyed an hour or two to themselves after dinner. We had our regular afterschool moms and kids, too,…
Online Classes
Posted June 19, 2012 by Katie Olivo
Now that it’s the end of June, my classes are certainly keeping me busy. I have just a week and a half left of my history course on Race and Media, and I’m in the full swing of my online course – LIS 440: Archival Access and Use. Taking an online class certainly requires some adjustment. Our system, Moodle, is a very easy system to adapt to, but the online environment is a bit different. For the first time, I feel like I am truly in control of how much I learn. Granted, I was always in control of the amount of information I digested or whether or not I did the readings, etc., but this time no one is lecturing to me and I have to read and record the information in a way that I will learn it on my own. It requires more responsibility and thus far, I’m not that sure how I feel about it.
Corporate Librarianship: Selling Out or Buying In?
Posted June 13, 2012 by Sarah Barton
Goodness gracious was that one-week “Corporate Libraries” course a blur. In five days I had to do two short papers and two group presentations, so there was no time for “I’ll do this later.” Maybe that was a sneaky introduction to the “I’m asking you now, but I needed it yesterday” corporate library culture. Based on what I learned from the course, that theory doesn’t seem too far-fetched. [Before I get started, so as not to confuse the “Corporate Libraries” title with the many different types of libraries we learned about, this course could very well be renamed “Special (With a Large Emphasis on Corporate) Libraries.” Just doesn’t have a very nice ring to it.] Two of the most useful things about the course were the field trips and guest speakers. (I know I sound like a middle schooler, but bear with me.) Over the course of the week, we visited three different special libraries and had a number of guest speakers. We also had in-class lectures, PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and readings, but the visits…
Time Off
Posted May 30, 2012 by Danielle Geller
I have to admit, I havent been doing many productive things since class has been over. A lot of my activities have been geared towards heading down to Washington, D.C. for my internship, which is now only a week away! Im really excited, but Im also worried that Im forgetting something. I opted not to sublet my apartment, though it would have been an option, so I dont have too much more to get ready before I leave. Ill miss my friends and my cats, but its going to be a really fun summer. I wish I had more to write, but Im sure Ill have plenty once I actually start at the NMAI!
School is NOT Out for the Summer
Posted May 24, 2012 by Katie Olivo
Spring 2012 flew by! Seriously, where has the time gone? I remember when I went off to college as a lowly undergraduate and my mother told me – “Soak it up. These four years will be over before you know it.” I scoffed in her general direction. I guess this is another one of the times when I realize Mom is usually right. Not only did my undergrad years vanish like Speedy Gonzalez, but my first year of graduate school is already gone. Wow. Last week, my boyfriend graduated with his Master’s degree in Taxation (scary stuff!) and I couldn’t have been more proud to see him walk across that stage. Now he’s going to take his CPAs this summer and then he starts a full-time job in the fall. Somehow I feel like I’m falling behind since I’m still in school and only working part-time. And yet, I don’t want to rush. I have the rest of my life to become a slave of society’s standards and live day-in and day-out doing the same…
The Birth of My First Semester…
Posted May 17, 2012 by Julie Steenson
My first semester with nine credits (all required CORE classes) bore striking resemblance to pregnancy. Being a new student (and an older one), not knowing what to expect, reminded me of the excitement and anticipation of being a new mother. I was so thrilled to be embarking on this new chapter of my life, redefining myself, but it came with some anxiety. The question, Would I be a good student and librarian? felt a lot like Would I be a good mommy? The first trimester (first month of school) came with a little nausea (butterflies), followed by the euphoria of the second trimester (2nd month of school) where I felt great no more morning sickness and a whole lot of confidence and excitement for what lay ahead. Then, as any new mom will tell you, came the hard part — the seemingly never-ending last trimester with its accompanying feelings of being overwhelmed, exhausted, and wanting it to be over. I would like to see my feet again or in the case of school, I would…
Semester over | Now get back to work
Posted May 3, 2012 by fox32
Have to admit I am feeling a little lift of pressure after this last semester. Final projects and papers can be tense and working collaboratively (online) adds another dimension that tests your time-management, in a good way. So now that most of us have finshed it is time to do something for your community, your constituents, and yes for yourself. Join a local volunteer group (library or otherwise) and give of yourself a little. If you are a Somerville/Medford/Cambridge type volunteers are still needed for the upcoming S’Ville Library Spring Book Sale (May 17-May 20, set-up day May 12th). Email me at [email protected] for more info. We have also partnered with Somerville’s PorchFest to have a few performances in the forecourt of the library that Saturday.