Lobbying for Library Cards
Posted February 4, 2013 by Sarah Barton
On Saturday I spent three hours lobbying for library cards. During the month of February, the Somerville Public Library is competing against the Arlington, Belmont, and Lexington Public Libraries to see which can sign up the most new library cardholders. I donned my “Libraries: Shhhh Happens.” t-shirt (which received many comments and compliments) and stood at the entrance of the Somerville Winter Farmers’ Market trying to attract potential cardholders. I was surprised by how many people already had a library card, delightfully surprised by how many people are avid library supporters, and happily surprised by how many people said “I’ve been meaning to get one of those!” It was great to see such positive levels of interest and support from a random sample of locals. It felt equal parts strange and refreshing to be representing the library outside of a library setting. Branding, marketing, and publicizing are all aspects of public libraries that can never be overdone and can always use improvement, and talking to unsuspecting farmers’ market dwellers was a great environment for putting…
A Blend of History and Archives
Posted February 3, 2013 by lazylibrarian
As a dual degree student in Archives and History, I have one foot in the LIS (Library and Information Science) world and one in the CAS (College of Arts and Sciences) at Simmons. At times it can be a little frustrating since I’m dealing with two different departments but a lot of the time there is more overlap then I would have imagined. Currently, I am taking a Public History course. I have never taken one before and I love it. I almost wonder why I never thought of Public History as a career choice before. I have a Bachelor’s in both English and History and saw Archives as the wonderful combination of the two, but as I continue through this dual degree program, Public History seems the perfect combination of Library Science and History to me. We are currently reading Museums, Monuments and National Parks by Denise D. Meringolo about the evolution of Public History in America. One of the key points of the book, pointed out from the very beginning in the prologue,…
Library Lovers Month
Posted February 2, 2013 by Maggie Davidov
That’s right folks! It is indeed that time of year. Love is in the air! Love for LIBRARIES, that is. I genuinely resent the Hallmark holiday that gets us all hot and bothered. In college I remember taking my friends out for margaritas, mocking the holiday and celebrating my love for them. While margaritas are always an excellent idea and cherishing friends is always at the top of my list I think Library Lovers Month offers a new way to channel my love. First, take a second to think about the following questions. Why do you love libraries? What have libraries done for you lately? Have libraries changed your life? Those reading this blog, besides my mother, are most likely interested in the field of library science. And why not? Library science is where it’s at people! So I think it’s time we remembered to honor those hallowed halls of learning and discovery that brought us to this field of study. Your library deserves a hug of some kind. Here are some ways in which…
Happy Birthday, Pride and Prejudice!
Posted February 1, 2013 by Emily Boyd
This Monday marked the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In honor of this milestone, NPR featured a number of stories analyzing the history and popularity of this epic novel over the past two centuries. My favorite related story was a cartoon depiction of Pride and Prejudice by Jen Sorensen (check it out: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/27/170253360/pride-and-prejudice-turns-200). While NPR celebrated the continued relevance of this Jane Austen classic in its Arts and Life programs, All Things Considered ran this story: “New Reading Standards Aim To Prep Kids For College – But At What Cost?” (listen here: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/19/169798643/new-reading-standards-aim-to-prep-kids-for-college-but-at-what-cost?sc=tw&cc=share). The program discussed new attempts to raise reading scores for high school students by exchanging English class curriculum based primarily on literature to a greater focus on nonfiction. The timing of these two stories seems too ironic to ignore. How can we be celebrating the importance of a piece of classic literature, one that has been enjoyed for two centuries, at the same time as our education system decides to move away from a curriculum based on…
Priority Deadline Tomorrow, February 1st!
Posted January 31, 2013 by Katie Olivo
Just a quick note for all prospective students applying for Summer 2013 or Fall 2013 – the priority deadline is tomorrow! If you’d like to be considered for merit-based aid, your application must be complete, meaning we’ve received all your recommendations, transcripts, etc. by or on February 1st. For all Summer 2013 applicants, February 1st is also the final deadline for applications. Those of you applying for Fall 2013 but do not need/want priority aid, the final deadline is March 1, 2013. To check on the status of your materials and application, please visit this page and click on the “check your application status” link. This will allow you to sign in and view any applications you’ve begun or submitted and the status of each requirement necessary to complete the application. If you have any questions or concerns, please call our office at 617-521-2868 or email us at [email protected].
The Big Picture
Posted January 30, 2013 by Julie Steenson
It has been a year since I started the GSLIS program, and it has taken me this long to understand the value of a degree program. I am not just talking about the “getting a job” piece – this is a professional program so it goes without saying that the purpose of the degree is to enhance employment options. There is another value that isn’t well understood. The degree program doesn’t just teach us skills. It teaches us how to be visionaries. That might sound a little lofty, even to me, but I came to this realization recently at my job at a public library. I am in a pre-professional job, which is great experience, but ultimately a dead-end position. (Hope my boss isn’t reading this, but I think this is important to share with you.) I do a lot of circulation and I am the inter-library loan coordinator. I answer reference questions, coordinate the use of the library meeting rooms, do an occasional program, prepare user instruction materials, and maintain some usage statistics. …
Dreaming of a more peaceful time…
Posted January 29, 2013 by Carolyn Lucas
Growing up, I used to have a routine before going to bed. I would say goodnight to my parents, grab a beverage – sparkling water in the summer, hot tea in the winter – grab whatever book I was in the middle of, and spend the last delicious hour of consciousness lost in whatever fantastical world those pages contained. In between leaving my home for college and being halfway through a graduate program, something changed. My evenings are no longer filled with the writings of great minds; my dreams are no longer of magic, dragons, and wizards. There are still plenty of hot beverages, though – but not tea. Now I find myself guzzling coffee at all hours of the night, attempting to wrangle one more hour’s worth of energy into finishing whatever project I am working on. And I still read – but instead of characters with beautiful names and tragic back stories I read the (rather dry) biography of Melville Dewey. Or the historical conflict between archivists and librarians… or archivists and record keepers……
Putting Evaluation Into Action
Posted January 28, 2013 by Sarah Barton
Last week at my internship, my boss overheard me telling a co-worker that I am taking my final core class, Evaluation of Information Services. My boss was intrigued, and suggested that we schedule a meeting sometime next month to look at the evaluations she has done in the past and perhaps start thinking about future evaluations. This is a prime example of GSLIS curriculum in action, and a perfect way to incorporate my coursework into an actual work setting. But, to be honest, my first reaction was to momentarily freak out. I didn’t have a meltdown or anything, but I felt as though she had asked me to design a prototype for a spaceship. I have only had two classes so far this semester, and I guarantee that my boss knows far more about evaluation than I do. What type of insight could I possibly bring to this meeting? Once I got over that initial freak out, I calmed down and realized that this is a great opportunity for me. My boss didn’t recommend meeting…
Reference Questions Via Email
Posted January 27, 2013 by lazylibrarian
One of the more common topics discussed in Library School is “the reference question.” For many of our patrons this still fits in nicely to the librarian stereotypes and what they expect when they enter a library: the tall foreboding desk with an old maid sitting behind it that you only go to ask questions of as a last resort. Of course, more often than not, the stereotype is not true but it is still true that the reference desk is a familiar aspect of libraries, and answering questions and providing information is a core part of the librarian’s duties. As such, a lot of emphasis is placed on how to navigate a reference interview during library studies. Many times when a patron asks a question they tend to ask a very general one which might not be exactly what they are searching for. The question, “Do you have any books on butterflies?” might seem like a simple question request but if the librarian simply answers “yes” and delves no further she will not know…
The United States of YA
Posted January 26, 2013 by Maggie Davidov
In this week of festive, inaugural, bi-partisan activities I thought I’d let everyone know about a fun list of books lingering out there on the interwebs. This is a list developed by the brilliant minds over at epicreads.com. A question was posed: What is your favorite young adult book? Name the state in which it takes place. Thus, the United States of YA was born, or at least, the list. Then the blogger made this amazing graphic (see above). The graphic and the list were made readily available for display makers, like me, and I stumbled across them on pinterest. I thought it would be an easy display. I wouldn’t have to do any list making. I could just pull the books and let the graphic speak for itself…WRONG. In the end it took me a WEEK to put up. But let me just say, it was worth it. Check me out.