Facilitator: Allison Ernst from Northfield Mt. Hermon School who used to work as the director of a small public library.
Information Literacy Small Group Discussion
Director’s Essentials Boot Camp May 20, 2008
Tamson Ely described a information literacy project that she initiated on their campus at Springfield technical Community College.
Begin with faculty that want to participate and use their success to bring others into project.
Wikipedia has an article that provides a lot of resources.
Worcester Academy LibraryJackie Shartin talked about their program where they see every ninth grader for an individual class period (40 minutes) and a follow-up session geared toward a project they are working on.. Two people each can see 4 students a day.
They developed a reference sheet to talk with each student about differences between encyclopedia and wikipedia. Show how to break down topic into different research areas in the library. Demonstrate how to broaden search or how to narrow it. Teacher has shown them how to develop thesis statement. This focuses on finding resources-not even evaluation of resources. Teaches use of SourceAid a citation builder. End session with a Google lesson. This year they will begin going into classrooms for 10 minutes sessions with projector and laptop to demo appropriate databases for each class. She would like to take it to another step with the students.
Vicky Biancolo, Miss Hall’s School has been meeting with small groups of kids (7 or so) she doesn’t think this has been very effective. Achievers would find her anyway, others aren’t focused on group presentation.
Springfield tries to teach students to evaluate information they find on the internet both for student work and for future research. One credit library exploration course students tested at beginning and end of class. Honors program has intensive course on evaluating different sources, visiting libraries and commenting on it. Frustration is that they can’t see every student, it is up to faculty whether they will partner wit library or not. Hasn’t figured out how to test students on information literary yet. Have mounted an information literacy unit on their website used and adapted a number of other tutorials.
Rochelle Garfinkel, FrontierRegionalSchool in her first year. Freshmen are supposed to schedule orientation to library for 7th graders , but it didn’t happen. Busy library during the day, students always in the library. Teachers and students don’t seem aware of online resources. Teachers have asked for training on citations and plagiarism. Best program on plagiarism and how to cite your work. A copyright site benedict.com shows suits that have been brought in plagiarism classes. Needs to create differentiated program between ninth and eleventh grade levels on citations and plagiarism. Teachers are starting to ask for class sessions on online resources.
Sometimes faculty members don’t know much about online resources; and don’t want to show their ignorance. Springfield is running boot camp for faculty to teach them about library resources and have arranged for faculty to receive a stipend for their time in the classes. Library staff members have set up scavenger hunts to engage students in learning about resources. They are teaching classes that are part of the English curriculum. They are trying to impress on faculty that research is a life skill and that they are handicapping students by not making them aware of how to use library’s resources. Need to engage faculty in teaching their students. Springfield CC staff will go to faculty offices to teach them about online resources in their area of study. Administrative support will encourage faculty to participate. Challenge is to integrate information literacy into curriculum. This is really a part of critical thinking, an essential learning skill for students.
NEASC evaluation standard 7 has whole segment on how library impacts students success.
Rochelle’s goal for the FrontierSchool is to develop a set of grade level knowledge standards for students. Hard part is figuring out levels to be set for each grade.
You meet their needs as best you can. Get students to sit at computer and show them how to search, rather than doing it for them that alone can be a great teaching tool.
Recorded by Cheryl Bryan SEMLS
Budgets -- Barbara Brown, scribe
Time Management Small Group Discussion
(Administrative calendars and other tools) -- Ellen Rainville, Director,
J.V. Fletcher Library, Westford, moderator
Director’s Essentials Boot Camp May 20, 2008
Ellen offered several practical suggestions for managing the overwhelming demands of a library director:
Use a calendar that works for you.Experiment until you find the right one.
Use a tickler file to prompt major and minor tasks and commitments.If used faithfully, your tickler file will remind you of commitments while your files can wait in your file cabinet rather than getting lost in piles on your desk or floor.[A tickler file consists of a folder for each month and folders dated 1 – 31.]
Put notes in your tickler for repeat tasks and projects.
Color code your files for groups or functions.(e.g. Green for budget; Blue for trustees; Lilac for Friends, or Red for Collection Development; Yellow for Staff Development, etc.)
Start small and build more complex systems as necessary.
Calendars:
Ellen uses calendars as one of her major time management tools; she provided several sample calendars.The calendars move through the tickler file month by month reminding her of essential tasks to be performed.They are developed in Excel.She uses multiple calendars for multiple audiences.The calendars are copied on colored paper.Selected colors are consistent for each group.
Friends Calendar (Pink)
Very simple layout:One column for the date; one column for the activity:tasks, meetings, programs, book sales, elections.
A “cc:” in the footer includes the distribution list for the calendar
Trustees (Green)
Same simple layout as the Friends’ Calendar.Includes:meetings, warrant deadlines, legislative day, elections, required form submissions, contract renewals, annual facility walkthrough, town meeting deadlines.
A copy of the calendar is repeated in monthly meeting folders.The Director’s report begins with important dates.Each meeting agenda also includes relevant dates.
Building Maintenance Calendar (Blue)
This calendar runs from July through June.Columns include:Month, Activity, Vendor, Phone (way to contact vendor), columns for various departments or individual responsible for the activities, and date completed.
For capital projects like painting, there is a section of the spreadsheet for locations and paint color, paint company, and number.
Administrative Calendar (Yellow)
This calendar also runs from July through June.Columns include the month, the activities and which of the administrators is responsible for the activity.It includes usual activities like town meetings and when annual reports are due, but also includes when summer hours are posted and when statistical samples will be collected.
Miscellaneous Tips:
Use a file sorter if you can’t keep up with filing.
Hanging binders are good for trustee agendas.
Use file jackets for originals.
Prioritize!!!
Consider returning phone calls only at certain hours of the day to reduce interruptions.
If your organization is large enough, assign a building supervisor of the day.That person handles or delegates calls to the plumber, reassigning staff to cover busy desks, any problems that come up for the day.
Recorded by Jan Resnick, WMRLS
(Talk Table 2) -- Sunny Vandermark, moderator; Margaret Cardello, scribe
1. Why do you keep statistics?
They are required
They reveal information about things you want to know about
They are useful in planning
For example, they help communicate info to Finance Committees:
Computer usage stats might help document funds for a new router or PCs
Circulation numbers might help with collection budget. ILL numbers could be used as a collection development tool
Help demonstrate value to community
Door counters and number of program attendees
What do you have to gather? What do you need to know?
It would be helpful if the new website contained info on what stats Directors need to keep. Templates or spreadsheets that people have created would be VERY helpful.
Forms people mentioned in discussion would also be helpful, such as a volunteer form and the policy collection.
An online form for completing the ARIS report would be helpful.
Statistics for determining the quality of services include surveys, suggestion box, feedback from public and Board.
Law Library input:
Manual stats are not always accurate.
In their situation they have a large collection but low circ because most materials are used in-house.
Web presence helps
Do you want to be a “brick or click library”?
Other stats:
Per capita expenditures
Circulation / fte
Uniformity of database usage stats not there yet as different vendors report stats differently. Hard to present the data
Performance based budgeting
Somerville may be using this model. Budget based on factors such as number of people who attended storytime and other demonstrable factors
With in communities the value of reciprocal borrowing needs to be stressed and tracked.
Also consider tracking the number and value of materials that are purchased to support school curriculum
Reference: Lots of confusion about what kinds of reference questions libraries log. Need for standardization
In seasonal communities tracking on season and off season activities are essential
One tool for tracking wifi use in and out of the building is wifidog
Book recommendation: Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-by-Numbers Is the New Way to Be Smart by Ian Ayres
Participants: Jane Cain, director at the Pearl Crawford Library in Dudley, MA for 1-1/2 years; the library has a strong board and weak Friends; Charlotte Canelli, director of the Dover Public Library in Dover, MA for 4 months; board of six trustees and a strong group of friends; Amy Sadkin, director of the Lunenburg Public Library with a group of seven trustees; Deb Hoadley, director of the Langley Library in Groveland, MA for five months; board of nine elected trustees; defunct Friends group; Stephanie Young, acting director of the Woods Memorial Library in Barre, MA; six board members and a Barre Library Association with a Friends group subset. Maureen Killoran and Brian Donaghue of the MBLC.
Comments and variations on the theme:
Trustees and Friends often have an ‘incestuous’ relationship. Allison advised ‘contact the region for help; use their resources and pick their brains. Use the Trustee Handbook – always think ‘What is my job’, ‘What is the Friends job,’ ‘What is the Trustee’s job’. Approach your job with honesty and openmindedness and willingness. How to work with the trustees? Don’t be afraid – feel the fear and get on with it.
Maureen responded to Stephanie’s question: ‘How do I get more $ when Fincom and Selectmen have cut your budget? At town meeting you need to hold the item and defend it on the floor. Librarians and trustees don’t always ask and fight. Maureen also mentioned the Trustees Symposium on the first Saturday in April each year and MLTA in November of each year. Trustees need to stay united @ town meeting Deb H mentioned that she spoke in front of Fincom and the board encouraged her. Charlotte remarked that Fincom and Selectmen need to hear from the Director. Maureen replied that sometimes, however, a good effective male speaker can be more effective if needed.
Jane Cain added that her town decided to go to six trustees from three in the next year; voted at town meeting. Jane was advised to recruit good people. Brian mentioned that the dynamics of the group would certainly change.
Maureen suggested that we use the handbook! Do an orientation! MBLC has sample of Trustee Bylaws. So do other libraries. If trustees disagree at their board meetings and then vote they have to stand as one after the meeting. Liaison from trustees to Friends is a good idea! And Friends to Trustees. We have to be careful to make sure that staff/trustees/friends are separate.
Brian remarked that because role of Friends, staff, trustees are intermixed, the role is important. Handbooks!
Ellen Dolan wrote job description of trustees and staff. Westford Ellen Rainville has written job descriptions as well. There is a WebJunction course for trustees.
Stephanie talked about secretive library association started in 1850’s in Barre. Stephanie should try to stay at the whole meeting; obligation and role.
Deb remarked that the previous director became president of the Friends and it is a difficult situation for her.
We also talked about trustees appeals and how they work.
School library applied for Demco grant for a makeover. Received $10,000. Library part of the school was condemned and torn down. School building is on a list for a new building.
Some trust funds are earmarked for libs and schools to use.
Achusnet received $30,for library repairs from a Community Preservation Act grant. Check to see if your community is a member of the Community Preservation Coalition.
Barnes & Noble has community outreach staff.One school library partnered to sell summer reading list books. The school received received 10%; the parents' organization received 10%.
(Talk Table 2) -- Nancy Rea, moderator; Dana Mastroianni, scribe
-- Karen Pangallo, scribe
-- Karen Pangallo, scribe
Facility Management- Cheryl Bryan, Margaret Cardello, scribe
(Talk Table 1) -- Elizabeth Thomsen, moderator; Dana Mastroianni, scribe
(Talk Table 2) -- Elizabeth Thomsen, moderator; Mary Behrle, scribe
1. What emerging technologies are you using?
Public library with new building with 2 dozen computers. Using PC Reservation and Library Insight. No full-time tech suppport. Staff are reluctant to check email. Need to get everyone on board.
Public library worrking on a new webiste. Electronic face of the library needs to be more adventurous (no one is wild about experimenting). Last department in the community on the new phone system. Would like to do podcasting. LAN works well. Electronic calendar works well.
Suggestion: Try Flickr. Ask teens to help. Have a photo contest.
School library - Has site licenses for software that helps with education plans - Ed Helper.
2. What emerging technology is coming?
Public library - saw Marshall Keys at MLA. Cell phones to look things up on web. Will we need as many computers in the library since patrons have laptops and these portable devices. Will they be using their own when they come in? Library is working on a Facebook presence to reach teens.
NOBLE is working on sending holds and overdues via cell phone. Cell phones are the information appliance of choice for many. Flickr and the Boston Globe have mobile versions for viewing on cell phones. NOBLE has a different URL for cell phone viewing.
Don't need to redesign your website for cell phones. RSS feeds are easy to read on phones.
What will be pushed to fee-based? For example, Rosetta Stone will not longer be available for libraries. Vendors are finding they can't make money with library subscriptions. Other examples - Audible. Vendors are wanting to go directly to consumers.
Other content coming for free - New York Times 1851-1923 is in the public domain. Time Magazine is searchable for free from 1923.
Google Health - private, personal medical records online; doctors can access and update.
3.How do you support staff as they are dealing with all these technology changes?
Public library - new website. Town is using First Class. Multiple staff need training. Multiple people are responsible for the webiste. It will be easy on First Class.
All new technology tasks become additional tasks for staff. Can't give up any of the other tasks the library is doing. Technology creates a deeper sedementary level. More communications venues are added. Patrons' expectations are raised.
4. How do the technologies affect literacy?
Students have poor note taking skills.
They abbreviate in their writing the way they do in instant messaging.
Poor cursive writing skills.
Students believe everything on the web is true.
Opinions on a blog are perpetuated.
Flickr creates communities of discussion. People help identify photos.
People are following their interests. Everyone is a researcher.
The library supports populist research. This changes the library's goals and perspectives.
Information on the web is omnipresent.
Pressure is put on the library for advocacy.
Everyoen thinks they are librarians.
Changing the perception of the profession.
Changes Reference - all the easy questions are gone.
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