final reflection

The importance and varied methods of ensuring access – intellectual, digital and  physical – is the concept that stand out when I reflect on the learning in this course. It has been interesting to look at library organization through both “micro” and “macro” lenses: from the details of a MARC record to the broader view of the physical library and broader still to include the reaches of the internet. As I am not yet a TL, I have been challenged to reflect on the systems and strategies that I use intuitively and investigate their inherent structure: how they work, how I use them, how effective they are, how they have evolved using new technology, and how I could best teach these strategies to my students.

Many aspects of the activities and assignments in this course propelled me to further explore the uses of technology (computer-based, internet and web 2.0) and how these technologies can facilitate access and information literacy.  I found that I was constantly questioning and comparing the potential applications of these tools that were introduced, and going to the discussion forum to learn from others and to share questions and ideas.  From the initial discussions on the forum, I picked up on tools suggested by other students in the course, like Diigo, which helped me keep track of the overwhelming amount of website references, as well as Google Reader, which more efficiently helped track posts from other students’ blogs. Later, social bookmarking with Delicious was added to the mix. I was compelled to create and use applications that I had no prior experience with, and am pleased to not only have a gained a greater understand of their potential for teaching and learning, but to have been able to introduce them directly into my teaching practice, be it through creating a blog or expanding on the digital mini library for my students to use for book club or a research project.

Importantly, I also gained an awareness of the weakness of particular technology applications.  Investigating metadata, how search engines work, and the filtering that is inherent in the process, emphasized for me the importance of teaching alternative search strategies. Comparing wikis to blogs and webpages also revealed the strengths and weaknesses of each. For example, although I had created and used a wiki before, I became increasingly frustrated in my attempt to use it for the digital library assignment. After reading feedback and looking at examples from other students, I found Weebly to be a much better tool particularly because of its clean design, and the ability to simultaneously include an interactive element through the insertion of a blog. I discovered, however, that it is often not the weakness of the application but rather a weakness in the user that restricts access.  I, like many others in the habit of wanting quick results, only discovered the capabilities of the OPAC when we were instructed to explore it in this course; this again underscores the importance teaching informational skills. The value of standards and classification systems became clear as I struggled through the intricacies of MARC, CIP records, and subject headings, and later compared these with folksonomy tagging. (Paradoxically, MARC records went from incomprehensible to intriguing in their exactitude.)  This is another example of something that I was formerly only peripherally aware of; therefore, I would have been limited in my ability to correct weaknesses in cataloguing or assist students in overcoming research hurdles.  These kinds of hands-on course activities underscored well the professional competencies identified by the CASL in using “appropriate information technology to acquire, organize and disseminate information” and evaluating “different formats and media, both on-site and remote, to support the instructional program” (CASL, 2007). Considering best practice in accessing resources has also made me aware of the importance of sharing and demonstrating this not only with students, but also with my colleagues as a TL. 

Needless to say, my definition of a library collection and access now goes far beyond the physical collection or space. That said, the many conceptual aspects of access covered in this course crystallized through assignment 3’s analysis of the organization of my school library; this assignment made me realize the potential that change could bring. When I first read Loertscher’s article (2008) calling for a library “revolution,” I was skeptical as I tend to be wary of ephemeral theories touted as new panaceas, or of the technology tail wagging the educational dog, and I would still argue that “evolution” is the better term for the direction libraries should take. However, through the course readings, activities and discussions in which we were sharing experiences of changes to the model of the library, I am indeed re-envisioning the space and function of my library. I also visited other libraries to see what changes they had made to move towards a learning commons model. As a result I’ve gone from viewing the current organization of my school’s library as being successful, to focusing on how much better it could be. I found the "Standards for school library facilities" section of Achieving Information Literacy (Asselin, 2003) invaluable in framing this analysis. It is truly exciting to think about how much better we could serve the needs of the students and staff by rearranging the physical space to accommodate flexible use for different activities, ensuring digital and intellectual access through an engaging relevant library webpage and increasing the number of computers; as well as ensuring physical access to the space by extended opening hours.

I feel I participate well in this course overall. Although I am not a TL and could not comment based on actual library experience, I regularly contributed to the discussion forum for required postings based on readings and activities and added others more generally related to course themes. I regularly commented on other people’s postings. I am certainly not the most frequent contributor, but found reading 1500+ discussion posts plus keeping up with reading other people’s blog entries overwhelming at times, and tried not to add to the sheer number by repeating comments if they were already made by others. I tried to expand on ideas from the discussion and readings in my blog and not to simply replicate my discussion posts. I contributed regularly to my blog (other than the weeks when I had lost my login code, but then I kept notes in a separate file that I posted later).  It was interesting to hear about some of the strategies particular to elementary school TLs, that I have little experience with given that I am in a high school setting.  Many of the discussion posts were very helpful in doing assignments and in addressing questions raised in the readings. As a result of the ideas shared in the discussion forum, I now gratefully have a long list of ideas and bookmarks. The discussion ideas often extended to personal discussions with my colleagues specific to our school library and this added to the learning significantly. Overall, I must say that the scope and depth of the content and process of this course allowed me to synthesis ideas from this course and others, as well as to see a practical application to my current environment, and that I value greatly.

perks and relevance

Websites:  I just found myself voluntarily creating a website for an assignment in another TL course, as I found it was the best vehicle for research access.  I would not have considered this without the collection assignment in this course.  I've put that one to the test (with some alterations) with my students and am just going through assessing their research and reflections based on using the site.  Interesting...and pretty successful.  Oh how interesting when the learning from one course feeds another, and more importantly feeds professional practice.

TED talk; search engine invisible filters

I just came across the TED talk by Eli Pariser on "filter bubbles" -- the processes that search engines like google and yahoo are using (with logarithms) that filter results based on user criteria, such as location, what kind of computer is being used, and history of websites most frequently visited.  Pariser argues that a search engine filters for what it assumes the use "wants" to see, and not what the user "should" see.  It effectively narrows our view and awareness of the world, rather than following the axiom of the internet opening up the world.  He points out that in a worrying way, the new "gatekeepers" of information (electronic) or worse than the old gatekeepers (editors, academics, journalists with a code of ethics), and that users are largely unaware of this filtering process.  So, it is quite possible that 10 people doing the same search would come up with 10 different result lists, depending on who they are.  We would be searching within a "filter bubble" based on our past habits.  Worrying indeed.  When we were doing Lesson 3, I missed this.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html

Digital resources

Absolutely, digital resources are an important part of a school library's collection.  The technology is needed to support this, and it appears that there is money for technology (for "21st Century Learning").  For example, in many districts iPads are being promoted; TLs are being given one to convince them of their usefulness.  Their flexibility and mobility do make them a good option for library use.  They can now be used to word process and are cheaper than laptops or desktops.  But it is the access to resources that is the key here.  Reference material is certainly one area where digital access is most effective, allowing for current information that is easily accessible (and cheaper).  E-books I'm still exploring, and the cost for licenses is something that I worry may mount.  The free e-books should be better promoted as valuable resources.  Within the OPAC itself, there is a wealth of digital resources included selected websites which I was unaware of earlier.  The value of on-line databases cannot be underestimated and districts that have purchased these through district packages offer students an important opportunity in information literacy skills development. 
Teaching students first about the power of the OPAC, then having them explore on-line databases following a demonstration are important steps. I have had students express a degree of relief when they are aware that the sources there are different than by "Googling". It should increase their confidence in the information they are finding and make searching more efficient.  Lessons in  source credibility, however are still imperative. Some of the on-line tutorials on evaluation websites work very well.

Improving organization and access

Like other assignments that I have been able to use immediately in my teaching practice, I like the authenticity of this assignment. This time, however, "reflection" was not part of the assignment, but I wanted to talk about it, so have found the blog venue a good option (I think, really, for the first time). I found it very challenging to reduce the assignment to 1200 words -- I wanted to explain more about of the reasons for and the anticipated effects of changes I suggested, and the many permutations that the plan went through before being reduced to its final form.

Planning for a library reconfiguration was fun.  I had my floor plan and little coloured pieces of paper representing stacks, tables, chairs and 'played' for hours!  How could the library be re-organized to more effectively accommodate students and teaching activities. Although I'm not the TL, I have been dissatisfied with the layout -- frustrated that I cannot communicate with my whole class  without yelling across the library to get their attention, and often craved a more cohesive instructional area. Considering the elements of good library organization and design that I have learned in this and other classes as well as spending time observing students in the space, I sat down to work on my "puzzle".

I liked the methodical criteria in the "Standards for school library facilities" section of Achieving Information Literacy really helpful, and returned to it repeatedly to consider each element of an exemplary library. I also tried to image using the library from a TL's, teacher's and students perspective.  That caused me to rework the design several times.  Costs also gave me concern, as I wondered if the requests were realistic if expenditures would be $20,000. That really made me consider the goals and what value to the school community these changes would have. I spoke with a designer about some of the technical aspects of changes and costs, but certainly more consultation would be necessary if this were to actually move forward (I'm not a designer!).  I also listened to what others said about the space, and accommodating more students/classes was part of the "wish list" both in terms of booking the space and access to a full class component of computers.   That reinforced the importance of dividing up the space for different activities and use for different groups concurrently.  I think each area should be bookable, and this should be available to do online on the (to be created) webpage.

I would love to take on an even bigger renovation that would involve blowing out walls to increase student space, reducing under-used storage space and making the small group work area visibly open with a glass wall, purchasing lower stacks to give the space a more open feel, but I did restrain myself.  I began thinking of this as part one of a bigger project, ensuring that changes in next phase would not necessitate un-doing or re-doing changes made in this one.

I knew technology changes were necessary, but had the traditional TL's concern about the de-emphasis on print when reducing the number and arrangement of the stacks. Through this and other courses I've taken, I have experienced the convenience, become aware of the extent of available on-line resources, and have realized the increased research and exploration that results from availability of on-line resources. I still believe in the value of vetted print resources (and everything is NOT on-line, as many would like to believe) but I increasingly value the on-line resources. The use of e-books are another element I can see growing greatly.  Although I resisted recommending iPads as part of this project plan (I am skeptical of tech fads), when I began researching options and actually using one, I thought they would be the best option: cheaper, mobile, compact, and getting close to the efficiency of laptops in terms of word processing, too.  I remain somewhat concerned about having mixed platforms (PC and Mac) in the library, but this would be less of a concern for students than it would for teachers.  Either way, some ProD training regarding the iPad could be combined with information literacy skills. Increasingly, I can see students using their smart phones to access information, not only for social reasons, but as a tool for academic research, too.  What will that do to our no cell phone policy in school? :)

I really should stop now, as I think this is turning into what my final assignment for this course will be!

OPAC

Destiny is the platform we use, and by spending some time exploring the system rather than just quickly searching and retrieving a resource as is my usual habit, I have discovered how much more it offers. I always used the default "library search" page and paid little attention to "Destiny Quest" "WebPath Express" or "Resource Lists" functions. I also had not noticed that there was a very helpful "Web Sites" tab at the top of the search results page. There are numerous ways to access both physical and electronic resources, and this could appeal to users of different ages. abilities and learning styles. I particularly like the resource lists option for doing research and will use this with my students. To be able to flag items and create a list of resources of interest (without writing it down or printing off an excess of result lists) is handy. I realized the hard way that one needs to be logged in to have these lists saved otherwise it will time out and erase. Being able to print out either a citation version or search list is also a great feature. Destiny Quest, while being more visually appealing, wold be more useful for younger students, but I found it provided too little information for senior students or teachers, and searches took longer. WebPath Express was more efficient providing lots of relevant information in the first results page. The TitlePeek feature provided for some books is also helpful in selecting resources before physically going to the shelf.
The program is easy to use, and offers lots if you take the time to look. I wonder how many users are like me and have only used the minimal tools (always in a hurry). This probably deserves a lesson to students and teachers to help them access information more efficiently and independently. I found the webpage links extremely helpful and can't believe I've spent more time unproductively doing Google searches when I could have consulted the OPAC.
The Administrative functions are also very helpful. In a previous course, using TitleWave collection analysis to a wide variety of reports, I could not imaging doing without it as a TL now that I realize what it is capable of.
The OPAC is very flexible and accessible through the internet from anywhere. Again, I wonder how many teachers realize this. Broader use needs to be encouraged through making users aware about how helpful it can be to meet their needs.

Delicious stack

Here is the link to my Delicious stacks:
http://delicious.com/stacks/view/T0j8XL