Resources

The following are the resources I used in creating this blog.....

Pictures:

www.google.com/images

Information:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/160482/Dewey-Decimal-Classification

http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/lecture/index_en.asp?page=classificationSystem

http://www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/biography/

http://frank.mtsu.edu/~vvesper/dewey2.htm

Blog Additions - Module 4

It is very important to have a MARC Compatible Automation System in all school library media centers. As a potential Library Media Specialist, I know realize how much easier having a MARC compatible Automation System will make my job. Not only that but it will make my library files and records more uniform and easy to use by all. In addition the job of cataloging will be less demanding and will take much less time. MARC records are able to provide all the necessary information on a book as well as give the computer instructions for interpreting the given information in a way that all your files are uniform.

It is also important to outsource cataloging books. Using MARC records to catalog books can be very helpful in making your library run more efficiently. It may sound redundant but the smoother your library media center runs, the less effort you have to put into cataloging and such, and the more time you can spend working with the students.

There are many companies that take part in book cataloging. One of these companies is called, “Library Thing”. Their service is free you just have to create a username and password. Here is a link to their site www.librarything.com . 

Blog Additions - Module 4 Part 2

Library collection mapping is a very valuable tool for library media specialist. Library collection mapping tools give a graphical illustration of a library collection’s positives and negatives. It is able to determine areas in which the Library Media Center may be lacking and needs work or improvement.

As far as being useful to students and teachers, collection mapping does it all. A tool that is able to help determine the weaknesses of a Library Media Center is a Librarian’s dream come true. Some of the information gathered from collection mapping can let a librarian know if some of their material is outdated or no longer useful according to the rapidly changing curriculum that his or her particular school uses. Also depending on what company is used for the collection mapping, most give their feedback in an organized manner that can easily be displayed to a school board or committee. This will enable the librarian to get rid of what he/she doesn’t need, and obtain what they do need.

One website I found through online research that offers collection mapping is www.follett.com  I could not find a price range for this service. Therefore I remain unsure whether or not it is a feasible option.  

Module 3 - Topic of Choice

Making Students Active Participants in the Success of the School Library

One of my future goals and reason for taking this course is I aspire to be a Library Media Specialist someday. From this course as well as the others I have taken early on in this program, I have learned a lot about school library media specialists. The position is not clear cut and a Library Media Specialist must wear many hats. Not only are you in charge of what goes on within your setting of the library, but sometimes you must visit other classrooms and perform other tasks around the building. In some schools library is its own pull out class, scheduled for say 45 minutes. Yet, in other schools students are able to use the library on a drop in basis in order to obtain research and write papers. Whatever the case may be the library is a very important part of a successful school.

Before I drag on too long about the importance of a library, I am writing this entry to inform the reader about an idea I have if I am ever to be in charge of a library whether it be at the elementary or middle school level. I feel it is important to make students feel involved, with that said I want to discuss the idea of having student helpers within the library. The teacher will hold most of the responsibility, yet I want to create a list of jobs the students can perform and either weekly or monthly. These jobs will be arranged so that other students can have the opportunity to perform the tasks that will keep the library running smoothly.

Some of the jobs will include: shelving books, checking books in/out, keeping the library clean, computer assistant, book locating assistant, and many more. The students will be active participants in the running of the library. This will keep them involved and will help them to learn new things about the library that they may have not picked up by simply visiting the library once a week with their class. This may even help to peak the interest of students at a young age and make them want to one day become Library Media Specialists.