Portfolio Reflective Essay

 

Portfolio Reflective Essay

Joslyn Jones

June 24, 2009

 

 

Here are brief descriptions of the projects and papers I submitted to illustrate my mastery of each program objective:

Program objective: Practicing a variety of management, communication and organizational skills to facilitate appropriate change within libraries and communities. Artifact: Information obtained from 2008 Public Library Association conference used to demonstrate program objective. I attended several programs on Young Adult programming and volunteering. From these programs, I transferred the information I garnered and applied it to the management of Summer Reading Program Teen Volunteers, which I was newly assigned this summer. Among the management, communication, and organizational skills that I learned at PLA and directly applied in my current position include scheduling teens at specific times, teaching teens specific tasks they can complete each time they come in, providing an orientation, limiting teen volunteer schedule to two hours, once per week. I also implemented a version of the Homework Help Center presented at PLA at my home library, as mentioned in the previous post.

Program objective: Teaching others to identify, analyze, organize and use information. Artifact: Homework Help Center Homework Help Center-These are brief descriptions of a program that I created and facilitated at Plainfield Public Library District, Plainfield, IL. The program ran from January-April 2009. I trained 7 volunteers to use tutor.com online database to assist children with homework.  The volunteers were also taught how to access the library databases such as Grolier Online, ERIC, etc. in order to help teens seeking homework help with their research projects.  I served as a tutor as well to students in grades 1-12.

In addition, I wrote these blubs which were used as press releases that were sent to local newspaper, the Herald News.

Program Objective: Promoting the professional values of ethical responsibility, intellectual freedom and universal access to information. Artifact: Internet Filtering Paper This paper provides a critical analysis of the issues of intellectual freedom and universal access to information as it relates to children.  It looks at the problems that filtering creates and how filtering blocks useful information more often than it shields children from ‘harmful” websites.

Program Objective: Articulating and applying a philosophy of service that incorporates an awareness of the legacy of libraries and information centers within our culture. Artifact: Final Paper-Library as a “Third Place”. I chose this paper because the notion of the public library as the Third Place that people in the community choose to spend their time.  The public library has become more than an information source; it is a place where moms socialize with other moms, seniors learn computer skills, teens have Wii tournaments, and more. This new development takes the philosophy of service beyond a good reference interview or the friendly checkout at the circulation desk. The social aspect and impact of the library has become even more important during the current economic crisis, as communities seek free or low cost ways to enjoy a night out or have fun with the family.

Program objective: Designing, implementing and evaluating systems, technologies, services and products that connect users with information. Artifact: Storytime Observation This paper is an example of evaluating a library service, specifically storytime.  I do at least two or three storytimes per week via outreach to schools and preschools, and I evaluated this service to see if I could pick up any new ideas to try, as well as what processes to avoid, so I could make my storytime sessions better.  Children and parents/caregivers are connected to information through storytime, because they learn songs, how to model good behavior through their peers, and reading skills by being read to aloud. This is one of my best submissions, as I objectively observed the storytime based upon the new skill set I learned in class in terms of conducting a successful and educationally relevant storytime.

Program Objective: Identifying and analyzing information needs and opportunities of individuals and organizations, both within the traditional information service areas and the broader information sector. Artifact: Power Point Presentation Slides-African-American and Latino Voices in YA Literature I used this PowerPoint Presentation to highlight African American/Latino young adult literature authors to bring awareness of quality tried and true authors, as well as new voices in the cannon because the demographics not only in the patrons we serve at libraries is changing so rapidly towards being more multicultural, but also the country as a whole As needs and reading tastes change and the faces of library patrons change, librarians need to stay current and be knowledgeable of the reading needs of these two ethnic groups, and Asian young adult readers and authors as well. In my slides, I discuss not only the authors, but ways to attract these multicultural readers with various collection development tweaks and remind librarians that we help cultivate new and exciting literature in this cannon when we signal our support to the publishers with our collection development dollars.

Program objective: developing creative solutions to information problems by integrating relevant models, theories, research and practices. Artifact: Value assessment of a specific information service-Outdoor Reading Room I included this report, as it came to mind the wake of a failed referendum at my public library, which is cramped for space, but still has hoards of patrons who utilize the library every day.  Since Plainfield Public Library partners with so many community organizations and has green space outside the building which the library can utilize, a creative solution during the warmer and busier months is to have an outdoor reading room located either in a nearby park or right on the library campus. Based on two successful launches of outdoor reading rooms in both Florida and New York, the Plainfield Public Library this creative solution would allow the library to continue to provide a unique and cost-effective way that patrons can enjoy the library and simply remove the obstacle of denied funding for a new building.  The outdoor reading room would have materials for patrons of all ages can peruse on portable shelving and comfortable, seating and available Wi-Fi for laptops.  Programming could also incorporated into this new service, as the room occupancy restrictions inherent in indoor meeting rooms would be no longer exist, opening up the potential for a greater number of patrons to enjoy and attend. 

I consider this to be one of my best artifacts, because I presented a well-developed idea that has been tested and in the public library setting and that has been successful. I also favor this submission, because I plan to actually use a version of this proposal and submit to my library for consideration. I would also like to use portions of it writing a grant proposal to support this program,

What does my portfolio reflect about me as information professional? I seem to absolutely view this profession from a very social and humanistic point of view. I am not as enraptured with material selection, or what the latest Web 2.0 applications might be, although those things are certainly important. What holds my interest is the patron experience–was the patron well served? Do patrons think the library is a fun and/or useful place to visit? What can I do as an information professional to make the patron want to visit and enthusiastically support the library? My portfolio submissions largely seem to reflect my desire and ambition to continually serch for answers to the above questions.

How has my perspective of libraries changed during my coursework in the program? What I always say when people ask me this is because of my coursework, I now know the why behind what I do at the library. It is not merely a job; centuries of research, thought, and design have gone into things I do every day from telling a story to checking out books, to the reference interview. Librarianship is an can be elevated to an art form when practiced with the training that only a professional education can provide.

What direction do you see your career taking at this point in time? I already have a good number of years of experience in almost all aspects of public librarianship, so having my degree should further open up leadership opportunities for me. In the next two year, I will become a Children’s Services. Outreach or Branch Manager, and by the time I am forty (in three years), I will be a Assistant Director or Director of a suburban public library in Illinois.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program objective: developing creative solutions to information problems by integrating relevant models, theories, research and practices. Artifact: Value assessment of a specific information service-Outdoor Reading Room

Value Assessment of a Specific Information Service

Joslyn Jones

June 10, 2009

 

I included this report, as it came to mind the wake of a failed referendum at my public library, which is cramped for space, but still has hoards of patrons who utilize the library every day.  Since Plainfield Public Library partners with so many community organizations and has green space outside the building which the library can utilize, a creative solution during the warmer and busier months is to have an outdoor reading room located either in a nearby park or right on the library campus. Based on two successful launches of outdoor reading rooms in both Florida and New York, the Plainfield Public Library this creative solution would allow the library to continue to provide a unique and cost-effective way that patrons can enjoy the library and simply remove the obstacle of denied funding for a new building.  The outdoor reading room would have materials for patrons of all ages  can peruse on portable shelving and comfortable, seating and available Wi-Fi for laptops.  Programming could also incorporated into this new service, as the room occupancy restrictions inherent in indoor meeting rooms would be no longer exist, opening up the potential for a greater number of patrons to enjoy and attend. 
 

 

Overview of the library or information service to be assessed

 

Plainfield Public Library is a very busy, small suburban library with an outsized reputation for outstanding patron service and innovative programming. Formally a rural bedroom community, Plainfield has blossomed into a bustling, community of about 35,000 featuring young families, a growing diverse patron base, and a revitalized downtown Plainfield also has a vocal and active senior community as well. Though the library is well-used and loved by its citizens, with the downturn in the economy, a recent referendum failed to pass, and the library is literally bursting at the seams. With population in mind and amid a space crunch for materials and programming, as well as a desire to continue the library’s renowned for out-of the box programming, I would like to propose that the library implement an Outdoor Reading Room. The Outdoor Reading Room would provide a collection-to-go with a variety of materials for both children and adults for checkout programming and activities for all ages, movable furniture and mats, and Wi-Fi access and while utilizing the green space located just outside of the library. The Outdoor Reading Room would begin the first week of June and conclude the second week of September, and operate from 11 AM to 7PM, weather permitting.

 

Goals of the service

 

The main goal of the service is to help the community read, relax, and connect with each other while promoting general literacy in a park-like atmosphere. The benefits of providing this service will also include freeing up space inside the library without the cost associated with an addition or rebuilding, and accommodating more patrons wishing to attend library programs by eliminating space and/or scheduling concerns that result from having only one large meeting room inside the library. Another added benefit would be increased circulation of materials, and an opportunity to partner with local businesses in terms of sponsorship and/or grant opportunities, as well programming possibilities.

 

Explanation and rationale of the need for assessment/
Plan for implementing the assessment and interpreting the data collected

 

The library will need to determine if this new enterprise will be well utilized by the community in order to justify beginning and continuing a program that will be unique to the area. The two assessment tools that will be used to determine the effectiveness of the Outdoor Reading Room are Counting and Surveys. The staff working the Outdoor Reading Room will keep a daily tally of visitors. The numbers will inform the library of the most used days and times of the week, and if patrons are even taking advantage of the Outdoor Reading Room at all. The surveys will be given to patrons at checkout to determine how the patrons receive and react to the new service, as well immediately following outdoor library programming in order to determine if the programming offered is what patrons enjoy and to generate new ideas for directly from patrons.

 

 

 

Identification and description of existing models in libraries that are used to assess the value/impact of this service

 

The two existing models for this service are the Outdoor Reading Rooms at Bryant Park in New York City and Munn Park in Lakeland, Florida, which was inspired by the Bryant Park Version. Here are descriptions and background of both programs:

 

Bryant Park

Source: “A Reading Room Returns to Bryant Park”; New York Times; Tuesday May 27, 2003.

In 1935, during the depths of the Depression, the Bryant Park Open-Air Reading Room was established in the backyard of the New York Public Library to engage the minds of the jobless thousands.

Now, during another economic crisis, and after an absence of 60 years, the reading room will return. Is this the dire omen of a new depression?

“The timing is coincidental,” said Daniel A. Biederman, executive director of the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, sponsor of the new outdoor library. “But in a bad time, it’s nice to have a good book, and a nice place to read it.”

That nice place will be available next month under a new name, the Bryant Park Reading Room. The free lending library will offer 700 books and 300 periodicals to park visitors, who can informally check the publications out with library volunteers.

“I think people will be enchanted by a reading room in the park,” said Mary K. Conwell, director of branch libraries for the public library, which is providing its expertise. She said that in a time of budget-cutting, it is useful to remind the citizenry of the importance of libraries, “for traditionally, libraries are used more in tough times, because people don’t have as much money to buy books and do other things.”

The outdoor library, with books donated by publishers, will be set up in mid-June in a tranquil oasis to the east of the entrance at 42nd Street and the Avenue of the Americas. It will be under a stand of London plane trees near the statue of the industrialist William Earle Dodge.

The original reading room opened in August 1935, and was a collaboration between the public library and the Parks Department. It was staffed by five paid librarians employed by the Works Progress Administration, under the supervision of the library. By its second summer, it had attracted 64,624 patrons.

“There were few rules and regulations,” Ms. Conwell said. “People signed a card in each book, left it with the librarians, then put the card back when they returned the book.”

The original lending library was something of a Midtown institution, called the “book beneath the bough” program. “Photographs show people dressed for business,” Ms. Conwell said. “Maybe some of them were office workers, but others could have been among the newly unemployed. We’ll never know how many of them were too embarrassed to tell their families ? the ones who would dress for business in the morning, then come to the park and read.”

An unsigned 1936 article in The New Yorker took note of “the young lady librarians, as brightly officious as Mrs. Roosevelt,” and said that they “sit thumbing over cards at a white garden table protected by a green umbrella, or lovingly pat the books in the bookstalls, making sure they’re still alphabetical.” Among the most popular loaners, the article said, was “John Brown’s Body” by Stephen Vincent Benét, and “Red Bread” by Maurice Hindus.

The reading room flourished through 1942, “but in 1943 we were at war, the W.P.A. librarians weren’t available, and many of the formerly unemployed patrons were part of the war effort,” Ms. Conwell said.

The library suggested that the reading room be temporarily discontinued; the parks commissioner, Robert Moses, agreed, replying in a note: “I think I understand the park library situation. As you say, we can open it again when the war is over.”

That never happened. But now, Bryant Park officials are conducting interviews for volunteers who will staff the reading room, three at a time, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. The great library next door will advise the volunteers and help them to refer readers to its collections.

In Maspeth, Queens, four rolling reading carts are being fabricated at NE & WS Metal Works Inc., and painted a greenish blue. The rainproof carts ? 4.5 feet tall and a yard wide, made from steel and aluminum ? will hold 700 books and 300 periodicals. They are being created with a $35,000 grant from HSBC bank, which has underwritten the reading-room effort.

Ignacio Ciocchini, the industrial designer for the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, said the new carts were inspired by photographs of the original reading room. “We want the carts to look as if they always have been there,” he said.

The carts will offer protection for the books at night and during inclement weather, as they can be locked and swathed in vinyl covers.

There will be no library cards ? and no shush-ing. “I don’t think we do that in libraries anymore, do we?” said Ms. Conwell with a laugh.

The checkout system will be straightforward: books with red stickers ? expensive coffee-table art volumes and the like ? need not be signed for, but must be read on chairs within sight of the librarians. Books with yellow stickers may be read anywhere in the park, but people will have to show an ID, then put their names on a sign-out sheet.

And books with green stickers may be taken home and returned ? or substituted with any other comparable nonlibrary book that has been, Mr. Biederman said, “gently read.”

Mr. Biederman does not foresee fierce competition for the books, although the park draws a crowd of 5,000 during a sunny lunch hour. “We’re thinking that we might draw 250 people a day.”

Predictions about theft greeted the initial outdoor library in 1935, but Ms. Conwell said that only 30 of about 900 books disappeared in that first season, including Emily Post’s “How to Behave Though a Debutante.”

Is there concern that present-day New Yorkers are less honest? “Trust is the operative strategy in the park,” Mr. Biederman said. “Even our chairs and tables aren’t locked up at night. And we are going to trust people not to take the books.”

Will books be checked out to homeless park visitors? “We welcome everyone,” Mr. Biederman said, “as long as they follow the rules. Our strategy has always been to have such an overwhelming number of people in the park that they won’t feel intimidated by the homeless.”

But why now? “It’s something that we’ve always wanted to do,” Mr. Biederman said, “and we were at last able to get around to it.”

“Already, there is a large group of readers in the park,” he added. “But you can never have too many. Reading is a perfect passive activity for a park that has 3,000 chairs in it.”

 

 

Munn Park

Source: “Reading in Great Outdoors: Munn Park Is Site of New Place to Cozy Up to Books”; The Ledger,
Wednesday, October 11, 2006.

The sun shone brightly as eager youngsters sat crossed-legged on mats, their brows furrowed while they intently listened to stories or read books under shady trees at Thursday’s opening of the outdoor reading room in Lakeland’s Munn Park.

David Grisham, who works at the downtown law firm Peterson & Myers, said the new reading room meant he could spend some time with his 3-year-old daughter, Capri, who sat next to him, her blue eyes riveted on a picture book that daddy read out loud to her.

“I think this is a great idea,” said Grisham. “You’re hard pressed to find something to do at lunch unless you just go downtown to a restaurant. And now, since I have lunch with my wife, Karen, twice a week, I get to see my daughter.”

Monti Summer, an employee of the after-school kids program AMI Lakeland, agreed as he lay down on a mat reading to his 20-month-old twins Ella and Anna.

“It’s an advantage for me,” he said. “The nanny can bring the girls over, and I see them during lunch.”

The reading room is a collaboration between Lakeland Vision, the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, Verizon, and Citrus and Chemical Bank, which all helped provide money for the project.

Michelle Githens, executive director of Lakeland Vision and part of the Junior League community advisory board, came up with the idea while visiting New York City with family and seeing the way the outdoor reading room in Bryant Park attracted visitors of all ages.

“I thought this would work great in Lakeland,” said Githens. “My husband told me to stop just wishing for it to happen and to just go ahead and do it. I’m happy it’s finally happened.”

Verizon provided a grant of $5,000 for the carts and material, such as mats for visitors to lay on, books, magazines and additional metal tables and chairs.

Stephanie McLean, president of the Junior League, said the group expects at least 50 to 75 visitors to come each week.

“Our plan is to work with the local businesses so that their customers can enjoy this as well,” she said. “It’s a great place for people to come spend some time during lunch, and downtown workers can come here to relax.”

Sheila Law, 31, whose son Tehran, 5, checked out the first book “101 Dalmations”, said she was excited to see this happening in Lakeland.

“I think it’s great,” she said “I had never heard of the concept before.”

And for adult busy bees, the park also provides free WiFi Internet access, meaning they can bring their laptops.

Karen Grisham, Junior League chairwoman and David’s wife, said a lot of local workers don’t know this wireless Internet access is provided in Munn Park

“We want an old-fashioned community feel here where people actually come to talk and connect with each other,” she said. “I envision people coming here, grabbing a book and relaxing and parents meeting their children during lunchtime.”

The outdoor library currently holds more than 50 recent magazines and 300 books that cater to everyone from toddlers to adults. Citrus and Chemical Bank will help store the material, and the Junior League of Greater Lakeland will provide volunteers who will help visitors check out the books to enjoy while visiting the park.

The Junior League is accepting volunteers for the reading room, which is operating 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

McKeel Elementary, located near the park, will benefit from the reading room. Teachers bring their students to enjoy the outdoors during reading class one to two times a week.

“It makes reading more fun,” said Jackie Yarbrough, a first-grade teacher at McKeel. “And it gets the children out of the classroom,”

Kylie Bridges, 6, a McKeel first-grader, said the park is good for her and her classmates, who enjoyed the room’s first day by listening in on book readings, filling in coloring books and listening to music by the Sleepy Hill Middle School Jazz Band.

Timeline for assessment process

The Outdoor Reading Room will be assessed in the four months of its inception (June-September) using point of checkout surveys, program survey, daily attendance counts as well as circulation counts. During the fall, the library will tally and analyze the data to determine how the service can be tweaked for the next summer. The data found in the quanitative analysis will also be used to support grant seeking documents as well as in seeking out sponsors and community partnerships in order to grow, expand, and improve the service each year. The assessment process shall be repeated each year.

Program objective: Practicing a variety of management, communication and organizational skills to facilitate appropriate change within libraries and communities. Artifact: Information obtained from 2008 Public Library Association conference used to demonstrate program objective.

Notes from 2008 Public Library Association Conference

Joslyn Jones

Transcribed April 2008

 

 I attended several programs on Young Adult programming and volunteering. From these programs, I transferred the information I garnered and applied it to the management of Summer Reading Program Teen Volunteers, which I was newly assigned this summer. Among the management, communication, and organizational skills that I learned at PLA and directly applied in my current position include scheduling teens at specific times, teaching teens specific tasks they can complete each time they come in, providing an orientation, limiting teen volunteer schedule to two hours, once per week. I also implemented a version of the Homework Help Center presented at PLA at my home library, as mentioned in the previous post.

 

Teen Volunteers

The Lincoln Library in Lincoln, Nebraska had a very innovative program to for teens that come in the library asking to volunteer. LL had four distinct programs for teens to volunteer, School Year Youth Volunteers, Government and Politics/NHS Volunteers, Long Term Teens/Short Term College Students, and Game Council.

The LL also has a spread sheet with tasks for youth to do anywhere in library (not just in youth services) if no special tasks are assigned. See copy of spreadsheet for assigned tasks.

School Year Youth Volunteers

• 11 yrs-17 yrs or 6^th grade-12^th grade
  
• Completes orientation with staff
  
• Mostly self sufficient
  
• Can complete tasks given in Youth Volunteer binder, which is kept at youth services desk
  
• Are scheduled at specific time Mon-Sat
  
• Work one hour per week
  
• Special assigned task creates ownership of area
  

 

Government and Politics/NHS Volunteers

• Usually 11^th or 12^th graders involved in G&P of NHS
  
• Generally volunteer for 20 hours
  
• Complete short term projects and require more supervision
  
• Must schedule times with G&P coordinator
  
• May work up to three hours at a time
  
• Only work weekends w/ special permission
  

 

Long Term Teens/Short Term College Students

• 18 and over
  
• Self-sufficient; very little supervision required of staff
  
• Learn specific tasks which they can complete each time they come in
  
• Volunteer will be taught “default” tasks for times when supervision is unavailable
  
• Schedules will be arranged according to branch and volunteer needs
  
• Suggested work shift is two hours, one day per week
  
• Volunteer keeps card in “recipe box” listing tasks that they have been trained to accomplish
  

 

Game Council

• Selected by librarian
  
• Grades 10-12
  
• 5 members on council
  
• Meet monthly with librarians
  
• 5 district positions in council with varying responsibilities for each
  
• Supervise game room when library staff not available
  
• Advise and liaise with staff on gaming issues
  
• Work with Foundation foe Lincoln City Libraries on fundraising ideas
  
• Help create regulations for game room
  

 

 

We could incorporate some of these ideas into what we do here. I especially like the list of tasks that anyone could assign and the Game Council idea. This library also keeps the volunteer schedule on an in-house wiki so that the students could access their schedules and tasks online from anywhere.

 

Homework Centers

Besides teen volunteers, the other recurring program I noticed was Homework Help Centers. Several libraries had programs and advice for setting up an in-house program, utilizing the tutor.com software we already have. Homework centers are needed and essential because:

• Parents can’t help students with school assignments due to lack of knowledge and time
  
• Too many people in the house –extended family, parent boyfriends/girlfriends, etc-
  

children can’t focus

• Lack of supplies at the house
  
• 38% of 4^th graders in US read below basic level
  
• 3 hours directly after school kids are in the most danger of negative peer pressure and illegal activities.
  

 

The Columbus Metropolitan Public Library started their program in 2003-2004 and received donations from SBC, Abercrombie and Fitch, Target, Friends of the Library. CMPL initially used a membership registration model, but soon scrapped that in favor of a drop in. The Homework Center operating hours are 3:15-6:00 PM, Monday-Thursday. The librarians noted that no one really wants to do homework on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday so they don’t have it on those days.

 

What I liked about this presentation has the emphasis on just starting a homework center by simply using what you already have: a boardroom or computer lab not being used in the early afternoon, roping off a space, etc. In addition to Internet access, CMPL also provided an accessible stash of school supplies for the children as well stocked with crayons, markers, pencils, calculators, etc. The center is staffed with volunteers as well as a library tech that is available if kids need any help navigating the tutor.com site. Some branches also worked jointly with the school district to provide paid teachers from the district to staff the homework center a minimum of 16 hours per week. The homework center also promoted its testing practice services for kids seeking practice in taking standardized test, ACT, SAT, etc. CMPL also encouraged teachers to electronically post assignments, so that students could access at the library, but so far, very few had posted. Some branches even arranged transportation from school to the library for students. Here at Plainfield we do not have to take it to that extreme, but I do think that patrons would be receptive to adopting some of the elements of a homework center such as a school supply stash and maybe even the test prep. Those would be easy to do, and involve very little cost. The positive outcomes for the library adopting a homework club include:

 

• by helping kids, parents become great advocates and supporters of the library-“I know the library cares about me”
  
• behavior issues are improved
  
• partnership w/ schools
  
• increased library awareness
  

 

 

Program objective: Teaching others to identify, analyze, organize and use information. Artifact: Homework Help Center

 

Homework Help Center-These are brief descriptions of a program that I created and facilitated at Plainfield Public Library District, Plainfield, IL. The program ran from January-April 2009. I trained 7 volunteers to use tutor.com online database to assist children with homework.  The volunteers were also taught how to aceess the library databases such as Grolier Online, ERIC, etc. in order to help teens seeking homework help with their research projects.  I served as a tutor as well to students in grades 1-12.

In addition, I wrote these blubs which were used as press releases that were sent to local newspaper, the Herald News.

K-5 Does your child need a little extra help with his or her homework? Looking for an appropriate place for your child to do homework? Need someone to listen to your child read? Plainfield Public Library District will open the Homework Help Center twice per week beginning on Monday, January 12 and Wednesday, January 14. Students in grades 1 through 5 will receive assistance from volunteers from 3:00 – 6:00 PM in the Storytime Room. No registration required. Please contact Joslyn Jones in Outreach Services at 815-436-6639 for further information.

Middle School/High School Students: Do you need help with your homework?” Do you need a quiet place to complete a project for school? Need to access Power Point or other software applications that you don’t have at home? Starting Monday, January 12 and Wednesday, January 14, the computer lab will be reserved for middle school and high school students seeking to access to homework assistance via tutor.com and those seeking to complete or research school assignments. The lab will be open from 3-6PM and staff will be available to assist students with tutor.com, Microsoft Office, and our online databases. Social Internet use will not be permitted in the lab during these hours, however, students will continue to be access recreational websites at the computer stations outside of the lab in Children’s Services.

Volunteers Needed: The library is seeking volunteers to help staff our new Homework Help Center that will open January 2008. Patience, willingness to work with grade school and high school students, and knowledge of grade school subject areas are essential to making our program a success. In addition, we are seeking volunteers with good working knowledge of Microsoft Office software. Retired educators, current teachers, college students, and academically successful high school students are especially encouraged to apply. For an application, please visit the Children’s Services Desk or call Joslyn Jones at 1-815-436-6639 for more information.

Sample of one of posters used to promote program included below:

 

 

 

Program Objective: Promoting the professional values of ethical responsibility, intellectual freedom and universal access to information. Artifact: Internet Filtering Paper

Joslyn Jones

Issue Paper #2-Internet Filtering

February 23, 2008

 

This paper provides a critical analysis of the issues of intellectual freedom and universal access to information as it relates tho children.  It looks at the problems that filtering creates and how filtering blocks useful information more often than it shields children from ‘harmful” websites.

Internet Filtering: Lost Opportunities and Watered Down Learning

 

Internet filtering was a hotly contested issue in the late nineties and the early part of the new millennium, particularly amid the world of school and public libraries. Though the argument may not be as fiery now, and the fate already decided, the questions still remain concerning the First Amendment rights versus the concern of keeping children away from inappropriate content on the Internet.

One of the most passionate arguments at the time was that internet filtering limited intellectual freedom. Jeff Bobicki wrote in a 1999 issue of Colorado Libraries that “[s]chool libraries are caught between a proverbial rock and hard spot. This is more like a juggling act than traditional librarianship when they must weigh Constitutional Rights against both district policy and community opinion.”(Bobicki, 28) Internet filtering does, in fact, limit intellectual freedoms. Filtering hampers the ability of the user, minor child or otherwise, to access all available information and to use critical thinking skills to discern individually whether that information is appropriate, valuable, and useable. However, while the idea intellectual freedom is quite lofty and part of the very fabric of American values, in real time and according to the mandates of the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) school and public libraries were, and are still faced with the loss of e-rate funding if the computers intended for minors to use remain unfiltered. In many instances in school districts and public libraries across the country, the economic benefit of restricting internet access far outweighed any implicit promises of intellectual freedoms.

Internet filtering has become the go-to mechanism for many school and public libraries that provide Internet access for children. But is it appropriate? Internet filtering for children is not only inappropriate, but also unnecessary and faulty at best. Adult supervision is the best Internet filter of

 

Jones 2

them all for children and those who fear the ‘dangers” that may await children on the Internet. In fact, it would seem that filtering actually provides protection particularly far more so for school libraries and schools themselves against the headache of complaints and the ire of fear-mongering parents. “Filters are a way of protecting teachers from the upsetting nuisance of dealing with unpleasant or controversial topics in the classroom. They are also a way of protecting school administrators from angry phone calls (and even lawsuits) from parents concerned over occasional instances when students go “bad” places on the Internet.” (Burbules/Callister, 649) Rather than to focus on obtaining information for research, filtering has the unintentional effect of causing many students to fixate on creating workarounds to bedevil the filters, and students usually become quite efficient and skilled at doing so. Filtering also often blocks useful and educational content in an effort to block “undesirable” content.

Though inappropriate as well as ineffective, filters are used almost universally at school media centers across the country. The newest versions not only filter websites by word recognition by blocking sites that contain buzzwords such as swimsuit’ or ‘breast’, but have also been upgraded to be able to filter according to website content as well. Joe Huber, author of “Internet Filtering Update” published in the American Society of Educators explains: “…content fillers use a set of acceptable use rules that are applied to each web page that passes through the filter. The filter ‘reads’ the page and sees how it follows the rules. If the page follows the rules, then it is passed through the filters. If it does not fit the rules, then it blocked…Content fillers are only as good as the person writing the rules”. (Huber, 16) And therein lies the problem: who is decides what is deemed acceptable versus unacceptable? The ‘rules’ are not set randomly by a objective, strictly scientific computer program; the rules are set and customized on a school by school, case by case basis. This creates a disparate,

 

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biased internet search for students colored by the views of a handful of people in power at the local level. As Calister and Burbules states, “[f]or many young people in many parts of the United States

(and elsewhere in the world), the Internet is the only window to wider horizons of belief and possibility that extend beyond the tastes and prejudices of their own local communities…[t]he overall impact of the filtering effort is to restrict access almost solely to mainstream, bland content that can’t be construed as offensive to anyone.” (Calister/ Burbules, 651, 651)

No matter the library, whether school media center or public, when the ability to access information is compromised by filters, the opportunity to learn, to discern what constitutes appropriate use, and to use critical thinking skills is lost. Ultimately, these skills lost may prove more valuable than any content that a young person may find on the Internet.

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Bobicki, Jeff. “Internet Filtering Issues in Schools”. Colorado Libraries Fall 1999.

            Calister T.A. Jr.; Burbules, Nicholas. “Just Give It to Me Straight: A Case against Filtering the

Internet” Phi Delta Kappan May 2004.

Huber, Joe. “Internet Filtering Update” Media and Methods March/April 2005.

 

 

Program Objective: Articulating and applying a philosophy of service that incorporates an awareness of the legacy of libraries and information centers within our culture. Artifact: Final Paper-Library as a “Third Place”.

Joslyn Jones

Final Paper-LIS701

March 15, 2008

I chose this paper because the notion of the public library as the Third Place that people in the community choose to spend their time.  The public library has become more than an information source; it is a place where moms socialize with other moms, seniors learn computer skills, teens have Wii tournaments, and more. This new development takes the philosophy of service beyond a good reference interview or the friendly checkout at the circulation desk.The social aspect and impact of the the library has become even more important during the current economic crisis, as communities seek free or low cost ways to enjoy a night out or have fun with the family.
 

Library as Place: Third Place is the New First Place

 

The time for the 21^st century library of tomorrow has come. More then ever, libraries hustle to continue to attract patrons and their support with shrinking tax dollars, while competing with easily accessible sources of information from Amazon.com, and Google, as well as cyberspace hangouts such as Facebook and MySpace. How will libraries remain relevant in the 21^st century and beyond?

A good place to begin to answer that question is to survey the library users. In 2003, OCLC surveyed “over 270,000 information consumer views, habits and recommendation from over 3,300 people in six countries.” (OCLC 2005). In relation to the concept of the library as place in the 21^st century, what was universally discovered in this study was that patrons across the board felt libraries did the following quite well:

• The library has established itself as a place for learning
  
• The library is a fundamental place for childhood learning and development
  
• The library is a great place for free information, and that information should remain free so that all people of all income levels can access needed info
  
• The library is a place where free Internet access (no matter how fast or slow the connection) can be obtained
  
• Information users who frequent the library are well informed of library services and programs available beyond checking out materials.
  

 

 

 

In doing the above items well, libraries have maintained a tenuous hold in maintaining relevancy in the 21^st century.

But is that enough-are those reasons compelling enough to continue to draw an active usership in the 21^st century and beyond? Neighborhood park districts and community colleges also offer places for learning for both children and adults at a nominal cost, and often do it much better. With the cost of laptops falling to ever more affordable levels for the masses, almost anyone can take advantage of a free wireless Internet connection in a cozy coffee house chain, surrounded by a browsable collection of materials, with yummy treats and friendly chatter to boot. A desktop personal computer can now be purchased for just a few hundred dollars, and Internet subscription that may at time run even faster than the library’s connection can be had for anywhere from a few dollars a month to at most, about fifty dollars a month. As access to DSL and cable Internet expands to even the most remote locales, many people see the cost a nominal for such a great use-at-home convenience. Lastly, as anyone who produces library programming can attest, the people attending library events tend to be the same pool of regulars that come; rarely is a new face or family seen. Perhaps this is why, as noted in the OCLC study, even among these active patrons with a fully invested interest in libraries, library use was expected to remain flat in the future.

This is why as libraries adapt, change, and fight to remain relevant in 21^st century, libraries must go one step further and focus on making the library a place , and most specifically, a third place. Ray Oldenburg introduced the concept of the ‘third place”. Our “first place” is home. It is where we inevitably spend most of our time. The “second place” is, of course, work. The ‘third place ‘ “manifests a number of characteristics. They are places of escape from home and work setting. They constitute a ‘neutral ground’ upon which people can gather, places where they feel comfortable with each other, where they are not required to play host, and where they can come and go when it suits them.” (Wiegand 77)

Other characteristics of the “third place” Oldenburg cites include:

• Providing novelty
  
• Offer a place of free assembly
  
• Have “regulars” who provide the character and mood of the place
  
• Keep long hours that are accessible to people after the responsibilities of home and work are met
  
• Inclusive rather than exclusive atmosphere; all are comfortable and welcome.
  
• Foster an environment conducive to entertaining and pleasurable conversation
  

 

Developing the library as a “third place” is the key to remaining relevant in the 21^st century in the minds and hearts of the public. Seemingly, it is not necessarily the high tech bells and whistles that people are looking for; based upon the OCLC study, libraries are expected to have and are fulfilling the information needs of the vast majority of patrons (college students being the exception-though among the heaviest users of the library, they report not having great success in finding needed materials on the first attempt). Larger society is seeking a “third place”, and libraries need to be working toward making library as a place an intuitive choice by:

• providing large and small meeting rooms and allow anyone to use
  
• noting regulars and inviting them to have a voice in library planning, especially in terms of program offerings
  
• offer extended hours- instead of the typical 5:00 PM closing time on Fridays, Saturdays , and Sundays, why not stay open later, even beyond the typical 9:00 PM closing time during the week, just as restaurants, coffee houses and book stores do on the weekend.
  
• make all patrons feel welcome-not just the regulars or those who look like you- this includes surly teens, those of a different race, sexual orientation, etc.
  
• shake up program offerings. What else can the library offer than the typical and expected summer reading programs and story times? Teach your patrons to expect the unexpected.
  

The beauty of creating libraries as place, or indeed that “third place” is that with a little tweaking, changes in attitude and perspective in the staff and culture of the library itself is the most important currency needed to adapt these changes, in some instances, more so than any monetary availability and commitment. The ugly truth is that sometimes a shift in attitude and expectations within a staff and culture of a profession is can be harder to obtain than more tangible resources.

However, without these changes, libraries cannot remain relevant in the 21^st century and beyond.

Embracing Library as a “Third Place”: Seattle Public Library

One library that stands out and exemplifies the idea of the library as “third place” concept quite well is the Seattle Public Library. The Seattle Public Library transformation came about as a result of a referendum that was approved by a wide margin of voters in 1998. The referendum campaign was dubbed “Libraries for All”, and $196.4 dollars was approved to equip SPL with new facilities, including a new central library and revamped branches, in addition to technology and books. Soon after the referendum was passed, SPL established the Citizen Implantation Review Panel or CIRP. The CIRP “provides citizen oversight of the Seattle Public Library’s Libraries for All building program” and…”consists of fifteen Seattle residents from neighborhoods throughout the city meet[ing] to monitor and provide feedback on the program.” {www.spl.org} This volunteer oversight panel is great example of one the tenants of envisioning the library as a third place-involving the community in the process and allowing them have a formal voice in library policies.

    Another way that SPL embraced the library as “third place” concept is by recognizing the “regulars” who create the character of the third place. In celebration of the grand opening of the library, SPL held an “I Love My Library” essay contest. One of he winners was Irina Ratner, a ninety-three year old immigrant who primarily used the bookmobile service provided by the library, wrote “the old age is not so much of a threat if you have with you a wise and loyal friend—a book. For her winning entry, Ratner was among the first allowed inside [the library].” ( Ouchi ) This was a perfect way to celebrate the patrons who make up the library fabric beyond the obvious bricks and mortar, or in Seattle case, glass and steel. It also celebrated the regulars without any cost-which is always a plus in the non-profit world.

    The most obvious way that Seattle Public Library incorporates the idea of library as “third place” is that the library is most certainly a place of novelty. It as been described as “arguably the most striking and imaginative piece of Seattle architecture since the Space

Computer Images by Ron Lloyd Associates, 2003.

Needle.” {www.seatletimes.nwsource.com} Designed by Rem Koolhaas, and opened in May of 2004, one of stand out novelties outside of the novelty of this 11 story building made of crystalline steel and glass itself is the Book Spiral.

Level 6 – 9
Books Spiral

The book spiral is unique in that enables patrons to easily view the call numbers through each floor of the building, as seen in the above photograph. Another novelties( and there are too many to list include yellow florescent escalators and the blood-red walls of the meeting room floor, as seen on the next page.

 

Stairs from Meeting Floor up to the Charles Simonyi Mixing Chamber

www.spl.org

 

Level 3
Escalators from The Norcliffe Foundation Living Room up to Level 5 – The Charles Simonyi Mixing Chamber

 

 

 

Even without the resources that Seattle Public Library obviously had to adapt such radical interpretations of the library as “third place”, nearly any library can take small steps to implement changes to become that elusive “third place” in the community.

Works Cited

Dietrich, William. “Meet Your New Central Library”. Pacific Northwest. April 24, 2004

 

OCLC (2005) “College Students’ Advice to Libraries,” College Students’ PerceptionsLibraries and Information Resources. Available online at

http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/studentperceptions_part4.pdf

 

OCLC (2005) “Conclusion.” Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources. Available online at http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/percept_concl.pdf

 

Ouchi, Monica Soto. “Patrons Flock to Central Library Grand Opening”. The Seattle Times. May 24, 2004

 

Seattle Public Library (2006) “Central Library: Photo and Images: Slide Show”.

Available online at http:///www.spl.org/images/slideshow/NewCentralslideshow.asp?index36

 

Wiegand, W.A. “Library As Place”. North Carolina Libraries. V. 63 no3/4 (Fall/Winter 2005) p. 76-81.

 

Libraries for All (2008) “Building Program Highlights: February 2006”

Available online at http://www.spl.org/lfa/index.html

Program objective: Designing, implementing and evaluating systems, technologies, services and products that connect users with information. Artifact: Storytime Observation

Joslyn Jones

Program Observation-Storytime

April 1, 2009

 This paper is an example of evaluating a library service, specifically storytime.  I do at least two or three storytimes per week via outreach to schools and preschools, and I evaluated this service to see if I could pick up any new ideas to try, as well as what processes to avoid, so I could make my storytime sessions better.  Children and parents/caregivers are connected to information through storytime, because they learn songs, how to model good behavior through their peers,  and reading skills by being read to aloud.

The theme of the storytime was “Zebras”, and was for 2 and 3 year olds and their parents. As the children and parents arrived, an opening song “At the Library” was playing on a CD player and each child received a name tag and a zebra sticker and found a spot on the carpet. The name tags are laminated and reused each storytime, and each week the children receive a sticker which corresponds with the theme of the day. At the end of the six week session, the children are allowed to take the nametags home. The class consisted of about seven children.

After everyone was settled, the program leader sang the welcome song, “I’m Glad You Came Today.” After that song, the leader insisted that the children get the wiggles out. “Wiggle, wiggle here, wiggle, wiggle there, wiggle knees, wiggle toes, wiggle shoulders…” She finished the welcome portion of the session with “I have Ten Little Fingers”

The first book read was Za Za’s Baby Brother, by Lucy Cousins, famed author of the Maisy series. This book features the time tested issue of children feeling displaced when a new sibling arrives. This was an appropriate story, as many of the children present had baby siblings that accompanied them to the storytime. After this story, the class sang “A Clapping Song”, with a CD, which encouraged the children to clap with their fingers, toes, feet, etc. The children happily and actively participated and it was clear that they had heard and enjoyed this song many times and knew exactly what motions to do. While the stories were being read, many of the children sat in their mother’s laps, though a few that were closer to the three year old mark sat independently. The second story was What Can Zebras Do?, which was a very simple non-fiction board book about a day in the life of zebras. The third story was a zebra pop-up book, which the children went wild over! So much so that the children got up off the floor to touch the book as the story teller was reading. This became a bit disruptive, but not overly so. The storyteller gently but firmly asked the children to have a seat, and a few attempts at rebellion, the children obliged. Another interesting phenomenon was watching the baby siblings “participate”. The babies moved beat of the music from the songs and remained remarkably quiet throughout while the stories were being read. What a wonderful introduction these babies have to storytime, and how remarkably lucky these babies are! The storytime portion of the session concluded with the song “Dance Any Way You Want To”, by Jim Gill. The children would dance in the manner instructed by the singer then “FREEZE!” . Very fun stuff.

The storyteller had a wonderful voice inflection and modulated and alternated voice and tone at all the right times during the stories. She also engaged the children in asking questions during the storytime: “What is Mom doing?” “What kind of animal is that?” Most of the children were able to follow the stories and predict the next action, and all of the children were attentive and sat quietly engaged during all the stories.

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    Much to our dear teacher’s chagrin, the storytime leader pulled out a sample of the craft the class would do now that the stories were over: a zebra paper bag puppet. I have to agree with the assessment that doing a craft during storytime is totally out of place and unnecessary; the children had a great time with the stories and the songs, which also helped foster motor and verbal skills. The craft did not exactly inspire creativity, and was for the most part assembled by the moms and not the child, as the moms happily chattered with each other. Perhaps the social time enjoyed between the mothers could be seen as the true benefit of having the craft.

    After the craft was complete, the children marched out to “It’s Time to Say Goodbye”. And that was the end of the thirty minute storytime. A delightful time was had by all, the observer included.

Program Objective: Identifying and analyzing information needs and opportunities of individuals and organizations, both within the traditional information service areas and the broader information sector. Artifact: Power Point Presentation Slides-African-American and Latino Voices in YA Literature– I used this PowerPoint Presentation to highlight African American/Latino young adult literature authors to bring awareness of quality tried and true authors, as well as new voices in the cannon because the demographics not only in the patrons we serve at libraries is changing so rapidly towards being more multiciltural, but also the country as a whole As needs and reading tastes change and the faces of library patrons change, librarians need to stay current and be knowledgeable of the reading needs of these two ethnic groups, and Asian young adult readers and authors as well. In my slides, I discuss not only the authors, but ways to attract these multicultural readers with various collection development tweaks and remind librarians that we help cultivate new and exciting literature in this cannon when we signal our support to the publishers with our collection development dollars.

Cultural Representin’

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Slide 3		Source: PRB analysis of data from U.S. Census Bureau.
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Slide 11		Great Source for YA Latino authors: http://latinaya.blogspot.com/
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MY RESUME

Joslyn Jones

Objective		To display my education and library experience for my portfolio.
Experience		2007-Present Plainfield Public Library Plainfield, IL Young Adult and Outreach Services Assistant Plans, schedules and conducts school visits and story times Plans, schedules and presents programs for external community groups Programs include Groom Your Room, Brownie Try-it, and Homework Help Center Maintains relationships with schools and community organizations Distributes and creates promotional materials Instructs school and community groups in the use and availability of all library services Keeps informed of current information and trends at the local and regional library level   2006-Present River Forest Public Library River Forest, IL Part-Time Adult Services Work part-time in addition to current full time position Staff the Adult Reference Desk on evenings and weekends Create bookmarks and monthly displays Some collection development and weeding duties Provide reader’s advisory, online database, and Internet assistance 2007 Oak Park Public Library Oak Park, IL Fiction/Audio Visual Services Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator Rotation at Fiction/Audio Visual Desk Collection development assistance Develop and implement Volunteer Services plan Create outreach opportunities to better reach underserved populations 2005-2007 Oak Park Public Library Oak Park, IL Manager, Circulation Services Design and implement plans for effective operation of the Circulation and Library Aides Department Use Sirsi-Dynix automated library system Supervise 32 full and part-time employees Ensure adherence to customer service goals and policies Problem solving for staff and external patron issues Established E-Pay service for customers paying fees with credit/debit cards Established Welcome Desk service to assist patrons Established online library card application service Re-activated used book sales in lobby to benefit Friends of the Library organization Provide guidance and support functions to branch locations Produce administrative reports and serve on library committees Develop and make recommendations for improved policies and procedures Adult Reading Discussion facilitator   2002-2005 Fountaindale Public Library Bolingbrook, IL Outreach Services-Bookmobile Manager Created bookmobile stops Managed customer service desks on bookmobile; administered and developed circulation policies and procedures for Bookmobile Services Department Participated in yearly budget development and monitored budget during fiscal year Supervised two full-time employees and one part-time employee Provided story hours and create programming at area preschools and apartment complexes Responsible for creative development and marketing of annual Summer Reading Program for K-12 as well as adults Collection development areas: juvenile fiction and compact discs Readers’ advisory and reference for school-aged children through adults Maintained and developed community contacts with area schools, civic organizations, and community leaders Community partnership and involvement in local festivals, special events, and parades Library card registration and circulation functions Wrote news blurbs for the Outreach Services section of the library newsletter 2003-2004 Messenger Public Library North Aurora, IL Part-Time Youth Services Assistant Provided reference in Youth Services Created informational and seasonal bulletin boards and displays Assisted in summer reading program coordination Provided evening family story time and craft program for ages 18 months-5 years Provided preparation for toddler and infant story time Second job, in addition to Bookmobile Manager at Fountaindale 1999-2002    Aurora Public Library    Aurora, IL Outreach Services-Bookmobile Manager Created bookmobile stops and developed marketing tools to promote service Developed circulation policies and procedures Supervised staff of four full-time employees and one part-time employee Produced expanded and much-improved staff newsletter Coordinated volunteers for main library’s summer reading program Provided story hours at area nursery schools Provided tutoring and mentorship at local at-risk grade school Collection development areas: adult fiction, adult non-fiction, compact discs and audio books Maintained community contacts with schools, civic organizations, and community leaders School visits Library card registration Material processing of collection area Commercial drivers license, class “B” Community partnership and involvement in local festivals, special events, and parades
		1998 Waubonsee Community College Aurora, IL Adult Basic Skills Instructor Taught Developmental English grammar and essay writing skills to first year students Supervised and staffed Writing Lab at Aurora Campus Created syllabus and lesson plans Second job, in addition to Reference/Circ Coordinator at Lewis University
		1997-1998 Grande Prairie Public Library Hazel Crest, IL Reference/Publicity Associate Served patrons in adult reference using the Internet, online databases, and traditional resources Created innovative, well-marketed, and well-attended adult community programming Rejuvenated and produced library newsletter and bulletin boards Collection development: adult non-fiction
Education		1990-1995    Hampton University    Hampton, VA B.A., English Arts 2008-August 2009 Dominican University River Forest, IL MLIS, Master’s in Library and Information Science.
Distinctions		2003: Selected to participate in Institute for School and Public Librarians at Bradley University.   2004-Present: Member of Illinois Library Association’s I-Read Task Force, which develops statewide summer reading resource guide-serve as Chair, Registration and Recording   2007: Selected as book reviewer for Library Journal