Biographies

(I composed this about a week ago, but am just now getting it published. )

While reading the chapter on biographies this week, I found myself thinking about how little I had appreciated this genre as a student. I typically saw them as just resources to be used for research projects, instead of books that could be enjoyed for pleasure. So, I decided to try to introduce a few biographies to my students when they returned from Spring Break.

I chose one presidential biography, The Mysterious Mr. Lincoln, as I have many boys who are interested in reading about the civil war and would be able to connect with this piece. I also chose to share excerpts from A Dog's Life: An Autobiography of a Stray, although not a traditional biography, a book that would perhaps pique the interest of some of those students who are less apt to pick up a book that sounds like nonfiction. This piece of realistic fiction has become one of my favorites to share with students because it helps them to connect with the main character in a new and different way, similar to the way a traditional autobiography does, by making the main character the narrator.

It will be interesting to see how many of the kids are receptive to this presentation of traditional "reference" literature. I wonder if any of them will learn to love biographies as much as I have in recent years.

Virtual Reference Day 2

Well, I staffed the reference desk for two hours this morning and again, no bites. I broadcast a message several times and no one responded. I didn't want to appear to be hunting down people, so I only broadcast the message every 15-20 minutes.

This morning, I used some of the time to familiarize myself more with the library website, as well as the public library site. I renewed a few books I had out and explored the educational video collection at the ASU library. I also used some of the time to try to figure out my course schedule for the summer and next fall, but had some trouble getting the registrar's page to load.

Also, I used some of the time to do some reading for both of my classes. The chapter on biographies is interesting, and when I finish it, I'll blog about that here. Biographies are incredible things that I never really developed an interest for until college. I don't think I was really exposed to them in high school as I could have been, and when I did use them, just thought of them as being research materials and not as pleasure reading. I'm now discovering that there are plenty out there that while they are informative, are pleasurable to read also.

Maybe I'll have more luck with my reference desk hours this afternoon.

Virtual Reference Desk

I figured that I'd blog while I was doing the virtual reference services this morning. I logged in a few minutes early so that I could refamiliarize myself with the Information Gardens. I noticed the video and gaming area and clicked on the sign for games... quite an interesting approach to help patrons refine their online searching skills.

It looks like the server is having some trouble, as the windows and buildings keep disappearing and reappearing. I'm also having trouble with the online tool that Geri showed us to keep track of my hours; maybe it's user error. I'll see if Benny can help me figure it out when he gets home from work. So, I've posted my hours in the discussion board.

I also listened to some of the read-outs this morning as I waited for people to come into the world. A few were from books that I have read, others are books that are new to me, but I'm sure will find their way to the stack beside my side of the bed for the summer. The Stupids Have a Ball book was intriguing to me, as it's part of a series that Benny grew up reading with his mother! It's interesting to me that people challenge such books, when it is really the parents responsibility to talk kids through such books... to explain that they are being used perhaps as an analogy of greater things going on in society and families. The Bluest Eye was one that I am not familiar with as much, but parts of it reminded me of Zora Neal Hurston's Their Eyes are Watching God that I read in high school. The culture is somewhat similiar, but the flow of the language and style was what really connected the two pieces for me.

As of 8:20, there have been no "bites" to my fishing for people to ask me questions. Perhaps they're in the zone doing their own blogging or posting on discussion boards. It has been some good time to get better acquainted with the Information Gardens. The Thorny Issues Blog in the Cactus Garden appears not to have been updated since 2007. Why is that? It seems that there would be new topics to post here on an almost daily basis. Is it just not the focus of the DL Library program right now?

Well, it's 9:04 and no one has asked a question yet, so I guess I'll log off for now. Maybe I'll have more luck on Monday.

Textbook Blogging

I am finding it much easier to use the discussion board to reflect on the text, rather than blogging. I guess it's the more conversational format that just appeals to me more. When I sit down with the book, I'd much rather sit down with a highlighter and dissect the text that way, than going what seems to be an extra step to blog about it here. I know that the point is to be reflective about our reading, but I just seem to be able to do that better when I converse with others about it. I guess some of it is the whole accountability thing... when I'm in the middle of a conversation with someone, I feel more compelled to come back and finish the conversation. Does that make sense? I'm really not trying to complain, more just voice a frustration that this doesn't fit with how I learn best.

Ch. 13

As I read chapter 13, I couldn't help but think of all the research my husband and I have done for our house on the internet. We've read about the company building the house, the various flooring, countertop, and cabinetry options available and a variety of other things. With many of these being such new products, I wonder how many of these things are actually in print sources? And how do we check the credibility of the company posting the claims? We've reviewed Consumer Reports some on the topics, but only to a small extent. What other sources are out there?

The internet has also been a great help in researching the various types of mortgages, the current interest rates, etc. Again, this brings up the issue of how current information is... in a library, how much of this is in the daily paper? The Wall Street Journal? Having never had much interest in the finer points of the economy, I don't know that I'd know where to begin if I had a copy of the Wall Street Journal, and the internet is so much more convenient and fits our schedule much better.

The internet provides a variety of current information and has several credible sources on interest rates, etc. as these are regulated somewhat by the government. Where does one draw the line in this issue between current issues in print vs. internet sources?

S & D Successes and Failures

Well, I went to the public library yesterday to work on my S&D questions. I found most answers, but had difficulty finding all of the sources and will return another day to find those. My time was somewhat limited, but I still managed to get quite a bit done with the time that I did have. I found the dictionary of synonyms quite interesting... why not just call it a thesaurus? I love words and finding new ones or rediscovering old ones is intriguing.

I did find that the Durland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary was actually Dorland's... after some hunting and sending Benny in one direction while I went another. It was nice to have him there to help me find some of the call numbers since the person at the reference desk was less than helpful. When I asked where her bibliographies were located, she told me a few different places, didn't lead me to those places, and never checked up on me, even though I purposefully plopped myself down at the table directly behind her desk. I had a hard time locating some of the sources with the catalog... do they only catalog books that are available for checkout?

Overall, I appreciated the time to get to know the collection better there and to get better acquainted with bibliographies, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. A Saturday afternoon well spent, I'd say.

S & D questions

This blogging thing is difficult for me. I'm used to keeping a journal, but the journal is more portable than the computer. I can't find time during my planning at school to post, and our evenings are crammed with other commitments, reading for class, visiting banks to determine financing for the house, etc. I could find time with my regular journal to do this, but finding time to sit down at the computer when Benny's not using it for taxes or bills or SG stuff is tough. I don't mean to rant, and see the purpose of posting online, just venting. Maybe I should just make notes and then post when I can?

I'm going to the library today while Benny's at work to work on my S & D questions. I'm hoping that with these few hours, that I can at least knock out the ones that are at the Watauga Public Library today, and then work on the others on Monday night.