Hello readers!
I’m sure you’ve been wondering where our blog posts have gone. I apologize for our absence! We do have some exciting news – our blog has moved! To continue reading our lovely posts, please go to this site: http://simmons.edu/gslis/admission/experience/.
Thank you!
With a computer programmer/gamer boyfriend there was no way I was going to forget that PAX East, one of the country’s biggest video game conventions, was this weekend. Not being a gamer myself, I steered clear of making it a four day event complete with the Pokemon pub crawl (gotta drink them all!) like he did. I did, however, tag along Sunday out of curiosity. (And I would have you know that I beat, nay, alienated three men in Ticket to Ride) Upon seeing there was a panel on the preservation of video games, I also dragged the aforesaid three men along. I was greatly amused to listen for two hours to five panelists discuss the job of an archivist without ever saying the term.
The panel was sponsored by The American Classic Arcade Museum (ACAM), a non-profit organization in NH that strives to preserve pre-1980s arcade games. Also present was a researcher trying to track down the original names of some of the early game designers, a professor of game design, and a gentleman that ran a webshow about retro games. Despite their different positions, they were all brought together on the panel to basically discuss one major impediment to preserving the actual games or studying the past of gaming…the lack of records. The researcher told stories of companies who didn’t know what games they had produced in the distant past and had to rebuild the history of their company via outside sources like game reviews. One of the ACAM directors told of other companies who didn’t even know what games they held the rights to because mergers with other companies had brought in undocumented inventories. And it isn’t just the issue of paper records being lost, but it also effects the games themselves. Without the documentation of the coding behind the games, many are lost forever. Or, without the proper migration of data to new formats, the games may work but can no longer be played because the equipment no longer exists.
The professor must have recognized the glazed-over look in the eyes of some audience members because at one point he jumped in and remarked, “I don’t think we’ve done a good of explaining why it is so important to save this stuff.” He went on to explain that as a professor he felt it was important for his students to see the legacy the present gaming culture had come from and to learn from the mistakes and triumphs of the past. Although these gentlemen were only concerned about the world of video games, their struggles and reasons regarding preservation are universal. The job of the researcher would be a lot easier if these companies had archivists or records managers. Although some larger companies do, it is still not the norm and it’s interesting, yet sad, to see the consequences. It was also interesting to see how many gamers were unwittingly introduced to archival principles during a panel at PAX.
Last week was spring break, so I took the week off from blogging. Most of my break was spent catching up on schoolwork and working, but I was able to escape home to Vermont for a couple days of much needed relaxation. One of my favorite parts of my trip home was visiting my local public library and attending a meeting of the “What is on Your Nightstand?” book club.
The premise of this book club is that it is not a book club, at least not in the traditional sense. There is no chosen book for each monthly meeting. Instead, on the second Tuesday of every month, anyone who is free to talk about books is welcome to come to the library and share what they are reading. The librarian running the meeting keeps a list of all the titles discussed and the conversation is always lively and interesting.
Before moving back to Boston to start school in January I was home in Vermont for eight months and had the opportunity to attend almost every monthly meeting during that time. Although there is no set book, there is a core group of women who attend every meeting and we have developed a nice sense of camaraderie. I am the youngest member of the group by a decade or two and I have come to look up to the women in the group as role models. I can only hope to have one day read half the titles discussed in our club.
Regardless of the theme that emerges during the meeting, be it memoirs and biographies, World War II fiction vs. nonfiction, spy stories, or audio books, I always leave feeling invigorated and excited to read more. I love the free form of the meetings, the fact that all are welcome, and no pressure to have finished a certain book. Although, it has been discussed that just once it might be fun to all read the same book and have a traditional book club discussion. I miss having the monthly book club meetings to look forward to and hope to one day start my own in Boston!
I know. It’s a terrible pun, but here’s my question: where are the amazing apps for librarians? Where are the “must-haves”? Where is the list that circulates around blogs by amazingly talented librarians, who stay informed on this topic? So far, I have found nothing.
I was given an ipad this week at work to integrate into the information literacy course I teach. All hate/jealousy mail may be forwarded to idontcarebecauseijustgotafreeipad@gmail.com. So, I’m playing around on the ipad this morning and I’m surfing the magazines offered on the app store and American Libraries, the official magazine of the ALA, doesn’t show up! I also searched YALSA, and found nothing. NOTHING! What gives, people? I know we all love the incessant naggings of the list-serv emails that crowd our inboxes everyday, but frankly, I’d rather access all the latest library buzz and book trends from an app. Isn’t it about time a fantastic app was released by the ALA? I’m going to write them a letter, or an email, whatever form of communication from the past they prefer.
The only app I found that seemed remotely cool was the WorldCat app. If you ever desperately need a hard copy of a book, WorldCat will find it for you, tell you where the closest library that owns it is, and how to get there with GPS. Pretty nifty.
So, if anyone out there, besides my mom, is reading and knows of an excellent app useful to the library community please share your knowledge. I’m only beginning to scratch the surface of this topic. Perhaps this post is way off base. I’d so much rather be wrong on this one than right.
I have a special relationship with my slow cooker. It all started when my daughter’s community theater involvement required me to be in the car, rather than behind the stove at meal time. I was not very creative back then, and we had a few standby recipes that I could throw in the pot early in the day and then pride myself on serving my family a healthy meal 8 hours later.
Then came library school and my library job. Working in a public library often means odd hours. Public libraries are usually open some evenings, and that night shift is often shared by staff on a rotating basis. To add to it, my classes are all a long distance from home on either the main or West campus, so my school days are long days. By 7 or 8 pm, when I get home, I want a good meal – no canned soup or grilled cheese. I am tired and hungry and want to be greeted to the aroma of simmering spices and a glass of wine. It is nice to dream, but truth is, my husband could cook only two things when I married him so we needed some help to achieve my dream of absentee gourmet.
Enter the slow cooker. I buy the ingredients, leave the recipe for my husband, and when I get home after five hours of driving and class on Saturdays, my dream has come true. He even has the wine poured!
So, if you are considering library school (or are already here), go to your local library and borrow some of my favorite slow cooker cookbooks. I will include the WorldCat link so you can find them at a library near you…no matter where you are! (And they don’t use canned cream soups…thank goodness.)
Crock-Pot Soups & Stews Recipes (2009) http://www.worldcat.org/title/crock-pot-the-original-slow-cooker-soups-stews/oclc/704272328&referer=brief_results
Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking (2009) by Stephanie O’Dea http://www.worldcat.org/title/make-it-fast-cook-it-slow-the-big-book-of-everyday-slow-cooking/oclc/503449234&referer=brief_results
Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook (2005) by Beth Hensperger http://www.worldcat.org/title/not-your-mothers-slow-cooker-cookbook/oclc/56729624&referer=brief_results
Sensing a trend in my peers’ recent blog posts about different types of libraries and librarians, I will brief you on where I aspire to end up after receiving my degree in December. As Maggie’s, Julie’s, and Emily’s posts each reflect, everyone at GSLIS has his/her own sense of an ideal library job, and I will add a different perspective about what I want to be when I grow up.
In past posts, I have referenced my work in my local public library. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy working there, but one thing that I have gleaned from the experience is that public libraries aren’t the best fit for me. I have also made references to my internships at a law library and a corporate information center. Don’t jump to the conclusion that I am a business-minded, money-driven, public service-neglecting shell of a librarian, but those internships have pushed me toward working in the corporate library world.
I came to library school expecting to graduate with a job helping people find and obtain information. Naturally, I assumed that I would do so in a public or academic library, as those are the types of libraries that I know best. When I realized the many different work environments to which a library degree can be applied, the ones that resonated with me the most were non-traditional, or what we in the library biz call “special,” library settings. Having interned in two special libraries, I am totally hooked and would love to try more. News librarianship is very interesting to me, as is doing research for an advertising agency or consulting firm, and I am also super jealous of Julie’s prison gig.
What I eventually came to realize is that special library jobs involve helping people find and obtain information, just not in an environment that is customarily associated with libraries. That idea is captured perfectly in a course that I am taking this semester, Business Information Sources and Services. That class has totally turned me on to corporate librarianship, and, yes, even business in general. I am intrigued by the pace, complexity, and research-oriented nature of corporate/business librarianship. Looking back, it is crazy to think that I applied to GSLIS without even knowing that special librarianship (i.e. what has become my ideal career path) existed. On some level, I envy my peers who are in a track, as they have a solid grasp on the type of librarianship they want to pursue. For me, however, the general track has allowed me to create my own special path toward a career in special libraries.
I have come across many fascinating people during my time in the GSLIS program. The majority of these awesome people turn out to be from the dual degree program. So I can’t help but want to get inside their brains. Seriously, what’s in the water in the Children’s Literature department? Is there an awesome ratio they require upon acceptance? They are sharp, creative and fiercely brilliant. Seriously, don’t cross a dual degree student. And with that, I present Miss Nicole Giroux from the dual degree Children’s Literature program.
Q: If you could be a character in any book who would you be?
A: Oh, sure, start with an easy question! This is so torturous to have to choose. I’ve gotta go with Hermione Granger (do I even need to say what she’s from?!). I could certainly use her time turner and magical skills. Besides, she’s named after a Shakespearean character and is an intelligent and strong female. What’s not to love? Though, I must admit, I totally identify as a Ravenclaw instead of a Gryffindor.
Q: What’s been the most exciting part about being in the dual degree program so far?
A: The most exciting part of being in the dual degree program has been being able to approach children’s librarianship from two distinct disciplines. It’s so wonderful to be able to really dive into children’s literature, but it’s also great to have the practical side of learning about managing a collection, planning programs, etc. I really feel like I am being so prepared for my future work as a teen librarian. It’s also been awesome to meet so many great people! I have good friends in the children’s lit and GSLIS programs, and it’s nice to be able to connect with others in both fields. Read More
Back in April of last year, I was contemplating all the places where one might find librarians, and all the places we, as librarians, could choose to work. (Librarian or Batgirl?) Finding the right library niche is a personal journey. We can read about different kinds of opportunities, talk to our peers and professors, but I am finding that volunteering is the best path to trying on a new library for size.
I work in a public library – a job I got by volunteering there first – and I am learning a lot about small town libraries and how they function in their communities. Recently, I started volunteering in a men’s prison library after a nine month journey to get there. You wouldn’t think it would be so hard to get into prison…without committing a crime.
Early last spring, about the time of the Batgirl blog mentioned above, I started to read everything I could find on prison libraries. I read articles, books, and blogs. I watched prison videos. I read articles about recidivism and the role of programming in prisons, and I came to believe that prison libraries matter. I started sending emails, making phone calls, and meeting with correctional employees in early June, completed my criminal background check and volunteer training in November, and just a few weeks ago, I walked behind bars and barbed wire, and entered a prison library for the first time.
It is everything I imagined and everything I didn’t. It is an amalgam of a law library, high school library, and public library, all rolled into one…but without internet access or windows. Grown men come in with hall passes and I take attendance like high school, and returned books are checked for contraband and notes, but the inmates’ needs are very similar to the patrons at any library – they need information, access to legal materials, help with homework, and recommendations for a good read. I work with one civilian librarian and the rest of the staff members are inmates.
I spend one full day a week at the prison library (my one day off from the public library), and my family, friends, and coworkers have had mixed reactions to my new calling. Why do I want to do this? Isn’t it scary? I believe in the rehabilitative power of libraries. 95% of the inmates will be released at some time, and a good prison librarian has the opportunity to be a positive influence, to make a real difference in the present and future lives of the incarcerated. And no, I am not scared. Yes, bad things can happen in prison (just like anywhere else), but I am focusing on the good things that can happen there and trying to be a part of that positive force. Let’s just say I am on the Batgirl career path.
There are two camps in the library profession, the librarians and the archivists. Sometimes it feels like they are rival gangs and everyone has to pick sides. This doesn’t seem to be much of a problem because most students enter GSLIS with a clear idea which side they are on. But what about the rest of us? I see so many interesting ways to pursue this profession and I have wavered back and forth about whether to choose courses with an archives focus or take the librarian path. Two roads diverged in a wood one could say.
After much internal struggle, I have chosen to take the librarian track with an emphasis and goal of working in a public library. Given that I had six different college majors, only time will tell if this current path ends up being my ultimate direction. If I end up in a public library I may very well be responsible for maintaining a small archives collection. Especially in rural communities, it is common for the public library to also house a small archive.
This field does not seem to have many role models for individuals coexisting in the worlds of librarians and archivists. However, I have found one excellent example, the current National Archivist David Ferriero. He is the tenth archivist for the United States and the first to have been trained as a librarian, not an archivist. He is also a Simmons GSLIS alum!
I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Ferriero last summer when he spoke near my hometown. I am slightly biased towards him because, like me, he is also an alum of Northeastern University. After he spoke, we had the opportunity to ask questions and I asked what advice he had for a student who is just beginning to pursue a career in this field, especially someone who is torn between choosing archives or libraries. His advice: don’t choose. He reminded me that it is important to be in control of my own education and to make my school work for me. That’s what I’m paying for, isn’t it? Since hearing him speak I have tried to do just that. Despite being on the public libraries track I am still planning to take an archiving course or two, even if that is not the norm. GSLIS has all kinds of different students and the most effective are the ones who pursue the courses they want and make the degree work for them.
For more information about David Ferriero and his interesting background check out: http://www.archives.gov/about/archivist/archivist-biography-ferriero.html
As a graduate student, I feel a little awkward telling people that this week is Spring Break. I mean, Spring Break is soooo college, right? Last year I felt better about discussing my Spring Break plans, as I spent a week in the great outdoors of Arizona and Utah – far, far from the dreary New England winter. This year, however, my Spring Break involves a trip north (but not too far north) to my parents’ house in Portsmouth, NH for a few days. It isn’t going to be any warmer or less snowy in Portsmouth, but a different setting will certainly be welcome. This year will make for a far less exciting Spring Break story, but I am looking forward to it just the same.
I am not generally a restless person, but this year’s winter weather has made me quite edgy. I have been spending an excessive amount of time wasting away in my apartment, and my weekly routine has been feeling even more routine than normal. Enter: Spring Break, exactly the elixir I need. Fortunately, I was able to obtain three days of freedom by taking Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off from my job and internship. Sure, I probably could have asked for the whole week off, and maybe I’ll regret not doing so, but unfortunately my extracurriculars do not observe this week-long collegiate caper.
My plan is to have some good old fashioned “me” time early in the week, then ease back into things come Thursday. So while I won’t exactly be living it up, I’m hoping that this brief reprieve will help refresh my routine. One might say that I am opting for a “mature” use of my Spring Break by not blowing off work entirely and heading to (insert Florida city here), but never fear: my 21-year-old brother will also be home, just in case I start feeling too far out of touch with the true essence of this great college holiday.
