Final Project

Here is the link for my final project , hope you enjoy it.

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0j_-f6HnHTLOWViYTRmNDktYTA0MS00YTUyLWFhZWItMmM2ODNiNmU5YTQ1&hl=en

Blog Reflection 8

This is where i get stuck some times, public or elementary , public , elementary, public , elementary. I guess I would go with the public. It is what I know, and have used the most in my life. I like public libraries they cover many demographics a bunch of age groups, and help the general public at large. My patron, is the homeless, unemployed, two job working , nine to fiver, who needs a A on their 3 grade math test.

So I guess I set my self up for some extra work because having a public library requires me to have multiple ways to reach my patron since, I want to cover everyone possible.
Library instruction for elementary school kids, would be reading sessions, and a type of stuffed animal or person in costume, showing them how to use the library. The children s reference librarian would help out our confused stuffed friend as he searched for books on monsters.

Instruction for my 9-5er would include database or online classes they could take at home to help improve there education or make things more accessible in the library. because they are so busy.

My homeless , unemployed patron, would be shown how to use my computer system , to look for resources to help there life with work , or community housing.

My two job worker would attend computer classes at the library (if they can take a day off) to help them look for jobs , or increase there work value so they could maybe only have one job.

All of these things above, are such a nice fantasy but not much of a reality . The public library system is horribly underfunded. Then competition from the internet and not a quick enough expansion of a library 2.0 system makes me feel that one day just like the Buggles sang "video killed the radio star" their grandchildren will be singing "internet killed the library" : (

Blog Reflection #7

Before I start the assignment I have to admit when i started this class I would never have bought in to the idea of a Library blog or anything to do with library 2.0. But the more I read on the internet about it , and the more I come across librarian blogs (see below for an example of one of my favorites) it seems like a very feasible idea. Although I still think I was robbed on the mid term on the question " how do you find out what the patron needs who comes in the library?' Silly me I thought the answer would be listen..........DAM YOU MID TERM



People would come in to my library , and it really would start like any other time, I would first ask them what they needed then I would para phrase questions to find out what they were really looking for. Then try and steer them in the direction of the database that would most suit them. I would ask them if they were comfortable with a computer , if the answer was yes I would take them to our lab. General question would of course be taken to Encyclopedia.com. General question I would lead them to www.cia.gov. Statistical information could always be found at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/. Once leaving them alone to navigate the library's websites and databases. I would return to make sure they had found out what they were looking for.






http://liblogs.albany.edu/library20/

Blog Reflection 6

I would not use the word overwhelmed to conveigh the amount of resources we have used. Some times confused, there can actually be a lot to choose from when looking for information , then hoping it will be reliable.

Sometimes it is very easy to sort it out. For this weeks homework the case of Susan B. Anthony there is a database American Womans History Online that can be used. I still stumble around proquest and in some cases information just seems old.

I do use google sometimes to simply see what something is, but my experience has been that results returned are mostly personal blogs unless it is a company or government website. At least this way once I know what something is, I can go to a school database or the 2009 almanac, or what is quickly becoming my new favorite site Library of Congress www.loc.gov please do not tell wikipedia i am cheating on it, it is a very jealous site.

I am quickly finding that some resource are easier and quicker to use, The 2009 World Almanac and book of facts , has been very reliable, and I already metioned the library of congress.

I definetly feel that this course should be a required course for new students , it should be the first class they have to take. This class has taught me to take my time , make sure my sources are reliable, and where I should be looking for information. Can not wait to see what happens next, now off to read more wikipedia.!!!!!!!!!!

Project 2

Well once I got past all my demons for this class, of my presentation not being good enough. What if the potential investors did not like my proposal. Should I bring brownies or a Decaf coffee carafe from Starbucks.............oh so many things to worry about.

I of course chose Long Beach as my city for my new library because I feel like I know it the best so I can pick on its lack of instead of its haves. On a personal note I try to be a more glass half full person on a daily basis.

Long Beaches Fact Sheet ( source : http://factfinder.census.gov I will include the full link at the bottom)(1)

Racial Break Down

White 45.2%

Black or African American 14.9%

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.8%

Asian 12.%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 1.2%

Some other races 20.6%

Two or more Races 5.3 %

The age brake down for the city of long beach

Under 5 years 8.4%

18 years and over 70.8%

65 years and over 9.1%

Other statistics for the City of Long Beach are , 72.7% are high school graduates, while there are 23.9% with a bachelors or higher. (1)

While the Census was vague on its languages the most information provided was 44% of other languages besides English were spoken at home. (1)

The most prevalent industry would be its Seaport which was the busiest seaport in 2008 according to the AAPA - American Association of Port Authorities ( http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/Statistics/NORTHAMERICANPORTCONTAINERTRAFFIC2008.pdf)

I checked out the local libraries website Long Beach Public Library (http://www.lbpl.org/)

This is the local library system, their website is easier to run around in. It has a easy form to read, and pleasant colors. There are free downloadable audio books , and you can also connect with them on facebook. This library is trying to reach out to its community, in 2.0 and through community events such as Preschool Story time and a library mystery discussion group. ( http://www.lbpl.org/events/full_calendar.asp?ViewBy=0&CalDate=3/19/2010)

The next was CSULBs website http://www.csulb.edu/library/.

If you have the time to play around on this site it is nice. The librarians at CSULB have made themselves very accessible. You can go on the website and access phone numbers for specific librarians by name or by subject. (http://www.csulb.edu/library/guide/index_lib.html)

The databases page is very extensive, you can search by topic or title, plus if you are confused there a link entitled Not sure where to start?.

My patron is very possible just your average Joe, or Jane, or Juan or Juanita, Brandon or Brandy.

A blue collar employee. Who is taking class at the local community college, or even possibly CSULB.

I prefer a community Library. A library that Is open hours that benefit the community. The reference section would have a wide open space while you waited to be helped. Comfortable couches and chairs. Behind the desk would be a huge bookshelf with special reserve books. Behind the reference desk would be reference computers, to look up books that would be in the stacks , or oh hold or in the special reserve section.

Really to satisfy the need of the majority of my patrons which is clearly a non bachelor educated group , I would load the reference desk with Bilingual librarians, and library Techs. Again staffing the most librarians at peak times for my community library.

Although there would be a few patrons who would want card catalogs , the most used research item would be computers hooked up to a voyager type of system to access the library’s catalog.

My 2.0 would consist of the computers hooked up to a live librarian who could answer real time questions. As well as a blog that all computers could log onto, so patrons could blog or ask questions of their fellow students.

That is pretty much all I wrote, I found this blog very challenging not sure why.

enjoy.

Here is the full link for the census page with long beach facts:
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US0643000&_geoContext=01000US|04000US06|16000US0643000&_street=&_county=long+beach&_cityTown=long+beach&_state=04000US06&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2008_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=&_keyword=&_industry=

Blog Reflection 5

Well here we go again, the validity of websites. What makes a website valid , what makes Pluto a planet who decides this stuff. In week 9 discussion forum I used databases, and the tools recommend to do the biographical search but the thing that still had the most information was ...that's right Wikipedia. It was the most detailed , had an abundance of information, information that was not provided at the other site. But once again it has it flaws ,and you only have to search the internet to find the listings of the mistakes the site has made.


Below is a link to the Cornell University Library site with 5 criteria for evaluating web pages and their validity. But then what should I do , validate The Cornell Librarians and their library, because who know maybe their web master is a former x-partner of Bill Gates and has been ripped of off of billions of dollars or a spot on Forbes "The Worlds Riches Peoples List" (http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/25/bill04land.html).
It all seems to be just to much of a Mockery, there is a group that decides names and numbers of websites ICANN (http://www.icann.org/). It is supposed to provide operational stability to the Internet, promote competition to achieve broad representation of global Internet community; and to develop policies appropriate to its mission through bottom-up, consensus-based processes ( got that all from wikipedia : ). Then why are they simply not ushering the future which is an internet police force.

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/webcrit.html

In the end my recommendation is simply dont be lazy. Time management is a huge key into better grades better work and more time to do the neccasary research for projects.

Blog Reflection # 4

What I find amazing here , is that its not a question of if as when. At some point there will be no library's and everything will be online. Maybe the library building will still be there but everywhere you look will be computers instead of books. Perhaps there will be a reference librarian that will need several forms of identification and charge 10 dollars an hour to let you touch a real book.

It is only a matter of time ....25 years 50 years....100 years?? It will most likely not be in my time. But back to my thoughts, I have 5000, dollars to spend to enhance the reference section. I do not know actually how many people come in to the library to specifically use the reference section. I there for feel that I would spend have that money on updating the reference sections online databases, and encyclopedias. A significant amount of libraries have computers now that can be used for a 30 minute time frame or longer, and printing is usually available. Spending money on the technological future of the library will help the library stay current with the times, and the needs of the changing patron.

I would only dedicate 3000,-3500 of this money to update our system. Because in my mind although computers may be the way of the future, nothing beats customer service and this money could be better suited hiring more librarians or librarian techs to wander the library searching out patrons who need help , or rescuing those from the forbidden section of the library.