Tomb of the Unknown Librarian

I’m getting ready to teach my first class this Fall and who would have thought that preparing greensheets, calendars, and lectures would be such a bear. The hardest part is that I want to include so much information about information technology tools and applications. I’m also trying to incorporate formats that I’m comfortable with like using RSS to retrieve completed assignments from students blogs, and using Meebo for office hours. I didn’t even want them to have to buy a book if they didn’t want to and it was available in eBook format from the library.

I’m lucky that SLIS has a lot of tools available for teacher and students. I’d like to jump outside of the traditional BlackBoard/Elluminate environments, primarily for the sake exposing the students to something new but also to challenge myself to learn some new stuff as well.

I just got back from my roadtrip to Vegas, Arizona, and Death Valley and I checked the SJSU records to see if there was any change to my degree status…

Congratulations! Your master’s degree has been officially posted on our records for the term listed above. Your diploma will be mailed to you shortly

I have my MLIS. Yippee! I don’t have the diploma yet. As long as there isn’t a clerical error or a major typo, I think I’m finished.

My ePortfolio was well recieved even though I think I did way more than necessary. What’s next? I already have a great job as a librarian, so I’m looking at an MPA, finishing a screenplay, or maybe training for a marathon.

I finished and passed my MLIS portfolio last week. While I am not yet finished with the semester, I am happy to be done with that part of the program. Demonstrating competency in fourteen areas of librarianship was a huge amount of work. As a working librarian, I was able to use some projects that I created for the library. Overall, I used a combination of work experience, past school projects, and presentations created solely for the portfolio. It’s all very practical and can be a chance to show off those mad library skillz.

For any current SLIS student I encourage you to start early, because it really does take a lot of time of time choosing and creating appropriate demonstrations for each competecney. I felt it was a pretty rewarding experience, forcing you to evaluate and communicate your knowledge, skills, and your abilities. I have no regrets about not choosing to write a full blown thesis.

It was entirely an electronic portfolio and I chose to create a web site instead of using the provided Plone content management system. I needed some detox time from the computer, which is still kind of hard since I’m finishing up a data networking class.

Okay, back to work!

I’m working frantically to finish my e-portfolio so I can finally graduate. It’s been a long process. I don’t regret it but with less than two weeks to finish the portfolio, I’ve finally resolved that I’ll have to take time off of work to get it finished. Working full time and staying up till 2, 3 or 4 a.m. every night won’t cut it.

I swear I’ve gone through my entire iTunes library twice now. I think it’s time for some new music to add to my new Mac Book Pro. Put my head down and power through.

A lot of people are upset and worried that the graduate school is changing the “culminating experience.”

Doesn’t that sound like that should be a ride at Disneyland?… A small group of students enter a darkened room surrounded by imposing animatronic figures of Melvin Dewey and Ranganathan. A booming voice in overdramatic stereo announces “WELCOME! to the SLIS CULMINATING EXPERIENCE! Sit back! Immerse yourself in the final adventure of library school!” The only problem is everyone is standing and there are no chairs. Some sit down. Some pretend they are sitting back while asking everyone next to them if they are doing it right without realizing they are missing the show and the point. This is the end, the last ride before the park closes.

We have three options: write a thesis, a culminating project similar to a thesis, or option three, a culminating experience. In the past, it used to be that you would research and write two papers that were no more than 20 pages based on questions presented by faculty.

Now, with new competencies in place for Graduate Students in Library and Information Science, the school has chosen to add a component that more realistically reflects the competencies by having students submit a portfolio of work. I can’t think of a better way to present ourselves and prepare ourselves for the real world where our accomplishments mean more than our ability to answer two questions. This is something that we can take with us and tie back to the disciplines, ethics, and expectations of our profession.

The social set for Gordon Biersch in San Jose had a minor set back last night. It turns out that GB was closed for a private party. When our social director called she suggested PF Changs right across the street. We still had about ten people show and I was late. I was surprised to see they got a table instead of staying in the bar area.

Most of the students were new to the program so we hadn’t met yet. It was great to meet our SLIS program webmaster, Debbie F. She is really nice and very, very knowledgable and has done a great job with the SLIS website redesign. She also teaching part time for the school which sounds like an incredible workload.

I signed onto Blackboard today and signed in for my two classes. LIBR 246 XML is taught by a great teacher who knows her stuff. The coursework is always very demanding but it is a great way to learn.

I am also taking a seminar in public libraries, LIBR 282 on managing human performance and budgets. We actually get to meet in person for the class for a couple of days in Feb. Unfortunately I have to take a couple of days off work.

Are library school students ready for the Wiki? Earlier this week I installed a test wiki for the ALASC officers to try out and we received the okay to install it on the school’s servers. There was definitely a push from a small group of students to try it out. I definitely think that it has the possibility for fostering a strong social network and an evolving archive of ALASC and the SJSU SLIS experience.

Most students are already on content creation overload and expecting students to add regularly might be a little much. They hardly comment or update the blog and who can blame them. It is definitely an easy way to give folks an easy way to make and publish web pages. With the right amount of marketing and selling we might get it going. That’s the goal.