I’m honored to have a chapter in this new book edited by Diane Zabel. My contribution “Tracking Tech Trends” began as a post here: http://tametheweb.com/2009/01/12/ten-trends-technologies-for-2009/ Download the Table of Contents here: Zabel_ReferenceReborn_TOC
Monthly Archives: January 2011
16 posts
http://bit.ly/fJDE6A My new column explores some recent studies about students, faculty and librarians. Ultimately, the authors of the report make a series of recommendations, including a few that librarians must heed. “We believe library instruction could benefit from some serious rethinking and re-examination. We recommend modifying sessions (in-class and reference encounters) so they emphasize…framing a successful research process…over research-finding of sources.” (p. 39) Librarians’ focus on sources over teaching the research process itself has probably contributed to these disheartening survey results. But they also make me wonder how most college students see librarians. Are they invisible within their libraries and […]
I’m speaking at their staff institute today on future services and future technologies. Download the slides here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/239835/DGPLStaffDayStephens.pdf
For new librarians entering the field of academic librarianship, there is an expectation to continue and evolve the Participatory Service methodology. Luckily, it is not a forced expectation, but rather one of excitement and, dare I say, glee. The ability of academic libraries to effectively reach and engage students in the research process is palpable and librarians are responsible. Librarians entering the profession are happily challenged with continuing this new era of constant change, experimentation, innovation, and evaluation. This group of new and future librarians is so inspired and focused on this new culture of libraries and librarians. And I […]
Kyle Jones shares some reflection on his first semester at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Library and Information Studies (LIS) doctoral program: http://thecorkboard.org/a-reflection-on-the-fall-semester/ With good timing, a friend recently contacted me about his own interests in pursuing a PhD in library and information studies. Knowing that I had just wrapped up my first semester and wanting to hear specific parts of my reflections, he sent me a few questions to answer. Happily, he allowed me to turn these questions in to a reflective post for all to read. What has taken you by surprise? I was very much used […]
A new anonymous comment went up on this post from 2008 about my hometown library’s ban of social media access because of issues with teens: http://tametheweb.com/2008/03/18/no-myspace-facebook-at-mishawaka-library/ No email address or URL was shared, so I thought I’d share the comment here so the person might get some useful feedback – including ideas to welcome everyone into the library without “stricter patron codes of conduct.” I would especially like to hear from teen librarians. I am currently employed at a library in Kentucky and I must say that I disagree with your assessment that the primary goal of the library should […]