UBC websites

I'm not sure why but I have always found UBC website difficult to navigate! In the discussion forum on Periodical Indexes, I had to state that I too use EBSCO 99% of the time to find articles, but I do it through the local public library database instead. I commented on Lauren Smith`s comment that EBSCO was one of the easiest databases to use! I like that you are able to click on databases that are specific to library research and literact!

Databases

I know the discussion question asked what the licensing costs a library faces in purchasing databases, but I loved how the discussion took some deviations from the original question. In my response to Tara Mowers I described how I have seen a lack of training in the use of these databases. I think this is a way more powerful topic than how much the databases cost. I think having them as part of the resource center is a very valuable tool, but a complete waste of money if no one is using them! I think there must be a way that we can incorporate enough time into the training of students to use the online resources as part of our orientation lessons when they enter the school. Then they can be given quick reminders when they come into the library to do research.

Evaluation Processes

In response to Lisa Kurio's discussion on Riedling's evaluation process, I thought that it was important to add that Canadian content should include our multiculturalism. As the number of ESL students in my district increases, Teacher-Librarians will have to look to our libraries on the coast for guidence/suggestions of good reference resources for ESL students. There will also require adaptations in our reference services, maybe ESL library orientations, ESL lessons on library terminology etc, ESL library programs, and Reading Buddy programs for ESL students. I am very passionate about this topic and I often see these students getting left behind even when it comes to the school library program.

Involvement in the research reference process

Although Riedling does a good job at describing the “Research Interview”, I feel like she fails to get into examples of teaching larger groups. Yes as a TL you deal with individual students all day asking a variety of different questions, and you have to know what they are asking and you have to have a solid knowledge of your collection in order to help them, but there are a lot of times when we have to teach whole classes on researching skills. What is the best way to go about teaching a class on note-taking skills, research strategies, advanced internet searches, how to evaluate information they find, bibliographies, using the index/glossary/table of contents, how to incorporate a research model such as Research Quest into a project. I find that Riedling also fails to use the word teacher-librarian, and I think it is the teaching part of our job that she has failed to emphasize here.

Frustrated with reflections!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I can get so frustrated with these reflections. I have struggled so much through these courses. Its hard to reflect on something you know nothing about. I could guess, sure and make up some great answer but I get very little out of it. For example “How do student preferences for electronic resources affect your purchasing?” I have no idea. I can’t even really take a guess. I haven’t had to deal with a budget yet. I definitely think that it is important to have print resources as well as electronic, and I can understand the benefits in purchasing online resources instead of spending lots of money updating old encyclopaedias but I can’t even comment on the challenges of purchasing. Its difficult to even make most of the regular assignments relevant to me. For example, change a teacher. I want to do the assignment on myself because then it would make it relevant to me. I want to get into the library more often, I’m not concerned nor am I thinking about how to get teachers to use the resource center more. I can’t be the only one out there that has these frustrations!!

Reflection on Research Models

I wasn’t surprised to hear that most of us had not heard of these research models before this course. The Big6 model seemed to be the one most have heard of before. I was first introduced to the Research Quest model in my first course with Kay Treadgold. She shared with us a research project she did with her grade 10’s which followed this model. It really forces the students to ask initial question about how they are going to plan their research strategies. It also allows and encourages students to be able to change their focus slightly based on the information they collect. Reflection seems to be an increasingly popular element to all learning and is therefore also an important element in this research model. I commented to Shauntelle Koga’s discussion post agreeing that the only formal method of research models I have used was the KWL approach. As I have been progressing through the course I have started to incorporate the research quest into some of my science 7 projects. Shauntelle and I also agreed that Kuhlthau’s model was a little to complicated to follow, especially for younger users.

Reflecting on successful reference services

Riedling states that to be successful with your reference service you must have knowledge of the library media collection, have effective conversational skills and be competent in selecting, acquiring and evaluating resources to meet students’ needs. I think that this are reasonable expectations over a period of time. I don’t think there is any way a new TL could be completely competent in all of these areas right away, especially the knowledge of the collection. I had no idea about my collection until I did the inventory at the end of the year. At that time I was able to recognize holes in the collection, outdated materials, and areas of the curriculum that had changed and the collection didn’t reflect these changes. I think it would take at least a good couple of years to really become comfortable in all of these areas, as it would with any new job. I can’t really say how I would measure up as I am not currently in the library.