Practicum - Week 15

Dates:  Monday, December 4th and Friday, December 8th

Monday, December 4th
Today, I was able to continue helping the Teen Department decorate for the Christmas season.  I created and cut out boulders from white butcher paper and taped them on the Teen Department's glass window entrance.

Friday, December 8th
My final day of the practicum was spent decorating for the Christmas contest.  I helped create candy canes and gum drops for the Department's gingerbread house castle.  In between, I helped a patron locate several graphic novels and assisted another patron in helping to use her school's website.

Also, I was finally able to visit the library's tech services department where I learned how books are received and cataloged.  I learned how new search records are added to the library's catalog system as well as how records are removed when an item is weeded or deselected.  I met the two individuals responsible for monitoring the library's budget and how they process purchase orders and invoices.

Weekly Reflections
Throughout this practicum, I was finally able to make connections between what I learned in my coursework to an actual library setting.  I was also able to develop many of the skills I learned throughout my studies and apply them them in a professional environment.  I am grateful to have been a part of such a positive and supportive team; many library staff members were extremely welcoming and helpful in providing valuable insight into the library work experience.  I am convinced now more than ever that working at a library is one of the best jobs around.  I look forward to working in one soon.

Practicum - Week 14

Dates: Monday, November 27th and Friday, December 1st



Monday, November 27th
Since I am nearing the end of my practicum, I discussed final assignments and tasks for the last remaining days.  I plan to finish as much of the weeding recommendations as possible and will present the final document to my supervisor on Friday.

Friday, December 1st
Today I helped the Teen Department begin decorating for the Christmas season.  The City of McAllen will be holding a Christmas decorating contest across the entire city, allowing all city departments and services to decorate. The library selected to a peppermint gingerbread house theme and each library department will get to decorate as they wish.  In the Teen Department, I covered the book shelf ends in brown paper and created two gingerbread house scenes.  This took the entire day!

Weekly Reflections:

Decorating for the City's Christmas decoration contest was a lot of fun and was also a great way to relieve stress.  Its been a very long semester of work and school so it was fun getting to cut out Christmas decorations while listening to Christmas music and talking with my fellow colleagues.  I was reminded that even decorating for the different seasons is part of a librarian's job.  It is important that we create a fun and welcoming environment that invites patrons to visit the different areas and peruse the shelves.

Practicum - Week 13

Dates: Monday, November 20th

Monday, November 20th
I finished weeding the 330s and began work on the 340s (Law).  I also helped perform some everyday tasks such as helping patrons locate books and printing from the main computer terminals.  I also helped a young teen learn how to use the library's automated checkout system using their library card and pin number. 

Weekly Reflection:
Last week, the second FAFSA workshop presentation was conducted and there was another low turnout.  Only two teens showed up this time.  When reflecting on both workshops poor attendance, marketing for the events could have been significantly better.  Perhaps verbally informing teens as they walk into the Teen Department area a few days beforehand would help.  Also asking teens directly to show up and making better connections with regular visiting patrons could prove beneficial.  Another strategy could be to repeatedly post notices and reminders on the Library Teen Department's social media pages days before the actual events occur. 

Practicum - Week 12

Dates:  Monday, November 13th

Monday, November 13
I continued with my weeding and deselection of the Teen Department's nonfiction section.  I have worked my way to the the 330s, which deals with the subject of Economics.  CREW outlines that currency of information is most critical in this area since the world of finances quickly changes.  Thus it is critical to provide updated information to all library patrons.  In the Teen's collection, I found many books that dealt with jobs, careers, ways to make money, and tips on job hunting.  All of these topics are relevant to teens who may be looking for their first jobs to begin saving for their future.

Weekly Reflection:
As I continue weeding, I am astounded at the number of books that are currently on the shelves that are out of date and need to be removed.  Patrons trust that the information found on the library shelves is accurate and true, and are relying on the library to provide access to quality goods and services.  I am realizing what can happen when weeding is not performed on a consistent basis: circulations numbers are low and the collection remains stagnant due to little to no interested for usage from patrons.

Practicum - Week 11

Dates:  Monday, November 6th and Friday, November 10th

Monday, November 6th
The library is currently hiring for several full time positions, one of which will be for a full-time Teen Department Assistant.  Today, I helped the Teen Supervisor prepare the interview packets which included the interview questions, applicant's resumes and documents, and the evaluation matrix to rank the candidates.  I was able to help the supervisor create questions that targeted the specific needs necessary for the Teen Department and could help her better determine the strengths each of the candidates could bring to the full-time position.

Friday, November 10th
Tomorrow is the McAllen Library's Book Festival which is a huge event for the city and surrounding communities.  I helped prepare the Teen Department for it by gluing button snaps onto contestant numbers for the Teen Departments cosplay, set up chairs and tables for the authors' book talks, organized the book shelves for better presentation to the public, sorted through donated books from businesses to issue to children during the Festival's "Free Book for Youth" area, and set up the free books in the library's conference rooms.

 

Weekly Reflection:

 This week was a busy week with the scheduled interviews for the full-time position and then preparing for the McAllen Book Festival.  I'm glad the Teen Supervisor allowed me to help in developing the questions that would be used for the interview because it allowed me to see the types of questions I may encounter when I begin applying for library positions in the future.  Some of the questions asked about the candidate's experience working with teens and young adults which is an important factor since that is the population the department serves. Other questions asked about possible program ideas the candidate would like to see implemented and how they would plan to initiate it.  I thought that was a great question because it will help the supervisor identify how aware the candidate is on topics and programs that interests teen and young adults and can help the department broaden the types of programs offered to teens and young adults.

I had a lot of fun helping to set up for the McAllen Book Festival.  The excitement and anticipation by the staff members could be felt; many were excited about the authors scheduled to speak and about several of the programs that would take place throughout the day (3D printing, book talks, author meet-and-greets).  I was thrilled to see that the library will be giving away quality children and young adult literature to attendees.  I believe this is so important because much of the population the library serves are from low socio-economic statuses, so many families may not have the financial means to provide quality books and educational resources for the children and families.

Practicum - Week 10

Dates: Monday, October 30th and Friday, November 3rd

Monday, October 30
Today, I was asked by the Teen Supervisor to give a summary of the titles and subjects contained within the nonfiction section.  She was working on the department's budget and determining how much money to allocate to the Teen Department's various book collections.  To do this, I printed out a copy of the Dewey Decimal Classification summaries which lists the subjects by decade.  For example, 300 - Social sciences, sociology, and anthropology, 310s - Statistics, 320s - Political Sciences, 330s - Economics, etc.  I went through each shelf and looked at the call numbers on the books' spines and highlighted books that were identified within the classification summary.  After analyzing all the titles within the nonfiction section, I prepared a document that identified which classification summaries the collection contained, an approximate count of the titles contained, and recommendations on which summaries titles were needed to better enhance and strengthen the collection.

Friday, November 3rd
I continued weeding through the 300s for most of the day.  Throughout the day, I helped patrons located teen graphic novels, use computers, and make copies as needed.



Weekly Reflection:

I was able to sit down and talk with the supervisor about the department's budget.  Given that she is new to the position, having only started in August, she was reviewing the previous year's budget and studying how funds were allocated for each collection contained within the Teen and Young Adult section. I thought it was a great idea to use last year's budget as a starting point and as a guide in determining how monies would be allocated this year.  The nonfiction and graphic novel sections were identified as needed the most area of development so a higher percentage of the budget funds will be reserved for these two collections.

Practicum - Week 9

Dates:  Monday, October 23rd and Friday, October 27th

Monday, October 23rd
This week, the Teen Department will host the first of two FAFSA workshops.  I called to local college to confirm that the personnel assigned would be available for the session scheduled for Tuesday, October 24th.  Afterwards, I continued with my practicum weeding project.

Friday, October 27th
Today, I helped the Teen Department begin preparing for the McAllen Library's Book Festival scheduled for Saturday, November 11th. I created program and session evaluation boxes by recycling the inter library loan boxes.  I wrapped them with in navy blue paper and attached the Book Festival's logo onto them.

Weekly Reflection:

As I look at each item on the shelf to evaluate it, I have the CREW manual in front of me so that I am able to refer to CREW recommendations.  It is very helpful to have its detailed recommendations on hand so that it is easier to determine whether the title would be appropriate to stay in the nonfiction section.  Some of the books I have looked at appear to be practically brand new, with little to no signs of wear.  As I checked the library's LS2 records, many of them have not been circulated in over ten years!  I was shocked that the library still had these titles on the shelves!  For some categories, such as Political Science, CREW recommends an item be weeded within five years of publication so that materials that are not current, accurate or fair are removed.  It is evident that titles in this particular section do not meet the recommended CREW guidelines.

I stopped by the FAFSA workshop Tuesday night and was saddened to see that only one teen showed up.  The library had reserved a computer lab which seats 25 participants so when I entered the room, I was disappointed that the FAFSA presenter was working one-on-one in the back of the room with the only participant who showed up.  The library had announced a reminder over the PA system, but no one else joined the session.  My practicum supervisor said that this is common; some programs can have a large group of participants attend while others might not have any.  Sometimes, we need to take the "wait and see" approach.  The FAFSA workshop was advertised using the McAllen Library's social media accounts as well as posting flyers around the library so I am a bit surprised and disappointed with the low turnout. 

Practicum - Week 8

Dates:  Monday, October 16th

Monday, October 16th
I continued evaluating books in the nonfiction section for possible weeding.  I finished through the 170s, Ethics, through the 200s, which contained titles on religious thoughts and practices, and began work on the 300s, Social Sciences, sociology, and anthropology.

Since there are a growing number of titles that will need be weeded, I began identifying titles for future additions to nonfiction collection based on local school district's required novel and reading lists.  I was able to download Morris Middle School Library's Battle of the Books Reading list which contains some nonfiction titles as well as Sharyland ISD's District List.

Weekly Reflection

As I continue to work on my major practicum project, I am amazed at the range of books and subjects available to teen and young adults.  I had never paid attention to it before.  From the philosophical schools of thought to psychology and self-help titles, teens and young adults have a wider selection to choose from what I thought was available to them.  Although my focus at the moment is selecting titles for weeding, I think its also a good idea to begin looking for possible replacement titles that will "replace" the weeded item.  Given that my focus is the nonfiction section, locating and acquiring new titles that have new and updated information will prove beneficial and critical to helping the McAllen Library provide the best resources available for this target audience. 

Practicum - Week 7

Dates: Monday, October 9th and Friday, October 13th

Monday, October 9th
I continued weeding through the 000 Main Class classifications.  These included titles on subjects such as news media, journalism, computer science, and trivia books.

Friday, October 13th
I was able to dedicate an entire day to weeding.  I started work on the next Dewey Decimal Classification class, 100 - Philosophy and Religion.  I was able to review titles on subjects such as paranormal phenomena , new age thought, different world philosophies, and psychology.  I worked finished through the 150s and will begin work on the 170s, Ethics, next week.

Weekly Reflection

This week I saw firsthand why the Teen Supervisor has identified the Teen's nonfiction section as a critical need area.  Many of the titles contained outdated information since they were published in the late 1990s (some from 1997) so have not been updated for nearly 20 years.  As an educator and future librarian, this really concerns me.  Many of the teens I have seen walk into the nonfiction area do so to search for titles to complete research papers or school projects.  Many of them do not take the time to evaluate the sources they are using and how valid the information really is.  Because they have attained their sources from the library, many teens may think the information contained within is academically sound.  Thus, they are using outdated and incorrect information in their reports and projects.  This outdated and incorrect information can do serious harm to students' learning and interpretation of truth and facts.

Practicum - Week 6

Dates:  Monday, October 2nd and Friday, October 6th

Monday, October 2nd
With the start of October, I started work on Halloween Writing Board on a book shelf aisle end. The idea is a page is displayed with the beginning sentence "I felt something cold touch my shoulder..." and the rest of the page is available for teens and young adults to continue the story by adding their own details.  I spent some time searching the internet for ideas on spooky bulletin board Halloween theme ideas, lining the oversized blank sheets, covering the bookshelf end, and cutting Halloween cutouts.

Friday, October 6th
I began work on weeding the Young Adult nonfiction area using the CREW Method I read up on last week.  My plan is to look at every item on the shelf, look up it's details such as the book's copyright date, date of last circulation, and total number of checkouts on the library's LS2 catalog, then apply the CREW Guidelines of MUSTIE to determine the book's candidacy for weeding.  The acronym MUSTIE stands for the following:  M = Misleading or inaccurate information contained within the text; U = Ugly, the book is in very bad physical condition; S = Superseded by a newer edition; T = Trivial, which means it is no longer of local or timely interest; I = Irrelevant to the needs of the teen and young adults the library serves; E= Elsewhere, referring to obtaining the item through other means, such as electronic copies or through interlibrary loan.

Today, I worked through the first main class of the Dewey Decimal Classification, 000 Generalities, and worked through call numbers 000 (Computers, General Encyclopedias, and other Generalities) to 150 (Paranormal Phenomena and Psychology).  As I input this information for reporting purposes, I will be noting the book's library bar code number, the McAllen Library's Weeding distinctions for the CREW Method Assessment, and noting supporting criteria from the CREW  Guidelines manual providing a rationale why the item should be weeded.  Once the collection has been looked through and a weeding list compiled, it will be given to the Teen Department supervisor for consideration.  The final decision on weeding a particular item rests with her.

Weekly Reflection
Although weeding the collection by looking at every item may seem tedious, I believe it is necessary since no one in the Teen department can recall the last time the young adult nonfiction section was weeded.  Thus, there is a possibility it has never been weeded.  I believe going through the collection item by item will also help me become more familiar with the library's holdings so that I can quickly offer book suggestions and titles to patrons who may ask for help looking for a particular book or information about a specific topic.

Weeding the collection item by item will help the McAllen library offer its patrons a better selection of books and resources that are useful, relevant, and contain accurate data.  I believe this is critical since many of the young patrons who checkout books from the young adult nonfiction section do so to conduct research for school reports and assigned projects.

Practicum - Week 5

Dates: Monday, September 25th and Friday, September 29th

Monday, September 25th

I discussed my practicum goals and objectives with the Teen Department Supervisor to ensure that I could maximize my time contributing and learning while completing my 120 Practicum hours.  My practicum goals and objectives are:

• Assist with programming selection for the library’s Teen Department.
• Schedule and organize Financial Aid Night workshops so high school students are better informed on the types of financial aid available and how to correctly fill out the FAFSA form.
• Prepare and create flyers advertising the events

2. Examine the Teen Department’s existing non-fiction and biography collections
1. Identify gaps in both sections
2. Evaluate the assigned areas on the basis of currency and relevance
3. Deselect the assigned areas of the collection
4. Consult appropriate selection tools to create a section list for both sections

3. Work with patrons to assist with services and access available at the library
1. Assist users with reference and research needs
2. Assist users with OPAC and with reference tools
3. Conduct searches for users using print and/or non-print sources
4. Assist users in locating material

After it was approved by the Teen Department Supervisor, I sent a copy of my practicum goals and objectives to my Faculty Supervisor, Dr. Sylvia Vardell, as well.

Friday, September 29th

To prepare to meet Practicum Goal 2, which is to examine the teen department's nonfiction section, I dedicated the entire day to reading the Texas State Library and Commission's CREW: Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries.  This allowed me to review the benefits of weeding, the guidelines on what to weed, and CREW guidelines based on each Dewey Class.  Specifically, I focused on the CREW Guidelines for the Young Adult Fiction since this is the primary area the Teen Supervisor wants me to focus on.

Throughout the day, I also helped cover the Main Room's reference desk where I fielded questions on where to find particular titles, provided information on the English as a Second Language classes offered by the library, input study room reservations, and unlocked designated study rooms when the party of individuals showed up for their appointments.

Weekly Reflection:

I am very excited about the opportunity to help the Teen Department strengthen their existing non-fiction section so that teens and young adults have an updated and better selection to choose from when seeking information for school assignments or projects.  As I read the CREW manual, I was struck by statements that emphasized the importance of providing nonfiction materials and resources to children and young adults that were accurate in data, information, and photos.  This is because many teens and young adults are not able to discern what is outdated, inaccurate, or incorrect.  Having materials on the shelves with stereotypical messages or images and erroneous information may cause changes in young adult's thinking and may begin to sway their judgments and opinions.

I am grateful that the Texas State Library and Archives Commission provides a weeding manual to aid in helping librarians determine what to weed and what to keep.  It provides a starting point as well as rationale as to why some items are kept in the collection while others are removed from the shelves.

Practicum - Week 4

Dates:  Monday, September 18th

Monday, September 18th


After much thought, I decided that a FAFSA workshop for teens would be a great way to guide students and parents on filling out the application, especially since it opens on October 1st for the 2018-2019 school year.  I proposed this to the Teen Department supervisor, April, who thought it was a great idea.  I also called the local college's Student Financial Services Department to see what help, if any, they could provide.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn they offer free outreach events such as FAFSA drives to help people of the community with filling out the application and providing information sessions on the types of financial aid assistance available (grants, loans, etc.).  I spoke with the Financial Aid Specialist to determine availability of their staff  and determine two tentative dates for the Fall semester:  October 24th and November 15th.

I had to complete a program proposal for approval from both the Teen Department Supervisor and the Library Director.  In the proposal, I had to create a description of the program and how it would help meet the library's mission and goals.  I also had to create an action plan which provided a detailed strategy on steps needed to ensure the program's goals would be met; the materials and resources needed for the program to take place; and how the effectiveness of the workshop would be assessed.
Once I completed the program proposal, I submitted it to the Teen Department Supervisor for approval.

Weekly reflection:  I am very excited that local college personnel who specialize in providing financial aid assistance and are knowledgeable of the types of aid available will be conducting these workshops for the people of the community.  Since I work at the local college, I am aware of some of the challenges and obstacles students face in funding their college education.  I have heard many students say they get frustrated while filling out the FAFSA because it is too long and too confusing to complete.  Many often give up and wait until the last minute to file an application because they are pushed to do so.  I am hoping high school students preparing to graduate will take advantage of the information available at these workshops so that they can complete the FAFSA early and correctly.

Also, I am surprised to learn that the local college offers FAFSA workshops, College Information Nights, and FAFSA drives to high schools and community organizations in the area for free.  I was unaware that this was even available and it makes me wonder what other free services the local college offers to the surrounding community.

Practicum - Week 3

Date: Friday, September 15 (2 hours)

Friday, September 15th

I was officially assigned to the Teen Department and met with the Teen Services Supervisor, April.  We sat down and talked about the needs and interests of the department for future programming and project proposals.  April told me she would like to see more programming that involves career preparation for teens, college visits, and financial aid assistance.  She also identified that the Teen Department's nonfiction collection needed attention by identifying which titles need to be weeded and what new additions would help to strengthen it.

Weekly reflection:  I'm excited to be working in the library's Teen Department.  Much of my coursework has focused on children and young adult literature so it will be exciting to see how I can apply what I've learned to an actual library setting.  I'm really interested in assisting with programs that can help teens prepare for college since I currently work at a local community college.  I think my 10 years of experience working in a college environment will help me generate ideas for programs the McAllen Library's Teen Department can implement.

Practicum - Week 2

Dates:  Friday, September 8th

No hours completed on Monday, the 4th due to the library being closed in observance of Columbus Day.

Friday, September 8th

I covered in the Children's Department again today because it was short staffed.  Today's focus was on cutting out over 250 hero masks for the upcoming South Texas Comic Con Fan Weekend Event, scheduled for September 10th.  The McAllen Public Library will have a children's booth at the event to give away the masks as well as provide information about the services the library offers.  I ran off the copies on tag board paper, and used scissors and a utility knife to cut out the masks.   This took most of the day!

Weekly reflection:  Although I went in one day this week, it was very busy.  The short-staffing problem seems be something all areas of the library are struggling with.  Many of the departments "borrow" or pull personnel from other areas to make sure their areas are staffed adequately.  As a future library employee, I think it will be critical to have knowledge of all areas and services contained within the library so that if called upon, I can provide the assistance and support needed within the department.

I enjoyed making the hero masks for the upcoming Comic Con event.  It was a fun stress relief from the everyday, busy tasks of the adult world.  

Practicum - Week 1

Practicum Site:  McAllen Public Library Main Branch, McAllen, Texas

Dates: Monday, August 28th and Friday, September 1

Monday, August 28th

I was assigned to the Children's Department this week since the Teen Department supervisor is out on vacation.  After finalizing my paperwork with the administration secretary, I shadowed one of the children's librarians, Heather.  She gave me a tour of the children's sections, showing me where the grade level, graphic novel, and new book arrivals were located. I also learned the children's department created a new "Parent Help" section filled with books that parents could check out for help on topics such as autism, helping children navigate elementary school, and helping children cope with separation and divorce.  Having these parent resources available in the children's section allows the parent to peruse the helpful titles while staying in the same area their younger children may be using.

Since it was the first week of school for most local school districts, the library was quiet.  I shadowed Heather as she helped several children find books on requested subjects such as Minecraft, Captain Underpants, and "a book about twins who are always fighting with each other."  I am realizing the importance of staying current with children's interests since many of the books the children were looking for were unfamiliar to me.  If a book was unavailable, the children's librarian, Heather, was able to suggest several other book titles  similar to the requested title so the child still had something to read.  As a future librarian, it would be helpful to know additional book titles so children have more options when selecting a book.

Friday, September 1st

Today was my first full day at the McAllen Library so I was given a full tour of all the departments and areas of the library.  I was shown how to use the LS2 Staff system so that I could check out books to patrons, create new library cards, and clear library fines.  I was also shown how books are returned through the library's conveyor belt, and how books are processed and reshelved upon their return. I shadowed the welcome and information desk personnel to learn more about customer service.

I also shadowed in the library's computer lab where patrons are able to access computers, wifi, printers, and fax machines.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the library owns several 3D printers and allows for patrons to use it for their own projects.  I was shown how the 3D printer works, how to set up the extractors for use, and how to access the program files needed to  construct a 3D print. I was thrilled to create a 3D print of a cat!

Since it was Hispanic Heritage Month as well as Library Card Sign-Up Month, I set up the children's department's book display.  I was surprised that the department's book display is in the middle of the collection and the book covers face away from incoming traffic.  Young children would not be able to see these special-themed books unless they ventured towards the middle of the room (of which many do not).  I would think that having the book display at the entrance of the department with the title's facing outwards towards patrons would better entice young children to pick up and preview the book.

After I set up the book display, I took the previous month's display books and changed their collection status in the LS2 system (New Arrival books changed back to Juvenile/Childrens).  Once completed, I helped cut out the Teen Titans Display figures that had been painted the day before for display in the children's section.  During closing time (approximately 20 minutes before doors close), I helped clean up the children's area, pushed in seats, powered down computers, and disinfected toys with the help of the Children's Department Assistant, Erin.

First week reflections:  After my first week, I am excited that I will be completing my practicum at the McAllen Public Library.  I was able to meet most of the full time staff who were very helpful in explaining what they do, how things run, and how they help provide the best service to patrons.  It was great seeing them work independently within their own departments as well as part of a larger team.  I am looking forward to what the next few weeks will bring.