Question:
CS1 – Homework and in-class activities – agile librarian – due Sunday September 17th @ 11:59pm
Read Chapter Two of The Agile Librarian’s Guide to Thriving in Any Institution. Think about your experiences as a client using a service at a library. Describe the experience. Was the service staffed by an agile librarian or a rigid librarian? Explain your answer using evidence from your experience and the descriptions of agile and rigid described in the reading.
Answer:
Just the other weekend on our Library Day, my children and I decided to visit a different location than our typical Public Library branch. It was such a pleasant surprise when we arrived and they were setting up for what looked like a great Makerspace activity. Both of my children were instantly enthralled by the fun arts and crafts. We spend enough time at our local library to know that pre-registration was a must.
Instead of leaving without giving it a try, we went to the children’s reference desk and met a more than approachable/agile library worker. We explained our situation; that this wasn’t our normal branch, but we would really enjoy being part of the program. We were told immediately of the typical procedures, but were asked to stay and see if there would be seats available. No promises were made, but a kind smile encourage us to wait around.
During our wait we browsed the shelved and were approached twice by library workers whom helped us decide on and locate our books for the week. Our most recent experience will be a memorable one, and thanks to the kind staff we now have a second favorite branch location to visit.
CS1 – Homework and in-class activities – post 2 – literacy matters – due Sunday October 1st @ 11:59pm
Cite at least three reasons you believe it’s important to support, deliver, or participate in literacy initiatives at your library and/or in your broader community. Support your reasons with evidence from the articles listed on the ppt slides for this week and/or information presented in class this week and/or other credible research that you find on this topic. Use in-text citations and create a References list at the end of your post.
Answer:
The whole reason I became interested in this program wasn’t to become a “Super Librarian,” though I have grown a fondness for the YouTube clips my professor shares. I followed this path to Durham College because I was affected personally by the side effects of illiteracy. I was raised in a home that would have fallen within the 49% of Canadians under the literacy standard. I saw my parents struggle daily to do the simple tasks, unlike the literate population whom could function on a daily basis. “Adults with high literacy skills work more, experience less unemployment, earn more and rely less on government transfers, says the council’s.” (Roseman, 2009). It’s become my life’s goal to support literacy and to provide information and literacy enhancing services to a crumbling demographic, while supporting a movement to lift some of the financial burden of the under educated and unemployed off of the government. An educated community is a community that can grow and nourish itself.
With the additional information I had found from above, the next reason I want to promote literacy and especially literacy within my community is a no-brainer. “Larger proportions of youth with low reading proficiency scores at age 15 took longer to complete high school and had not completed high school by age 21 compared to youth with higher reading proficiency scores.” (Shipely & Glutzynsky, 2009). Literacy at a young age is the most important! This is the time where my Grandmother would have considered me to be, “soft boiled…” That means this is the age where we retain knowledge and build good habits; while our brains are growing. The presence of literacy programs designated for toddlers to young adults is imperative to the success of the 15 year olds like in these Stats Canada studies. Good habits that start young become lifestyles as we age, and good literacy skills will equal a good life.
My final bit for this blog post is a little on the vein side. You have to ask yourself, “why do we really do anything in life?” Well, the answer to that lies in the stats in an article on the Global News website by Anne Vellorel, Canada Ranked one of the Top Countries in the World for Science Literacy. (Vettorel, 2014)
The answer to this one is simple, we want to be the best we can be. By supporting literacy in our communities we are raising generation who are proud of our heritage and want to make our communities and our country better, smarter and all around healthier place to grow.
References
Roseman, E. (2009, 27). Illiteracy costs Canada, Individuals. The Star. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com/opinion/2009/09/27/illiteracy_costs_canada_individuals.html
Shipley, L., & Gluzynski, T. (2009, 17). Life-path Outcomes at Age 25 Associated with Reading Ability at Age 15. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2009002/article/10896-eng.html
Vettorel, A.-M. (2014, 28). Canada Ranked One of the Top Countries for Scientific Literacy. Global News. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/1531764/canada-ranked-one-of-top-countries-for-scientific-literacy/
Little Girl. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/become-successful-life-building-intention-lisa-kelly
CS1 – Homework and In-class activities – Post 4 – booktalks pt 1 – due October 15th @ 11:59pm
Read some of the booktalk articles posted in DC Connect or the information posted on websites in the slides. Using the advice, recommendations and instructions provided, write a booktalk for a book nominated for the Golden Oak award; CITE the advice you used! (just reference the author’s name or website name and the advice you incorporated into your booktalk). Post your booktalk on your website. Include a link to the amazon.ca purchase information and review for your title. Bring a PRINT copy of your booktalk and your book to class on Tuesday October 17th.
Next week’s activity: Be prepared to booktalk your book to fellow LIT students
ANSWER
I read the book The End of the Line, by Sharon E. McKay. It’s copyrighted 2014, it falls into the genre historical fiction and has 120 pages.
The book involves a young girl named Beatrix who learns early in life, that not all secrets are bad and that help can come from the most unexpected places.
Now if you can, imagine a world where the people you’ve known your whole life are the people who could end your life, BUT the person you’ve just met at the bus station wants to save your life.
This book introduces a world where a stranger isn’t danger, but a chance to survive! >
Amsterdam 1942…. The Germans have already taken Holland, thousands of family have perished. And a mother and daughter have had no choice but to run from their home in the hopes that they would survive.
The two most influential characters are Lars and Hans. Lars and Hans are brothers who have worked on the trams (European streetcar) their whole lives. With the German invasion closing in, things have gotten more tense and an unexpected arrival on their tram turns into a race to save the life of little girl.
With the help of an unlikely group of people, can they hide the deep secrets of a stowaway? How will they convince their neighbors that this mystery girl isn’t a Jew? Have Lars and Hans signed their own death certificates?
So If you’re into WWII fictional history, or if you’re just a lover of a suspense and drama, then The End of the Line would be a great book for you!
I watched youtube videos in preparation, one being by Thomas Burby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kln1mTngLq4.
- Make sure you finish the book
- Make sure you have the book with you
- Introduce yourself
- Title/author/genre/how many pages
- Talk ABOUT the book, sell it, but don’t give a summary and NO spoliers!
CITED
Burby, T. (2014). How To Do A Booktalk. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kln1mTngLq4.
Book Link
https://www.amazon.ca/End-Line-Sharon-McKay/dp/1554516587/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511457372&sr=8-1&keywords=the+end+of+the+line
S1 – H & IC A – post 5 – academic libraries/booktalks pt 2 – due Sunday November 26th @ 11:59pm
Post one of your OMER paragraphs from Tuesday’s class: The purchase of textbooks by the library – yes or no?; Document delivery fees – ancillary fee or pay/use?; Library Zones – should food be allowed? AND…
Regarding the speed dating event…What worked well with our speed dating event? What didn’t work well? How would you improve or modify this event if you delivered it at the DC/UOIT library? AND….
Regarding your delivery of a booktalk…Who delivered an especially memorable booktalk? Why? What else do you need to learn about booktalking to become an effective booktalker? When you are employed as a LIT, what steps will you take if you need to deliver multiple booktalks on a theme?
pt 1.
I do believe that the college should keep at least one copy of each text book used for courses provided by the college. I believe this because it makes logical sense to have course texts as an emergency resources. There are many reasons why a student OR professor could need access to a text. I think the issues regarding copyright can be addressed by putting these items on reserve, and only available in a study space that doesn’t have access to a scanner. I mean, really…. it’s NOT that hard to monitor library visitors, and no it doesn’t make a LIT a babysitter to be aware of how their reserve collection is being utilized by students.
pt 2.
I really enjoyed the speed dating book talks! I think that it worked well, and in theory it was a great system. The only suggestion I could make is that we would arranged it better physically around the class room. Also implementing some sort of clock to time the shifting better. (This was my fav. activity)
pt 3.
Who delivered an especially memorable booktalk? Why?
I really enjoyed Andrea’s book talk. She is a great speaker and her book talk was well constructed and engaged me. She has great enthusiasm when she is speaking and I could tell that she actually read the book.
We’ve actually decided to trade books once this activity is completely finished, and thanks to her book talk, i’m truly looking forward to reading it.
What else do you need to learn about book talking to become an effective booktalker?
I need to learn how to not be nervous when speaking in front of people. I also wish I would have spent more time understanding the book, and not just reading it quickly. I know what the book it about, but I didn’t time getting to KNOW the book and forming my own solid feelings towards it.
When you are employed as a LIT, what steps will you take if you need to deliver multiple booktalks on a theme?
- choose a theme
- determine the age group/interest group
- consult a site like Tinlids
- utilize selection tools
- Possibly use something similar to Forest of Reading Sets
- I would set up a table to display all the titles
- Then I would execute an awesome presentation with my newly gained public speaking courage!
CS1 – Homework and In-class Activities – post 7 – school libraries – due Sunday December 3rd @ 11:59pm
Regarding the readers’ theatre activity…
- What worked well?
- What didn’t work well?
- How would you improve or modify this event if you delivered it at a school library?
Use the ERIC index to create an APA formatted bibliography with at least 5 items that appear to be useful for helping school library staff with the planning and delivery of a readers theatre activity.
ANSWER
- What worked well?
I think that the Reader’s Theater for the book Mortimer, by Robert Munsch was a great activity! It worked well because everyone had a script and everyone knew their role. I think it was great that we had some prep. via listening to the author do his own rendition, it gave us an idea of what was expected.
- What didn’t work well?
What didn’t work well was individual to the reader. Some people don’t project their voice clearly or loud enough for a large room to hear. Bad projection can negatively affect the outcome of Reader’s Theater.
- How would you improve or modify this event if you delivered it at a school library?
If I was to deliver a program like this at a school library I would:
- incorporate some fun props/costumes
- stress the importance of projecting and enunciation
- have the audience move in closer
Chou, C. (2013). A Study on the Effectiveness of Applying “Readers’ Theater” as English Remedial Instruction for Underachievers. Taiwan Journal Of TESOL, 10(1), 77-103.
Lekwilai, P. (2014). Reader’s Theater: An Alternative Tool to Develop Reading Fluency among Thai EFL Learners. PASAA: Journal Of Language Teaching And Learning In Thailand, 4889-111.
Lewis, M., & Feng, J. (2014). The Effect of Readers’ Theatre on the Reading Ability of Elementary Special Education Students.
Ratliff, G. L. (1998). Reader’s Theatre: A “Theatrical Impulse” in the Classroom Performance of Literature.
Robertson, M. E., & Primary English Teaching Association, R. (. (Australia). (1990). “True Wizardry”: Readers Theatre in the Classroom. PEN 79.
CS1 – Homework and In-class Activities – post 8 – groupwork evaluation – due Friday December 22nd @ 12:00pm
Reflect on your small group assignment then answer the following questions:
1. What worked well? Why?
Our group worked great together because we all made the same amount of effort in making our activity educational, interactive and by having great organization.
2. Did having class time to work on the assignment help ensure your group was successful? Why?
I do think this was helpful. Even though I had a great team, it could be difficult to get everyone together. So time set aside during class was great.
3. Group work is one of the most important skills identified by employers and members of the LIT Program Advisory Committee. One of the skills that this assignment was designed to allow you to practise and demonstrate was your ability to “interact with others in groups or teams in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals”. How effective was this assignment in helping you learn to work with others to achieve a goal? Why?
This activity was the most constructive group activity that I was involved with this semester.
Please provide constructive feedback about the group work aspect of this assignment.
Meet Me In The Stacks 