Latinx In Libraryland

Nora lives in her mind somewhere on planet earth. Lover of libraries, photography, adobe programs, yoga, flicks, books, music and all things delicious, she enjoys starting her day with a cup of half n half with a splash of coffee which she consumes while updating her Twitter and Tumblr. ps. she is still mourning the disappearance of Lost from her DVR.

[latinxinlibraryland]

Last team project

For our last project our team decided to do an instructional program on Animoto. Our thought process was to create a program focused on technology for middle schoolers. 

The most difficult part was ensuring the technology worked. We met 3 separate times and the second time the Animoto servers were down. We were a bit nervous that the site wouldn’t be back up in time for class, but fortunately they were only down for the day.  To engage learners for this age group, we agreed it was important to provide a myriad of ways to express questions/thoughts for different learners—hence offering the padlet. What surprised me was how difficult it was to get “students” to engage. I suppose it was karma for all of my years of being too shy to speak up in class. :)

Melton and Eileen were rockstars. All the people were nice. This was a pretty great class. 

[latinxinlibraryland]

This guide is designed to inform those who work with children. The year 2020 has made many aware of the racial inequalities that exist in ou

For this Pathfinder assignment, I opted to use Wakelet since I hadn’t had a chance to work with it throughout the semester. Towards the end of the assignment it decided to jumble up all of my cards…that was a bit frustrating and it took longer than expected to maneuver the tiles back into place. And it deleted a few! Also, I kept looking to see if there was a way to change with the layout, the theme, the fonts…I missed Padlet. Haha. Still, I was glad I had a chance to sample it.

My audience for this pathfinder was educators, library staff…those who work with kids…parents can also make use of it. The pathfinder I created is a guide on Anti-Racism in Children’s Books. I shared video from Professor Ibram X. Kendy to explain the importance of being antiracist in addition to Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s essay of books as mirrors and windows. There is a mix of video, articles, essays and book recommendations.

Sidenote: I finally figured out how to properly add a hashtag below!

[latinxinlibraryland]

In selecting a topic for this tutorial, I went with “learning the basics of doing an image search on Google” since it’s something I help many people with at my public library. In conceptualizing the tutorial, I wrote a script, delineating the steps I want the audience to know ensuring that I disseminated the information in an orderly way. I did have to record myself quite a few times to grow accustomed with the process of making one of these recordings. Having never created one one these, I was a bit nervous. I went with Screencastify and was pretty happy with it. It was intuitive and allowed for tension to ease quickly. That said, I did have to record a few times...I fumbled my way through the script quite a bit initially. Glad to be able to cross this off my list of things I’ve done. 

[latinxinlibraryland]

Awesome Tables!

Every time I logged into the 724 Resources pages I’ve felt a bit of frustration with the time it takes for the page to load and the layout. Happy to be a part of the process to update the resources and verify the viability of the links. Culling through the various sites was fun and educational. I found 6 dead links—a couple of tools and a few articles that are no longer available. I also added Padlet and Pearltrees under the curation site label. I was unaware of Awesome Tables which is a handy tool, in itself. Overall, this was a great opportunity to learn while doing a bit of clean up. 

[latinxinlibraryland]

I am enjoying this class so much! I’ve always wanted to make a book trailer! I knew right away I wanted to make my book trailer on the new book We Are Water Protectors. I storyboarded, scripted text, found a few images online...but mostly photographed images from the actual book which I happen to have at home. The images are so powerful, I was mindful to zero in on specific parts of the illustrations to build a cohesive message. The first video I made through Animoto--first time using this application. A few things I noted about Animoto, the limited text count made script editing fun. :) The second video was made in Adobe Spark. I front loaded the text and let the images sit quietly. As a result both videos have differing effects. I’m still unsure which I like better. In both cases the struggle came in selecting the right video template and music. The mood I was looking to set was soft, melodic and blue. I was glad to make a trailer for such a beautiful book, and most definitely felt pressure in doing it justice.

[latinxinlibraryland]

Digital Storytelling

Certain aspects of this assignment were challenging. The storyboarding and selecting of materials was easy. I feel fortunate for my project partners. With each assignment we get a better understanding of one another and communication flows with ease. The challenge arose when we realized that we would need to work on the WeVideo platform through Eileen’s computer instead of collaborating from our own computers. Eileen had already uploaded the images we’d be using onto the platform so it seemed the best choice to work on the assignment through her computer. Fortunately, I have some experience with digital editing and was able to find the parallels between WeVideo and Final Cut/iMovie but there were times when we were stumped for a bit. It was an interesting experience to talk someone through the steps of video editing on a virtual platform. But we got it done! That said, we went an hour past the class time and at the end, went with a song that was, perhaps, a bit too loud for the project. Our Caldecott video’s background was filled with the cacophonous sounds of EDM music...it made for a fun way to spend my birthday! Dance Party! :) Overall, we learned a no tool and learned that we can collaborate on a project like this on a virtual platform--both great lessons! Oh also, we learned a few facts on the Caldecott Award along the way, too!

[latinxinlibraryland]

For this LIS 724 assignment I chose to create a digital flyer and a paper flyer to advertise “library card sign-up month”.  

I decided to start by creating the digital flyer on Adobe Spark since I’m pretty comfortable with it. Having majored in fine arts for my undergrad degree made this assignment relatively easy for me…not because I’m great at making art/design projects. When you get a Bachelor’s degree in art you become accustomed to churning out multiple creative projects a week. 

Adobe Spark’s intuitive features made it so the hardest part was selecting one of the many customizable templates. I flipped through a myriad of templates and upon seeing one that had three icons at the center, I knew what my flyer was going to look like. I was inspired to swap out the icons for a book related theme for my poster. “Eat, Read, Sleep” at the center. Would there be icons that could relay the message to the reader? Ding, ding, ding. Yes. Phew!  I deviated from the template by modifying the font and color to stand out a bit more. Horizontal seemed like a better choice for a digital flyer, when considering social media posts. I made sure to not add too much information on the far left and right sides in case the flyer needed to be squeezed into a square post. I also added a text box. 

As for designing the paper flyer, I went with Canva. It was my first time using this tool. It took some getting used to but I had a relatively easy time with it. I wanted to go with a superhero theme. I searched for a good Spiderman photo, added it to the canvas, lowered the opacity and thought a reference to our superhero would be fitting so I added the “swing by your FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD library” to the poster. I also thought a paper flyer would benefit from a QR code with the idea that a passerby reader could pull up the library’s website for further information. 

Overall, Canva is a solid design tool that I would use again. I liked the templates and it was user-friendly. 

[latinxinlibraryland]

Google Slides into 1st

My collaborative experience with Google Slides as a free online presentation software was overwhelmingly positive! I’ve always been a huge fan of Google products, privacy be damned! With the exception of Google Circles. I have used Google Slides in the past but never in a collaborative way and not often, in all honesty. To be able to edit as a team on one presentation tool is valueable. The real time component is extremely beneficial. There were times where I would log in to work on the slides to find that my teammates were also working on the project which was great. We were able to share thoughts back and forth via the comment box. To be able to receive immediate feedback was beneficial as opposed to sending an email and awaiting a response. Additionally, I appreciated being able to give feedback on their work.

Other elements of Google Slides that I appreciated:

-Wide variety of templates

-Ease of use in formatting slides

-Revision history (it was beneficial to see what changes the other collaborators had made)

Powerpoint is great but I don’t have it on my laptop. And that is another huge win for Google Slides--the accessibility factor. It’s available for free to anyone with a Google account. Beyond that, it is easy to control who can view, comment on, or edit the Google presentations. In the past I have typically used Apple’s Keynote because I love Apple (and it’s on my Dock). 

After gaining experience on Google Slides and learning the many services it provides--I’d say, it wins. Especially when working on a team project. I will make use of it during presentations perhaps during outreach programming to classrooms. Or if presenting at a conference. Or if working on a program. There are many occasions where this tool will come in handy!

[latinxinlibraryland]

MAKERSPACES 4 T(W)EENS

For this assignment, our team was tasked to build a Makerspace—room specifications, furnishings, equipment, tools, and materials all included. The night of class a few decisions were made for our public library Makerspace. This process required some discussion at the start as to the overall goal of the space, what services we wanted the space to provide with the audience in mind.

- audience: tweens

- STEM/STEAM centered projects

We then split up what each of us would work on. Melton chose Science and Technology while Eileen chose Engineering and Math. Which left me with Art in addition to providing a space description.  

Upon knowing what our “areas” of service were it was on us to individually do research. After spending a few hours falling down Makerspace rabbit holes on the world wide web, I decided on using the grant money to buy a vinyl cutter and 4 sewing machines along with materials for both sets of equipment. Both of these tools provide STEAM-inspired, hands on learning via fun projects. I also researched the brand, weighing my options between 2 choices typically. For the vinyl cutter I selected the Cricut which will allow kids to produce their own designs/patterns and to assemble an actual product—which is great for this age group. For the Sewing Machine, I selected the Janome Derby Portable Sewing Machine. What color you ask? Mystical Mint! :) This machine will be great for little hands and yet still useable by teens.

By Sunday evening everyone had added their costs to our budget for the space. I took a look at what Melton and Eileen had come up with and it looked great. I did bring up a point about perhaps opening up the space to a wider age range since it would be unlikely that a library would dedicate a large space to such a narrow age range (10-13). Eileen brought up a great point that the space could be shared out at different times.

Next up, slideshow!

[latinxinlibraryland]

Sparks are flying!

In having to create a brochure for class, the first step was to decide what tool to use. After considering my options, I settled on Adobe Spark. A fellow librarian had highly recommended it for its user friendly capabilities. So I did a bit of research and it turns out that Adobe Spark is known for providing non-designer tools to create professional looking content. Well color me surprised!

As a photographer, I know Adobe to not be very accessible. Adobe is amazing but intuitive it is (usually) not. 

Once I decided the tool, it was time to determine content and aesthetics. I took a great deal of pleasure in figuring out what palette would create contrast for the text to stand out and be most visually interesting to draw the reader in. I settled on blues and whites. The palette lent a unified look to the piece. 

In creating the content, I had to ensure that my messaging was clear and concise for a wide ranging audience. My audience could be someone that would instinctually know what to do with a QR code upon sight OR might not. With that in mind I placed language directing what to do with the code. I chose a trifold so it was important to assess the placement of information. Where would a person’s eyes land first? Each panel was determined with that in mind. 

Above all is ensuring that the information on Mango was clear and accessible to all. 

Adobe Sparks for the win on this one! You made my job easy and fun! I’d recommend it for someone who is looking to be creative in their marketing without necessarily having to be a graphic designer.

Please note: This is not an advertisement! I am simply an MLIS student trying to make it in the world amidst a pandemic. Stay safe all! :)

[latinxinlibraryland]

group interactive lesson

The theme for my LIS 724 group’s interactive lesson was Copyright. Seeing that the three of us have experience in public libraries, we opted to maintain the same setting for a "Copyright 101" program, with the targeted audience being beginners looking for the fundamentals of Copyright Law. Initially, we struggled a bit in selecting the proper platform for our lesson (no thank you, pearltrees), but after some guidelines were provided by the professor, we settled on the digital learning platform "blendspace" due to the various interactive resources it provides. We hit the ground running, with Eileen and I looking for content that would be appealing and informative while Melton was gathering information to create a quiz. I would hope that I moved discussions along by asking questions that allowed for clarity in our goals. My goal was also to find interesting content such as the Disney copyright video and tools that we could share with our audience.  (Discussing my contributions is not a strong suit, but I will work on this!)

We spent the entire time allotted for this assignment brainstorming and researching with everyone contributing, resulting in a productive and respectful atmosphere. In the end, we created a blend space that was filled with general information, fun videos, Copyright tools for various needs, and a quiz to asses what people learned during the program. I not only walked away feeling accomplished from the assignment’s completion, but also learned from Eileen and Melton. I'm also confident in this team's ability to furnish good quality projects. And I'm excited to learn from my colleagues.

[latinxinlibraryland]

And the Winner Is...Blogging Platform Selection

There are so many blogging platforms to choose from. It’s one of those good problems to have. As I explored the options provided, I noticed that the benefit to Tumblr in particular was simplicity. While I considered Blogger and Wordpress because they offer robust options and a lot of customization potential, I feel like that might be an undertaking for another day. With Tumblr, you can add text, photos, quotes, links, chats, audio, or video. With that in mind, the ability to keep it simple seems like the best option to reach folks who may (or may not) be overwhelmed with an inundation of resources or media. As a result, this platform may be the most logical inroad and as I work to build my PLN, I will circle back and evaluate whether or not I can/should pivot to or incorporate other platforms. Social media allows for me to build my PLN beyond any individual platforms, while still incorporating and leveraging the simplicity of Tumblr. Since patrons exist along a vast spectrum, it seems that they would be best served with something that allows for a simpler, streamlined mode of communication. Tumblr also offers a safe way for me to dip my toes in the video and audio options as I move forward.

[latinxinlibraryland]

The Librarian That Gotham Deserves

It’s a brave new world when it comes to accessing, analyzing, and vetting the avalanche of information that we’re presented with daily as adults in 2020. In many ways, this reality is not much different for our students’ experiences except most have been immersed in this sometimes disorienting reality since birth. While we’re all trying to wrap our developed, adult minds around these things in our personal lives, it becomes abundantly clear that we should be more responsive to this societal and educational need. We (teachers in conjunction with librarians) should be functioning as guides for students navigating this reality (a reality that’s significantly different from our own at their ages).

Teachers are expected to be masters of their content, child development, social-emotional learning, designers of learning experiences, differentiators of instruction, generators of effective feedback, among a million other things. The case for staff development time to demonstrate to teachers/staff the need for media literacy instruction makes itself. We are born in water and must learn to swim. The consequences of ignoring this reality are potentially costly for us as a society and will assuredly be costly on a personal level for students. 

With all of the unrealistic demands on teachers, it is clear that providing space, time, and opportunity to learn and explore issues of media literacy is immensely important. The Medium article, The Librarian as an Instructional Partner makes a solid case for how and why such a partnership would work. From co-planning to collaborating or introducing ideas to PLCs, a librarian-teacher partnership empowers all involved and leads to better student outcomes. As the article implies, the strengths of a librarian and the strengths of teachers compliment one another very well. For instance, librarians are well versed in curation, inquiry, information literacy, digital literacy, and the ethical use of information and this can be a great support for teachers as they plan lessons or consider unit goals.  

While Why I Still Love the Words Library and Librarian complicates the use of terms like media center/specialist and lands on a preference for library/librarian, there is a genuine shift that seems to be responsible for the pivot towards the former. Whatever we are called or wherever we do our work, the realm of media and digital literacy is now, more than ever, an integral part of the work we do. As a result, it is increasingly obvious that our professional strengths in the areas of information and media literacy are now critical needs in all classrooms. We have a society currently dealing with misinformation and fake news during fraught times. We have never before needed a critical lens like we need today when it comes to finding, evaluating, analyzing and using information. Students, teachers, community members, and all stakeholders need the support of a librarian to guide them through strengthening these new media muscles.