#ist 611

[klnay-blog]

Advocacy - What NOT to Do

If I've learned one thing in library school - it's how to advocate for the library at a moment's notice. As a library science grad student, everyday moments and conversations are an important avenue for explaining what a librarian actually does and why it's important for me to be in grad school (a nickel for every "You need a degree to be a librarian?!" would probably cover my tuition). I've gotten quite adept at explaining my chosen profession - and even my chosen sub-profession (children's librarianship - even many librarians don't fully get us). Even my husband is on it. He loves talking about libraries to his customers at work!

I don't think I have to argue with anyone that advocacy is an important part of my job. If you've entered the profession recently, just telling friends and family about the decision to go to library school was probably enough to demonstrate that!

As Dr. Arnone said this week, "Advocacy is about changing perceptions." And this reminded me of an advocacy piece I saw a few weeks ago. In many ways, it was a stereotypical advocacy video for school libraries - which is why I want to use it to discuss what NOT to do in advocacy. 

While I can't find the original video, a number of similar videos can be found here: http://libraryschool.libguidescms.com/advocacy. Watch a couple, then come back here. 

...

Did you catch the pattern? The problem with almost every single video?

We start with the outdated perceptions people have of libraries. 

"You may remember the library as the old dusty quiet place..." "The school library - not just books anymore!" "Gone are the card catalogs and microfiche of ten years ago - the school library of today is on the cutting edge of new technology." "We're out of the dark ages!"

And so on and so on. 

This drives me absolutely crazy, for a number of reasons. 

First, it denigrates our history unnecessarily. Sure, the microfiche and the index don't seem like innovations in information retrieval and storage now - but they were important technologies in their time!

Two, it makes it seem that libraries have only recently figured out this "computer" thing. I am 25 years old and I have NEVER used a card catalog. Ever. Libraries have been evolving for a long time. Individual libraries have changed at different rates, sure, but we didn't completely stall for 30 years. 

Three - this is the most important part - when we use those outdated images and perceptions, even as we're trying to prove that things have changed, we reinforce those perceptions. When we invoke these old frames, these old ways of thinking about libraries, we undercut our own point. Those frames strengthen with repetition - so by using them as rhetorical device, we compromise our message about what the library is doing now, reinforcing those outdated stereotypes rather than challenging them. 

Effective advocacy doesn't require a disdainful view of our own history. 

So librarians who always reference the (non-existent) dark days? 

Kindly knock it off. 

[klnay-blog]

Scattered Thoughts on Cyberbullying

Fresh from presenting* on this very topic at the 2014 New York Library Association conference, this week's 611 discussion is all about cyberbullying. 

It's a topic I've thought a lot about. I was never bullied in school- I am grateful to have been spared that (on a related note- check out this article in the Atlantic. It captures a lot of my own experience in relatively clique-free schools). 

I don't buy the arguments that defend bullying by dismissing it as "kids will be kids." No. In telling our children the lie that "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" we teach them that it is okay to perpetrate acts of violence, we teach them that adults won't protect them, and we teach them that cruelty is a natural part of the world (absolving them from the ethical responsibility to choose another path). 

I really appreciated one of our readings this week, which argued that adult ways of framing and responding to the bullying crisis are fundamentally flawed. Teenagers don't see these social interactions through the traditional lens of "bully" and "victim." Instead, they use the language of "drama". As Boyd and Marwick write,

"Teenagers say drama when they want to diminish the importance of something. Repeatedly, teenagers would refer to something as “just stupid drama,” “something girls do,” or “so high school.” We learned that drama can be fun and entertaining; it can be serious or totally ridiculous; it can be a way to get attention or feel validated. But mostly we learned that young people use the term drama because it is empowering.

Dismissing a conflict that’s really hurting their feelings as drama lets teenagers demonstrate that they don’t care about such petty concerns. They can save face while feeling superior to those tormenting them by dismissing them as desperate for attention. Or, if they’re the instigators, the word drama lets teenagers feel that they’re participating in something innocuous or even funny, rather than having to admit that they’ve hurt someone’s feelings. Drama allows them to distance themselves from painful situations." (Emphasis mine). 

I'm not a fan of community "Anti-Bullying" event nights. They feel contrived and artificial to me and I'd be surprised if there's any data that points to their efficacy. Suggested programs like this one make it look like the community is "standing up to bullying" and "protecting the children" but by nature, they are shallow, performative events. And they do exactly what the article above warns against doing - using a framework that kids don't. 

How do we stop cyberbullying? We give kids the tools and language and space to talk about their feelings. We honor and respect their emotions, their aspirations, their opinions. We give them the chance to meaningfully participate in community life. We watch our own language, our own presumptions, our own prejudices about people who are different from us, people we disagree with, people who frighten us. After all, how can we expect our children to behave better than we do? 

*If you'd like to check out our presentation, you can find it at this link: tinyurl.com/p9hlcsa  The full text our presentation is included. 

[klnay-blog]

Navigating Intellectual Freedom in the Children's Section

I'll be blunt. I think it's harder to defend intellectual freedom as a children's librarian than as an adult services librarian. 

No contest. 

Because while patrons may occasionally express displeasure at certain books meant for adults, most adults don't want to censor the reading of fellow adults. Patrons who disapprove of books in the children's or teen's section, however, is a frequent occurrence. 

To borrow a phrase from the Bard, "Hell has no fury like a parent who thinks their child's innocence has been lost."

I've not faced any formal challenges yet, but many parents have been upset at certain books in the library's collection. For example, one mother returned a book, furious at its "graphic" and "inappropriate" content. It was a book on the human body, designed for preschoolers, that featured the correct medical terms for anatomy and scientifically accurate drawings of human reproductive systems. "Kids just don't need to know that yet!"

When I attempted to explain that the book received acclaim from the American Academy of Pediatrics and that it's important to have accurate information, she angrily responded to my (calm) comments with a dismissive, "Well you wouldn't understand - you're clearly not a parent yet!" (as an aside- how on earth did she reach that conclusion?! I mean, she's right, but I'm nearly 25 years old and married to boot- it's not out of the realm of possibility). 

Most of the encounters aren't nearly so straightforward as that one was (and I realize that one was fairly mild, all things considered). Most of the time, the disapproval comes through in snide comments, a raised eyebrow, a pursed lip, a request for "nice books only". 

It's a hard balance to affirm both the right to intellectual freedom of the child and the authority of the parent. This is especially true in the public library (as opposed to the school library) for a few reasons. 1. The parents usually look to see what their child checks out (in a school, a child could check out a book and keep it at school). 2. To come to the public library (not accessible by walking or public transport), the children and teens are reliant on their parents. 

Since I took my new position, I've also been struggling with book recommendations. I'm a huge supporter of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign and I like recommending titles that feature a wide range of characters. But my community definitely skews rather conservative or "traditional" on certain subjects and I have to fight hard against the temptation not to recommend certain books because I'm unsure how parents will react. (Better Nate than Never, which is a fantastic, important book, springs to mind). 

It's a hard road. A good one, to be sure. But a lot harder in reality than in theory. 

[klnay-blog]

Podcasting and QR Codes

Podcasts

Using Quicktime Player to record and PodOmatic to publish, I created my first podcast this week. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE booktalking. It's one of my favorite things about working in a library. When my orders of new books come in, I practically accost my patrons to tell them all about the new books, from picture books to YA titles. I finished Hook's Revenge by Heidi Shulz just this week, so it was a natural choice (what a fun read - I can't wait until the next book comes out). 

The process of making a podcast was quite easy - I hadn't used PodOmatic before but as Dr. Arnone recommended it, I thought I would check it out. I was very impressed with how streamlined the process was - I particularly liked adding an image to the podcast (though I wish it didn't have to be square!). 

Booktalks and podcasts are such a natural fit in the library - someday, I'd like to be able to embed short podcasts in the library catalog (functioning as short reviews from other students). Podcasts could be used for capturing interviews (visiting authors, local history, oral storytelling) or recording recaps of lessons for absent students. Students could also create radio theater productions or share their poetry. In terms of professional development, I think it would be great to create podcasts after conferences to talk about the new ideas that were presented - I envision several librarians talking to each other, comparing notes and thinking of future plans. 

My podcast can be accessed at the following link: http://kyra-nay14.podomatic.com/entry/2014-10-25T17_44_06-07_00

QR Codes

I didn't make a new QR code this week, though I've done so in the past. I have been meaning to make one for my wifi password though (it's quite long and a pain to tell to guests!). 

However, on a recent trip to Green Lakes Park here in Syracuse, I saw this awesome example of QR codes in use that I wanted to share because I think it's a great idea. 

The fifth graders at Minoa Elementary made these signs that were displayed along the path at the park - you could scan the QR codes to access their research. What a great way to meaningfully share students' work with the community! 

[klnay-blog]

I created this mock library promo for my IST 611 course this week (you may recognize those posters from a previous post!). Most of the events I mentioned in the video were actually things I did this past Banned Books Week (though sadly, my book discussion of The Giver did not include free movie tickets). 

I do have a tendency to speak a little fast and I tripped over my words here and there, but this shot was good enough (especially when I have more homework waiting). 

It's a dark and dreary day here, so lighting was a bit difficult - I hope it's clear enough. 

This was my first video to which I've added close captioning. YouTube makes it really, really easy. In fact, their automatically generated captions were almost perfect. I only made a few changes. If you've never added CC to videos, I would encourage you to start. It's a simple way to make your videos more accessible. 

And for any fans of Tabletop and/or Wil Wheaton - I hope you enjoy my sign-off here. 

[klnay-blog]

Blogging in the Library

I love the idea of blogging. 

Really love it. I think it's a great way to connect - with students, parents, other teachers, fellow librarians. It's a fantastic advocacy tool since you can show student work and progress to the larger community (with appropriate privacy modifications of course). It provides librarians a platform to talk about key issues, show off new materials, post tutorials to cool educational technologies, and give a sense of personality to the library's online presence. 

I read so many blogs - both librarian and non-library related. It's one of my favorite parts of my morning routine. I make my tea and I sit down with my iPad to read blogs via Feedly (P.S. for my classmates struggling with managing RSS feeds - feedly is the way to go). Blogs are a source of inspiration for meals, outfits, storytime crafts. They're a source of learning and connection, as I encounter perspectives different from my own. 

All that to say, for as much as I love blogging, I am terrible at it. I blog in fits and starts, and almost always need a push (like this discussion assignment) to do so. In this very busy season of life, blogging is an easy thing to let slide. 

So do I want to blog as a librarian? Absolutely. I want a place to share interesting news, book reviews, student projects, etc. But to make that happen, I'll have to make it way more of a priority than I do now. 

Edited to add: Forgot to add CC/AASL Standards. 

CC.6.W.2 Text Types and Purposes: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

CC.6.W.3 Text Types and Purposes: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

AASL 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects and make the real world connection for using this process in own life.

2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.

[librarian-lady-blog]

Advocacy and the School Library

How can you engage others to be advocates of the school library?

This question was posed to us as a part of our discussion for my course entitled "Information Technologies in Educational Organizations." Of the readings we were given on the topic of advocacy, I found one particularly helpful in answering this question, the ALA's School Library Program Health and Wellness Toolkit. Essentially, it states that in order to gain support for the library, we must consider what is important to those who could advocate for the library and try to address the needs of these individuals and groups through library programing. In the article, the ALA gives readers specific steps to follow in order to advocate effectively: Step One:  Know Your Stakeholders [Know who the stakeholders are and their "agendas."] Step Two: Alignment [Think of how the stakeholders' agendas align with library activities and goals.] Step Three: Program Promotion [Have the programs you implement be designed based on the alignment between stakeholder needs and library mission.] Step Four: Evaluation and Evidence [Evaluate how the programs you implemented impacted the areas important to stakeholders.] Step Five: Share Findings [Make the presentations of findings evident to stakeholders.]

While I found these tips to be extremely helpful, I also believe that there is something that librarians must have that cannot be taught: passion. When I think of advocacy, for me, it is this word--passion--that comes to mind. Although librarians can follow the steps outlined by the ALA, if they do not have passion for their programs and what they are doing in the library, it will be more difficult to win outside advocates for the library. 

Earlier this fall, I visited the Cazenovia Public Library (CPL), and was extremely impressed with the programs that they have available to help the community. CPL has a great deal of support from the community for these programs, with many giving both financially and with their time in order to support these programs, and this library clearly has become a vital component in the community. I believe a major reason that the library has garnered such support is a direct result of the passion of director Betsy Kennedy as her passion to help others is apparent and contagious. Although CPL is a public library, I believe that, in this way, it can be a model for school libraries, as well. 

[librarian-lady-blog]

Is there any theoretical framework information architects can use to inform their design decisions? Perhaps our field is too young to have a mature theory, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a set of immutable principles that give us a sense of quality in IA. Daniel Brown  talks about eight principles of information architecture that influence the rules and frameworks that govern the experience, why each is important, and why they are immutable. After sharing examples of each principle, he concludes with a rationale for a comprehensive theory of IA, exploring why every designer needs to have their own set of design principles.

This 20-minute talk was really helpful for me in understanding what makes a good website design. Also check out Brown's article on information architecture.