REFLECTIVE JOURNAL

Betsy Summers Emporia State University

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Note: This journal is a reflection of thoughts, observations, and ideas that occurred during the 801 Foundations of Library and Information Science class with Professor Reed, August November 2010.

Sunday, August 15, 2010 Our 801 professor has asked us to begin a Reflective Journal. After downloading all the materials to read and react to and after re-reading the syllabus, it seems just a little intimidating; but I think it will be manageable, once I work out a routine. The more I read about my soon-to-be profession, the more Ive come to realize how important libraries are to the very fabric of our society. I remember when my mom (a middle school librarian herself) used to tell me that you could judge a community by their library. I think she was right. Look at Portlands. I read this in Thursdays Oregonian newspaper: For the eighth year in a row, the Multnomah County Library in Portland had the highest circulation in the nation last year for libraries serving less than 1 million residents, the library announced today. The circulation of 22.7 million items in 2009 was an average of 31 items checked out or renewed for every person in the county, which has a population of about 700,000 (Brettman, 2010). That is awesome. Portland is so lucky to have such a wonderful library system. Indianapolis was second. My moms hometown.

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Tuesday, August 17 Reading Rubin (2010) last night, I was troubled by the stance of the ALA on so many issues. As an organization representing its professional members, they just seem like they wont take a stand on an issue; they refuse to choose a side. No backbone. Is this a good thing? Is this what associations tend to do? I posted some of these issues on Bb, so well see if anyone else feels the same way. Bb: In the 1950s and 60s, when civil rights were the country's biggest issue, ALA quietly sat in the background, not wanting to offend its southern libraries, so they missed the opportunity to promote desegregation in all libraries. Regrettably, ALA was not outspoken on the issue of library service to African Americans until the 1960s, when the civil rights movement made it impossible to ignore (Rubin, 2010). Bb: Today, with the huge debate about the words library vs. information, ALA again has lost its voice. Instead of stepping up and defending the word library - a word in its own name! - Its noncommittal stance threatens the whole institution of librarianship. It is not likely that the library versus information debate will dissipate soon. However, the notion of two competing paradigms is more likely to confuse, rather than facilitate, the discussion (Rubin, 2010). Bb: Even early on it seemed the ALA, basically created by Dewey, wouldn't even support Dewey own attempts to provide and promote a standard academic scholarship for librarians. [His] proposal, however, was not well received at ALA (Rubin, 2010).

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Bb: The ALA Code of Ethics requires librarians to update their professional skills, but it's strictly voluntary. Does anyone have a problem with that statement? Unlike teaching where licensure often requires it, most library positions have no CE requirements, nor do employers offer monetary rewards as incentives. (Rubin, 2010) So, what in the world is going on with our association? Are they so muddled in politics, with too many opposing views, that they can never come to consensus on anything because they don't want to offend anyone, so consequently, they never take a stance? Im pretty sure this is the book I read last year for Dominicans intro class 701, except this is the updated edition. And its so much better. I love how he compares what people said and I love how hes not afraid to throw in some controversy. Plus the questions he asks . . . all good stuff. And Carnegie, (CarNEG) like they say on NPR. Wasnt he something? Too bad more of our billionaires today dont have that same philanthropic outlook and ambition, like Bill Gates and the Internet. They really could change the world.

[unshelved.com]

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Friday, August 20 In reading Diamonds (2001) Professionalism in Librarianship, Im struck by the obvious question: Are librarians professionals? Diamond sites a New York Court document that describes what a professional is: A profession is not [merely] a business. 1t is distinguished by [1] the requirements of extensive formal training and learning, [2] admission to practice by qualifying licensure, [3) code of ethics imposing standards qualitatively and extensively beyond those that prevail or are tolerated in the marketplace, [4] a system for discipline of its members for a violation of the code of ethics, 15] duties to subordinate financial reward to social responsibility and, notably, an obligation on its members even in non-professional matters, to conduct themselves as members of a learned, disciplined and honorable occupation (Glaser& Lewis, 1995, p. 575). The problem I see here is that the ALA refuses to implement standards on its members; once again trying to please everyone. Continuing education isnt even mandatory. So, are librarians professionals?

Monday, August 23 Neal Peirce had a great editorial in the Oregonian today, about the transformation public libraries are making in these extraordinary times. It seems that the public understands the value of libraries, whereas sometimes our politicians think that libraries are an easy

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place to save a few bucks. Luckily, the general public has demonstrated outraged by library closings, shortening of hours, etc., at a time when they are needed most. For many communities, libraries are the only source of help in job searches, Internet access, etc. And, Peirce actually points out that per capita a circulation for books (remember those?) has increased 20 percent over the last ten years. My favorite line by Peirce: Whats more American than open doors? Seen this way, libraries have been enablers of generations of Americans dreams (Peirce, 2010). The argument is that libraries are as American as you can get. They are what make the idea of America great; that you can improve yourself no matter what your lot in life. That if you want to know, to learn, to better yourself, simply go to your local public library. Its free to anyone and everyone. We want you to succeed at whatever you want to succeed at. We are there to help you achieve your goals, whatever they are. How cool it that?

Saturday, August 28 Reading Grover and Glaziers Conceptual Framework (1986), I was puzzled when they wrote that research done in the library and information sciences rarely attempt to build upon the formal theories of others: Seldom does a researcher replicate a study in another area of the profession to attempt building a formal theory. In addition, there have been few documented attempts to apply

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formal theory from other disciplines to library and information science (Grover, 1986). So, why is this? I have a theory. Following Grover and Glaziers guidelines which state that the foundations of building a theory can be as simple as forming an opinion by acquiring information through readings, discussions and experiences. So here goes. Using Homanss (Grover, 1986) definition of theory based on deductive reasoning, I will attempt to analyze why researchers in the library and information sciences tend not to use each others work. Librarians and information scientists tend to be introverts. Introverts prefer to work alone. Therefore, research done on libraries and information science lacks any comparative formal theory. There. I know, its not backed up by any specific research, I dont have any citations, but hey, its a start!

Monday, August 30 As I reread Elizabeth Hovdes (2010) editorial about public libraries that was in yesterdays Oregonian, I know shes trying to support its cause by stating the fact the our public libraries are very diverse places, well worth their funding. But I took exception with this particular passage:

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What if library patrons are primarily people who dont really need them people who can afford their own books and Internet access and can just as easily go to a local play park? And does that work for or against libraries pleas for increased funding or ongoing existence as a book lender and community-gathering place in a digital world? Libraries are expensive, after all, despite the perception that they are free (Hovde, 2010). There are just so many things that make me mad about that statement. First of all, libraries are supposed to be for everyone. It doesnt matter if you are Richie Rich, Archie Bunker or Tom Joad; the library is unquestioningly there for you, with the exact same service regardless of your lot in life. Thats the beauty of the library. Secondly and Im sorry but this is my biggest pet peeve right now just because we have entered a digital age doesnt mean libraries are irrelevant. Ever heard of the digital divide? If anything libraries are more relevant today because there are countless people who cant afford to go digital in the first place. They are literally being left behind. If not their local library, where exactly would you recommend these folks go to access free computer time and the Internet? And lastly, Hovdes lament that our free libraries arent really free. Actually the great thing about libraries being supported by taxes is that if youre better off than your neighbor, youre probably going to be paying more for the service. And I love that. Thats about as even a playing field as youre going to find in todays society.

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Thursday, September 2 Im feeling just a little overwhelmed right now. Received the ILL Introduction to the Library and Information Professions by Greer and Grover and started reading it. The basic knowledge necessary for librarians to do their jobs well is, well, all-encompassing. Greer and Grover state in their book that the information professional needs to know about sociology, economics, intellectual history, political science, cultural anthropology, cybernetics, bibliometrics, socio-linguistics, information psychology, information engineering, and last but not least, information organization management (Greer, 2007). Wow. Really? On top of all that knowledge about how the user seeks to access information, is actually being able to access the information. Rubin (2010), states that library professionals need to understand how knowledge is stored as well as retrieval tools to find it, including 1) classification systems, 2) controlled vocabularies, 3) AACR2, 4) indexes, abstracts and bibliographies and 5) electronic databases. I guess I just never realized librarians needed to know so much about so much. Am I really going to learn all of this stuff? Will I really be able to apply said information to help patrons? Did my mom really know all this information? She was awesome at Trivial Pursuit and knew a little bit about everything. If she didnt know, she always knew where to find the right answer. I never thought of it like that before. It really is pretty amazing the knowledge one collects over time.

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Friday, September 3 Called Judy Bane, the bookmobile librarian for the professional interview today. She was amazing. I really do want her job. I think. She is doing the work that I find so important outreach. Serving the underserved. But she is in an extremely rural area. Im not sure I could do that. Maybe the Ft. Vancouver bookmobile thats closer in? The questions about the digital divide and serving those without access to the Internet. Bane said that most of the rural folks she serves dont even ask about Internet access. The biggest surprise? Shes not a professional. She doesnt even have a college degree. And she told me that most bookmobile drivers do not have MLS degrees. Her boss has a degree. So, if I want to drive a bookmobile, I dont need a MLS; and, the fact is, a MLS would most likely hurt my chances at working on a bookmobile. Maybe thats my calling: to bring credibility to the bookmobile job.

[http://www.fvrl.org/aboutus/files/BookmobileAdventures.htm]

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Sunday, September 5 Ran across a blog called Agnostic Maybe (Andy, 2010) while researching my library journals & periodicals list. A librarian named Andy writes it. His blog on Sept. 2 concerned the fact that the general public simply doesnt understand that librarians have masters degrees. And because of this misconception, the profession of librarianship is suffering. Andy goes on the state It is a disservice to the education, to the degree, and to the profession when the bulk of a librarians daily tasks could be performed by someone with a GED (Andy, 2010). I think I understand what hes trying to say; although I think he chose the wrong way to say it. Hes trying to hold The Profession to a higher standard, to give it worth and meaning beyond that of public perception. But are we going to graduate school to obtain our MLS simply so everyone knows the degree we hold? Or are we going to graduate school because we are passionate about serving others, regardless if anyone knows the degree we hold? Are we going to learn about the profession, for the love of learning? Or are we going to claim we are better than the guy with the GRE because weve had the opportunity and resources to learn? It bothers me that professional librarians feel this way. Will I one day?

Wednesday, September 8 In the online article Fending Off the Digital Dark Ages: The Archival Storage Issue on ComputerWorlds website, Lamont Wood (2010) writes about how digital storage is so limited because the existing

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formats on which storage is currently used becomes obsolete so quickly in the computer age. As formats and codes change every few years, archivists and preservationists are in a constant battle just to keep current: With the odds of digital survival being so low, and with so much information originating in digital form, "we could be facing a digital dark age 50 years from now, and future scholars will not be able to understand our culture," says Andy Maltz, director of the science and technology council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences the group that awards the Oscars in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Wood, 2010). This is a huge issue and one Ive never really thought much about. Its one thing to maintain the digital archives we already have that in itself is a huge job, on-going job; but how do we preserve the information thats coming in, day after day. It just seems like an impossible undertaking. Maybe print is the answer. Maybe we never will loose books. Maybe they really are the perfect medium, because their format is lasting. They really are forever.

Thursday, September 9 Thought for the day: . . . some futurist says that librarians need to evolve to survive and we applaud and cheer without realizing that 99 percent of evolution involves extinction (the.effing.library, 2010). From the.effing.library blog. Really interesting, but depressing as hell to read.

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Sunday, September 12 Read an article by Brian Doyle (2010) in the Sunday Oregonian about books, the smell of books, and how its the physical odor of a book that gives each of them personalities all their own. Doyle explains how that musty murky bookish smell is actually created by the organic breakdown of pages, ink and binding. He goes on to give detailed descriptions to all his favorite books: And away sprints my mind, pondering favorite books and their smells, and the adventures evoked by their smells, and the way some books smell like their stories Tom Sawyer smells like summer, doesnt it? And Ray Bradburys Dandelion Wine, the greatest of all American novels about summer, doesnt that smell like fresh-mown grass and someone frying catfish three houses down? And War and Peace, doesnt that smell like a vast forbidding winter, bracing and bitter? And Joyce Carys masterpiece The Horses Mouth, doesnt that smell like London must have smelled between the world wars, fish heads and apple peels and coal smoke and sour ale and a dying empire? (Doyle, 2010). Love it. Im pretty sure weve all smelled smells in books. Our favorites will always be our favorites and their particular smells stay with the book forever, even while sitting on your shelf. Sorry e-reader, I dont think this is happening for you. Chalk another plus in the book column.

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Monday, September 13 the.effing.library (2010) is haunting me. Hes got some great points. (Why do I think hes a he?) Public library use encourages people to better themselves through self-education, for the betterment of society. Have we forgotten that mantra by trying to hard to be popular? The public library used to define community behavior by requiring members to have sponsors, etc, but is now, has become the servant of that behavior. Should the public library set a standard that is above societal expectations? Should the library have the role of requiring people to become better versions of themselves? How can we reconcile that traditional role of self-education and social betterment with wanting to be popular? Clearly, telling the public that they should work to better their education or social skills is not going to make libraries popular. Is it more important to be popular today? (the.effing.library, 2010). I really do agree with his Sept. 1st blog What is the point of the public library? (the.effing.library, 2010). I think we may have lost our mission, the education of the public for the betterment of society. An educated population makes educated decisions, has intelligent discourse, and healthy, vigorous debates. If our political leaders are any example of society as whole, we have lost that ability. Our libraries used to be beacons for hope for intellectual improvement of its citizens. Now, weve become pushers of DVDs, TV shows, Xbox gaming, and popular novels. Popular yes, but intellectual betterment?

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Wednesday, September 15 Rubins (2010) got me thinking again. He sites Bates (2007) in saying that information science may be an orthogonal discipline meaning it cuts across the traditional spectrum of disciplines such as arts and humanities or social and natural sciences. In other words, its social purpose draws from all the various disciplines, as needed. Im still a little intimated by the spectrum of knowledge needed to be a great librarian. I remember how smart my mom was; how well read. Id be awesome to be a great librarian like she was . . .

Monday, September 20 Volunteered today my third time at the Central Library as a TechnoHost. I walk around the computer areas on the 2nd and 3rd floors and just act available if anyone needs any help, or offer to help if someone looks lost or confused (me all the time these days). Helped about 5 people today. I actually helped a woman figure out the INS office website (government + inefficient = unuser-friendly) and she was then able to get her friend in the system for a green card. I like being able to give advice and/or counsel. I guess that would be why Im going into a service profession.

Thursday, September 23 I dont understand all the stories out there about the death of the book or the era of printing books is coming to a close. A few days

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ago, the Library Link of the Day (2010) I absolutely love this website. I found it searching websites for my Reading Recommendation project, and you can sign-up to receive a daily of interest to libraries story for across the web, across the world was a CNN interview with Howard Kurtz, and titled Will physical books be gone in five years? (Combs, 2010). Of course, just the written suggestion that the end of the book is near renders all sorts of responses. I guess what I dont understand is when the issue is made out to be an either or proposition. Its the end of paper books and digital e-books are taking over. Cant we have both? We will have both, at least in my lifetime; but, I believe both forms of books can happily co-exist. At least until all childrens books are e-published.

Sunday, September 26 Just thinking about this whole library search process, as defined by Carol Kuhlthau in the 802 book Seeking Meaning (2004). I like that she has included emotional responses in the outcomes; I believe its true that people feel uncertainty, confusion, relief and satisfaction is the search (Kuhlthau, 2004). But, the thing that bothers me is the ambiguity and stress in asking a librarian for help in a search. Or, more likely, not even thinking to ask a librarian in the first place. I dont understand that. Are we not teaching our kids in elementary school the power of the library? I grew up with a librarian, so maybe librarians dont intimidate me because of that fact. I wish we would teach our children to harness the power of the library, learn to ask questions, and know there are, most likely, ways to find the answer. And, you can have a professional librarian help you every step along

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the way. And guess what? Its a free service that your community provides. Whats not to love about that?

Tuesday, September 28 Listened in on Booklists Webinar (2010) called Defending the Right to Read: Celebrating Banned Books Week. It was a great refresher, and ultimately, an energizer for wanting to fight all the censorship out there. It continues to amaze me how people think that suggesting a ban on a book title actually helps stop people from reading it; when in fact, it actually promotes the book to people who would never have bothered to look at it in the first place. Case in point: In 2007, I read about a woman who wanted to ban The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Apparently, it was one of the titles on a recommended reading list for her seventh grade son. She got the book from the bookstore, and she was actually going through it, scratching through with a marker the sections she didnt want her son to read. Well, after a couple chapters, it turned out shed pretty much marked up the whole book; so she asked the school to remove the book from the library. This story, of course, peaked my interest in reading the book, which I did. What a great book. Thank you for the recommendation, Ms. Censorship. I most likely never would have read that book.

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Saturday, October 2 The Oregonian ran an editorial today, Liberate the library, (2010) about how voters need to vote for Measure 26-114, which would allow the possibility of creating a library district at some point down the line. It was an excellent primer for the pluses of creating a library district, especially in an environment in which every governmental agency in on the chopping block for budget cuts. A library district would allow a direct cut from the collected tax base, so the library wouldnt have to be constantly on its knees, begging for money. Especially because, like the editorial stated, Residents of Multnomah County are madly in love with their library (Editorial, 2010).

Sunday, October 3 Ive been reading the book This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All (Johnson, 2010). Its been interesting to read, well, mostly skim, because its due on Wednesday. As I was reading the part about the Connecticut Four and how the stood up and challenged the USA Patriot Act, I was wondering if I could or would do the same. Am I supposed to feel strongly enough about protecting the privacy of my patrons most of whom are likely are reading commercial books like James Patterson or Danielle Steel to risk facing jail time? And what if the information the FBI is seeking is a legitimate threat to the safety of my fellow human beings? How do you sort the two? Privacy regardless of circumstance? Black or white?

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Wednesday, October 5 Donna recommended at number of librarians blogs. I bookmarked them, so I could return and visit in greater detail. But this particular blog (Lankes, 2010) made me stop . . .

[http://dl.dropbox.com/u/501723/flowing_data_contest_luca_masud.jpg]

We really are becoming, more and more it seems, a country of the haves and have-nots.

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Friday, October 7 Just finished with Greer & Glovers (2007) Introduction to the Library and Information Professions. Wow. When was the last time it took me over a month to read a skinny little book? Anyway, I really enjoyed the overview. Reading them makes me believe that librarians truly are professionals; at least based on the acquired knowledge they learn to become one. Will I really have all that knowledge when Im finished with this program? Will I feel that Im up to the task of arguing for the basic idea of the library? Will I know how to fight effectively against censorship of any kind? Its a little overwhelming, but I am confident that I will be transformed into Super Librarian, the savior of all that is good.

Tuesday, October 12 OK. This whole volunteering gig at the public library is sort of getting me down. In a big way, down. The Central Library is so full of homeless people. And, frankly, they can smell really bad. I mean, really bad. So bad in fact that I dont even want to breathe their air. Its terrible that Im thinking that; it feels weird to write it, but thats the truth. So, now Im re-thinking the whole public library idea. I really thought that that was where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do. But, if I can feel this way, and have these terrible thoughts . . . geez. I really do like helping people with the computers. Its something that comes pretty easy for me, and I enjoy teaching. Like today, I helped a gentleman with very little English get an email account and apply for a

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job with Safeway. It was very rewarding. So, maybe I just need to land a job at a smaller public library, with fewer homeless.

[stuffunemployedpeoplelike.com] Thursday, October 14 Walked over to the NW library branch today. Its so cute! I really do want to work there. Im sure its impossible, though. Doesnt everyone want to work there? Theres a lady named Jane, who was supposed to be coordinating all the volunteers through her outreach program; however, I could never get up with her (after 2 weeks of trying), so I finally just went over at the request of one of the assistant reference persons. Thanks to Jenna, Im in as a volunteer. Sundays beginning in November. Perfect. Boy, what a difference a good volunteer coordinator can make. Remember that, Betsy.

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Tuesday, October 19 Went to hear the Poet Laureate of Oregon today at Portland Community College. Her name is Paulann Peterson and I really liked her poetry. I liked the fact that she didnt have an awful childhood much like myself. Nowadays, it sometimes seems you need that in order to have something to write about. Good for her. I got to talk with her a little bit afterwards. She recommended that I get her newest book of poems, The Voluptuary. Interestingly, I had just gone through a box of papers from our move, and found a bunch of poems I had written long ago. They were so powerful to reread again. Amazing how the words written so long ago can remain so potent. Anyway, she has inspired me to begin journaling and writing poetry again. It really is a great medium. Talked to Donna about maybe volunteering at PCC. I just loved being back in that community college environment, even for a couple hours. Maybe thats my calling; in that gray mix of public and academic.

Thursday, October 21 Presenting our Farmers Market Community project tomorrow. Just wanting to get that one out of the way. It can be great to work with other people and to get their ideas and energy; however, its sometimes difficult when youre graded on a project as a whole. Well see how it all comes together . . .

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Monday, October 25 Great weekend class. Im really excited about all of this again. Its so important that we get to have this face-to-face time; it helps me to see everyone and get energized again by what I think are my goals in all of this. Our presentation was really good, I thought. It was informative but not boring. I think it went as well as it could. Im really glad we went first and got it out of the way. I loved Saturday. We had speakers come in and talk to us about being a librarian, what they did specifically, and what we really needed to be doing as students. It was so helpful. I was very inspired by Alison who does Readers Advisory at the Central Library. Unfortunately, shes off on Mondays, because I was going to find her and thank her in person for taking her time to talk with us. But listening to her, just for the few moments she had, has inspired me again about the work of public libraries. Will I ever be comfortable with one a specific area of librarianship? I also met Maria, who in working at PCC in the Technical Services area. She is the one Donna had mentioned was looking for a volunteer to help clean up the databases. I really doesnt sound like my thing, but like Donna suggested, its a great resume builder to say youve worked under the hood of a library.

Tuesday, October 26 Posted on the 801 discussion board about our Module 5 required reading for 802: Librarians as Mediators. It really is interesting to me that we as a profession havent seized the opportunity to teach our

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children from the earliest of ages not only how to use the library, but how to question. How to use the resources at the library, yes, but more importantly that the librarian is an excellent resource for us to use. He or she is your friend, your ally, a support to question and use. I dont understand this. I see this as a huge failing of our public library system. When libraries were first mandated in schools especially after the big push in the 1950s during the space race with Russia our mission of teaching inquiry skills should have begun. Now, libraries in schools are seen as extracurricular, not essential. I remember my mom always having the phone number to the reference desk at the public library near the phone. We would call all the time with questions we had but couldnt find in the two main resources we kept at the house: World Book Encyclopedia and Information Please almanac. Why havent we been aggressively taking an active role in teaching our students/citizens inquiry? Inquiry is the very foundation we need to make our democracy work. What happened to the librarys mission of maintaining an informed citizenry for the betterment of society? Have we lost our way? I do think we should begin again with a concerted effort to teach our children inquiry.

[inquiry.illinois.edu]

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Wednesday, November 3 Volunteered at PCCs Sylvania library today. What a cool place! Maybe this is what I want to do; maybe the community college atmosphere is where I need to be. Sort of the intersection of Public and Academic, and on the corner of Betterment. Yup. Thats it. I did some simple cataloging for Maria today. They have a number of small books to teach English that needed to be put in the system. I entered the ISBN, title and author, as well as location S = Sylvania, R = Rock Creek, and C = Cascade. I then entered the barcode for the item. It was pretty basic, but I liked doing it. I go back next week and I think shell have me work on cleaning up some of the OCLC entries. The Multnomah County library measure passed yesterday, overwhelmingly. The people here really do love their library.

Thursday, November 4 Speaking of people who love their library. I ran across this article (Fertig, 2010) about a millage that didnt pass in Troy, MI. Its so sad. The library is now scheduled to close because people overwhelmingly refused to pay a little more tax to save their library. I went to the librarys website (Troy Public Library, 2010) and they thanked everyone who tried to help pass the measure. They also stated that the doors would be closing on June 30, 2011. Wow, really?

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Friday, November 5 Ran across this website called Rex Libris (Turner, 2007). Hes a cartoon librarian who works at Middleton Library, which resides inside a graphic novel. His motto is Have you returned your library books? The characters are all book-loving, mystic-powered immortals. Whats not to love?

[http://www.jtillustration.com/rex/] I want to work there. Can I work there? I just put a hold on the first book at the library.

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Sunday, November 7 Helped out at the NW Branch today with the Cyber Seniors class. I love that little library and could see myself working at one some day. Its one of those jobs where you would do a little bit of everything. I think it would be amazing and I think you could run the library so it would take on a piece of your personality. And just think of the relationships you would form with the patrons. But, I digress. The seniors we helped have absolutely no computer knowledge. None. Zero. They dont even know the basics, like how to use a mouse. So, it was challenging, but I enjoyed it. I think I have the patience needed to help.

Friday, November 12 I had a serendipitous moment at the Central Library today. While doing research for my 802 presentation, I took a break to browse in the 020s (library sciences section). I came across a spine that read The Compleat Librarian and Other Essays, by Jesse H. Shera. It got my attention for the apparent misspelling of complete. Upon taking it down from the shelve, I learned it was a compilation of essays first published in the Wilson Library Bulletin under the column Without Reserve and written by the Dean of the School of Library Science at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, back in the 1960s.

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With all the reading of research papers with are doing these days, in both classes, I randomly opened the book and began to read about The Trickster. According to anthropologist Paul Radin, the American Indians believe in an ever-present menace in the research process, particularly when the research relates to the behavior of human beings. The Trickster may inhabit the bodies of the subjects of an experiment or inquiry and thus play all manner of shenanigans on the innocent researcher (Shera, 1971). I found this little piece of providence to be amazing. Dont you love it when things like that happen? As I continue to read research papers for my library classes, I think I will begin to allow plenty of room for the Trickster.

Monday, November 16 Picked up my reserve copy of Rex Libris: I, Librarian at the library after my volunteering. The only problem is that when I went to read it later, the type is so small probably size 6 I have to struggle to make out the words. I dont think I can read it. Bummer. I was looking forward to reading the whole series. I really like the graphic novel format. I wished they had had such a thing when I was a kid. Friday, November 19 Face-to-Face class this weekend for 802. 30-minute presentation due, and Ive been working so hard to get it all organized and ready. I think I am. Well see. Its been amazing what Ive learned about inquiry

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education. Its also amazing what you can access online through databases, even if youre not a student at a university. You can simply access them by using your library card. That may be the unknown secret. I dont think most people understand all the things they can do with their library card. Do I sound like a librarian yet? But back to all that Ive learned about libraries and teaching inquiry to our students. Im a firm believer that we have to get to our children early and teach them the art of asking questions. If we only teach our kids to take tests, we are simply creating robotic citizens. We should be teaching our children how to think. If we do that, we will be creating a questioning and informed citizenry. I really enjoyed the article Culture of Inquiry by Carol A. Gordon. She makes the argument eloquently, why we need to focus our energy on the kids in elementary school. And she even cites Piaget, Kuhlthau and constructivist learning theory. Her calls for social reforms are inspiring (Gordon, 2010). Ive actually thought about becoming a library media specialist. It would be a great calling; but unfortunately, they are practically doing away with elementary school librarians. Its so wrong, and so shortsighted. I thought Oregon might be more progressive on this front, but not so. Everyone has said its not a good field to go into right now.

Tuesday, November 23 Shadowed Alison Kastner today at the Central Library. She showed me around, explained what it is they do each day, and even showed me how they respond to the electronic requests that come through their

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website. It was so cool. I want that job! What a great gig. Everyone working there has explained to me exactly how hard it is to get into the Multnomah County Library system; but hey, the way I look at it, if it takes two years, Im OK with that. At least Im volunteering and learning in the meantime. And, Ive met some great people over there. Alison was amazing. And so was Jayne who took her time to show me around and explain everything. They were both so nice.

Thursday, November 25 Our government has yet to make the move necessary to secure and open and free Internet, through net neutrality. This surprises me. What in the world are they waiting for? If they keep putting it off, the companies, which stand to profit most from the tier system, will most likely make the decision for them. This is THE most important free speech issue of our time. This article, written by one of the founders of the Internet and no, its not Al Gore published in Scientific American (2010), is well-written, states the urgency, and is really, really, scary all in one. Oh, yeah. Happy Thanksgiving.

Saturday, November 27 Bought the new issue of The Believer magazine. In it theres an article titled Safe as Houses: An Ode to Britains History in 1:12 Scale. Its about how after WWI, skilled craftsmen from all over England began work on Queen Marys Dolls House, which employed over 1,500 artists and designers. It also had a 171-volume library where there were

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stored short works written exclusively for the dollhouse by some of the English-speaking worlds most famous writers works that few people have ever seen or read (Waclawiak, 2010). The selfappointed librarian, Princess Marie Louise, asked hundreds of writers and artist to submit original miniature works for the library, a remarkably varied list that includes J. M. Barrie, Joseph Conrad, Aldous Huxley, W. B. Yeats, G. K. Chesterton, Robert Graves, Thomas Hardy, Max Beerbohm, A. A. Milne, landscape painter Paul Nash, and F. Gregory Brown, famous for the posters of the London Underground. And they did, in droves, often submitting their miniature manuscripts within days (Waclawiak, 2010). How neat is that? Thats it! Thats what I want to do! Be the librarian for a collection of miniatures.

[http://www.lorsonbooksandprints.com/gleniffer/queen_marys_dolls_house.jpg]

Sunday, November 28 This weekend there was a terror plot to blow up a van-full of explosives in Pioneer Square right here in downtown Portland. The FBI

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was working with the wannabe terrorist for over 6 months; theyre the ones who set it all up. Here we go with conundrum with the USA Patriot Act. Our would-be terrorist sought someone out on the Internet, and the FBI then intercepted the emails. Howd they do that? Are they reading all our emails now? Im not really liking that; but they did in fact save potentially thousands of lives Saturday night. Do we give up some of our freedoms for that sort of safety, or not? Is it an all or nothing thing? If we give some freedoms away, do we secure others? Im really not sure, but it certainly is an ongoing debate. All I know is Im happy theres someone looking for the bad guys. How will that apply to me when Im a librarian protecting the privacy of my patrons? Hopefully, Ill have a class or two that talks specifically about that issue. One thing is for sure, Im glad Pioneer Square didnt get bombed.

Tuesday, November 30 The due date for this assignment: the keeping of a reflective journal in our 801 Foundations class. What a great idea. I like it and think Im going to continue keeping it. Its been fun going back re-reading what I was thinking, just 3 short months ago. I dont think Ill be doing the APA format, but it is nice to have the resources to look back on, so who knows? Thank you, Donna, for getting me started.

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RESOURCES Andy. (2010, Sept. 2). Agnostic Maybe: Librarians Blog. Retrieved from http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/the-mastersdegree-misperception/ Battaglia, T. (2010, Nov. 4). Cities regroup after voters reject levies. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved from www.freep.com/article/20101104/ Booklist Webinar. (2010, Sept. 28). Defending the Right to Read: Celebrating Banned Books Week. Retrieved from vimeo.com/15372731 Brettman, A. (2010, Aug. 13). Multnomah County Library circulation rates highest in nation for patron usage. The Oregonian, pp. B1, B2. Combs, C. (2010, Oct. 18). Will physical books be gone in five years? Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/10/17/negroponte.ebooks /index.html Diamond, R. (2001). Professionalism in Librarianship: Shifting the Focus from Malpractice to Good Practice. Library Trends 49(3). Doyle, B. (2010, Sept. 12). Books can open the minds eye, and the minds nose as well. The Oregonian, pp. O10. Editorial Opinion. (2010, Oct. 2). Liberate the library. The Oregonian, pp. A8. the.effing.library. (2010). the.effing.library blog. Retrieved from http://effingarchive.blogspot.com/ Fertig, C. (2010, Aug.). Inquiry-based Learning. Retrieved from http://resources.prufrock.com/GiftedChildInformationBlog/ Gordon, C. A. (2010). The Culture of Inquiry in School Libraries. School Libraries Worldwide, 16(1), 73-88. Greer, R. (2007). Introduction to the Library and Information Professions. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. Grover, R. (1986). A Conceptual Framework for Theory Building in Library and Information Science. Thesis Paper.

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Hovde, E. (2010, August 29). Diverse picture of patrons emerges here, elsewhere. The Oregonian, pp. E4. Johnson, M. (2010). This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. New York, NY: HarperCollins. Kuhlthau, C. C. (2004). Seeking Meaning: A Process Approach to Library and Information Services (2nd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. Lankes, D. (2010, Oct. 5). Virtual Dave . . . Real Blog. Retrieved from http://quartz.syr.edu/rdlankes/blog/ Munroe, K. (2010). Karen Munroe, Learning Librarian. Retrieved from http://karenlibrarian.wordpress.com/ Peirce, N. (2010, Aug. 23). Libraries remain essential places in American cities. The Oregonian, pp. A12. Rubin, R. E. (2010). Foundations of library and information science (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman. Shera, J. H. (1971). The Compleat Librarian and Other Essays. Cleveland, OH: Case Western Reserve University Press Stuffunemployedpeoplelike. (2009, Mar. 2). Picture of the boy in the library. Retrieved from http://stuffunemployedpeoplelike.com/2009/03/02/26-public-libraries/ Troy Public Library. (2010, Nov. 4). Troy, MI. Retrieved from http://www.troylibrary.info/ Turner, J. (2010, Nov. 5). Rex Libris. Retrieved from http://www.jtillustration.com/rex/ Unshelved. (2002, Mar. 2). Overdue Media LLC. Retrieved from http://www.unshelved.com/2002-3-2 Waclawiak, Karolina. (2010, Nov.-Dec.). Safe as Houses. The Believer, 8(9), 15-18. Wood, L. (2010, Sept. 23). Fending off the digital dark ages: The archival storage issue. ComputerWorld. Retrieved from http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9181658/