Diary 11/30

For my TLC class I have two weeks to get it right - right being an "A" grade. I was stressing and stressing over resources for my paper when I remembered - Ask an ipl2 Librarian -That resource came quite in handy one semester and I pray they come through again. Today I filled out the online question form. Hopefully, I'll be sent some resource suggestions by the middle of this week.

How exciting! Here is the link if you need it http://ipl.org/div/askus/

Oh goodness. I just received this email from ipl "We wanted to let you know that our current volume of questions is heavier than normal. Your question is important to us, but we may not be able to work on it quite as fast as usual. In fairness to all of our patrons, we work on questions in the order that they are received, so be assured that we will get to it and as quickly as possible!"

Uh Oh - Not a good sign. I'll begin my research tonight just in case they are too backed up to send me anything before mid week.

Sigh...

Diary 11/28

I have not been truly ahead of any assignments all semester. I have been either one day early or turning them in 15 minutes before the deadline. I feel like this semester has been rush, rush, rush or push, push, push then b%^, b$&, b%^&. I am worn out!

I think my final group has an acceptable project. Unfortunately, I will not be on campus to present it. I cannot imagine what the on campus people are going to say was the motivation etc. since they basically did NOTHING!

Today I turn in one paper and have two more due by 12/08 and 14 respectively.

I think I might make it through...

I am assured (in my mind) of one class grade being an "A" but my other class grade hinges on these - cursed (literally I am cursing) - group projects and the final paper.

My fingers are crossed. Please cross yours too - I'm serious!

Diary 11/25

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am catching up with my school work before the evening meal. In my RFA class I came across an article entitled "Why Survival Is Not Enough" by Richard J. Cox

The article really fired me up. Maybe because I am so unhappywith the University of Pittsburgh or maybe because I am tired of my TLC group but I vented big time on the discussion board. I am sure the - very nice - professor is going to raise his eyebrows when he reads this. He responds to all of our submissions. I am eager to read his reply.

I've been told that I am very blunt in my speech. I strive daily to work on softening the edges but today I felt it these words needed to be shared.

I pasted a copy of what I posted on the DB below.
Richard J. Cox's view is that "library schools have a questionable future.” I agree but not for all of the same reasons.

“Why do most people come to library schools in the first place?” I came because like many I was “drawn by a love of books, reading, and scholarship associated with the word, including interests encompassing the Web and digital publications.”

Enrollment in MLIS schools like Pitt is thriving but not due the exceptional school or staff. The economy is driving the enrollment. Americans have been indoctrinated to believe that higher education is the only way to promotion. “The university … is no nobler than credentialing people to secure jobs”

One of the areas discussed in the article is the distance learning that is being offered to a large new audience. I am among those in the distance education audience and I am not happy. I am far from the only complainant. The effective delivery on online education goes beyond just the professor and their lesson. Effective is also the services offered to students, advisor counseling, peer networking, faculty/adminstrator response, etc. As far as many of us are concerned we are being ignored and library school has become nothing more than a frustration that begs the question of why am I here? Can this blatant lack of interest in individual students, their interests and motivations be confused for “being run like a business”? What business can thrive using this format?

“librarians have for the most part deemed distance education a grand success…the chief criterion seems to be the number of students online classes attract. Distance education tempts university administrators with its ability to generate extraordinary revenue”

I agree with Linda Pastan’s reflection, this has been about the most miserable two years of my life. I have not been completely lost but I’m pretty far gone…

“We need to commit to building a self-sustaining, quality library education program … We have an important product to sell: a quality education in an area of critical importance to society, its organizations, and its citizens. We have something we can believe in.”

Preach, Richard Cox, preach!

TTYL. I'll let you know what the professor responds...

938

Diary 11/20

The template for this final - praise the lord - group project (at least this semester) is giving me the blues. To add to that the group has added nothing to it. I am doing it all. I cannot figure out any other way to get this thing done. Last week I emailed everyone the template and requested the group members put their portions in. I got one response from a group member saying her stuff was in but, when I look at what she sent is EXACTLY what I had already done. The other two have not bothered to respond or do ANYTHING! This project is due in less than two weeks. We - the cursed group and I - meet tomorrow to discuss our progress.

I am unsure how I should even start the group conversation. I am going to have to make it clear that I am not doing this on my own and am done stressing over their lack of input. Sunday, either we meet until we complete an acceptable first draft of the template or I am going to do my own and submit it with an explanation to the professor as to why I had to do this.

I have enough to do without this mess! I have two end of term papers coming due that I have not even begun to research and multiple other smaller class assignments that are required.

I also have a life outside of Pitt.

I am very unhappy/upset. This SUCKS.

Diary 11/18

One of my group projects was to make a digital story using a childrens tale. My group and I have just finished the final cut. I am placing a link to the story which is in VoiceThread for anyone interested to review. The project was actually very fun putting together. The idea for the initial story is mine but the group worked together to put together the script, graphics and illustrations. This is a project any group can do fairly easily.

Though I cannot stand group work I think this project turned out fairly well.

The intended audience is elementary school children in the 4th to 5th grade.

ENJOY! I hope you like it.

http://voicethread.com/share/1452419/

Diary 11/14

Can we all say lackadaisical together? Not in this group we can't!

All of the sighing, "I must go to another appointment" - after only 30 minutes of dialogue!, shallow contributions and late arrivals do not an "A" project make. Therefore, I must step up my game by doing more research, take on a large portion of the project and come across as a pushy B. This group project cannot be over soon enough!

Thankfully next semester I will have only one class. Then, graduation and the multi-faceted world of full time Librarianship. Woo Hoo!!!!

If I ever teach for a library school, which I am contemplating, I will not have my students do group projects. I think they are cruel and unusual punishment.

921

Diary 11/14

I received notice that I had a misspelled word in my blog. Of all words it was librarians (!!!!). I can only assume that I was typing too quickly. Why didn't spell check catch that?!?! When I sent that question, I received this very funny spell check poem. I laughed and laughed...

(Read it out loud!)

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea,
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight for it two say,
Weather eye and wring oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long,
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.

To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should bee proud,
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaw's are knot aloud.

Eye have run this poem threw it
Your sure reel glad two no,
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.

-Sauce unknown

Diary 11/06

ALA is giving a FREE webinar on November 18th for new and future librarians looking for jobs. I plan to attend if I can make that block of time available. The link below is for registration and information.

"This interactive webinar is intended for library students or recent MLS graduates about to enter the workforce or start a job search.

Speaker: Brian Keith is Assistant Dean for Human and Financial Resources at the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida. He will share his insight and advice from years of experience recruiting librarians and will answer questions from participants."

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/188096954

Job Hunting for the Recent or Future MLS Graduate

Thursday, November 18, 2010 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM CST

Diary 11/05

Group work is the worst. If I could post without potential repercussions the sob story one of my groups just received about why another member STILL cannot meet, all of you would gag. I am totally serious.

It is not that I am not sympathetic to circumstance but YOU ARE IN GRADUATE SCHOOL! This is a choice you made. If you cannot handle that choice at the current time, drop the class. It's not like you cannot come back next semester or later. Why punish the group and jeopardize our grade?

I am just sick and in between a rock and a hard place. Other group members seem to be feeling timid about addressing the issue. I feel like contacting the professor but want to give a bit more leeway - not that I have not given to potential breaking point already!

I am going to see what happens the rest of the week. If nothing, I may have to be the snitch on Monday. This is actually the first time, I've had a member this bad. I guess I have been blessed. I have been told by others that they have been in worse group situations...

God forbid! 908