Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Collaborative digital tools workshop

Next week I will be a part of a orientation to share digital tools that work well with research collaboration. It has been an enriching experience and  I'm learning about some great (free) online tools. They include :
Asana: tasks can be organized & assigned 
Remember the Milk
Dropbox
 

$$$ 
Evernote which I use extensively but costs to allow collaboration beyond sharing 
BaseCamp

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Finished MOOC

This experience was a great way to gain knowledge about topics I'm passionate about (libraries and learning) fr a leader in the field who dates to dream about what libraries COULD be. The best part was sharing a vision for change. UC Merced library embraces many of the changes that David Lankes believes are instrumental for change: library as place is still important; librarian as guide and creator of content for students, the importance of teaching roles we take. More soon

Monday, September 16, 2013

Learning continues

It's fall semester & it is like Kodiak high school amplified 100% intent students busy professors who already seem to be behind. On the positive side there's no standardized test being a gatekeeper. 
I'm working on a session for faculty about using digital tools. Those I really like : Evernote, Drop Box, & remember the milk. Evernote earns
My vote for the  best in productivity  due to its ability to quickly sync all
 Pets. And tHen They all appear on
My google home page

Friday, July 12, 2013

MOOC new librarianship

My first MOOC!  the Master Librarianship course from SUNY; and so far, it's great. The content is thoughtful and requires some reflective discourse, hard part is that with over 300 participants, digesting the posts on the discussion board is tough. Glad to have the chance to try it out, as i'm very interested in creating online learning spaces and opportunity. This MASSIVE is amazing...more soon. Today's thought 1h
Great quote from Norman Cousins in Atlas of New Librarianship “A library…should be the delivery room for the birth of ideas.”

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Uc Merced

The academic library world is a different place from school librarianship, where I was a cataloger, purchaser, and teacher.  At the university, I find that to properly prepare for library instruction I'm spending 20-30 hours of office time researching their topics' information and preparing presentation materials. The topics are much more in-depth than the high school history or English teachers' were, and often, I do research to understand the important related concepts.
view of campus from Lake Yosemite Park
Of course, the university student has different needs from the high school student, or do they? I ponder this as I've been working with underclassmen, who like their younger counterparts, continue to procrastinate by putting off large research assignments until it's almost too late, yet find plenty of time for social media and conversation. The conversations and coffee gatherings are intent on unlocking the key to understandings, and I often wish i could join in to learn more. The UC Merced's beautiful library setting is conducive to collaboration and connections for students, as it is to its staff. Learning something new every day is exciting yet exhausting! I look forward to spring break, as students are as well, er, some students, because those who haven't begun to formulate their research proposals have some work ahead of them. Some will go home and enjoy respite, pampering and rest, like in high school, but many will not rest well. There's not much snow, so the downhill rush will have to be on dry land, perhaps in the library! Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

University Librarian, who me?

I am very excited to be working in the newest University of California Campus at Merced in its Kolligian Library. It is a state of the art facility, with 90% of its holdings online. The students aren't virtual however, and many of them hang out in the library! It gives me a sense of 21st century learning and libraries, still need to have a place...the library as a "place" has not disappeared and become virtual, they are very real!