Outsourcing in public libraries: Placing collection management in the hands of a stranger?

Premise:

Ø  The point of the section of the book, was a review of testing out that purchasing new addition to library‘s collection by using a third member party for the library better or more cost effected method.  All libraries have their budget to concerned, with a limited staff available, and libraries

Point to concern:

Ø  The first outstanding aspect to concern is that major of the libraries that are describe in this article are located in the UK.  The process describe both for libraries book purchase and outsources companies may not be application to libraries in the US. 

Ø  This article is quick to point out that that private section libraries already have outsource their collection developing needs, however public libraries has not because of several factors.  One is the governmental law governing what could be outsource.  Second aspect libraries get a discount when buying from publishers.  This unclear whether outsource will lose this price discount.

Ø  The advance of outsource to a third party: Libraries do not have to negotiate with several different publisher for their materials.  Speed up time to cataloged material into the OPAC.

Most important take away:

Ø  This Article end on an interesting note asking if libraries’ physical collection is still the main attraction of the given library?  Given that patrons’ number has been dropping and more client are coming into the library for access to technology. 

Ø  How are Libraries buying services and material are buying material is significantly different.  Many libraries are a part of a consortia of different branches, this change how purchasing is done and term of negotiation for prices for subscription to databases or number of copies is different.

Work Citation:

Diana Edmonds. (2012). Outsourcing in public libraries: Placing collection management in the hands of a stranger? In M. Fieldhouse, & A. Marshall (Eds.), Collection development in the digital age (pp. 125-135). London: Facet Publishing. Retrieved from http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/F?func=service& doc_library=BVB01&doc_number=024467437&line_number=0001& func_code=DB_RECORDS&service_type=MEDIA

Documents That Changed the World

Toni Vornhagen

INFO 266

Blog Post 6

Joseph Janes Pod Cast

                Joseph Janes is an associate professor/ chair in the MLIS program at University of Washington.  Professor Janes does podcasts that can be seen on YouTube.  The one I watched is called Documents That Changed the World and is about an hour long.  The hour flies by while this charming and intelligent man tells engaging stories of historical events that shaped the way we live today.  He discusses the meaning of a document, its effects as well as its historical value.  A document is everything from a receipt, the bible, a wanted poster, and the AIDS quilt. It can be anything from mixed media to a human voice and be of little consequence or have profound importance.  Documents can be oral, aural, a painting, a bill or a video.  Today our life is a string of documents.  But more interesting are the ubiquitous items we have come to take for granted that Janes highlights such as the Rosie the Riveter poster.  It was originally not meant for the public, just the factory where the women came to work.  It was meant to inspire and was based on a song. It has taken on a life of its own; a symbol of women, home, a period in time and war.  Documents add order and structure and meaning.  They also become beloved such as the original rule book for soccer…who knew? 

`               This podcast reminds me of the fine lectures I enjoyed at UC Davis.  It was not a burden to go to class when the professor was so eloquent and engaging.  Janes simplifies without talking down.  He is humorous while educating.  As a library student, I want to know the reasons behind the items I maintain and care for but as person interested in the history and modern connections of humanity, I enjoy Jane’s gift of storytelling.  This hour is worth your time. 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4T1PC1Yq4g

Technology Connections: Online Tools for Primary Resources

Amy Woods
Fall 2016

Citation: Moorefield-Lang, H. (2016). "Technology connections: Online tools for primary resources." School Library Connection, Nov/Dec 2016. 35.

Summary: In the Instructional Leadership Column of the latest School Library Connection, author Heather Moorefield- Lang, an associate professor of Library and Information Science, highlights a few helpful sites with great online sources for primary sources:

• Library of Congress features "historic newspapers, digital collections, photographs and veteran histories." With tons of easy-to-search, digital archives, this is a great resource for students. 
• The Smithsonian site contains a variety of resources great for language arts, history, science, and other K-12 courses. This site is vast, so librarians will want to share searching strategies with students before they delve into their research. 
• Digital Vaults is an interactive site "where users can work with photos, documents, and popular media from the National Archives." This interactive tools provides great opportunities for students to create a story with their sources. 
• DocsTeach features primary sources from the National Archives. Teachers can access letters, photos, speeches, posters, maps, and videos, spanning American history, to create rich learning experiences for students. 
• IWitness is an excellent resource for first person accounts of the Holocaust. The site features over 1500 videos from survivors and witnesses. 
• Zoom In is an interactive site that features both primary and secondary sources. Designed for U.S. history students, the site also provides lessons and ideas for teachers. 

Evaluation: There are tons of online resources available to teachers and it's hard to keep track of all of them. Although this article is by no means exhaustive, it does provide a "best of" list for primary sources. 

The Future of the Small Theological Library

Lazo, Rachael

Fall 2016

Citation:

Kennedy Stevens, M. (2016). The future of the small theological library. Theological Librarianship, 9(1), 28-32.

Summary:

This article is a summary of and later reflections on the event “The Future of Libraries in Theological Education: A Conversation with Chief Academic Officers, Information Technology Officers, and Library Directors” hosted by ATs/ATLA. The article addresses the conception, even present within the Theological Librarianship field, that the small theological library simply does not have the capabilities or resources to keep up with changing times and technological innovation. She finds, through research and the concerns raised at the event, that the small theological library, which is dependent on the educational institute that they are a part of and the churches that institute partners with, faces dual-front difficulties, one in the “rapidly changing landscape of religion and theological education,” and the other keeping abreast of the tide of information and being able to remain relevant. In order to remain relevant going forward into the future, the small theological library is urged to be forward thinking and use their small size to become intimately and personally acquainted with the needs of the community, which will aid in being able to anticipate future needs.

Evaluation:

This article raises some excellent questions about theological librarianship’s future, particularly in the small setting where resources are limited. Her urging to think of the smallness as a strength and not a weakness is a good beginning direction to change course, and the problems that were discussed are very useful to consider for existing libraries, but I do not feel that the solutions proposed were practical enough- she had practical applications, but they did not actually address the issues of keeping up with technology and change, only remaining relevant. In the realm of a small theological library, however, the librarian and the library staff may not have as much power as they would like over that compared to the college as a whole, so it is a good example of what can be done with the resources at hand.

Dungeons and Downloads: Collecting Tabletop Fantasy Role-playing Games in the Age of Downloadable PDFs.

Stephannie Tornow
Fall 2016

Citation

Sich, D. (2012). Dungeons and downloads: Collecting tabletop fantasy role-playing games in the age of downloadable PDFs. Collection Building, 31(2), 60-65.

Summary: Sich explains how RPGs are a great resource for libraries. As they only require rule books and/or guidebooks, they can easily and compactly be stored on the shelves (some game may require dice or figures which can be kept behind the desk). Adding RPGs to the collection could bring more people into the space to participate in this spontaneous activity. However, it is important to understand how RPG publishing works in order to avoid copyright issues. While many RPGs are available as digital PDFs, these are intended for single use. Libraries which purchase RPG PDFs for use as part of the collection may be breaching copyright.

Evaluation: This short article can feel more like an advisory than an exploratory essay or analysis, but it does have an interesting literature review on the use of RPGs in libraries.  For a look at alternative materials in collection building, it is also demonstrates how librarians should consider copyright issues has they build their collections.

Is It Time to Move the Books?

Stephannie Tornow
Fall 2016

Citation
Pattee, A. (2015). Is it time to move the books? Young Adult Library Services, 13(4), 13-17.

Summary: YA books are becoming increasingly popular among adult readers. Thus, are YA books still an age-designation or a meta-genre? Pattee explores the idea of YA as a genre and considers how libraries can move their collection to reflect this. Pattee discusses how moving the collection so that YA is a genre within the adult collection might allow patrons to find books easier.  

Evaluation: Despite Pattee's strong argument for YA as a genre rather than an age-designation, Pattee doesn't fully explore the possible complications of moving collections around. The article glosses over how this situation would effect Teen Centers/Rooms, stating these collections are better suited for materials that only relates to teens (i.e. study guides, college prep, etc.) whereas YA fiction and graphic novels need their own space within the collection at large. Pattee doesn't address how YA being a meta-genre would affect reorganization. Would the YA genre encompass horror, sci-fi/fantasy, mystery, etc.  (as it does in bookstores)? Wouldn't this lead to the same issues bookstores face, where people don't know whether to look for a book under YA or fantasy? That being said, Pattee poses some interesting questions about our current methods of categorizing books, designating collections, and what it would mean to reorganize.

Modern Special Collections: Embracing the Future While Taking Care of the Past

Sanders, Emily

Fall 2016

Citation:

Evans, M. R. (2015). Modern Special Collections: Embracing the Future While Taking Care of the Past. New Review Of Academic Librarianship, 21(2), 116-128. doi:10.1080/13614533.2015.1040926

Summary: This article uses a broad framework to decipher certain archival concepts in academic librarianship: collection, connection, collaboration, and community. It uses that meaning to reflect on changing landscape of special collections. It comes up with very practical solutions to some common troubles facing modern special collections. It works to embrace the past with regards to the present and future in what Evans calls a “nontraditional strategic manner.”

Evaluation: I found this article is tremendously informative. It is an alternative method of going about the thought process-- as it contains literal thought and no measurable data-- but it produces several insightful notions about modern special collections work. The only problem is that the audience can’t be sure how well these methods work as they aren’t put to practice in anyway.