Evans, Chap. 6

This chapter was interesting because I have read magazines all my life but did not realize the various  information about them. I am guilty of using all the words like journal and periodical interchangeably. I always thought of a journal as subject specific like a health or science journal that features articles related to research in the field. A magazine to me is like People or Newsweek or Sports Illustrated, something popular that comes out each week or month. It is a shame that this is another area where greed has taken over. I remember something in this chapter about a library paying a higher price than another library for a serial package if  the periodicals will be popular in that library. I was thinking of ASU while reading this chapter because of all the periodicals that library has. I bet they spend a small fortune each year for the print and electronic sources they provide.  

Evans, Chap. 5

I remember reading this chapter a while back but am now just reflecting on it.  I always thought publishing companies made a profit on what they printed, but apparently not all of the time.  Even they can't always determine what will be a "bestseller" and what won't sell much.  It amazes me how these companies reprint certain books every few years.  I would think there are enough of the old copies around in used bookstores and now on amazon and ebay that reprints of the Harry Potter series and many literary classic should not be reprinted. Book prices have gone out of reason over the last 20 years or so. I am one of those who prefers the paperback over a hardback even if I can buy the HB at a cheaper price like at a library book sale or on the Bargain table at Barnes & Noble. The best place to find books at really cheap prices is flea markets. Most of the ones I get are in excellent shape and cost a fraction of the price of a new one.  I wonder how much more the publishing companies could make if they could somehow cut down on the price.  That is part of the problem why libraries-particularly public libraries who buy lots of bestselling fiction--have to be extra picky with their dwindling budget funds of today.

Evans, Chap. 4

I thought it was interesting the descriptions of the various libraries and what their focus is concerning collection development.  I did not realize community colleges need more AV for their vocational programs than for their academic courses. I guess I never really thought about it but many of those vocational programs need those "How-to" videos.
It was also interesting reading about specialized libraries and how they have to get up-to-the-minute information for patrons.  I would not have thought there would be so much differences in developing and maintaining collections in all of the various libraries mentioned in this chapter. I think it just illustrates that libraries--all of them--are important and serve a purpose in society. There are lots of administrators out there who believe otherwise with all of the layoffs, cutbacks, and shrinking budgets over the last few years across the nation.
The part about selection tools reminded me of the project we did in class.  I had noticed the same thing about Library Journal--it seemed to focus mainly on fiction, which I thought was more for a public library and I was doing a middle school.

Weeding thingy

After looking at what books I could locate, I guess I am done with my service learning weeding project thingy.  I still need to email the list of titles marked for removal as well as my list of replacement titles to my librarian.  She is looking forward to getting it to see what I designated for removal.  I think she will probably use it too because she had told me that shelf space was becoming a factor.  While going through the 300s I could see what she meant.  It has been a process with this whole project but not too bad.  I can remember doing it when I worked as a media coordinator in a middle school years ago. Some things have changed, but still basically reviewing the new books available and deciding what will work in your media center for the students and faculty you have.

working at library

Spent sometime this am working at my selected library on various assignments.  One of them was talking with my librarian about the deselection project.  I told her I have all of the books examined for removal moved over to an Excel document and will email it to her. I need to add another column to put reason for removal. The crazy program wouldn't let me do that before for some reason besides it being possessed. Anyway, I have found replacements for ten of the examined books and I am pleased with my selections.  I will email that document to my librarian as well and she says she is most grateful for my help. She has been so nice letting me come in and pester her with my projects--I have a few in other classes also. It is a good feeling being able to do this project for a class and also helping out because my librarian said she just has not had time to do her 300s. I know she does stuff for the county as well as work in the middle school media center.  She has a full time assistant but that person is not certified or anything and cannot help with computer issues and things like that/

Evans Chap, 3

The information in this chapter can be very important as I found out from doing the service learning project. I was really surprised when I discovered that the school media centers here in my county apparently do not have a policy.  I only talked to a few of the media coordinators but they all told me the same thing: no they don't have one at the school but there is one for the county.  When I examined the one for the county, my goodness, does it lack lots of information. The three main procedures it does cover is Media Advisory Committees (appointed by the school principal), selecting and purchasing materials (done by this committee along with the media coordinator), and finally, guidelines for when an item is challenged.  This last one is not just for the media center; it covers any item in the school--media center, classrooms, etc. In a separate part of the Board Policy is where it talks about computer use in the schools--again, in the classrooms as well as the media centers.  There wasn't anything about "weeding" the collection, the difference formats between books and electronic sources, patron behavior, and lots of other things brought out in this chapter.
On a different note, I have had not heard of the Pacific Northwest model of classification.  I know ASU uses the LC, and I have been confused by it because it doesn't make any sense to me.  I have seen an outline of LC and I have examined a conversion chart like what is mentioned here so I understand the LC a little better but I still like the good ol' Dewey system.

Working on the weeding thingy. It is hard to decide which new book to use as a replacement because there are so many good ones out there. And I am only needing it for middle school age!  I narrowed my search to just the last five years and I still got several good titles, or at least they look good, but will have to find some reviews to determine how "good" they really are. It is also difficult when I can not find a book that is exactly like the one I want to replace. For example, I marked an oversize book titled "The Great Guns". It was published in 1971 but has lots of pictures--both B & W and color--of rifles, shotguns, pistols, etc.  That book has been through IT! Not surprising around here where boys learn to hunt and fish before they can barely walk. Trying to find a replacement has been difficult because most of what I am finding even related is books on Gun Control --lots of text but little pictures.  Besides, the boys want information about the various types of firearms all the way back to the Wild West. I guess I have to keep looking and go back a few more years although I don't want to get something more than a decade old.