the evolution of an emerging librarian

Before taking LIS 724 Integrating Technology into Programming, Services, and Instruction, I thought I had a pretty solid relationship with using technology in my career. I use it for accessing library materials and resources, checking out library materials, and for schoolwork. However, I have learned many ways where I can integrate technology in my workplace to make my job easier for me, and to benefit patrons that I assist. Each week, I felt like I was expanding my repertoire of skills and knowledge. Now it's time to put them to use!  The Take Away One thing I genuinely loved being introduced to the tool Wakelet. I have used a Word document to keep track of online resources that I come across or am referred to. It easily gets jumbled, with no real organization. I want to start transferring some of these resources onto Wakelet so that they are easily identifiable and more organized. I really just love having everything in the same place. Additionally, searching other people's c...

Photo Source: Pixabay At my library, we do not have any "teen" staff, but because of expressed interest from patrons, I am thinking of introducing some tween/teen programming this fall. I currently work with ages 2 to 10, so I took this opportunity to read about Gen Z and their relationship with technology and the Internet, in hopes of learning more about Gen Z's interests.  The Articles The first article I read was an essay by teenager Taylor Fang in the MIT Technology Review. Taylor wrote about how teenagers use social media to create and shape their sense of self. Adults don't realize that teenagers use social media to help them make sense of the world around them. Teenagers approach social media through a creative lens. Taylor talked about the use of Finstas and selfies as a means of creative expression. I never heard of a selfie being compared to Frida Kahlo painted self-portraits before!  The second article I read was about what Gen Z is watching online by Mik...

Image Source : Giphy This week, I felt like a private investigator as I examined my digital tattoo. A digital tattoo is the information about you that exists online. This includes information that you post online, your online activity, and things others post online about you. I did a deep dive and performed a data mine to search for information about myself. I didn't expect to find much information, as I have most of my social media accounts on private. That being said, I was eager to what was out there! The Data Mine First, I began with a simple Google search of my name and my location (Chicago), using the Safari browser. I had over 103,000,000 results. Because I have such a common name, I realized I was going to have to use more limiters to help narrow down the search. I decided to include my zip code in the search. This resulted in 71,000 results. There were two matches on the first page of results. One was my grandmother's obituary from 2013 on the Chicago Sun Times websit...

My Professional Learning Network I created a Twitter account,  @maryreads03 , to engage with other professionals involved in youth literature and in library settings. I looked forward to gaining resources to help me in my career as an associate in youth services. Over the course of three weeks, I grew my  professional learning network  (PLN), connected with others, and gained courage to share my own thoughts.     Joining Twitter Twitter can be a divisive place; therefore, I was a little apprehensive in engaging with others on the platform. I have had a personal Twitter account since I was a teenager full of memes and inside jokes with friends. However, I wanted a fresh start, as this will be the first time I am using Twitter in a professional matter, so I created a new account.    My first order of business was to find people to follow. I actually really liked the "For You" feature on Twitter's timeline. These recommendations made it easy to find accou...

This week, I explored the topic of accessibility, and how it is applied in library settings.  Accessibility means that a person with a disability is given the same opportunity to gain knowledge, engage in the same environment, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability, with similar ease of use. When it comes to the library, I firmly believe that every patron in the library should be given the same quality of service.  It is up to the librarian to tailor the reference process to the patron's needs.  In some cases, that means we have to provide accessibility tools to assist patrons in their search for books and  resources . Accessibility Tools When older patrons come into my library, they often seek help using their Kindles, iPads, or E-Readers. Sometimes, it takes a while to walk them through it, instruct them how to download the Libby app, and connect their library cards. That being said, it is always rewarding because they are always so grat...

     At the library I previously worked at, we had a huge after-school rush with over 50 children sprawling their school work on tables, using the computers for games, and socializing in the teen zone. Last year, I remember working in the children's room and a tween came up to me to tell me his game was frozen. I went over to assist him and realized we would need to reboot the computer. In a blink of an eye, he had his phone out and was scrolling through TikTok. I was so taken aback by the speed in which he switched between the technologies. It was like he was desperate for some kind of content or somewhere to put his focus.     Image Source: Pixabay      This memory was at the forefront of my mind this week as I examined educational technology research reports. I wanted to learn more about trends about tweens and their technology use. In the research report   "The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021" , Common S...

I had heard of active listening before, but active learning was not a familiar term. However, as I explored the concept this week, I realized active learning is something I engage in all of the time (even if I didn't know it!). What is Active Learning? Active learning  is a method of teaching that engages students in learning that goes beyond lectures and  note-taking . It creates an opportunity for deeper, enriched learning as students are more involved in the learning process. It also allows students to provide feedback to instructors in a more informal way. Some examples of active learning techniques are: brainstorming one-minute paper think-pair share in-class demonstrations  A Year in Six Words An  activity  done at Coonley Elementary School had students ranging from grade 1 to grade 7 write 6 words to answer a prompt. Prompts revolved around talking about themselves, their school year, or advice they would give to others. The "memoirs" were then shared on ...