Today my boss handed me the library bill or rights, recently adopted by the ALA. One of my favorite on the list says "Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval." It's just a beautiful document. I recommend it.

There's a chance that the library here in Fremont will be closing for up to a month this winter to replace the heating and cooling. I don't know what that means to you, but to me is says two things:
One- there will be a lot of people who will be without something to do for most of their morning. There are a lot of people who need (and I say this truthfully) NEED the computers every day. Like the awkward habit kind. I can only imagine what they will do without their ability to email their family.
Two- I will have a whole lot of nothing to do for those three weeks. I'm excited. I might be doing some party stuff, but more than likely i'll just take to sleeping most days.

These are the two different ways you can search for information. Kingdom encompasses things like BIRDS or MAMMALS.

Meanwhile, searching for genus and species is like searching for homo sapien.

Here endeth the lesson

Yesterday I went to a library instruction class. It was an amazing hour. I am super jealous of the Bellevue students because after they graduate they get lifetime library privileges. NOT FAIR!

Anyway, I learned that you need to make the learning process fun for them you're a fish out of water.

I have to finish my tutorial and my topic bibliography for my two summer classes. It should be a piece of cake. I'm not too worried about it. If need be, I can do it during Shakespeare. That's 8 hours of my life I never get back.

Only one more week and life will slow down a bit.

http://screencast.com/t/ZTOxo31Hok

This is a link to something I have started playing with for my Library services tutorial. It's pretty lame at the moment, but I hope to turn it into a powerhouse awesome video. And the possibilities are kinda endless. That's just me thinking though.

Grrr Rubrics

I've created a rubric for my presentation. I have a presentation topic. It's not my best, but I think I'll be able to make a good tutorial project out of it. I hate assessment. I always have. It just doesn't sit well with me. Color me hippie, but there are better ways to see if a person is succeeding. I know that a rubric is much more open that a test might be, but I'd rather just not do it at all. Sink or swim?

A few things:

If i cannot put 16th century science questions on the ACT, then why on earth should I be expected to know 16th century literature. God bless Shakespeare, but I think that there is some awesome literature being written today that would make excellent test questions for standardized tests. Just saying.

You all need to read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. A-MAZING book. Not even joking. It's a beautiful novel that you don't even expect until you're suddenly 100 pages into the book and you can't put it down. Simply Wonderful.