We started the day learning to design web pages. It was a 1 hour session that, by the time all the housekeeping stuff was announced, ended up to be only 48 minutes for the designing lesson. I had never designed a web page before and was eager to learn how.
After downloading the software, we created two pages, which I haven't finished or uploaded to the internet yet, but I plan to use them in support of this blog before all is said and done.
Most of the day was spent in my spacious quarters researching for a tracking paper assignment which is due on Tuesday night. I have chosen the topic of Education Trends in Library and Information Science. The format of the
assignment is to prepare a report to a fictitious boss bringing her up-to-date and outlining how she can keep current on this issue. I have been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to find a wealth of information on the topic. Consolidating it down to the most relevant will take more time and then reporting it concisely will be another challenge.
Since so much of my day was in the dorm room, I thought you should see it, but I didn't bring a camera, so the angle from the laptop computer's camera will have to do. Everything the college student needs for warmth and comfort is right here in about 80 square feet, not counting the bathroom, which is behind closed doors at the moment, or closet.
We had our fourth lecture meeting this morning and discussed the current information environment. This led into some lengthy discussions about librarianship and information services as a profession. A key point of the discussion was that it is an absurd question to even ask if librarians or information workers are professionals. One, because of course they are, and two, why should we waste time and enrgy considering such a rediculous question.
Whatever other professionals think of us is really immaterial to our mission. This same question confronts all other well-educated or trained workers. The so called "credentialed" proessionals in Law and Medicine will always maintain an air of superiority (in general, not necessarily individually). There is nothing we can do about that. In my view the best answer to this issue is to act professionally, do the very best for patrons and they will recognize professional service and expert solutions. What more could one desire than to have happy patrons?
By acting the part, the recognition will come, through diligent self-monitoring of the professionals who work side by side and holding ourselves, personally, to a higher standard. In this way, the whole profession is naturally lifted up in respect and recognition, one librarian at a time.
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