Competency #9 Internet: Website

Internet Website: Collaborative Summer Library Program
http://www.cslpreads.org/index.html .

The website I have chosen for my topic area is the Collaborative Summer Reading Program website, it can be accessed at: http://www.cslpreads.org/index.html .
I found this website by searching the query, collaborative summer reading program through the internet search engine Google. CSLPReads.org was the top returned result of 267,000 results.
The collaborative summer reading program began in 1987 when ten Minnesota regional library systems developed a summer library program for children, choosing a theme, creating artwork and selecting incentives that public libraries in the regions could purchase and use.
Library’s in participating states work together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children at the lowest cost possible for their public libraries. The libraries receive materials that are designed exclusively for CSLP members and they also have access to artwork, publicity, incentives, programming manuals, and promotional ideas.
I chose this website because my topic is children’s literature and the summer reading program plays a crucial role in public libraries and children’s literacy. I feel that this is a great resource to have access to if you are or are pondering becoming a CSLP member. There is a wealth of information offered at the website, in addition to the workshops that are offered where librarians from all over can share and swap ideas.

Competency #8 Research Visual/Multimedia

I found this image through the Google Image search database, this image/chart depicts international literacy rates. The small key in the right hand corner shows the percentages of nations that are leading and failing in educating their adults and children to read. The navy color depicts the most successful nations with a 97% literacy rate and the red indicates the failing nations, with a literacy rate of 50% or less.
I chose this image because it is consistent with my overall theme of children’s literature, in addition to the fact that it addresses the serious needs that are not being met in some underprivileged countries.

The original image can be found at: http://www.scholarshipsforkids.org/what/where.php.
The website Scholarships for Kids is a registered UK charity. They are committed to helping children in some of the world's poorest areas to afford the education they deserve, through scholarships and donations that pay for their schooling, books, stationery and uniforms.

Competency #7 Image

I found this image of children reading, through the Google Image database. I searched the term children reading and it returned 15,300,000 results. I chose this image because it related to my blog topic of children’s literature and because the photo was clear and professional.

The original image can be found at: http://www.ocfbn.com/kindertutor.html

Competency #6 Citation Pearl

Citation Pearl

Database: Worldcat and Books In Print

Search Query: Music and fingerplaysDatabase: WorldCatBook

Book Chosen: Wee Sing Children’s Songs and Fingerplays by, Pamela Beall

Subject Headings: Counting Juvenille Literature, Concepts, Counting, Numbers, & Counting Books.

From here I searched Worldcat: Concepts,Counting and Numbers

Result:

Moja means one; Swahili counting book, Author: Feelings, Muriel L.; Feelings, Tom, Publication: New York, Dial Press 1971Document: English : Book : Juvenile audience Ten, nine, eight / Author: Bang, Molly. Publication: New York : Greenwillow Books, 1983Document: English : Book : Juvenile audience

Reflection:

This is not my favorite search strategy, because it seems that it takes more work to form the search query than conducting the actual search query itself. Although, I did find a book that pertained to my query I think I could have just as easily found it by conducting one of the other core searches we have already practiced.

Competency #6 Most Specific Facet First

Most Specific Facet First Approach- Is applied to multiple-concept searches. It assumes that the user knows all the facets or concept groups contained in a search and also is able to identify the most specific one. (Chu, 86)

Database: LexisNexis
Most Specific Facet First: Children's librarians and summer reading

Results Returned: 1000

Result:

From Quiet Refuge to Summer Hot SpotThe New York Times, July 13, 2008 Sunday, Section NJ; Column 0; Long Island Weekly Desk; Pg. 3, 990 words, By FRAN SILVERMAN

Reflection: I chose to use the database Lexis, for this search. My most specific facets were children’s librarians and summer reading. The initial search returned 1000 results. At first I thought that this search was too narrow, but I was surprised at how successful this first attempt had been. The search with Lexis was so successful that of all the databases I was happiest with this one because the whole process seemed simplified for the user. Personally, I would rather have more results returned, rather then very few.

Competency #6 Browsing Search Strategy

Browsing Search Strategy- is seeking and selecting information by skimming, scanning, and other similar activities. (Chu, 87)

Reflection: For this search I chose to search children’s audio in the LibLit database. I used the thesaurus tool and typed in my keywords: Children’s Audio. This initially returned no results but did return with the suggestion for the terms: Talking Books and Children’s Reading. “Talking Books” returned 300 records and Children’s Reading returned 290 records. The “Talking Books” search resulted in the most beneficial information, but neither of the searches was completely specific to what I was actually looking for. I found the browsing approach to be the most helpful because I can scan and look over the results myself and decide which results I want to pursue. I also think the reason I enjoyed this approach the most was because it was similar to looking through the results of an Internet search engine, which I am already familiar with.

Database: Library Lit
Thesaurus Terms Searched: Children’s Audiobooks, Talking Books, and Children’s Reading
Thesaurus Records Returned: Children’s Audiobooks: 0, Talking Books: 300 and Children’s Reading: 290.
Result: Grover, S., et. al., Hear and Now: Connecting Outstanding Audiobooks to Library and Classroom Instruction. Teacher Librarian v. 35 no. 3 (February 2008) p. 17-21

Competency #6 Building Block

Building Block- Single concept searches, that allows users to make corrections or adjustments during search. (Chu, 84)

Reflection: This is one of the searches that I had the most luck with and this was the one database that I was the most familiar with, so that definitely did help. I thought that with the additional searches there would be fewer results, but none the less I was still content with the information that was returned. I think in the future I will have to keep adding terms to the search fields, so that there will be fewer returned results.

Database: ERIC
Search 1: Children’s Literature or kids books
Search 2: Rhyme or Participation
Search 3: Storytime or Reading
Strategy: ((Keywords:Children's and Keywords:literature or Keywords:kids and Keywords:books) and (Keywords:Rhyme or Keywords:participation) and (Keywords:Storytime or Keywords:reading))
Results: 250
Learning about Life—Through Books! (EJ754265)
Using “Children’s Choices" in the Early Childhood Curriculum: Linking Books to (Louisiana) Content Standards (ED501284)

Competency #6 Successive Fractions Approach

Successive Fractions Approach- The search starts with a broad concept, the successive fraction approach narrows the search by applying various limiting techniques. (Chu, 85)

Reflection: For this search I wanted to find literature on children’s books or literature that encouraged participation. I began my search with the broad term of children and when that returned a large amount of results I added the next term: literature, and lastly by adding the term "rhyme" I was able narrow the results down to 234 records. I think this approach would be good for users who are new to database searching because they are able to simply narrow their search one step at a time and find what they are looking for without much difficulty.

Database: Academic Search Complete
Search 1 Results: Children, 722,507
Search 2 Results: Literature, 60,063
Search 3 Results: Rhyme, 234

Result: Nursery Rhyme News.Preview School Library Media Activities Monthly, Nov2008, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p39-39, 1/7p; (AN 34615482)

Competency #5: Tagging, Indexing, and Cataloging

LIBRARY THING TAGS: 527(1) ala(1) Book_Babies(1) borrowed(1) Career(1) children(4) children's(2) from vpl(1) Future Reading(1) Information Science(1) KIDS LIT InfoStor&Ret(1) librarianship(3) Librarianship - Children's(1) Libraries(5) library(1) library science(1) mlis(1) non-fiction(6) paperback(1) professional(1) professional resource(1) programming(1) programs(1) reference(1) slais(1) textbook(1) unread(1) wishlist(1) women authors(1) work(1)

LibraryThing Link: http://www.librarything.com/work/556720/book/36223454

I chose the title “Children and Libraries: Getting Right” by Virginia A. Walter. This book was recommended by School Library Journal as a pivotal book for people who work with/for children in public libraries. Walter's book cover three main points: a historical overview of children’s services, the current state of the profession, and a vision for the future.
This resource helps to support my area of interest in children’s services by providing me with a background and outlook for my future in this division of the public library.

Competency 4: RSS Feed

The RSS feed I chose came from Publishers Weekly which is available at: http://www.publishersweekly.com/. This particular feed is dedicated to the news and reviews of children’s books. I added this feed because my main focus is in children’s services and one of my current duties includes material selection, so this RSS feed will be of great assistance with the ongoing ordering process. Publishers Weekly also provides over 25 other RSS feeds making it beneficial to all librarians who want to stay current with news in the publishing world. It will also aid those individuals who participate in the selection of new materials.

Competency 3: Podcasts

I found my podcast on children’s literature through the Google search engine. The podcast I found is called: Just One More Book, it is produced three times a week by Mark and Ann. The brief introduction Podcast is located at the bottom of the page at: http://www.justonemorebook.com/about/
Also available is the podcast about the children's title, The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster by A. W. Flaherty. It is located at:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/index.php?s=A.+W.+Flaherty

I chose this podcast because it’s purpose is to celebrate children’s literacy and to link children with great books and this directly correlates with my own professional plans in the future. The creator's intentions with this website and podcast are to build a lively, interactive community linking children’s book authors, illustrators, readers, and publishers. Episodes vary in length from five to thirty minutes and can be played directly from the web page or downloaded to an IPOD. The podcast also offers weekly interviews with authors, illustrators and experts and enthusiasts in the areas of children’s literature and literacy as well as listener-submitted audio reviews.I think that this podcast is a great tool and resource for all individuals who are interested in promoting children’ s literacy, it gives them access to varying perspectives on the workings of children's literature. The creators also go to great lenghts to give details and descriptions about the titles, which contribuites greatley to the listeners overall enjoyment and knowledge of the title.

Competency 2: Related Blog

ALSC: Association for Library Service to Children: http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/

I used the Google search engine to search for blogs that dealt with children’s literature and services. The blog I have chosen is ALSC, Association for Library Service to Children; it is a division of the American Library Association (ALA). All contributors to the ALSC blog must be ALSC members.
According to their website, “The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a network of more than 4,200 children’s and youth librarians, children’s literature experts, publishers, education and library school faculty members, and other adults committed to improving and ensuring the future of the nation through exemplary library service to children, their families, and others who work with children.” I chose this blog because it deals exclusively with children’s collections and services, some of the blog’s offerings include: child advocacy, evaluation of media, literary and related awards, intellectual freedom, and programming ideas.

The excerpt I have chosen deals with intellectual freedom and weather the responsibility of informing patrons about certain materials lies with the staff or with the individual checking out the materials. This is relevant to the current blog because of the many situations that arise in children’s collections in the public library setting.

Excerpt is chosen from the ALSC blog: “Of Kings and Yellow Lines”/ ALSC Blog located here: http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/?p=129

“When someone signs up for a library card, or even whenever they check out any children’s materials, should the library personnel and policy make more of an effort to offer a recommendation that a caregiver first review the material before sharing it with a child? Not to say that there is anything wrong with certain materials, but as a reminder that our libraries offer books that share many ideas, that represent all types of families. To help those people who forget where they are and that there others around them. Please share your thoughts.”

Competency 1: Introduction and Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to fulfill the requirements of the Information Storage and Retrieval class I am taking to complete my Master's in Library Science.

The topic of this blog will deal with children's literature and services in the public library setting.