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)