HIT: How to keep up with your prof. reading

[Liz Dodds <dodds2@CVIP.FRESNO.COM>]

Liz Dodds wrote:

> Hello- 1. Can someone please help on the "when, where and how" of
> keeping up with professional reading? I know the "what" to read to keep
> up professionally, but I can't ever seem to find _time_ to read it. 2nd
> Question: When you happen upon a great article, book title or internet
> site mentioned, lesson, or something you want to keep for future
> reference, what streamlined methods do you employ to capture that bit of
> information before it gets lost in your information ocean? Any tips,
> suggestions, or plans-of-attack? Thanks.
> --


Thanks to everyone who replied. You are full of great ideas!
Liz
__________
Liz,
I wish I had a good answer to your first question.  I'm interested in
what
suggestions you get.  It is impossible to do any of that reading during
the
school day, and with a family and a life away from school, other
priorities
interfere, too.  I almost always read a little just before bed, but I've
tried to read the professional stuff then and it doesn't work,  puts me
right to sleep.  Apparently that's the wrong time to be trying to think
about work, and my brain doesn't deal with it well.

As to your second question... This isn't a perfect system, but it's the
best
I've come up with so far.  On the internet, when I see a website or book
title or some piece of information I want to keep, I have set up MS Word
folders (ie. websites, consideration file--for book titles, professional
reading, humor, etc) that I cut and paste into.  I haven't gone back
through
all of them, yet, to organize the information within the folders, but at
least it is somewhere and in a form I can search to get my hands on the
information when I need it.  If the information is not on the Internet,
I
employ the same process with hard copy folders.  I keep file folders for
considerations, Internet suggestions, professional reading, etc, and
drop a
copy of the stuff in there.  Again, within each folder the organization
leaves something to be desired, but I at least know what folder to
search
when I want to pull out the desired info.  Then, when I have some time
or an
assistant who needs a job to do, I have them either transfer the info to
an
electronic file (like a database of books and materials for purchase
consideration) or alphabetize the copies within the paper file.

As I said earlier, it isn't a perfect system, but it works okay so far.
Hope it helps!
__________

I am glad I am not the only one who has trouble finding time to keep up
with professional reading. Since I usually arrive at work early everyday
I try to spend about 10 minutes before everyone starts rolling in to
read a couple of pages. Realistically I am only able to do this a couple
of days a month but before I know it I have finished a book.  It helps
me stay focused and keeps my energy level up. Also, I have a long
commute so any professional books on tape I can find I usually try.
I have two expandable file folders (must be expandable to handle the
volume) one at work and one at home. As I come across items of interest
I stuff them in. A few times a year, usually rainy days, I go through
them. It also helps whenever you are looking for new ideas or to prepare
for the upcoming school year. Also, if you get an expandable folder with
tabs you can separate the information. I wish I was that organized.  I
hope this helps.
__________
  Boy, can I relate to your problem!  I have cut my reading down to
minimum.
  I scan School Library Journal, as it comes in, for articles that seem
pertinent to my situation in middle school.  I read the reviews when I
can.
  I have gotten to the point where what I can view at conferences, from
jobbers who can visit, and from advertisements from good publishers is
what
I buy from, plus things I find out about from LMnet and from teachers.
  I hate to do things this way, but there just isn't time to for
perfection,
if I need to sleep!
  I try to read books I buy for the kids whenever I can.  I am getting
to
the point where this takes precedence over reading reviews -- found
myself
using all my available spare time reading reviews and never getting to
any
of the literature.  I like to have read at least some of the things I
book
talk!
  Don't know if this helps, but believe me, I wish there were more hours
in
the day or that I needed only 4 hours of sleep.
__________
If you get some terribly clever ideas, please post a hit. I seem to have
the same problem that you do.  I always have a stack of journals piled
up,
and the best of intentions to read the new books that I have purchased
for
the library. I just do not know where time goes - yes, I do know. Ten
years
ago I was caught up on my journals and reading books. But 10 years ago,
LM-NET didn't exist and I certainly wouldn't have been reading this
question from Fresno, California. 10 years ago, I would not have had all
the interesting sites on the Internet. 10 years ago, I owned an apple
IIe
which was a great computer but not as time consuming or as much fun as
the
one I have now.
__________
All I can give you for advice is that I make copies of everything that I
think I'll need, I highlight the title or a topic sentence and then I
file
them weekly.  I have 4 filing cabinets at home and 2 at school. If I've
skimmed and highlighted I don't remember the contents, but I remember
that I
have read it and can usually find it pretty quickly. As to when, I carry
a
tote bag with me everywhere and read at soccer half times, waiting for
music
lessons, at stop lights, doctor's offices and always before bed,
highlighter
in hand.
__________
I used to keep a copy or two of professional periodicals in the car
along
with a pen and some Post-its. When I find myself in a "waiting"
situation,
I'd read, then mark the pages with the Post-its and "dot" (or otherwise
mark) the titles that I wanted to consider. Could also do this while
watching T.V. or at the dentist's office, etc.

Personally, I wish they'd do the reviews in a "recipe card" size so we
could cut or copy, then file easily. But pretty soon, it will all be on
the
net anyway!

 2nd
>Question: When you happen upon a great article, book title or internet
>site mentioned, lesson, or something you want to keep for future
>reference, what streamlined methods do you employ to capture that bit of
>information before it gets lost in your information ocean? Any tips,
>suggestions, or plans-of-attack?

"Information Ocean" - I like that! You summed it up well!

 Here's what I do with the good stuff from LMNet:
I use the "forward" button on my email and write a brief note (above the
post) to whichever teacher(s) I'm sending it to. Then, if I think I'll
need
the info again next year, I file it in my email file under the
appropriate
catagory (I have about ten files now).

If it's newsclippings, I just sent to the respective teacher - we don't
have time or space to start a vertical file. I quickly scan (by eye, not
machine!) each new magazine we receive by subscription, then put
Post-its
on the pertinent pages and immediately check it out to the teacher who'd
be
most interested. I include a note to return immediately if not
interested,
but usually they do keep it a while and use the info. I put the mags in
their office box or hand to them personally.
__________
I never have time for professional reading at work.  So I do it in the
evenings and weekends at home.  It is hard especially when there are so
many
other things to read and do that I would rather do!!

No good tips about great articles.  I file them under subject in my file
cabinet.  I am also in the bad habit of copying things that I intend to
read
so I can pass the periodical on, that I don't seem to get to.
__________
This is a really good question and one that I think we all have to come
to grips with.  I do a lot on my own time - book reviews in the car
whenever we travel or on a Sunday aft while watching a football game.  I
try to catch up in the summer so that I start the year afresh in
September.  Recently, I have had to cover at the circ desk since my aide
is doing lunch duty and I have no qualms about reading a novel or other
professional stuff.  Actually, I would like an administrator to come in
and ask me why.  I have the answer all ready.

As for your 2nd question, I try to follow the advice of some guru who
says only handle paper once.  If I find something I want to distribute
to faculty I make a note and direction for my aide.  If it is an
internet site, I go to it and bookmark it if it is good.  If it is an
article, I duplicate or cut and file in the appropriate place.  I try
not to let things pile up, but then I am fairly compulsive about this.
I make sure my desk is cleaned before I leave on a Friday afternoon.
__________
The first Friday of every month is reading day for me.  I don't schedule
classes in the media center; I leave my computers off at home and at
work;
and I spend most of the day reading.  I keep professional reading in a
box
with index cards, pens, and highlighters.  As I read useful ideas, I
make
notes on the cards; later I'll file them by topic.  The highlighter is
for
putting a dot by items I want to order; my assistant uses that dot to
compile our want list.  On reading day, I'll assist students with
research
and plan with teachers, but I leave the phone, discipline, and paperwork
to my assistant.  At the end of the day, I take my box home to finish up
over the weekend.  My goal is two journals cover-to-cover and selected
articles from six journals every month.  I save most professional books
for long weekends and summer.
__________
 When I find a "keeper" article, I copy it and place it in a binder
that I have, divided by subjects such as Admin, Reading Programs, Info
Power, Selection, etc.  Then, instead of looking through years of back
issues, I flip through my binder.
__________
Good questions.  My solution: I stack journals, etc. in a certain spot
on my desk.  At least once a month, I make a point to either take the
stack
home and read during TV time or set aside a time after school to read,
skim.
As I read I turn down pages and start a new stack.  At least once a
month, I
take that stack to the copy machine, copy the article, lesson, etc. and
start a stack on the top of my file cabinet.  At least once a month, I
place
those articles in lesson or subject files.  I have separate drawers for
specific information skills, curriculum connections,
general/professional
and technology.
__________
I usually read during the summer.  Since I share subscriptions with a
fellow librarian, I photocopy the articles and keep them til then.  As
for
the web sites, etc., I hope I am right that we are all new at this and
I,
for one, am totally disorganized.  I used to print out the LM_NET
messages I
wanted to keep and put them in a binder.  Some of the web sites I keep
in a
folder on my desktop - the Mac will automatically open up the site when
you
click on it.  But, I"m not good at keeping up with it all and often get
too
tired of trying to organize everything.  Not a good trait in a
librarian,
but I never claimed to be anything but disorganized.
__________







Liz Dodds
Library Media Teacher
Fresno, California
dodds2@cvip.fresno.com

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