Re: GEN: New Librarians

[Jan Birney <stmark6614@YAHOO.COM>]

This summer I am receiving my MLS with certification
as a Library Media Specialist from an ALA accredited
school.  I have enjoyed the program very much and have
learned many practical, as well as esoteric, things in
the past three years. My Media and Curriculum course
was a great nuts and bolts course in planning,
collaborating, and executing units of instruction
using resource based learning, booktalks, and inquiry.

But my cataloging course taught LC classification
rather than Dewey.  I am ashamed to say, I don't know
Dewey. At all. I look at the shelf signage like your
average patron.
Our instructors told us not to worry--we wouldn't be
doing much cataloging anyway, and besides, everything
is MARC records, but still.... I feel a bit ignorant
about something that I think a librarian should know.
I'm a quick study so I know I'll pick it up pretty
quickly and the really important stuff is learned in
classes like the Media and Curriculum course, but
still....
I think library schools need to be assessing their own
curricula on a regular basis, updating and customizing
their courses to meet the changing needs of today's
librarian (and there should be World Peace and no
hunger).  On balance, I think the most important thing
you learn in a good library program is how to find
what you're looking for, how to provide access to
materials that will meet your patrons' needs, be they
children or adults, and how to evaluate the enormous
amount of information that's thrown at us every day.
And Dewey.  Teach Dewey, since that's what schools use
anyway.
Jan Birney

=====
Jan Birney, Computer Specialist
Stratford Catholic Regional School System
Stratford, CT 06615
stmark6614@yahoo.com

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