I agree with Linda on this topic. I have agreed to help "some graduate
students" through LM_NET and then I was sent the complete assignment as an
attachment with directions from the instructor stated on the page for the
researcher / student to develop from an interview session or a research
gathering session. It was almost as if I were being asked to do the
assignment. (No, I only gave the answers to the questions that "could have
been asked." Unfortunately, because these were broad-based questions, the
researcher / student did not have the opportunity to ask follow-up
questions, ask for clarification, or provide me with some extra information
that might have helped her / him complete the assignment. I can only
imagine what the assignment looked like when it was completed.)
I realize that we can offer assistance through online services such as
LM_NET or through personal contact (through the university or public
librarians), but most librarians who are approached personally with these
types of questions, realize that they are being interviewed for "the
answers" for MLIS programs...(who else would want to do in-depth research
into book challenges, the history of censorship, ethic values in the
profession, or Internet filtering and the impact on library access?) In
most cases, librarians will guide the student through the reference
interview process (as Linda stated: "Where have you looked before this?
What sources have you used? etc.) In addition, they will often show the
student the correct steps to take, explain the resources that can be used,
offer suggestions, and then allow the student to modify the questions for
clarification. They usually also allows them to spend time studying these
resources...because generally there are no "straight answers" to some of
these questions.
I remember from my graduate studies, half of the frustration (and later
excitement) from these types of assignments was doing the research myself.
Although it was easy to watch as "groups" exchanged answers to questions
that they located "together," it frustrated me to spend hours locating the
answers while they happily skipped out of the library to do some shopping.
Although I would not consider myself an expert in online database or
Internet searching, I have learned (through sweat and tears) that the
experience with the print and online resources (as well as the friendships
of some university, public and school librarians that I met along my
research-way), has served me well. The reward of learning how to search for
information pays off time and again when my students or teachers tell me
that "there is NO information out there" on a topic or that they "looked
everywhere and can't find" something. My biggest reward is doing the
reference interview and while they are explaining why something is "just not
there," I magically find it and will be printing the information (or pushing
the book toward them). It's happened too many times for it to be just a
coincidence. It's experience through reference work that I gained from my
MLIS program and from learning how to do it myself.
Off the soapbox...(but willing to "guide" and "mentor" graduate students in
projects that will make them great professionals!)
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Fox" <lfox@GW.NERIC.ORG>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: Need censorship challenge.
> Hello;
> The request by this student is a particular frustration to me. I am an
> adjunct instructor at the SUNY Albany School of Information Science &
> Policy. I also give my students assignments about materials challenges
> in schools. The class I teach is titled Administration of School Media
> Programs. The students are aspiring library media specialists. I am not
> against the personal interview as a form of information gathering.
> However all decent sized libraries have materials on this issue. Before
> answering this question, as a librarian, I would ask this student "Where
> have you already looked?"
> As an instructor of future librarians, I expect my students to emulate
> a librarian and do an exhaustive search locally before going beyond the
> region to find information. Graduate level assignments and projects are
> not meant to be scavenger hunts. I would respectfully ask LM_Net members
> to refrain from providing information to library media students for
> their projects. Please don't do their homework for them. There is a lot
> to be said for students getting directly to the content without doing a
> search ( and we know that location skills are often on the bottom of the
> hierarchy). However, I do believe that there is a lot of learning in the
> search. You know, getting there is half the fun. Searching for resources
> themselves provides LMS students with an example of the frustration
> their students might feel one day, an opportunity to hone their location
> skills and finally, an awareness of the availability of local resources
> on a particular content area.
> BTW - this is not meant to be personally directed at the individual who
> posted the request. She has exhibited good management skills by
> delegating her work - to you!
> Thanks for letting me vent!
>
>
> Linda Fox - Director VOICE: (518) 786-3221
> School Library System FAX: (518) 786-6401
> Capital Region BOCES E-MAIL: lfox@gw.neric.org
> 6G British American Blvd. URL: www.crbsls.org
> Latham, NY 12110 Member - NYLA Legislative Committee
> Member
>
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In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archive: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
LM_NET Select/EL-Announce: http://www.cuenet.com/archive/el-announce/
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