OK, a week has passed since I looked at stocktaking and have attended the webinar by Softlink. It was a good afternoon to be briefed on the stocktaking processes associated with OLIVER.
I think that there is really little to fear, even for those in DET schools who are moving over from OASIS to OLIVER. The big advantage that OLIVER has over OASIS is the interface and that you can see 20 results on a page as opposed to one so it can actually help you sort out items that are missing or poorly catalogued.
A bit like cooking, there is preparation for a stocktake which must not be overlooked like undertaking a simple housekeeping procedure to ensure that everything in the collection is on the system and to help identify items that are catalogued incorrectly.
And I liked how you can scan in barcodes once you have imported them to account for unscanned yet available items!!!
Don't ever fear closing a library just to do a stocktake, like they used to!!!
Friday, October 23, 2015
Friday, October 16, 2015
Stocktaking Time
For school libraries, its almost (or perhaps already) that time of year again - stocktaking time.
I am going through the process of stocktaking for the first time and I've been quite amazed at the simplicity of the process. I thought doing something like was daunting with alot of steps involved. This was the case until I was delegated with a good challenge - create a set of procedures based on the system used by the school and how to do with the diverse collections available.
It might appear to be a little time consuming at times because of the checks that have to be made with error reports and the like, but at the end of the day, we as librarians have to account for every single item that forms the collections within the library.
A big plus, is that it gives one the chance to correct the errors that may have arisen in cataloguing an item/s. We are human at the end of the day.
I am aware school libraries where collections have been in a state of disrepair. This blog is not about naming them and shaming them at all. In fact stocktakes have not been done or if done not properly. It raises issues in terms of managing the broader library. The consequences can be massive with items simply "disappearing" (or missing in more technical sense) when they are on the shelves. I have discovered that for myself with one school.
I also was reading a post this week on the NSWTL message board (Available to those with NSW DET email accounts) and one question came forward. For those outside of NSW, OLIVER is being introduced to all NSW Public Schools as the main circulation system for school libraries. The Teacher Librarian had asked whether or not a stocktake should be done following the transfer of data from OASIS.
It comes down to when the last stocktake was done. If it was done right before the transfer, I would say "No". If the Stocktake is yet to be done for this year and would normally proceed this term, I would suggest "yes", provided you have the Softlink Manual. It is not really that complex after all from what I found and applying it to the school library. I'll admit I've made a few small modifications to my procedures as I have gone along, which has been good for eyeing out any problems.
For those out there especially in the NSW DET Schools who are struggling, please feel free to get in touch with me.
I am going through the process of stocktaking for the first time and I've been quite amazed at the simplicity of the process. I thought doing something like was daunting with alot of steps involved. This was the case until I was delegated with a good challenge - create a set of procedures based on the system used by the school and how to do with the diverse collections available.
It might appear to be a little time consuming at times because of the checks that have to be made with error reports and the like, but at the end of the day, we as librarians have to account for every single item that forms the collections within the library.
A big plus, is that it gives one the chance to correct the errors that may have arisen in cataloguing an item/s. We are human at the end of the day.
I am aware school libraries where collections have been in a state of disrepair. This blog is not about naming them and shaming them at all. In fact stocktakes have not been done or if done not properly. It raises issues in terms of managing the broader library. The consequences can be massive with items simply "disappearing" (or missing in more technical sense) when they are on the shelves. I have discovered that for myself with one school.
I also was reading a post this week on the NSWTL message board (Available to those with NSW DET email accounts) and one question came forward. For those outside of NSW, OLIVER is being introduced to all NSW Public Schools as the main circulation system for school libraries. The Teacher Librarian had asked whether or not a stocktake should be done following the transfer of data from OASIS.
It comes down to when the last stocktake was done. If it was done right before the transfer, I would say "No". If the Stocktake is yet to be done for this year and would normally proceed this term, I would suggest "yes", provided you have the Softlink Manual. It is not really that complex after all from what I found and applying it to the school library. I'll admit I've made a few small modifications to my procedures as I have gone along, which has been good for eyeing out any problems.
For those out there especially in the NSW DET Schools who are struggling, please feel free to get in touch with me.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Noise @ Kogarah Library
There has been a big debate over the purpose of libraries which has stemmed from complaints by patrons of Kogarah Library over noise. Click here to read the article.
Last month a lady made complaints about what libraries should be for, and it led to me writing a letter to The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. The letter was published in the St George edition on September 1.
Last month a lady made complaints about what libraries should be for, and it led to me writing a letter to The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. The letter was published in the St George edition on September 1.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Web Referencing Sites: Are they really that effective?
Last week, I decided to check some web referencing sites that the school diary at my current school currently lists. Apart from one link being dead, the other did not impress me. Even playing around with a few other sites, not impressed either.
What has disappointed me at this stage, but also Microsoft Word is their inability to automatically create proper bibliographical listings for an item or a proper in text citation. They claim to know the rules of each referencing system yet they just get it wrong.
At the end of the day its going to create confusion for students as they are taught to properly list items in a bibliography or provide an in text citation.
What does that mean for me? I still feel that you will have to teach them how to do it manually i.e. teach the conventions associated with creating a bibliography under the Harvard Citation system. At the moment that is what I have been doing with a group of Year 7 Religion classes - showing them what a bibliography is, why they are created, structures and conventions and doing some exercises.
I did a similar approach when at Hurstville Boys' High School with Year's 7 and 8, guiding them manually through the process, though they were being taught the APA system.
I intend to comment and reflect further in the not too distant future.
What has disappointed me at this stage, but also Microsoft Word is their inability to automatically create proper bibliographical listings for an item or a proper in text citation. They claim to know the rules of each referencing system yet they just get it wrong.
At the end of the day its going to create confusion for students as they are taught to properly list items in a bibliography or provide an in text citation.
What does that mean for me? I still feel that you will have to teach them how to do it manually i.e. teach the conventions associated with creating a bibliography under the Harvard Citation system. At the moment that is what I have been doing with a group of Year 7 Religion classes - showing them what a bibliography is, why they are created, structures and conventions and doing some exercises.
I did a similar approach when at Hurstville Boys' High School with Year's 7 and 8, guiding them manually through the process, though they were being taught the APA system.
I intend to comment and reflect further in the not too distant future.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Engaging reluctant readers
The Centre for Professional Learning (NSW Teachers Federation) has published a short feature with ideas on how to engage reluctant readers in the classroom. This is handy for upper primary and junior secondary years.
In one sentence, it encourages teachers to let students take ownership of reading and writing.
In one sentence, it encourages teachers to let students take ownership of reading and writing.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Library Warriors@Evans High
I was reading the Winter 2015 edition of Learning Hub (SLANSW) when I came across an article by the Vice-President of the School Library Association of NSW - Tamara Rodgers.
It interested me how Tamara's experiences have tied in with some of my recent experiences this year. While I have finished the block at Georges River College - Hurstville Boys' Campus (back at Waverley College as an acting Teacher Librarian this term), I will admit that the article should have come out earlier because it could have guided me through that time and perhaps shaped some ideas in making a positive learning culture within the library.
I remember speaking with my library assistant about how to label the library monitors. She proposed "library boys" as it was a less formal tag and would make the work look "cool". I think "Warriors" sounds just as great because it can install a sense of responsibility yet make the work looking appealing.
Both of us had also raised the role as part of a school service program with the Head Teacher - Welfare at the school to try and get the kids to pursue activities in which they can contribute to the school community and building up a structured scheme for the "library boys". Even encouraging activities like a chess club were floated around to encourage the boys to pursue their interests but also provide them with a safe place to do it.
There was a group of Year 9 boys that I recall that were loitering and behaving inappropriately in the library at times, yet if you gave them something to do you'd find that they would get a sense of ownership and pride. I got to see them in another light, and in a positive way. This was needed when books to be weeded had to be relocated and organised in a sorting area. I could actually give praise to these kids, instead of referring them onto Head Teachers or the Deputy.
I think I may have a good model in terms of managing a library monitor system at whatever school I may be at, now or in the future.
With establishing a learning culture, the boys were never provided with a proper self-service printing system which other schools had. I was able to lobby for a printing system to be established and will be installed soon. Being boys, they love to leave things to the last minute and when they need to print, the library is often the only place to do it. They would have to approach my library assistant and pay 20 cents per page for printing from a printer within our staffroom. This took time away from her ability to work productively. I have planted one of the first seeds in making it a learning centre because boys will start to use it for learning, even if it is for printing.
One of our collections (Graphic Novels) had been previously stored in the staff room. Boys love their graphic novels. I managed to find some spare shelves and put them there. The loan rate for Graphic Novels has soared, though I hope to see that collection grow in the years ahead.
There are probably other comments to be made. One I won't comment though is the behaviour referrals. They were quite high and this not the place to bring it up.
It interested me how Tamara's experiences have tied in with some of my recent experiences this year. While I have finished the block at Georges River College - Hurstville Boys' Campus (back at Waverley College as an acting Teacher Librarian this term), I will admit that the article should have come out earlier because it could have guided me through that time and perhaps shaped some ideas in making a positive learning culture within the library.
I remember speaking with my library assistant about how to label the library monitors. She proposed "library boys" as it was a less formal tag and would make the work look "cool". I think "Warriors" sounds just as great because it can install a sense of responsibility yet make the work looking appealing.
Both of us had also raised the role as part of a school service program with the Head Teacher - Welfare at the school to try and get the kids to pursue activities in which they can contribute to the school community and building up a structured scheme for the "library boys". Even encouraging activities like a chess club were floated around to encourage the boys to pursue their interests but also provide them with a safe place to do it.
There was a group of Year 9 boys that I recall that were loitering and behaving inappropriately in the library at times, yet if you gave them something to do you'd find that they would get a sense of ownership and pride. I got to see them in another light, and in a positive way. This was needed when books to be weeded had to be relocated and organised in a sorting area. I could actually give praise to these kids, instead of referring them onto Head Teachers or the Deputy.
I think I may have a good model in terms of managing a library monitor system at whatever school I may be at, now or in the future.
With establishing a learning culture, the boys were never provided with a proper self-service printing system which other schools had. I was able to lobby for a printing system to be established and will be installed soon. Being boys, they love to leave things to the last minute and when they need to print, the library is often the only place to do it. They would have to approach my library assistant and pay 20 cents per page for printing from a printer within our staffroom. This took time away from her ability to work productively. I have planted one of the first seeds in making it a learning centre because boys will start to use it for learning, even if it is for printing.
One of our collections (Graphic Novels) had been previously stored in the staff room. Boys love their graphic novels. I managed to find some spare shelves and put them there. The loan rate for Graphic Novels has soared, though I hope to see that collection grow in the years ahead.
There are probably other comments to be made. One I won't comment though is the behaviour referrals. They were quite high and this not the place to bring it up.