In lesson 2 we are asked to reflect on the components of “successful reference services” as outlined in Riedling’s book on pg.4. There are also three other components that were added to this list in lesson 2. I think it is reasonable to expect a TL to be able to be competent on all these areas. It takes time and we cannot expect that a TL will have all these qualities when first starting but these are definitely attainable goals. When I look over this list I’m happy to see that I have already started making some improvements and become familiar with many of these components. Below is my reflection on each of them.
1. Knowledge of the library media collection- I am slowly getting to know my collection of resources. I haven’t been able to fully analyze all areas of the library collection but I have a rough idea of how well each section is developed. This is going to take some more time.
2. Effective conversational skills (communication)- Good communication skills are something that I feel pretty confident about especially when dealing with students and parents. I do find I still have some work to do when communicating with staff members. I have had to justify myself and my program a few times this year and I think that I need to do a better job. I don’t think the staff has a clear idea of my goals and mission as a TL. I assumed that teachers being educators would be able to easily understand what my purpose is in the library but I’ve come to see that I was wrong in assuming this. Having a TL at my school is a new concept and I still have a lot of educating to do! Luckily I have a fantastic administrator that supports me in everything I do.
3. Competence in selecting, acquiring and evaluating resources to meet students’ needs- This has been a bit of a challenge so far. Since I don’t have a very good grasp of the entire library collection it’s hard to know what is needed. I’m lucky to have a healthy budget but knowing where to put that money requires a lot of planning over a number of years. This year I tried to fill in a few holes but I mostly just bought books that I found interesting. I found many great resources but I’m not entirely sure if all of the books that I bought were essential at this time. I will be starting my inventory soon and this will give me a chance to look at and to touch every book in the library. This should give me a better idea of what my areas of focus should be for next year’s purchases.
4. Understanding of the research process and the affective qualities that are inherent in research- I have started working on research models this year and I plan on presenting a couple of them to the staff to try and have one model used throughout the grades. This course so far has provided me with some good information about the different types of models.
5. Patience with the frustrations that often accompany reference services and an ability to stay positive despite these- I see myself as being a very patient person however this year my patience has been tested. My reference section is minimal and I don’t even have computers yet to help students do research online. I’ve been told that the computers are coming… I’ve also been frustrated by the lack of knowledge that the students have about how to research and about the library. I’m trying to stay positive and see that everything takes time especially when there are many changes to be made.
6. Knowledge of and an eagerness to apply information skills, where applicable, to all levels of student research- For this section, I’m definitely eager to apply these skills but I don’t have enough knowledge yet. This is where patience is important! As I journey through the diploma program I hope to gain all the necessary information to feel confident in teaching information skills to all grade levels.
This posting is a little longer than expected! I found it really interesting to go through each section and to see just how much I have accomplished this year and how much more I need to learn! All of these components depend on the other. As long as I keep working a little bit on all the components I will be doing a pretty good job helping out the students and staff at my school….for a rookie of course!
My first mentor always said it took a year to know your collection. Although it's great to have clerical help, actually checking items in and out gives you a very thoroughly idea of what's active - even the wear patterns. It's really all one step at a time.
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