Dissertation--Itemization

Today was a day of learning and team effort at MBI Crowell Library. My day began with vauge instructions and a "somewhat" goal in mind. But with the help of Public Services Librarian--Amy Koehler, Technical Services Librarian--Lori Johnson, and Archives Assistant--Nikki Tochaluaski our goal was achieved...well the first of quite a few miniature goals. And as the journey continued the instructions became more clear!

My initial task today was to analyze dissertation records about the one and only D.L. Moody along with dissertations pertaining to the institute in general. First, Amy opened up Horizon--basically the more technical/less user friendly version of OPAC (which is the public interface patrons use to search what the library has.) Then Amy showed me the basic ropes on how to run the program and scan bar codes (which is every stereotypical wannabe librarian's dream!) to get the book's info into the program. After I scanned it a bunch of numbers appeared in the horizon window--numbers that are apparently the key to inside jokes, yet they meant nothing to me!

After consulting Nikki--aka the goal maker of the dissertation project, Amy and I realized that for today's purposes analysis was no long necessary! Basically, the dissertations in the archives are not all searchable in the system! So we needed a "tag" (in 2012 laymen's terms) to help lump the dissertations together and make them searchable...because the dissertations are meant to be used and accessible in a "patron friendly" sort of way. So after conversing with Nikki Amy and I beckoned the guru cataloging Tech Services Librarian, Lori Johnson. She knew just how to work horizon so we could scan each dissertation and "tag" it to make them searchable! yippee! And with the help of the "catalog" authority, we soon had an official tag AND one that is acceptable according to the rules of cataloging--because geez oh petes you should see the book of rules for cataloging!

So today I scanned a cart of dissertations, linked them, and tagged them with a six ten (610) of "Moody Bible Institute--History and Criticism Dissertation"--making our dissertations at MBI Crowell Library ready and searchable to the patron world...

Well, once the Library re-opens for the summer that is! (with hours available here)

Now we just need the dissertations to have their own home on their very own shelf in the archives room! Stay tuned for part two of the journey...which is to be continued...at some point in the future...hahaha

LibGuides not Ad-libs,

My time volunteering may have started off on a forgetful note

But alas! my time at MBI's Crowell Library was not forgetful--it was informative! That is to be expected when working at a library--is it not?! During my volunteer time at Crowell Library I had the pleasure of working with the Technical Services Librarian, Lori Johnson! Our day began with an overview of what LibGuides are: "Research assistance, subject guides, and useful resources compiled by your friendly librarians. Know what we know - find it in LibGuides!" And surprisingly, before this point I knew absolutely nothing about libguides! I know, I know, what kind of volunteer am I?! But come on! There's so much to learn about in a library!

So Lori sat me, the libguide newb, down at a computer and showed me what libguides were, how to edit and manage them AND she taught me all the "pro-tips" like the two windows side by side as pictured above! After the generals Lori showed me what category within libguides I was going to be updating: "Social Work and Counseling Resources." And specifically within this libguide I updated the "abuse" tab.

To update the libguide (as pictured above) I began linking the book titles to the specific Crowell Library catalogue page. I added call numbers to the libguide. And I searched for summary information on the book in order to provide an adequate overview of the material. For most summaries I used the actual information given on the back of the book and occasionally listed information from the table of contents and from online resources. After I finished I couldn't believe how much work libguides were! And I could not believe how useful they are! Libguides are an excellent resource for all your academic and ministerial needs. I could not believe I never took advantage of these guides before. Thankfully, Amy informed me that they were created within the past year--so I didn't feel too behind in my research methods. But remember dear patrons! You can get a jumpstart on your research before you even step foot in the library with libguides! For their name is self-explanatory--they guide you to resources found at Crowell Library! And guess what...some of the resources found on libguides are even accessible as an electronic resource online!

"After you have pumped your brains for thoughts and verse, there is a better poetry hinted in whistling a tune on your walk." Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882). Journal, 1859, undated.

This lovely quote was found in Random House Webster's Quotationary edited by Leonard Roy Frank and published in 1999. I chose this quote because today was a day of inspiration! Unfortunately our library is probably a bit different than the type of stroll Mr. Emerson would have been referring too--although I would love a greenhouse library! But the idea Mr. Emerson seems to be getting at still resounds with my volunteer time today: When you research and research and research and do not find what you're looking for--when you head to reference section of 016's you'll find just what you need! Maybe that's a little too far of a stretch for Mr. Emerson...but for our purposes today...hahaha

The Random House Webster's Quotationary is a book that is found in Crowell Library's Reference section. I learned today a bit more about the reference section--a place where I typically only go for commentaries and books like100 must reads of the 20th century. But today I learned about the "016's" (oh one six--reference to the dewey decimal of that section.) According to volume two of Dewey Decimal Classification edition 21 the 016's are, "Bibliographies and catalogs of works on specific subjects or in specific disciplines." (45)

In laymen's terms! THESE ARE INDEXES AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES FROM SCHOLARS WHO HAVE ALREADY DONE THE DIRTY WORK FOR US! When a daunting research paper is assigned I will normally go to a friend and ask for the best commentaries available, the best scholars on the subject, and what I should read in full and where to inquire for further research. BUT! what I learned today is that there are indexes in the reference section of books (the 016's) that are purely bibliographies! Lists of the best of this and the liberal of that. There are lists with annotations, and lists with bold faced type. There are lists and lists and more lists! And all these lists are just to help us research!

And get this! This section of the library has recently been re-arranged to help us, the patrons, easily access what we're trying to find! The sections are: Religion, Social Sciences, Language, Science, Technology, Arts & Rec, Literature, History, and Biography. After that there are encyclopedia's dedicated to subjects like philosophy, great thinkers, psychology, and the list goes on!

The 016's are my new friend. This portion of the reference section is a new pal that will definitely be of great use come this fall for my last semester line-up. And I hope that you too will use this section--BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO THE DIRTY WORK! Someone else has already done it all--compiled lists and lists of useful bibliographies for whatever subject you need to research and it's all printed and published! So join me in the 016's as I currently brush up on my chess game by using the list of annotated bibliographies in Alex Dunne's Great Chess Books of the Twentieth Century in English. I mean, come on--who doesn't want to be the next Bobby Fischer?

More carpeting fun

Carpeting recommences

An emotional week at Crowell Library

Today at MBI's Crowell Library was a scavenger hunt! No, not the kind with chocolate eggs and candies--it was a hunt for missing books. There is a list of about twenty pages of missing books! It made my heart sad to think of all those lonely books searching for a home on the shelf. Basically what happens is the books have accidentally been placed in the wrong section. With the Dewey Decimal system everything is labeled with a letter and then a grouping of numbers according to the book's contents. Because there are so many numbers it is easy to accidentally mix and match and misplace. So unfortunately, these little lost books have a home in the wrong neighborhood of the shelf! It was my job to brainstorm how one might mix up these numbers! So for example if the call number is M288---etcetc I would search the neighboring shelves, and in the area of 282, 820, 280, 822, etcetc. Unfortunately, on today's scavenger hunt no books were found and it grieves my heart to say--that is the usual. 

After the sad event of no found books--I went to a place where library happiness can always be found: "Last Updated On 7-3-12." aka the free shelf! The free shelf was updated mere days before I came to volunteer and my oh me were there goodies to be found! There was an abundance of old Sunday School flannel graph materials and I took almost all of them! Pictured below is my favorite find. I'm not sure if they were supposed to be "together" but I thought it appropriate to keep them together forever!

So this week was filled with mixed emotions--but as always a pleasure! And with Chicago summer weather--the air conditioned library is a glorious place to be!