On Friday, April 23, 2010 I presented with Genny Yarne at the ILA/ACRL Spring Conference 2010: “The Library is Open: Open, Minds, Open Doors, Open Access.” Our session was called “Pushing Library Resources.” Below find a summary of the session and the links and quotes we used.
“Pushing Library Resources” – Kirkwood Community College Library has been working to improve the accessibility of library resources. We offer a look at the successes and failures we’ve experienced from a front line customer service position on the reference desk and possible pitfalls for you to look out for, successes, limitations that we’ve found, and things we are still struggling with. Our discussion will include: database selection, database training, reference services online, information literacy, delicious bookmarks, adoption of a proxy server, and the process of re-designing our library website. We will encourage others to share their stories of what has worked and not for them.
http://tametheweb.com/2010/02/17/meet-abbey-the-digital-native
http://www.kirkwood.edu/library
http://kirkwoodlibrary.wordpress.com
Conclusion #1 – People don’t care how it works, they just want it to
Conclusion #2 – “He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail.” – Abraham Maslow
Conclusion #3 – You can’t just do things once and assume they are working.
Conclusion #4 – Critical thinking is a vital part of using online resources.
Conclusion #5 – Everything needs to work together.
– “I hold before you my hand with each finger standing erect and alone and so long as they are held thus not one of the tasks that the hand may perform can be accomplished.
I cannot lift,
I cannot grasp,
I cannot hold,
I cannot even make an intelligible sign,
Until my fingers organize and work together in this we should also learn a lesson.”
– George Washington Carver
