Comments on: Fomenting revolt in Iceland http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/10/29/fomenting-revolt-in-iceland/ A librarian, writer and tech geek reflecting on the profession and the tools we use to serve our patrons Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:59:34 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Meredith Farkas http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/10/29/fomenting-revolt-in-iceland/comment-page-1/#comment-187150 Meredith Farkas Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:40:11 +0000 http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/?p=899#comment-187150 I like that idea, Alice! I think a lot of people get their hearts set on working in a single kind of library, when they've never had experiences in other kinds of libraries. It would give people a much more well-rounded perspective to shadow librarians in various areas of practice. I liked with my social work education that I got experience in two kinds of settings; it really helped to clarify for me what I was really passionate about doing. I like that idea, Alice! I think a lot of people get their hearts set on working in a single kind of library, when they’ve never had experiences in other kinds of libraries. It would give people a much more well-rounded perspective to shadow librarians in various areas of practice. I liked with my social work education that I got experience in two kinds of settings; it really helped to clarify for me what I was really passionate about doing.

]]> By: Alice Yucht http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/10/29/fomenting-revolt-in-iceland/comment-page-1/#comment-187149 Alice Yucht Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:30:30 +0000 http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/?p=899#comment-187149 Ideally, students should be required to have two different kinds of onsite experiences: 1. Field Observation -- wherein they spend time in at least two different kinds of libraries shadowing a professional to *see* what the job entails. (FWIW, this should be done early in their coursework, to provide some reality for those who've never worked in a library.) Then, after most of their coursework is completed, 2. Practicum -- an intense/extended apprenticeship to provide a grounding in practical applications of the skills learned. Ideally, students should be required to have two different kinds of onsite experiences:
1. Field Observation — wherein they spend time in at least two different kinds of libraries shadowing a professional to *see* what the job entails. (FWIW, this should be done early in their coursework, to provide some reality for those who’ve never worked in a library.) Then, after most of their coursework is completed,
2. Practicum — an intense/extended apprenticeship to provide a grounding in practical applications of the skills learned.

]]> By: Pamela Brown http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/10/29/fomenting-revolt-in-iceland/comment-page-1/#comment-187148 Pamela Brown Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:12:35 +0000 http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/?p=899#comment-187148 I totally agree with you, Meredith, but come at it from another perspective. When I hire a recent graduate, I expect he/she has not only the theory but also practical skills. Otherwise, a new hire is nearly worthless for at least a year, while we train him/her. This is especially difficult in a small public library, where the support staff see they are training a new professional, who is getting paid more than they are. I went to library school back in the dark ages after working in libraries for 5+ years. I also worked in a library while I was in school. Most of my fellow students had the same kind of background. I must say we often wondered why we were in school but tended to view it as getting our union cards. It sounds like times have changed but questionably for the good. I totally agree with you, Meredith, but come at it from another perspective. When I hire a recent graduate, I expect he/she has not only the theory but also practical skills. Otherwise, a new hire is nearly worthless for at least a year, while we train him/her. This is especially difficult in a small public library, where the support staff see they are training a new professional, who is getting paid more than they are.

I went to library school back in the dark ages after working in libraries for 5+ years. I also worked in a library while I was in school. Most of my fellow students had the same kind of background. I must say we often wondered why we were in school but tended to view it as getting our union cards. It sounds like times have changed but questionably for the good.

]]> By: Meredith Farkas http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/10/29/fomenting-revolt-in-iceland/comment-page-1/#comment-187147 Meredith Farkas Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:15:44 +0000 http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/?p=899#comment-187147 I completely agree. When I was in school for my masters in Social Work, we had to do two practica. The first was in the second semester and (if we were full-time) we did that one while taking two other classes. The second one was in the last (fifth for full-time students) semester. For that second practicum, we worked full-time in a setting related to the area of practice we were interested in working in. We also met once a week with other students doing practica and a facilitator to talk about our experiences. I liked having one practicum and then having two semesters of regular classes, because it added so much richness to my understanding of what we were learning. And I really liked the least practicum because it was just like working in the "real world" in a F/T job. I completely agree. When I was in school for my masters in Social Work, we had to do two practica. The first was in the second semester and (if we were full-time) we did that one while taking two other classes. The second one was in the last (fifth for full-time students) semester. For that second practicum, we worked full-time in a setting related to the area of practice we were interested in working in. We also met once a week with other students doing practica and a facilitator to talk about our experiences. I liked having one practicum and then having two semesters of regular classes, because it added so much richness to my understanding of what we were learning. And I really liked the least practicum because it was just like working in the “real world” in a F/T job.

]]> By: Genesis Hansen http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/10/29/fomenting-revolt-in-iceland/comment-page-1/#comment-187146 Genesis Hansen Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:44:42 +0000 http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/?p=899#comment-187146 I graduated from library school in 2003, and I definitely felt that the semester-long practicum I did was the best preparation I had for real library experience (especially since I had never worked in a library before). I've had the idea for awhile now that an MLIS program should be more like a teacher credential program - coursework combined with on-the-job training through the whole program. It's not that the coursework is useless, I just think you need to experience it in the context of a working library in order to get the most out of it. I graduated from library school in 2003, and I definitely felt that the semester-long practicum I did was the best preparation I had for real library experience (especially since I had never worked in a library before). I’ve had the idea for awhile now that an MLIS program should be more like a teacher credential program – coursework combined with on-the-job training through the whole program. It’s not that the coursework is useless, I just think you need to experience it in the context of a working library in order to get the most out of it.

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