Standard 3.1 Connection with library community
Candidates demonstrate the potential for establishing connections to other libraries and the larger library community for resource sharing, networking, and developing common policies and procedures. Candidates articulate the role of their professional associations and journals in their own professional growth.
Artifacts:
In ISTC 601, we visited the Enoch Pratt Free library in Baltimore and learned about what they offer to the community. I was amazed at what they provided for not just members of the library but for librarians and educators. For all members they offered a wide range of classes at varying difficulties, beginning with something as simple as using a computer and going up to creating an online job application. I recently checked to see what upcoming classes they have to offer and they listed a class on non-profit fundraising, which I am very interested in attending. The class includes a list of books on fundraising and the knowledge that the class and books exist in that library would be beneficial to any librarian if a teacher or parent needs help or ideas with fundraising. This is a great example of how to connect to outside libraries and the community as described in Standard 3.1. However there is far more the Enoch Pratt Free Library has to offer educators, and not only through classes.
While touring the library, our guide explained the library was available for professional development days. They provide training in the library and online, as well as databases with resources, lesson plans, and teaching tools. Their guides provide a vast amount of information and a large number of resources for educators. Of course, the library also provides a large amount of resources for students, including primary sources, which can help greatly with research.
An article I reviewed for ISTC 615 on intellectual freedom explains why librarians need to educate teachers and administrators on intellectual freedoms. Steps are provided, created by the American Library Association, on how to construct an advocacy campaign to promote intellection freedom. This campaign involves the principal, teachers, and their roles in promoting intellectual freedom. This article is a wonderful example of the leadership expected from media specialists on a national scale.
In my secondary practicum, my mentor conducted a lesson on using certain resources for the students conducting the History Day project. One of those resources involved using the Baltimore County Public Library databases, which allowed students to access a number of primary resources. The students were eager to use the resource, as many were unable to find the primary sources they needed with the school’s databases. Unfortunately, students could only access the databases if they had their library card number, or a username and password already set within BCPL. I was considering using the Enoch Pratt databases, which I feel may outnumber BCPL, however students need a library card from Enoch Pratt, and for that they need to go to an Enoch Pratt location, which are not very close to my secondary placement. I would like to see if there is some way to remedy this issue for future use.